If you asked most people to name just one star constellation, they would likely return an answer of Orion. This group of stars named after a Greek hunter are also known worldwide for their association and alignment with the Egyptian pyramids, which was a remarkable piece of mathematics and an incredible feat of construction by the ancients. Whether that was the inspiration for today’s review, I’m not sure, but we’re going to take a look at a slot from Big Time Gaming, aptly named Star Clusters Megaclusters. This is a 5-reel slot that operates on the cluster pays engine, has an RTP of 96.54%, and a maximum win of 23,000x bet.
Key to the action within the game is the cascading reels engine, which activates each time winning combos of 5 or more symbols occur. Not only will winning symbols explode and be replaced with new symbols but all larger symbols will be split into 4, creating more Megaclusters and better chances to win. There’s the Gold Wild Multiplying Star to look out for too. Each time it’s involved in a win, its value will increase by a further x1, potentially leading to some big hits. Finally, we have the free spins feature triggered when five consecutive cascades are achieved. During this round, you’ll play on a larger grid, and the value of the wild multiplier will not reset between losing spins.
So, do you know your Draco from your Taurus? Or are you a little bit rusty on your constellations? We might not be able to help you with that, but we do have a free demo slot Star Clusters Megaclusters, that you can try out here on our site. It’s available to play below.
| Provider | Big Time Gaming |
| Reels | 5 |
| Rows | 3 |
| Paylines | Cluster Pays |
| Bonus Rounds | 1 |
| Bet Range | 0.20 - 20 |
| Volatility | High |
| Max Win | 23,000x |
| Bonus Buy | No |
| RTP | 96.54% |
| Our Rating | 7.4 |
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Star Clusters Demo Slot
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Star Clusters Slot Theme, Stakes, Pays & Symbols
After Big Time Gaming changed the landscape of online slots with their outstanding Megaways Engine, they have decided to try and mix things up in the cluster pays scene too, with Star Clusters being their first foray into the market and their debut title featuring their Megaclusters Engine. Of course, star-themed slots are nothing new, and if you wanted to head on additional journeys into the night sky, I’d highly recommend trying out ELK Studios’ fantastic collection of slots titled Cygnus, Cygnus 2 and Cygnus 3. Let’s get back to today’s game though, and head over to the pays section and take a look at how much can be won whilst playing.
We’re going to kick things off at the very top of the paytable, and we have the gems coloured purple, red, blue and green all sharing the top spot of the highest paying symbol with pays of 50x bet for clusters of 25 or more. These are followed by the orange gem, valued at 20x bet, and finally, the yellow and turquoise gems, both of which award 10x the bet if 25 or more are part of a winning combination. There is a standard star wild symbol that can appear in any position on the grid, with this being able to substitute for all other game symbols.
Those wishing to make the leap over to real money play can try out Star Clusters from a minimum of €0.20 a spin up to a maximum of €20. As it has now become the norm with a BTG slot, the structure of the bet sizes has been well thought out, with players of all sized budgets comfortably being able to find a stake to play at that is comparable to their bankroll.
Base Game & Modifiers
When each spin begins on Star Clusters, you will initially be playing on a grid that is 4×4 in size, which gives you a total of 16 Megaclusters. To adjust the grid format, you will need to form winning combinations on the reels, which is done by creating clusters of 5 or more symbols adjacent to each other anywhere within the playfield.
When these wins are formed, each symbol involved in that combination will explode and be replaced by four smaller symbols. Each of these symbols will now count as a Megacluster in their own right, with the Megacluters counter at the bottom of the reels adjusting accordingly. It should, of course, be noted that once you fail to make a winning cluster of symbols, the game reels will revert to the default set-up of 4×4.
Cascading Reels
Star Clusters features the cascading reels mechanic, which is integral to triggering the free spin bonus that we will talk about shortly. It is also the key factor in creating further wins after the larger symbols have broken down into smaller ones.
Any winning clusters formed through the smaller symbols will see those symbols eliminated from the game reels. New ones will then drop down to replace them, continuing each time a win is formed.
Gold Wild Multiplier
Positioned at the top of the reels, you will see the gold wild multiplier symbol and a multiplier value next to it. Whenever one or more of these symbols is involved in a win, it will increase in value by x1. A huge plus point with the gold wild multiplier is that its value will hold and carry over into the free spin bonus when you trigger it. Again for reference, you should be aware that the value of the gold wild multiplier will reset to x1 each time a new spin takes place from the 4×4 grid format.
Star Clusters Slot Bonus Features
As I mentioned previously cascading reels are how you trigger the free spin bonus on Star Clusters. If you complete five consecutive reel cascades, then you will be awarded with two free spins; each subsequent reel cascade after the 5th will award one additional free spin to your total. You can track the progress of your cascades by looking at the sides of the reels; these light up with each successful cascade achieved.
Free Spins
The bonus round on Star Clusters will begin on a grid that is 8×8 in size and consists of 64 Megaclusters. Once again, the aim is to form clusters comprising five symbols or more, which in turn will see those symbols explode and be replaced by four smaller symbols.
Our friend, the gold wild multiplier, plays a massive part in the free spin bonus. When a winning cluster also involves this symbol, it will cause the multiplier to increase in value by x1. Every time that you hit 10x and all 10x multiples after that, you will be awarded two extra free spins. Furthermore, the multiplier will not reset between losing spins.
Keep a look out for when two gold wild multipliers both appear in the same win, as they will also multiply each other before the winning symbols. This can potentially lead to some mouth-watering wins, especially if it is a large cluster of premium symbols.
Pros
- Gold Wild Multipliers are capable of producing some good wins.
- Above average RTP.
Cons
- The maximum win of 23,000x seems completely unachievable.
- Seeing what's happening on mobile devices can be hard when the symbols become smaller.
Star Clusters Slot Review Final Thoughts
You can't fault Big Time Gaming for having a go at trying to disrupt the grid and cluster pays niche after the roaring success they had with Megaways. However, whilst there was plenty of innovation with the Megaways engine, its Megaclusters cousin seems to fall a bit short of the mark.I'm not saying you can't have fun playing Star Clusters, but it can be incredibly annoying when you finally trigger a two spin feature, and then one of the spins is dead. Additionally, as with other BTG slots, the stated maximum win of 23,000x may as well be any number plucked out of the air, as I can't ever recall seeing one of their games pay a max win yet.
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