Slot Series Comparison
Starburst Series: What Actually Changes
Starburst and its sequel Starburst XXXtreme share a name but run on very different math models.
- Theoretical RTP
- 96.08%
- Reel count
- 5×3
- Volatility level
- low
Yes. NetEnt's original Starburst from 2012 has one confirmed sequel, Starburst XXXtreme, which keeps the space-and-gems look but rebuilds the volatility, payline structure, and wild mechanic from the ground up. Outside of that, regional casino builds of the original exist, but they change RTP configuration only, not the gameplay itself.
- No mechanical Canada-specific edition exists — only RTP configuration differs by operator
- XXXtreme is not a re-skin; it changes paylines, volatility, and wild behaviour
- Other gem-themed titles from different studios sometimes borrow the name but are unrelated products
How the Sequel Diverges From the Original
Starburst runs on a 5x3 grid with 10 fixed paylines that pay both left-to-right and right-to-left, a mechanic branded Win Both Ways. Its core feature is a single expanding wild that can land on reels 2, 3, or 4, lock in place, and trigger up to three consecutive respins. There is no free spins round and no bonus buy — the respin chain is the entire feature layer, and it repeats often enough that the game reads as low volatility.
Starburst XXXtreme keeps the same colour palette and gem symbols but discards the both-ways structure. It runs on 9 paylines paying left-to-right only, which on paper looks like a reduction, but the sequel compensates with wild multipliers: every wild that lands carries a random multiplier value, from 2x up through 100x or 150x, and stacked wild multipliers on a single spin can push a payout far beyond anything the original produces.
XXXtreme also introduces two mechanics absent from the base game. Random Wilds can appear on the middle reels after any spin or respin, adding wild coverage the original never offers outside its expanding-wild feature. XXXtreme Spins let a player pay a fixed multiple of the base bet — 10x or 95x — for a spin guaranteed to include one or two multiplier wilds, an optional-cost mechanic that has no equivalent in the original Starburst.
The net effect on volatility is the clearest split in the series. Standard Starburst is built for steady, frequent small-to-medium wins with a capped ceiling. XXXtreme is explicitly high volatility, trading that steadiness for rarer but larger outcomes and a top-end payout figure that dwarfs the original's cap.
Beyond the sequel, Starburst appears in numerous operator-branded and platform-specific builds, including deployments through third-party casino portals. These retain the same 5x3 reels, 10 both-ways lines, and expanding-wild respin structure as the 2012 release. What changes across these builds is the certified RTP configuration, not the mechanics — a distinction worth keeping separate from the XXXtreme comparison, since one is a genuine sequel and the other is regional tuning of the same game.
How to Tell Which Version You're Playing
Check the title screen or lobby thumbnail for the word XXXtreme before loading the game — the base Starburst carries no such branding.
Open the paytable and count the paylines: 10 lines paying both ways points to the original, 9 lines paying one direction points to the sequel.
Watch the wilds during a spin — if a wild displays a multiplier value on landing, you are in XXXtreme, not the base game.
Look at the bet panel for an XXXtreme Spins option priced at 10x or 95x the base wager; its presence confirms the sequel, its absence confirms standard Starburst.
About NetEnt
NetEnt developed both the original Starburst and its XXXtreme sequel, and continues to publish core specifications for the series on its own game pages. The studio is known for building single-mechanic slots that stay in rotation for years rather than being replaced by yearly refreshes, which explains why a 2012 release still anchors a series more than a decade later.
RTP Across the Series
96.08%
NetEnt's own page for the base game lists a return figure in the low-96% range, though several certified builds exist for different markets and operators, spanning from the low 90s up to figures near 99% in some listings. XXXtreme runs on a separate certified RTP model tied to its own volatility profile, so the two entries in the series should not be assumed to share a payout return.
Volatility Is the Real Dividing Line
low
The base Starburst is built for a low-volatility session — wins land often, the expanding-wild respin recurs regularly, and swings in balance stay modest. XXXtreme flips that profile deliberately: wild multipliers and Random Wilds concentrate return into rarer, larger spikes, which is what the sequel's high-volatility label reflects. Choosing between the two entries is largely a choice about how much variance a session should carry, since the surface theme and symbols look nearly identical.
Series Questions Players Ask
Does Starburst XXXtreme use the same reel layout as the original?
Both keep a 5x3 grid, but the payline structure differs: the original runs 10 both-ways lines, while XXXtreme runs 9 lines paying left-to-right only.
Why does the sequel pay only left to right instead of both ways?
XXXtreme replaces the both-ways structure with wild multipliers and Random Wilds as its main value driver, so the payline count was rebuilt around that feature rather than kept identical to the original.
Do the wild multipliers in XXXtreme replace the respin mechanic from Starburst?
Yes. The original's expanding wild with up to three respins does not carry over; XXXtreme instead attaches a random multiplier to each wild and adds Random Wilds that can appear after any spin.
Can I choose between the standard game and XXXtreme Spins on every wager?
XXXtreme Spins are an optional-cost feature within Starburst XXXtreme only, priced at 10x or 95x the base bet per activation; the original Starburst has no equivalent paid option.
Does switching to XXXtreme change the paylines count I need to track?
Yes — moving from the original's 10 both-ways lines to XXXtreme's 9 one-directional lines is one of the clearest mechanical shifts between the two games.
Are regional Starburst builds outside Canada mechanically different from the XXXtreme sequel?
No. Regional or operator-specific builds of the base Starburst keep the same 5x3 reels, 10 both-ways lines, and expanding wild; only the certified RTP configuration varies, while XXXtreme remains a separate product with its own mechanics.
Choosing a Version
The two Starburst entries serve different sessions rather than one replacing the other. The original remains a low-volatility staple built around frequent, modest wins and a capped ceiling, while XXXtreme rebuilds the same aesthetic into a high-volatility game chasing larger, rarer outcomes through multiplier wilds.
Made for Players who want a steady, low-variance session and are comparing the series before picking a version fit for their bankroll and risk tolerance.
Not made for Players expecting both entries to behave identically, or looking for a bonus-buy or free-spins round in either version — neither Starburst nor XXXtreme offers one.
Compare Both Versions Before Playing
Play at partner casinoReview the paytable and volatility notes for whichever Starburst entry you plan to try, and keep in mind the 19+ age requirement in most provinces (18+ in AB, MB, and QC) along with any provincial responsible-gaming resources before wagering.