Have you ever played a video slot? If your answer is yes, you probably already know how they work and how players are awarded. However, one thing about slots is still wrapped in mystery — what makes them popular?
At the moment, the most popular online video slot is Starburst, which has become a brand on its own and one of the most recognisable casino games on the web. Whenever you visit an online casino, you will see that many sites feature this game on their homepage, and players are most likely to select this NetEnt’s creation for their introduction to the world of online slots.
The Humble Beginnings
Today, NetEnt is the most popular casino game developer in the world, focusing on online slots and other table and card games. They make a lot of branded slots that feature popular movies, actors, games, musicians, and more.
Yet, when Starburst was released back in 2012, they thought it would be a fiasco as not many players were interested in the game. Many slot spinners were simply not interested in trying yet another slot that has precious stones in it, as they wanted something more exciting and thrilling with cutting-edge animations and breathtaking visuals. Starburst was not one of those games, and it seemed that it would end up in a trash can after a while.
Then, people started realising what a great game it actually is. After a couple of years, the game topped all the lists and became one of the most popular online slots ever.
Starburst Features — What Made It Popular?
Starburst is a 10-payline video slot with a standard 5×3 grid, meaning it has five reels with three rows each. In the world of online slots, this is the most popular type of grid as players feel most comfortable with it. The slot also offers standard options such as Auto Play, Max Bet, and more.
The minimum coin value per spin is 0.01, and the maximum is 1.00. Furthermore, players can choose ‘levels’ of bets, with each level being worth ten coins (one coin for each payline). This is a pretty standard approach to making online slots, so nothing special here either.
The game also comes with a special Starburst wild that can substitute for all other symbols on the reels and help players create more valuable combos. The wild symbol can also expand over the reel and trigger a re-spin if you are lucky. Once again, there is nothing special here that made players go ‘wow’ when spinning this slot. So what was it?
Starburst is a masterpiece as it offers a perfect combination of design, animations, gameplay, and music. Set somewhere in space, the game gives off a relaxing vibe that makes players feel both excited and at ease while spinning the slot. People gradually started to understand that Starburst has not been made to be flashy and filled with special features.
Instead, NetEnt developers and designers took a different approach to slot creation and made a game that eventually became the Mona Lisa of online slots. It’s mysterious, relaxing, and yet rewarding and exciting at the same time. The slot was a seed that slowly grew into a beautiful flower that many admire even nowadays.
Is the Theme an Important Part of Slots?
Although Starburst managed to become internationally popular by being a pure masterpiece, many online slots cannot do that nowadays simply because the competition has grown even stronger, as hundreds of new titles are released every month. In this fast-paced world, slot creators need to go a step further and offer games that players never played before.
One captivating theme that attracts a lot of players is utilised by the Monopoly Casino that offers only games inspired by the popular board game. You can play online Monopoly Casino slots games at Mega Casino UK and see for yourself why themes play an important role in modern slots.
In other words, if Starburst were released in 2019, it would never have achieved the popularity it has today simply because people opt to play slots with themes they love and are familiar with, despite the fact that Starburst is a perfect online slot.
