Starry Night Slot Machine
“It was on a starry night... when the hills were bright...” is how the famous Christmas carol begins. But let's get this straight from the very beginning: we are not dealing with Jesus or Santa here. This is a 5-reel, 20-payline slot machine from developer Everi that is anything but angelic.
This game looks beautiful, from the style of the cabinet to the gameplay itself, but the fact it carries a maximum bet of just 50 credits (with a potential maximum jackpot win value of only 50,480 credits) does make this feel a little small fry.
Everi made the decision to release this slot machine in various guises. Starry Night was released as a Class II, Class III, M Force Class II, and M Force Class III machine before enjoying an HD re-release so it is clear the developer is keen to keep on pushing the game down the throats of its players.
Theme
A couple of starry-themed slots have already hit the casino markets across different platforms. NetEnt's Starburst and NextGen Gaming's Starmania both received critical acclaim but the graphics in this one are something else. The original version of Starry Nights looked sweet enough but the HD version is glorious and it is credit to Everi for doing a classy job with its upgrade.
The reels could arguably be a bit dynamic, however. The astral theme allows for moving planets and shooting stars but we see none of that here. The symbols on the reels are all space-related. A comet, sun, and moon are all displayed on the reels along with the regular 9-through-to-Ace symbols which are set against a cheap-looking starry backdrop which looks like it is meant to be set in a small-time theatre due to the spotlights at the bottom of the reels.
Features
Starry Night has a fair bit about it in the form of the features. It certainly feels like the game play is just as strong as the visual aspects of the game - and that's encouraging. The question is whether the substance is there when we dig a little deeper.
- Moonlight Wilds – if you read that and hummed Mike Oldfield's Moonlight Shadow then you are not alone. The Moonlight Wilds are a randomly triggered Stacked Wilds feature which can liven up game play in the base game. The prizes are worth the fun so cannot fault this little feature.
- Lucky Star Bonus – you will need to hit three or more of the Lucky Star Bonus symbols across the reels to get this feature going. This is a simple Pick 'em Bonus where you must select from a choice of stars and if you pick the Lucky Star then you will win a multiplier prize worth up to 50x.
- Free Spins Bonus – we are big fans of free spins bonus rounds so this is a welcome inclusion on this slot machine. You will need to land three or more of the Free Spin Bonus icons across the reels. This will start the free spins feature where they can be re-triggered for a total of 70 spins. There is also a multiplier up to 25x available.
Summary
When Starry Nights first plays it feels a little light in substance. The low maximum bet value will be disappointing for those that love a big stake but on the whole this is a slot that has a lot more going for it than it first suggests.
It is now obvious why Everi backed it with a HD re-release. The graphics are gorgeous and the gameplay matches the look. It would even be great to see the developer look at a 3D version next.
