Butterfly Staxx Pros & Cons
Butterfly Staxx 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.
- Re-spin chain mechanic is visually satisfying — butterflies locking and shifting left is genuinely pleasant to watch
- 96.8% RTP is competitive for low volatility
- €400 maximum bet — one of the highest in NetEnt’s standard catalog
- Butterfly Spins transform the entire grid mechanic — feels distinct from the base game
- 24% hit frequency keeps sessions active at a comfortable pace
- Deliberately calm aesthetic — genuinely relaxing session experience
- 300x max win is the joint-lowest ceiling in this review set alongside Finn and the Swirly Spin
- Full four-row reel fill required for re-spin trigger — partial stacks don’t chain
- No bonus buy — organic scatter trigger only
- Low ceiling means this is not a session for players chasing large multiplied payouts
- The slow pacing that some players find relaxing others find frustrating during dry spells
Butterfly Staxx Slot Review
Butterfly Staxx launched in June 2017 and built its identity around a specific visual and mechanical loop: butterflies land stacked on the reels, they lock in place, they shift left, and re-spins keep firing until no new butterflies land. The game is deliberately calm — soft colors, nature sounds, a peaceful forest setting — and the mechanic matches the tone. No explosions, no multiplier counters, no escalating volatility. Just butterflies accumulating across the grid one re-spin at a time.
The layout is 5 reels, 4 rows, 40 fixed paylines with stacked butterfly symbols as the central mechanic. When a full reel of butterflies lands, those butterflies lock, shift to the leftmost available reel position and trigger a re-spin. If more butterflies land on the re-spin, the process repeats. The Butterfly Spins feature — triggered by three or more Scatters — transforms the entire grid: cocoon symbols replace all regular symbols and crack open into butterflies that lock progressively across the re-spin chain. 96.8% RTP, low volatility, €0.20 to €400 bets. The 300x ceiling is the lowest in this review set but the €400 maximum bet is one of the highest.
| PROVIDER NetEnt | RELEASE DATE June 21, 2017 |
|---|---|
| GRID 5 Reels, 4 Rows | PAYLINES 40 Fixed |
| RTP 96.8% | MAX WIN 300x bet |
| VOLATILITY Low | HIT FREQUENCY ~24% |
| MIN / MAX BET €0.20 - €400 | BUTTERFLY RE-SPINS Full reel of butterflies locks and shifts left - chains until no new |
| BUTTERFLY SPINS 3+ Scatters - cocoons transform to locking butterflies | BONUS BUY Not available |
Key Features & Mechanics
🦋 Butterfly Re-Spins — Lock, Shift Left, Repeat Full Reel of Butterflies Triggers — Chain Until No New Butterflies
When a complete reel — all four row positions — lands filled with butterfly symbols, the re-spin chain starts. Those butterflies lock in place and shift to the leftmost unoccupied reel position. A re-spin fires on the remaining unlocked reels. If another full reel of butterflies appears on the re-spin, those also lock and shift leftward. The chain continues as long as each re-spin produces a full butterfly reel. It ends when a re-spin completes without filling any reel with butterflies. The leftward shift means that multiple butterfly reels accumulate from the left side of the grid inward — so a chain that runs four times builds four full columns of locked butterflies across 40 paylines before the final evaluation. The mechanic is unhurried by design — each re-spin resolves slowly and visually, the butterflies lifting and migrating leftward with an animation that matches the game’s gentle pace. It is genuinely calming to watch compared to the rapid-fire cascade chains in most contemporary slots.
🆕 Butterfly Spins — Cocoons Transform Into Locking Butterflies 3+ Scatters — Entire Grid Becomes Cocoon-Based
Three or more Scatter symbols anywhere trigger Butterfly Spins. The feature transforms the reel set — instead of the standard symbol mix, cocoon symbols now populate the grid. Each spin cracks open some of those cocoons, releasing butterfly symbols that lock in place and shift leftward exactly as in the base game re-spin mechanic. The key difference is that in the base game you need a full reel to trigger the chain — in Butterfly Spins, individual cocoon-hatched butterflies lock and accumulate progressively across the feature’s spin count. Every spin contributes hatching butterflies to the accumulating grid coverage. By the final spins of the feature, a significant portion of the 5x4 grid may be covered by locked butterflies — the evaluation across 40 paylines of all locked butterfly positions at feature end determines the payout. More Scatters at the trigger produce more Butterfly Spins, giving the cocoon-to-butterfly transformation more spins to run and more total butterfly coverage to accumulate.
🌿 Stacked Butterfly Symbols — Four Rows, Same Symbol Full-Reel Stacks Enable Re-Spin Triggers
Butterfly symbols in the base game appear in stacked form — the same symbol across multiple consecutive row positions on a single reel. When a reel stack fills all four rows with the same butterfly symbol, it is a complete reel fill — the condition that triggers the re-spin chain. Partial stacks that cover two or three rows but not all four do not trigger the chain; they contribute to standard payline wins but not to the locking mechanic. This means the game has a built-in threshold — only full four-row fills count as re-spin triggers. In practice, partial stacks are common and contribute to base game wins via the 40-payline structure. Full-reel fills are the events the re-spin chain depends on. A spin that produces full-reel fills on two adjacent reels simultaneously starts the chain with two locked butterfly columns already in place before the first re-spin fires — the best possible opening to a base game re-spin sequence.
