Space Wars Pros & Cons
Space Wars delivers classic Aristocrat action with a proven track record. The choice-based free spins and stacked symbols create a good variety, but the RTP and max win won't impress everyone.
- Cloning Pod Re-Spin on every win — every paying spin is already a bonus event
- 96.75% RTP is one of the strongest in NetEnt’s standard catalog
- 5x4 grid with stacked symbols creates dramatic multi-payline hit moments
- No complicated bonus system to learn — the mechanic is instantly obvious
- 1,000x max win is reachable via chained Re-Spins without a separate feature
- Medium volatility — Re-Spin chains provide mid-session win events at a reasonable pace
- €0.40 minimum bet — the highest minimum in this review set, no sub-€0.40 option
- 16% hit frequency is low for medium volatility — dry spells between wins are common
- No free spins feature — players who want a distinct bonus round will be disappointed
- Wilds restricted to reels 2 and 4 — never appears on reels 1, 3 or 5
- 2013 visuals are dated — the alien character art hasn’t aged as well as the mechanic
Space Wars Slot Review
Space Wars came out in April 2013 and its distinguishing feature is so straightforward you wonder why more slots don’t copy it: every single win triggers a free Re-Spin. Not a random event, not a feature activation, not three scatters — just land a paying combination on any of the 40 paylines and the reels fire again immediately with the winning symbols cloned. That Re-Spin is your extra shot at extending the win. If the Re-Spin produces another win, you get another Re-Spin after that. The chain continues until a Re-Spin pays nothing.
The grid is 5 reels, 4 rows, which gives the Cloning Pod more real estate to work with than a standard 5x3 layout. Wilds appear on reels 2 and 4 only, and every symbol on the reels appears stacked — meaning an entire reel column can show the same alien character after a lucky spin. No traditional free spins feature — the Re-Spin mechanic is the entire bonus system. 96.75% RTP, medium volatility, €0.40 to €200 bets, 1,000x max win. The minimum bet is higher than most NetEnt slots but the RTP is among the strongest in the catalog.
| PROVIDER NetEnt | RELEASE DATE April 24, 2013 |
|---|---|
| GRID 5 Reels, 4 Rows | PAYLINES 40 Fixed |
| RTP 96.75% | MAX WIN 1,000x bet |
| VOLATILITY Medium | HIT FREQUENCY ~16% |
| MIN / MAX BET €0.40 - €200 | CLONING POD RE-SPIN Every win triggers Re-Spin - chains until no win |
| STACKED SYMBOLS All symbols appear stacked - full 4-row reel columns possible | BONUS BUY Not available |
Key Features & Mechanics
🚀 Cloning Pod Re-Spin — Fires After Every Win Win = Free Re-Spin — Chains Until No Win
Every winning combination on any of the 40 paylines triggers a free Re-Spin immediately. During that Re-Spin, the winning symbols from the triggering combination are cloned and stacked back onto the reels — they stay in their positions and the remaining reels spin again around them. If the Re-Spin produces another winning combination, that win also triggers another Re-Spin, again with the new winning symbols clamped in place and the rest spinning. The chain continues until a Re-Spin produces no win. This means Space Wars has no distinction between the base game and a bonus round — every winning spin is a bonus spin. The Re-Spin chain is the only feature in the game, but because it activates from any win, it’s present throughout every session. A chain of four or five consecutive Re-Spins where each adds another stacked premium reel to the mix is how this 2013 slot reaches its 1,000x ceiling without a free spins feature of any kind.
👾 Stacked Symbols — Every Character on Every Reel All 4 Row Positions Can Show the Same Symbol
Every symbol in Space Wars appears stacked — meaning a single reel can display the same symbol in all four of its row positions simultaneously. On any given spin, you might see one reel completely covered by the Blooper alien, another by the Octospin, another by the Zap energy weapon. On a 5-reel, 4-row grid with 40 paylines, a spin where two adjacent reels show the same stacked premium symbol from top to bottom produces a high number of simultaneous payline hits. The stacked symbol behavior interacts directly with the Cloning Pod Re-Spin — when a stacked premium triggers a Re-Spin and the Re-Spin also lands a stacked reel in the same symbol, the win compounds quickly across 40 paylines with multiple full-column wins evaluated simultaneously. The 16% base hit frequency is lower than most medium-volatility slots, which means sessions between wins can be dry — but when stacked symbols align on multiple adjacent reels, the outcome is immediate and significant.
👁 Wild — Reels 2 and 4 Only, But Stacked Wild Appears Stacked — Evaluates 40 Paylines When Full
The Wild symbol in Space Wars only appears on reels 2 and 4 — the two inner reels of the five. It does not appear on reels 1, 3 or 5. Within those two reels, the Wild appears stacked like all other symbols — it can cover one, two, three or all four row positions on reel 2 or reel 4 in a single spin. When reel 2 is fully stacked with Wilds, it substitutes for whatever symbol the surrounding reels show on all 40 active paylines passing through reel 2. A full Wild stack on reel 2 combined with a stacked premium on reels 1, 3 and 5 produces a full-reel wild substitution across every payline in the game — effectively a complete-board evaluation at the highest symbol value available. These events are the closest Space Wars gets to a jackpot spin without having a jackpot.
