Winstar Slot
When it comes to Blueprint slots there are two distinct categories. Some games are very complex, involving multiple bonus games and features. Others are simple, and very much focused on traditional slot game-play. Winstar is firmly in the simple camp – though it has one very distinctive twist which makes it worth taking for a spin. Unlike many other Blueprint games, Winstar has a progressive jackpot giving you a chance to win 500 times your bet with a full screen of stars, and the unique ‘Winstar’ symbol which changes into a different symbol each time.
This is not an overtly attractive slot; instead it is bright, solid and a little blocky looking in the overall design. Most of the symbols on the reels are playing cards 10 through to Ace. Each one is a bright colour and is large. In addition you will find equally bright coloured stars in red, blue and green. The reels are transparent, though other than a colourful curved line – there is not too much to see behind them. When you hit the ‘Winstar’ symbols (which are stacked) these flash, spin and then turn into another symbol at random. Animations-wise, this is about all you’ll get.
I cannot quite put my finger on the music that plays when the reels spin. This is electronic, and could be from early 1990’s techno type tunes. Wherever it comes from these sounds give the slot an upbeat and dynamic feel. It is quiet between spins.
As with most Blueprint games, Winstar is especially popular at online casinos in the UK, though it is available to a much wider audience.
5 Reels of Fun
You’ll get 5 reels, 3 rows of symbols and 20 win lines in this game. There is a single bet amount for all 20 lines, which are not selectable. The smallest bet is 20p and the biggest a whopping £500. There is an auto-play button, which lets you select up to 50 spins each time.
One unusual aspect of making wins in this game is that the symbols do not have to start on the leftmost reel. Any 3+ adjacent symbols on a line make up a win. This means you can start 4 of a kind wins on reel 2 and 3 of a kind wins on reel 3.
Wins on the pay table are given out relative to your overall stake. The best paying symbol is the spikey silver star, which is worth 50x your bet for 5 on a line, 30x for 4 and 10x for 3. If you fill the whole screen with this symbol you’ll win 500x your bet. Next come the stars, with the red one worth 40x for 5 and the blue and green worth 30x. The playing cards make up the smaller wins.
The special symbol is a golden star. This appears stacked (like the other symbols) and you’ll often find 2 or more entire reels covered. When it lands it will start to spin, and quickly turn into one of the other symbols at random. This will sometimes create a lot of winning combinations. Other times it will not. Since you need 3 of a kind to win, you can sometimes spot when you have a no-win situation with this. An example would be reels 1 and 5 turn into a single symbol, though no 3 of a kinds are possible. This does slow things down a little, though when there are wins they will often be on the larger side – more than making up for this.
There is a progressive jackpot in play. This is not related to any individual symbol. Instead the reels will randomly get a golden line around the edges. If you are lucky enough to get this around all 5 reels, then the progressive jackpot amount can be yours.
Win More than Just Stars with Winstar
Fruit machines have been popular in the UK since long before the advent of modern day slots. This is a game aimed at those who enjoy the straightforward no nonsense type of games with the potential for big wins. It is certainly lively and upbeat, and the stacked symbols give you the potential for big wins at any time. I like the idea of the randomly changing symbol (and of course the occasional big wins it brings). At the same time I cannot help but think that Blueprint could have done a little more with the idea than the game we have here.
