Last updated: 13-07-2026
Starburst has a genuine claim to being the most-played online pokie in history by total volume — NetEnt released it in 2012, and it's still one of the most searched pokie names worldwide over a decade later. That longevity isn't nostalgia alone. It's a genuinely different kind of game to almost everything else covered in this series: Low volatility, a modest 500x ceiling, and a session experience built around frequent small wins rather than chasing a five-figure multiplier.
Worth being clear upfront that "Starburst" now covers more than one product. The original sits at the low-volatility, accessible end. A 2024 sequel, Starburst Galaxy, is a completely different game mechanically despite sharing the branding. This page focuses primarily on the original, with the Galaxy version compared directly so you know what you're choosing between.
How the original Starburst works
The layout is a straightforward 5x3 grid running 10 fixed paylines — but with a genuine quirk: those paylines pay both left-to-right and right-to-left simultaneously, which effectively doubles your winning combinations to the equivalent of 20 paylines without changing the bet structure. There's no scatter symbol and no traditional free spins round here, which is unusual for a modern pokie and can initially feel incomplete if you're used to titles built around a scatter-triggered bonus.
Instead, the entire bonus mechanic runs through the Starburst Wild: an expanding wild symbol that, when it lands on reel 2, 3, or 5, expands to fill that entire reel and awards a free respin. If another wild lands during that respin, it triggers again — up to three consecutive respins are possible from a single trigger, each one holding the existing wild reels in place while the others spin again. It's a simple mechanic, but it's the single source of the game's bigger wins.
One detail worth flagging clearly: NetEnt built Starburst with a genuinely wide operator-adjustable RTP range, from 90.05% up to 99.06%. That's an unusually large spread — most titles in this series vary by a percentage point or two between configurations; Starburst's range spans nearly nine points. Checking the in-game paytable before playing matters more here than almost anywhere else in this comparison series.
| Version | RTP | Volatility | Max Win | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starburst (original) | 96.09% default (90.05%–99.06% range) | Low | 500x | 2012 | Widest RTP range in this comparison series |
| Starburst Galaxy | 96% (also 94% or 88% tiers) | Medium to High | 25,000x | 2024 | Different mechanic entirely — avalanche, 7x7 expansion |
| Hit frequency (original) | ~22.6% | — | — | — | Roughly 1 win per 4.4 spins |
| Demo mode | Available | — | — | — | No registration required |
Where Starburst's RTP sits against other Ripper titles
At its default 96.09%, the original Starburst sits comfortably within the mid-to-upper tier of this comparison series, roughly matching the AU pokies average. What sets it apart isn't the number itself — it's the range around it. No other title in this series carries anywhere near a 90.05%–99.06% operator-adjustable spread.
Author's tip from Jack Thompson, Casino Analyst & Responsible Gambling Researcher: "Check the RTP figure specifically on original Starburst before every session, not just the first time. A 90.05% configuration and a 99.06% configuration are two genuinely different games financially, and NetEnt's range here is wider than almost anything else you'll find."
Original or Galaxy — and why Starburst turns up in bonus terms
The decision between these two versions is really a decision about what kind of session you want. The original suits players who want low-drama, frequent small wins and a genuinely simple mechanic — no scatter to wait for, no complex bonus buy math, just wilds and respins. Starburst Galaxy is a different proposition entirely: a 5x5 grid expanding to 7x7 through an avalanche mechanic, a considerably higher 25,000x ceiling, and Medium to High volatility that trades the original's steadiness for real upside potential.
One thing worth knowing if you're new to AU online casinos generally: "Starburst free spins" turns up constantly in welcome bonus terms across the industry, specifically because of the original's Low volatility and broad accessibility. Operators favour it for bonus spin offers precisely because its outcomes are more predictable than a Very High volatility title would be — which makes it a common first pokie for players working through a welcome offer, whether or not they'd have chosen it independently.
- Original Starburst: Low volatility, wide RTP range, simple wild-respin mechanic — no traditional free spins.
- Starburst Galaxy: considerably higher ceiling, more complex avalanche and grid-expansion mechanics.
- Check the RTP configuration on the original specifically — the range here is unusually wide.
- Both versions carry no progressive jackpot and no traditional multiplier stacking beyond their stated mechanics.
18+ only. Low volatility doesn't mean no risk — it means smaller, more frequent outcomes rather than large infrequent ones, but the long-run return is still governed entirely by the RTP configuration in play. Gambling Help Online is available on 1800 858 858 for anyone in Australia who wants support around their play.
Why a 2012 game is still this relevant
NetEnt's decision to keep Starburst's mechanics deliberately simple has aged unusually well. Most pokies released in the years since have layered on progressively more complex bonus systems — buy-in mechanics, multi-tier free spins, persistent multipliers — and while that complexity genuinely suits players chasing bigger ceilings, it's also made a game like Starburst stand out precisely because it doesn't do any of that. No scatter to track, no multiplier accumulation to follow, just wilds landing or not landing, respins triggering or not. That's a real point of difference in a market that's mostly moved toward more elaborate structures.
It's also worth noting that Starburst first existed outside online casinos entirely — NetEnt built an earlier social and land-based version before the 2012 online release that made it famous. That history is mostly trivia at this point, but it partly explains why the mechanic feels closer to a classic fruit machine than to a modern video slot: it was designed in an era before scatter-triggered bonus rounds became the industry default, and the wild-respin system reflects that earlier design philosophy directly.
If the original's simplicity appeals but you want a steadier alternative with a stronger published RTP, Piggy Bank Hold & Win is worth comparing. If Starburst Galaxy's higher ceiling is more your speed, Gates of Olympus 1000 and Big Bass Splash 1000 sit in similar territory.
- Back to the homepage for the current welcome offer and licensing details.
- Browse the full pokies library for more titles.
- Piggy Bank for another steady, high-RTP option.
- Gates of Olympus 1000 for a considerably higher ceiling.
- Big Bass Splash 1000 for another high-volatility, high-ceiling title.
- New to terms like expanding wild or hit frequency? Check the glossary.
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