Symbol Values & Paytable
| SYMBOL | 3 OF A KIND | 4 OF A KIND | 5 OF A KIND |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Blooper (Top Premium)
|
30x | 150x bet | |
|
Octospin (2nd Premium)
|
20x | 100x bet | |
|
Zap Alien / Robbot (2 types)
|
10-15x | 50-75x bet | |
|
Card Ranks (A, K, Q, J, 10- 5 types)
|
2-8x | 10-25x bet |
Play Responsibly - 18+ Only
Gambling should be entertaining and fun. Remember that slots are games of chance, and there's no guaranteed way to win. Never gamble more than you can afford to lose, and always set limits for yourself. If you feel gambling is becoming a problem, please seek help immediately.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Cloning Pod Re-Spin work?
When any winning combination lands on the 40 paylines, the Cloning Pod fires immediately. The symbols that contributed to the winning combination are locked in their current positions on the grid. The remaining reels — those that didn’t contain winning symbols — spin again freely. If the Re-Spin produces another winning combination anywhere on the grid, those new winning symbols lock in place and another Re-Spin fires. The chain continues as long as each Re-Spin produces at least one winning combination. It ends when a Re-Spin resolves with no wins. The winning symbols locked from each stage of the chain accumulate on the grid, so a long Re-Spin chain progressively fills more reel columns with premium stacked symbols. A chain of five or six Re-Spins that keeps landing stacked premiums on new reels covers an increasing proportion of the 40-payline grid with winning symbol combinations.
Why is the minimum bet €0.40 instead of the usual €0.10 or €0.20?
Space Wars uses a 40-payline structure on a 5x4 grid, and the €0.40 minimum reflects the cost-per-line structure NetEnt applied to this title at launch in 2013. The base stake per payline is €0.01 at the minimum, multiplied across 40 lines, producing the €0.40 floor. This is the same architecture used in other 40-payline NetEnt titles from the same era. For Canadian players accustomed to €0.10 minimum Megaways slots, the €0.40 entry point does represent a higher commitment per spin. The trade-off is that the 96.75% RTP applies at all bet levels including the minimum — the stronger expected return is not gated behind higher stakes.
Is there a free spins feature?
No — Space Wars has no traditional free spins feature, no scatter trigger, no bonus wheel and no pick game. The Cloning Pod Re-Spin is the only feature in the game. This was a deliberate design choice: rather than concentrate bonus value into an infrequent separate feature, every winning spin activates the Re-Spin mechanic. The argument in favour of this approach is that sessions feel more consistently active — you never wait 50 spins for a scatter trigger, because every win is already a bonus event. The argument against it is that the absence of a distinct free spins feature means there’s no single high-intensity event to look forward to in the way that a 20-spin feature with multipliers provides.
Is Space Wars available at Canadian casinos?
Yes — available at Ontario-regulated casinos carrying NetEnt software and at most international platforms serving Canadian players. The 96.75% RTP is consistent across operators. Stakes run from €0.40 to €200 with CAD equivalent applied. The Cloning Pod Re-Spin mechanic, stacked symbols and Wild on reels 2 and 4 are all fully accessible without regional restrictions. Mobile performance through NetEnt Touch is reliable on iOS and Android. Bonus buy is not available — the Re-Spin activates organically from any winning combination and is the only bonus event in the game.
Why are Wilds only on reels 2 and 4?
NetEnt positioned Wilds on the two interior reels — 2 and 4 — to maximize payline coverage from a wild stack. A Wild stack on reel 2 sits between reels 1 and 3, substituting for whatever symbol appears on both sides across every payline passing through reel 2. Similarly, a Wild stack on reel 4 bridges reels 3 and 5. Placing Wilds on the outer reels (1 or 5) would produce less payline leverage because outer reels participate in fewer payline combinations. By concentrating Wilds on the two central interior positions, NetEnt ensured that every Wild stack contributes substitution across the maximum possible number of active paylines. When both reels 2 and 4 simultaneously show full four-row Wild stacks, every payline in the game that passes through either reel has wild substitution active.
What is the alien theme?
Space Wars depicts a comedic outer space conflict between various alien species — none of them particularly threatening. The premium symbols are cartoon alien characters: the Blooper (a large round pink creature with multiple eyes), the Octospin (a blue tentacled alien), the Zap (an energy-weapon alien), and the Robbot (a robot character). Card ranks fill the low-value positions, also rendered in a space-comic art style. The background shows a starfield with alien spacecraft visible in the distance. The overall tone is light and playful — this is a Saturday morning cartoon version of a space war, not a serious sci-fi production. The humor in the character designs is part of what made the game stand out visually in 2013, though the art style has dated in the years since release.