The more sensible slot players among us who purposely stick to the best RTP slots when enjoying a session at an online casino will probably have come across Starmania, a slot from NextGen with one of the best RTPs around at 97.87%. Well, today, I’m reviewing the sequel to that title, the aptly named Starmania 2. However, there are two major things to address here. The first is the sequel is by Light & Wonder (Formerly SG Digital), a developer that acquired NextGen. Secondly, if you were expecting a similar return rate, you will be disappointed as this 5-reel, 3-row, and 10-paylines pay both ways slot offers a reduced RTP of 96.01%. That’s still around the average for online slots, but obviously, it’s a significant drop from the original. It’s a brave move to dispense one of the USPs of a popular original, so I’m intrigued to see how Light & Wonder compensates for this.
After testing the slot extensively for a couple of hours, I can tell you a lot has changed from the original, and it’s basically a different game aside from a similar theme and the pay-both-ways mechanic. Considering that, it’s logical that the RTP has changed significantly. While both slots have a free spins bonus, this one is played across a 3×3 grid with 27 paylines, and there’s a chance to unlock win multipliers of up to 15x and additional free spins.
I get the feeling this is a slot that will split opinion. Fans of the original might not appreciate the reduced RTP, but others may enjoy the more lucrative free spins bonus. Why not check out the free-to-play Starmania 2 demo slot below to see which side of the fence you fall on?
| Provider | SG Gaming |
| Reels | 5 |
| Rows | 3 |
| Paylines | 10 |
| Bonus Rounds | 1 |
| Bet Range | 1 - 500 |
| Volatility | Medium |
| Max Win | 4,861x |
| Bonus Buy | No |
| RTP | 96.01% |
| Our Rating | 6.5 |
Starmania 2 Casino Bonus
Starmania 2 Demo Slot
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Starmania 2 Slot Theme, Stakes, Pays & Symbols
If you hadn’t guessed from this slot’s title, there is a space theme in play on Starmania 2, which means planets, stars, and, aside from those, lots of nothingness. In terms of visuals, whether by design or coincidence, there’s a lot of similarity with NetEnt’s Starburst slot on display here, which is another great space-themed game you should check out by the way. If you enjoy slots with a similar theme but want entirely different gameplay, we have plenty of free online slot options here on our platform, and I’d recommend Push Gaming’s Space Stacks. I warn you, though, that it’s not anything you’ve experienced before, so it is likely to leave you with a love/hate opinion.
Back to Starmania 2, and the stop is the paytable. The Purple Star leads the way with 50x the stake for a five-symbol combination and is followed by a Blue Star, which offers a max return of 20x. The Red Star is next with 10x, and the last of the premiums is the Green Star, which also pays a maximum of 10x. Onto the lower value symbols, and we have the Blue, Red, and Green Planet symbols, all sharing a top return of 5x the stake. There’s also a wild symbol present in the game, which awards 2.5x if lined up across a payline.
We’ll finish this section with the staking options on Starmania 2. To choose a bet, just click on the Coins icon and pick a value between €1.00 and €500.00. I’m not convinced this is the betting range we’ll get on the real-money version, as both the minimum and maximum bets seem on the high side, but they are fine for experimenting with in the free-play game.
Starmania 2 Slot Base Game
Like the original, Starmania 2 is played across a 5×3 reel configuration that offers 10 fixed paylines. The pay both ways mechanic also returns, meaning wins are created when three or more (or two or more of the Purple symbol) line up across a payline from left to right or from right to left.
Wild Symbols
Wild symbols can appear on reels two, three, and four during the base game and free spins bonus and will substitute for all symbols except the scatter symbol. During the base game, all wilds are collected in meters above the three middle reels and are added to those reels when you next trigger the free spins bonus.
Starmania 2 Slot Bonus Features
There are two ways to trigger the free spins bonus game. The first is the commonly used method of landing three or more scatter symbols anywhere in view. As for the second, you’ll trigger the bonus game when the collection meter above any of the three reels reaches 25.
Free Spins Feature
You’ll receive 6 free spins if you collect 25 wild symbols above a reel or land 3 scatter symbols. However, you’ll receive 8 or 10 free spins if 4 or 5 scatters trigger the bonus. During this bonus, you play on 3×3 reels that offer 27 ways to win, and all two and three-symbol combinations in the paytable are now doubled. While the 4th and 5th reels remain, they will only land blanks, free spins rocket symbols, and multiplier values.
The latter values are between 1x and 10x on reel four and between 1x and 15x on reel five. Those values will only apply to any wins created on the middle payline. If free spins rocket symbols land on the 4th and 5th reels and a winning combo occurs on the middle payline, you’ll win an additional 1, 2, or 4 free spins.
Pros
- The free spins bonus offers something different from the norm.
Cons
- A big drop in RTP from the original Starmania slot.
Starmania 2 Slot Review Final Thoughts
I found the Starmania 2 slot a little tricky to score. If it weren't a sequel, I’d probably rate it higher, as it's an enjoyable game with a decent bonus round. However, I think the massive drop in RTP will not sit well with fans of the original. I liked it, but I’m not sure that will prove the case with everybody else.
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