Game review
The Starburst Galaxy pokie is NetEnt's November 2024 reinvention of its most famous game, with a published RTP of 96.00% and a maximum win of 17,288 times the bet, against 800x for the original Starburst. The grid starts at 5x5 and can grow to 7x7 as features build up.
These figures come from NetEnt's game page. NetEnt labels a volatility field but does not give a value, so we leave it as not stated.
| Studio | NetEnt |
|---|---|
| Released | 26 November 2024 |
| RTP | 96.00% |
| Volatility | Not stated by NetEnt |
| Grid | 5x5, expanding to 7x7 |
| Pays | 3 or more matching symbols in a line |
| Max win | 17,288x the bet |
| Feature buys | Five Elevate options, 3x to 500x the bet |
The Starburst Galaxy RTP of 96.00% is a touch below the original's 96.08% in our games database, but the shape of the game has changed completely. The original kept its wins small and frequent, with a published hit frequency of about 23%; Galaxy keeps that friendly base-game feel while adding a ceiling more than twenty times higher.
Wins use NetEnt's Avalanche mechanic: winning symbols are cleared and the gaps refill, so one spin can pay several times. A wild appears at the centre of each winning combination and substitutes for everything except scatters, which keeps chains going. Three to five wilds that do not form a win still pay by the paytable.
Every five consecutive wins award one of five random features: Destroy, Random Wilds, Expanding Wilds, Line Transform or Upgrade. This is the game's engine. Long Avalanche chains feed it, and each award makes the next win more likely.
The fifth Feature Generator award triggers Galaxy Star. The grid expands to 7x7 and a 3x3 Starburst wild is placed on it. A Galaxy Metre fills with each win, and at 50 the Galaxy Star is awarded again. Separately, three scatters in one spin trigger Mega Star, which places a 2x2 Starburst wild; some scatters carry multipliers from x2 to x25 that fill a Multiplier Collect Metre and apply to every win for the rest of the round.
Where allowed, NetEnt's Elevate Feature sells five entries: Bonus Boost at 3x the bet, Mega Star at 10x, Boosted Mega Star at 50x, Galaxy Star at 100x and Galaxy Star Bonanza at 500x, which starts with five features already awarded. At A$1 a spin, the top option costs A$500.
It is a good bridge between styles. Players who loved the original's bright, frequent wins will find the base game familiar, while those who want a shot at a large result now have one. Because so much depends on chaining wins to feed the Feature Generator, sessions feel more varied than on the original. Budget for it as a medium-to-high risk game until you know it: at A$0.40 a spin, A$80 gives 200 spins, enough to see the Feature Generator at work.
Those after the very highest return may prefer other titles on our best paying pokies list; those who want a pure thrill ride may prefer Tanked. For a NetEnt game with the same calm feel and no buys at all, the original Starburst is still around. And if you like cascading wins with multipliers, compare it with Sweet Bonanza 1000 or the sticky-symbol Money Train 4.
The original Starburst, released in 2012, is one of the best-known pokies anywhere: five reels, three rows, ten lines that pay both ways, and expanding wilds that trigger respins. Its studio figures in our games database are a 96.08% RTP, low-to-medium volatility and an 800x top win. It is a calm, easy game, which explains its long popularity as a first pokie and a bonus-wagering staple.
Galaxy keeps the jewel symbols, the colours and the idea of a central star wild, but almost everything else is new: a bigger grid, cascading Avalanche wins, a Feature Generator that rewards streaks and two bonus modes. The 17,288x ceiling makes it a very different proposition. If you liked the original for its gentleness, play Galaxy at a lower stake than you are used to; its quiet spells are longer, and its best moments are concentrated in features that take time to build.
NetEnt is listed by thirteen casinos in our database, but two of the best-known, Kingmaker and Dolly, say NetEnt games are not available to Australians. These three list NetEnt without that note; still, search the lobby for the title before you deposit.
SkyCrown Casino
9.0/10
Up to A$8,000 + 400 FS; first steps: 120% up to A$1,200 + 125 FS; 100% up to A$1,300 + 75 FS; 80% up to A$1,500 + 50 FS
Checked 4 Nov 2026
King Billy Casino
9.0/10
Up to A$2,500 + 250 FS over 4 deposits
Checked 4 Nov 2026
National Casino
7.5/10
A$1,500 + 150 FS over 2 deposits: 100% up to A$500 + 100 FS (Avalon: The Lost Kingdom); 50% up to A$1,000 + 50 FS
Checked 4 Nov 2026
King Billy scores 9.0, lists e-wallet payouts within an hour and a A$5 no-deposit chip. SkyCrown scores 9.0, lists PayID and states crypto withdrawals in about 30 minutes; it has no app in the stores and runs in the browser. National Casino scores 7.5, takes deposits from A$10 and lists PayID. For fast payout options beyond these three, see our list of instant withdrawal casinos.
The demo is a good way to see how often five wins in a row actually happen, which tells you how quickly the Feature Generator turns over at your stake. Try the Elevate options with play credits too, if they are offered in fun mode, to see how a 100x Galaxy Star entry compares with reaching it naturally. As with any pokie review Australia players read, we can describe the mechanics but not the luck; the demo shows the game's character without risk.
In real money mode, check the info screen for the RTP your casino runs. A pokie review Australia readers can rely on should always end on that point, because the studio's figure is only the best case. Our Australian online pokies guide covers the top-rated casinos overall.
NetEnt publishes 96.00%. Some casinos may run a lower version, so check the game's info screen.
17,288x the bet, according to NetEnt's game page. Some third-party listings quote other figures; we use the studio's.
The original is a 5x3, 10-line game with expanding wilds, an RTP of 96.08% and an 800x maximum. Galaxy uses a 5x5 grid with Avalanche wins, a Feature Generator and two bonus modes.
No. Some casinos say NetEnt games are not available to Australians, including Kingmaker and Dolly in our database. Check the lobby first.
