TEST DRIVE: IGT’S STAR STAX – EASTERN LIGHTS

Following on from the huge success of the original Star Stax-Vegas Nights, the new game in the range, Star Stax-Eastern Lights, adds an Asian art themed game to pick up a fresh player demographic. The extra game adds the opportunity to bank up these games for great visual effect, in the Crystal Curve cabinet.

Much of the popularity of these games for the players is in their difference from the large number of ‘Hold n Spin’ style games now offered by most manufacturers. Gaming managers will recognise that most players often don’t know the name of the game they are playing, but they understand the feature and the main symbols, and this is how they generally describe a game. To them, all the hold n spin style games feel the same, so the unique feature offered by the Star Stax range stands out on any gaming floor.

Game Features: With a low (less than 1 in 50) hit rate Star Stax-Eastern Lights ensures that both big and small players have some entertaining gameplay and value for money. The bigger players are able to increase their bets to leverage higher win opportunities and larger bonuses in the feature. For all players, the ‘Trigger Star’ on the 5th reel increases the level of anticipation and excitement and gives them an opportunity to access the innovative feature mechanic. The real interest for the player is the chance to build a stack of Star symbols high enough to reach the jackpots in free games. The jackpots themselves move down the screen with each extra star achieved, moving the jackpots closer to the players stack of stars. When they meet, the player achieves that jackpot.

Position: With a low feature hit rate and lots of volatility for regular punters both Star Stax-Eastern Lights and Start Stax-Vegas Nights will suit most positions on the gaming floor, but lend themselves to being banked up for a strong aesthetic floor presence.  Performance results have been strong in both smoking and non-smoking areas and looks great on the Crystal Curve with interactive and expansive graphics. With the addition of an Asian-themed art style for Star Stax-Eastern Lights, there is an opportunity to attract a different demographic gamer across a wider number of clubs.  A high visibility, high traffic bank would work well.

Denomination: Multi-denomination games are becoming the standard so the players are able to choose from a range of bet configurations that best suits their budget. The focus in the new Star Stax- Eastern Lights is to ensure that all players have fun playing an enjoyable game that provides the opportunity for a great win as well as reasonable time-on-device play.

IGT Product Fit: Star Stax-Eastern Lights is offered in the Crystal Curve cabinet with two games in this range now there is an opportunity to extend the existing machine banks of these games. There is plenty of game support for the Curve with Fortune Gong Link and the new SAP version also achieving some exceptional performance results.

SAP Profile: A choice of jackpots will suit all venues and players with $3000, $5000 or $7000 jackpot options. Club managers can choose the level of exposure they can afford and offer a good jackpot for their players.

Performance: The original Star Stax-Vegas Nights is still operating at a Denom TO Ratio of 1.63 for Sept 2018 in the Maxgaming rankings with a strong average hold of 8.2%.  That puts the game at 1.7 times the NSW Club daily turnover average and at 2.2 times the daily net average for September. The new game StarStax-Eastern Lights has only just moved into a few clubs over the last week but early results are very strong with a Maxgaming Denom TO Ratio of 1.61. Star Stax strong performance has proved that the players are looking for a different style of game: one that provides them with both the opportunity for good wins and some fun.

Just in Maxgaming data alone, for NSW clubs over 122 StarStax-Vegas Nights games are currently in Maxgaming venues so the take-up of this new style game by clubs is strongly driven by game variety and performance results, with many clubs increasing numbers in recent months.

Additionally, providing additional purchase options are the three Fortune Gong Link games that are maintaining very positive results and the new to market SAP version is also available now.

 

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To download information on current game performance and features ready for your board pack for Star Stax-Vegas Nights click here >>igt-star-stax-vegas-nights

To download information on current game performance and features ready for your board pack for Fortune Gong SAP 27” click here >>igt-fortune-gong-sap-crystal-27

To download information on current game performance and features ready for your board pack for Fortune Gong SAP Curve click here >>igt-fortune-gong-sap-crystal-curve