Starburst XXXtreme casino slot review

The online casino industry has been hot on the trails of Hollywood in recycling old blockbusters. Earlier in 2021, we saw Evolution launching a live casino game show version of the incredibly popular slot game Gonzo’s Quest. NetEnt is now releasing a new version of their most iconic online slot game Starburst; Starburst XXXtreme. Anyone playing in an online casino in the last few years has surely come across the legendary Starburst. It is part of the tapestry of any online casino. Starburst is known for stunning graphics, fun, and easy gameplay and with its low volatility, ensures small, but frequent payouts.

The original Starburst was released in 2013 and is one of the go-to games that online casino operators often pair together with free spins promotions, something that has added to the popularity of Starburst, as more players have had a chance to play the game. If we fast-forward to 2021, the original Starburst remains popular but has slowly started to fall out of favor. The reason behind its decline is the shift in players’ gaming preferences. Partly due to a generational shift, more and more players like to play higher volatility games that payout bigger sums less frequently.

To keep up with the turning tides, NetEnt has developed the Starburst XXXtreme. A new take on an old classic, a high volatility version.

Starburst XXXtreme gameplay

NetEnt has remained true to the Starburst heritage in XXXtreme. The same cosmic theme sees the player travel at the speed of light during certain game sequences. Fans of the old classic will definitely enjoy Starburst XXXtreme.

The new online slot is available from $0.10 up to $50 per spin. As we already mentioned earlier in this Starburst XXXtreme casino game review, the volatility spectrum is ‘high’. As a result, the “pay-both-ways” was removed. Winning combinations are only triggered when three or more identical symbols line up from left to right. The same seven symbols are available in the new version. Five sparkly gems, classic 7s, and bars.

Starburst Wilds (Multiplier) has remained an integral part of the gameplay. They can appear on reels 2, 3, or 4. When Wilds hit, the symbol expands to cover the whole reel, it then applies a random multiplier. Hitting a wild does not ensure a win, but even if the expanding Wilds do not award a win, the reel of Wilds will stick to the screen. The player is awarded a re-spin with the same Wilds applied to it, with the chance of triggering another random multiplier. Something that can snowball into massive wins.

Starburst XXXtreme Wilds awards multipliers in the range of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100 or x150. During a re-spin sequence described above, the multipliers are added together, and the total multiplier is applied to winning bet lines.

The game also features a Random Wilds feature, which is randomly activated after a regular spin or re-spin.

The multiplier is capped at x450, and NetEnt put a generous win cap at 200,000x the betting stake.

One of the most notable differences occurs when starting a new game session. After loading Starburst XXXtreme, you are presented with two XXXtreme Spins-betting options alongside the default gameplay:

• One guaranteed Starburst Wild on every spin – x10 stake
• Two guaranteed Starburst Wild on every spin – x95 the base stake

These XXXtreme Spins power up your gameplay, making Wilds appear more often than default spins. You can hit the same number of Wilds when doing default spins, but the chance of doing so is lower.

Starburst XXXtreme casino game – the verdict

The fact that Starburst XXXtreme was developed in 2021 and the old version in 2013 is abundantly clear. The new Starburst game is an entirely new gaming experience. As you load the game and see the graphics and hear the soundtrack, everything is familiar. NetEnt remained faithful to the original. The differences begin to show as you start to play the game. It is a bit like the old Jumanji movie and the newer ones, featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Starburst XXXtreme packs more punch and excitement with its much higher volatility. The tension is much higher, guaranteed to keep players at the edge of their seats while spinning for Starburst XXXtreme Wilds. The three X’s stand for extreme in its extremest sense. Just beware. The higher volatility means pricier gaming sessions. Always gamble responsibly and never risk money you cannot afford to lose, no matter how fun it is to play.

The big casinos, like Casino.com or JackpotCity were amongst the first to go live with the new game, but within the next week you will be able to find Starburst XXXtreme on most casino operators in Canada.