Basketball Star

Game Details

Microgaming is renowned for pumping out a high quantity of slots, but as we’ve come to learn, that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of maintaining the quality, too. There are certain parts of this game that might appeal to fans of basketball more so than others, but in truth, anyone and everyone can get invested in this, regardless of whether or not you’re an expert.

This is the definition of an interactive slot, and when you’re playing with a sport like this, we’d argue that can only be a good thing. With that being said, the 5×3 reel does spread out across most of the screen, and they perhaps could’ve benefitted from a more imaginative design on the actual board.

The winners amongst you will be more than happy to learn that there are 243 ways to win on the paylines of this slot, which is the sort of big number we all want to see when we’re planning on diving headfirst into a new adventure.

RTP & Payouts

The RTP can serve as the ‘live or die’ moment for a lot of slots, but in the case of Basketball Star, we can’t imagine a scenario in which it won’t continue to flourish – especially with a reported RTP of between 96.45% and 96.52%. Players will also get the chance to enjoy a ‘best of both worlds’ type of slot with medium volatility, increasing the likelihood of return players and beginners who want to try and earn a few quick pennies.

You can get yourself out onto the court with a decent minimum bet of 0.50, and you can follow that all the way up to a tasty 50 maximum. Then, if you manage to sink that winning free throw in front of the thousands of screaming fans, there’s a chance you’ll secure winnings of 2,400x your initial stake.

Symbols

As we alluded to earlier, the clunky nature of the actual board itself is more than a little bit jarring. It reduces the impact of the basketball arena backdrop which, if done correctly, could’ve been an even more prominent feature. The hectic animation means that you shouldn’t be surprised if the slot lags from time to time, and while you can praise them for being ambitious in that department, it still makes the gameplay frustrating every now and then.

The soundtrack is upbeat enough to keep you motivated and ready to win, but after a while, it does threaten to give you a headache as opposed to spurring you on to keep playing.

You aren’t going to stumble upon any playing cards in this slot, because Microgaming instead chose to go hard in the paint with the basketball theme. The chalkboard, sneakers, bottles and sneakers are the first few symbols that really grab your attention, followed by the parade of basketball shots that have players doing standard moves such as dribbling, guarding and going in for a slam dunk.

Bonus Game & Jackpot

Everyone enjoys seeing what kind of bonus features are going to play a role in any given slot, and Basketball Star is no different. The BS logo itself is the wild, which can allow you to create a wild stack to increase your potential winnings. It substitutes itself in place of all other symbols, aside from the scatter, and will pop up every so often on the third, fourth or fifth reels. There is also the Wild Shot feature, which can be activated at any point during gameplay. One of the 2nd, 3rd or 4th reels will become fully wild, which will then allow the Rolling Reels system to come into the mix. This system allows you to secure a chain of winning combinations, if you’re lucky enough, with each symbol in a winning line being removed and then replaced by the symbol that sits above it.

We also can’t forget about the scatter, which in this instance, takes the form of an absolute basketball. When three or more triggers appear you can unlock the Free Spins Bonus round, with there being a maximum of 25 free spins on the table if you manage to secure five of the scatters.

There isn’t a progressive jackpot for fans to enjoy which, for a slot as up and down as this one, could be a gamechanger.

Mobile Compatibility

Depending on what kind of mobile device you have, most notably a decent iOS or Android phone, Basketball Star may actually play better on a mobile compatabile casino than on your desktop. It can all come down to personal preference, of course, but the most important thing is that Microgaming has made it compatible.

Verdict

Basketball Star may not quite have found the perfect balance like its Microgaming comrade Badminton Hero, but largely, it does what it says on the tin. It’s always tough to compare games that have been done by the same provider, especially when they fall into the same sports genre, but BS is a good standalone slot for experienced punters to enjoy.

Whether or not it’s the right choice for beginners is the big question, but the appeal of the RTP is always going to make it something of a contender.

Author

Hi, I'm Fatima

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Reviewer since June, 2020