Symbol Values & Paytable
| SYMBOL | 3 OF A KIND | 4 OF A KIND | 5 OF A KIND |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Blue Butterfly (Top Premium)
|
15x | 75x bet | |
|
Purple Butterfly
|
10x | 50x bet | |
|
Orange / Green Butterfly (2 types)
|
5-8x | 25-40x bet | |
|
Flower symbols (4 types, low value)
|
1-3x | 5-15x bet | |
|
Wild (Butterfly Staxx logo)
|
Substitutes all except | Scatter - appears stacked | |
|
Scatter (Flower Scatter)
|
Spins - cocoon transformation | feature |
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 Butterfly Re-Spin chain work?
When all four row positions on any reel are filled with butterfly symbols — a complete reel fill — the re-spin chain activates. Those butterflies lock in their positions and shift to the leftmost available reel. A re-spin fires on the reels that were not covered by the locked butterflies. If the re-spin produces another complete reel fill of butterflies anywhere on the unlocked reels, those also lock and shift leftward. The chain continues as long as each re-spin produces at least one complete butterfly reel. It stops when a re-spin completes without any full butterfly reel appearing. The final payout evaluates all locked butterfly positions across the 40-payline grid simultaneously. Partial reel fills of two or three butterfly positions count toward normal payline wins but do not trigger or extend the re-spin chain.
What happens during Butterfly Spins?
When three or more Scatter symbols appear anywhere on the reels, the regular symbol set is replaced by cocoon symbols across the entire grid. During each Butterfly Spin, some cocoons crack open and release butterfly symbols, which lock in place and accumulate progressively across the spin count. Unlike the base game re-spin chain where you need a full reel fill, individual butterflies released from cocoons lock wherever they hatch. Over multiple Butterfly Spins, the grid builds up locked butterfly coverage from hatching events each spin. The total butterfly coverage at feature end evaluates across 40 paylines for the full payout. More Scatters at the trigger award more Butterfly Spins, giving the cocoon-to-butterfly process more spins to run and more total grid coverage to build before the final evaluation.
Is Butterfly Staxx available at Canadian casinos?
Yes — available at Ontario-regulated casinos running NetEnt software and at most international platforms serving Canadian players. The 96.8% RTP is consistent across operators. Stakes run from €0.20 to €400 with CAD equivalent applied. The re-spin chain mechanic and Butterfly Spins feature are fully accessible without regional restrictions. Mobile performance through NetEnt Touch is reliable on iOS and Android. Bonus buy is not available — Butterfly Spins trigger organically from three or more Scatter symbols anywhere on the reels.
Why is the max win only 300x?
The 300x ceiling comes directly from the low-volatility profile and the butterfly paytable value structure. Individual butterfly symbols pay modestly — the top Blue Butterfly pays 75x for five-of-a-kind at base rates. Even with a full butterfly board covering all five reels and all four rows evaluated across 40 paylines during Butterfly Spins, the per-symbol payouts cap the total at 300x. This is by design — Butterfly Staxx is not built as a high-ceiling slot. The trade-off is 96.8% RTP, consistent hit frequency and a session pacing that favors accumulation over a single dramatic win. Players who need a slot to occasionally produce 1,000x–2,000x sessions will find Butterfly Staxx fundamentally unsuited to that goal. Players who want 300 to 400 regular sessions that stay close to the 96.8% theoretical return will find it fits well.
What is the butterfly nature theme?
Butterfly Staxx uses a soft nature fantasy aesthetic — a sunlit forest setting with flowers, leaves and gentle light effects. Four butterfly species form the premium symbol set: Blue, Purple, Orange and Green, each rendered with translucent wings and delicate markings. Low-value symbols are flower designs in matching colors. The Wild is the Butterfly Staxx logo. The background shows dappled forest light through trees, with occasional particle effects floating across the screen. The sound design is ambient nature — birdsong, gentle wind, soft chimes when butterflies lock and shift. The overall presentation is deliberately peaceful and non-aggressive — there are no dramatic sound events, no flashing lights on big wins, just a sustained gentle atmosphere. It is one of the most consistently calm visual and audio experiences in NetEnt’s catalog.
How does Butterfly Staxx compare to Neon Staxx?
Both are NetEnt slots with “Staxx” in the name built around stacked symbol mechanics, but they are very different games. Neon Staxx runs 96.9% RTP on a 5x4 grid with 40 paylines and the SuperStaxx mechanic firing every single spin — one random symbol stacks across all five reels on every spin. Butterfly Staxx runs 96.8% RTP on a 5x4 grid with 40 paylines and stacking mechanics that only activate when full butterfly reels land. Neon Staxx uses a retro 80s sci-fi aesthetic with neon colors and alien characters. Butterfly Staxx uses a soft nature palette with butterfly and flower imagery. Neon Staxx’s SuperStaxx fires on every spin without exception — the mechanic is always active. Butterfly Staxx’s re-spin chain requires a full reel fill — a less frequent event. For RTP, Neon Staxx has a 0.1% edge. For pacing and atmosphere, Butterfly Staxx is significantly calmer. For base game mechanic frequency, Neon Staxx is more consistently active.