Starburst Galaxy Slot Review
Free demo, RTP, volatility and max win
8.1Value score · Very good · how it works
Starburst Galaxy review: NetEnt's 2024 sequel with Avalanche wins, a Feature Generator and a 7x7 Galaxy Star, rated Very high at 96% RTP and 17,288x.
- #40by value of 321 slots from 2024
- #33by value of 226 NetEnt slots
- #590by value of 3,708 slots
Play Starburst Galaxy free: demo, no sign-up
Free play money from NetEnt's official demo. 18+. No deposit and no account; a demo does not predict real results.
Basic information
| Software | NetEnt |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2024 |
| Theme | Space slots |
| RTP | 96% |
| Volatility | Very high |
| Max win | x17,288 |
| Hit frequency | 24% of spins |
| Features | Bonus buy, Cascading reels |
| Game type | Slot |
| Data verified | 2026-09-28 |
Source: NetEnt game page; RTP database by toolsgambling.com (CC BY 4.0); image: NetEnt promotional image from the official game page. How we collect data · Report a mistake
Starburst Galaxy review
This 2024 NetEnt release is billed as the cosmic follow-up to Starburst, and it changes the character of the game. Where the original is rated Low volatility with an 800x ceiling, the sequel is Very high and tops out at 17,288x. Wins clear away in Avalanches, leave wilds behind, and feed a generator that hands out a feature after every fifth consecutive win. When the generator fills, the grid grows from 5x5 to 7x7.
Avalanches and the wild left behind
A win needs three or more matching symbols in a line. Once paid, the winning symbols disappear and an Avalanche fills the gaps. A Wild is then placed at the centre of the vanished combination. For combinations with an even number of symbols, the Wild sits left-of-centre for horizontal wins and upper-centre for vertical ones, and where two winning combinations cross, at least one Wild goes at the shared centre.
These wilds substitute for everything except Scatters. If three, four or five Wilds line up without making a win with other symbols, they pay the highest prize in the paytable.
The Feature Generator
Each winning combination in the main game adds to a Feature Generator. For every five consecutive wins, one of five features is awarded at random, one at a time.
Destroy
Removes one or more random types of symbol from the reels.
Random Wilds
Replaces between 3 and 9 payout symbols on the reels with Wilds.
Expanding Wilds
Turns every Wild on the reels into a stack of 3 Wilds, one above the other.
Line Transform
Fills a whole row or a whole reel with one randomly chosen payout symbol.
Upgrade
Takes one or more random symbols of one type and upgrades them to a type with a higher payout value.
Galaxy Star and the Elevate options
The Galaxy Star starts when the fifth feature in the generator is triggered. The play area expands to 7x7 and a 3x3 Starburst Wild is placed at random. After the wins are evaluated, the winning symbols disappear and 4 to 8 regular Wilds appear. When it ends, any features still waiting in the generator are triggered. The Galaxy Metre starts with that big Wild, fills with each win, and at 50 the Galaxy Star is awarded again.
The studio also lists an Elevate Feature with five options: Bonus Boost, Mega Star, Boosted Mega Star, Galaxy Star and Galaxy Star Bonanza. It lists a feature buy-in as well. The material we hold does not detail the Mega Star rules or prices, so we describe neither.
The numbers
The recorded RTP is 96%, a house edge of 4%. Over a long run that is $40 lost per $1,000 wagered. In short sessions, 100 spins at $0.20 cost $0.80 on average, 100 spins at $1 cost $4, and 100 spins at $5, or $500 wagered, cost $20.
Volatility is Very high and the hit frequency is 24%. The max win is 17,288x the bet, which equals $3,457.60 at a $0.20 bet, $17,288 at $1 and $86,440 at $5.
Against the original and its peers
The first Starburst (2012) lists 96.08%, Low volatility and an 800x max win. The sequel has a slightly lower RTP, but its ceiling rises from 800x to 17,288x.
Among Very high slots, Gonzo's Quest II: Return to El Dorado lists 96.06% and 15,825x, Rome: The Golden Age and Wonders of Christmas both 96.06% and 19,000x, Jelly Belly Megaways 96.08% and 20,000x, Spice 96.09% and 15,000x, and Mummy Megaways 96.2% and 16,321x.
Pros
- A Feature Generator that rewards runs of consecutive wins
- The Galaxy Star expands the board to 7x7 with a 3x3 Wild
- A published 24% hit frequency
- A 17,288x max win
Cons
- Very high volatility is a long way from the Low rating of the original
- Mega Star rules and the buy-in price are not described in our sources
Verdict
Starburst Galaxy keeps the name but not the profile: Avalanches, wild placement and a generator replace the simple original. It has a 96% RTP, a 4% house edge, Very high volatility and a 17,288x ceiling. As paid entertainment it costs about $40 per $1,000 wagered on average, and it is better suited to players who want layered features than to those who liked the original's gentle pace.
Sources: NetEnt official game page; RTP, volatility and max win from the open Slot RTP Database.
Starburst Galaxy series
1 other game of the same franchise by NetEnt, oldest first.
Slots like Starburst Galaxy
Starburst Galaxy RTP
The data lists one RTP for Starburst Galaxy. Versions are not tracked for NetEnt games, so other versions may exist; check the game's info screen.
- 96% $40 lost per $1,000
Cost of 100 spins
| Bet | Wagered | Average cost at 96% |
|---|---|---|
| $0.20 | $20 | $0.80 |
| $1 | $100 | $4 |
| $5 | $500 | $20 |
Averages computed from the published RTP; real sessions vary widely around them. RTP calculator
Starburst Galaxy max win, volatility & stats
- Value score
- 8.1 / 10
- Lost per $1,000 (average)
- $40
- Max win at $1 bet
- $17,288
- Wins on average
- 1 in 4.2 spins
Percentiles compare this game with the 3,708 games in the catalogue. Max win: 17,288×.
