What to Expect from Dragons Clusterbuster
Dragons Clusterbuster is a cluster paying grid slot from Red Tiger, set on a large 9x9 game panel with a fantasy dragon theme. Rather than traditional paylines, you win by landing clusters of five or more matching symbols adjacent to each other. In the centre of the grid sits a 3x3 block called the Clusterbuster, and cracking it open is the key to unlocking everything the game has to offer.
Stakes range from 10p up to 20 pounds per spin, and the action is rated as highly volatile with a theoretical RTP of 96%. That volatility means you might go through quieter patches, but the trade-off is a maximum win potential of 5,250x your stake. If you have played Thor's Lightning before, you will find the core concept familiar, though Dragons Clusterbuster builds on that formula with a bigger grid and stronger win potential.
Dragons Clusterbuster Symbols and Paytable
The lower value symbols are 10 through to A playing card royals, paying between 0.1x and 0.2x your bet for a cluster of five, and scaling up to 5x to 10x for clusters of 20 or more. The premium symbols are scrolls, swords, orbs, and crowns. Land five of these in a cluster and you earn 0.3x to 1.5x, while a cluster of 20 or more premiums pays between 12x and 50x your total stake.
There is also a golden wild symbol which can land anywhere on the grid. It substitutes for all regular paying symbols to help complete winning clusters, though it does not carry any standalone value of its own. Because wins are formed through clusters rather than paylines, that wild can be genuinely useful when it appears in the right spot.
Symbol Payouts
| Symbol | Payout |
|---|---|
 | 20+ → x50 |
| 18+ → x25 | |
| 15+ → x10 | |
| 13+ → x5 | |
| 11+ → x3 | |
| 9+ → x2.5 | |
| 7+ → x2 | |
| 5+ → x1.5 | |
 | 20+ → x20 |
| 18+ → x10 | |
| 15+ → x5 | |
| 13+ → x2.5 | |
| 11+ → x1.2 | |
| 9+ → x1 | |
| 7+ → x0.8 | |
| 5+ → x0.5 | |
 | 20+ → x15 |
| 18+ → x8 | |
| 15+ → x4 | |
| 13+ → x2 | |
| 11+ → x1 | |
| 9+ → x0.8 | |
| 7+ → x0.6 | |
| 5+ → x0.4 | |
 | 20+ → x12 |
| 18+ → x6 | |
| 15+ → x3 | |
| 13+ → x1.5 | |
| 11+ → x0.9 | |
| 9+ → x0.7 | |
| 7+ → x0.5 | |
| 5+ → x0.3 | |
 | 20+ → x10 |
| 18+ → x5 | |
| 15+ → x2.5 | |
| 13+ → x1.2 | |
| 11+ → x0.8 | |
| 9+ → x0.5 | |
| 7+ → x0.4 | |
| 5+ → x0.2 | |
 | 20+ → x8 |
| 18+ → x4 | |
| 15+ → x2 | |
| 13+ → x1 | |
| 11+ → x0.7 | |
| 9+ → x0.4 | |
| 7+ → x0.3 | |
| 5+ → x0.2 | |
 | 20+ → x7 |
| 18+ → x3.5 | |
| 15+ → x1.8 | |
| 13+ → x0.8 | |
| 11+ → x0.6 | |
| 9+ → x0.4 | |
| 7+ → x0.3 | |
| 5+ → x0.1 | |
 | 20+ → x6 |
| 18+ → x3 | |
| 15+ → x1.5 | |
| 13+ → x0.7 | |
| 11+ → x0.5 | |
| 9+ → x0.3 | |
| 7+ → x0.2 | |
| 5+ → x0.1 | |
 | 20+ → x5 |
| 18+ → x2.5 | |
| 15+ → x1.2 | |
| 13+ → x0.6 | |
| 11+ → x0.4 | |
| 9+ → x0.3 | |
| 7+ → x0.2 | |
| 5+ → x0.1 | |
 | Scatter |
 | Wild |
How the Clusterbuster and Chain Reactions Work in Dragons Clusterbuster
Every winning cluster triggers a Chain Reaction. The winning symbols are removed from the grid, and new symbols drop down to fill the gaps. This keeps going for as long as new clusters form, and it is the engine that drives everything else in the game.
The 3x3 Clusterbuster block in the centre has a dragon egg on it, surrounded by eight outer blocker tiles. When a winning cluster lands next to the Clusterbuster, adjacent blocker tiles get removed. Strip away all eight and the egg hatches, unlocking a Dragon Eye above the reels. There are three Dragon Eyes in total, unlocked in order: blue, green, then purple. Each one represents a Hatchling modifier that becomes available once its egg is cracked.
Some players find the unlocking process a bit slow, as you need to work through all three eggs before the game fires on all cylinders. Others enjoy the sense of progression. It is worth knowing this going in, because the early spins can feel a bit bare compared to what comes later.
Dragons Clusterbuster Hatchling Features Explained
Once a Hatchling modifier is unlocked, it triggers on the very next spin and then becomes available to fire randomly on future spins. The Blue Hatchling removes all low pay symbols from the grid, and only premium symbols drop in on the cascade that follows. The Green Hatchling adds up to 20 wilds to random positions on the board, which can lead to some impressive cluster wins.
The Purple Hatchling is where things get really interesting. It places Lightning Multipliers on up to 13 random symbols, with values ranging from x2 to x100. If more than one multiplier ends up in the same winning cluster, the values multiply together, capped at x100 per cluster. When all three Hatchlings are active and triggering during the same session, the results can be dramatic.
Dragons Clusterbuster Free Spins Round
After all three Dragon Eyes have been unlocked, the Clusterbuster block changes to display the words Free Spins. From that point, stripping away the eight blocker tiles once more awards you 10 free spins. During the bonus round, the 3x3 Clusterbuster block is completely removed from the grid, freeing up extra space for clusters to form.
The real boost in free spins is that Hatchling modifiers trigger much more frequently than in the base game. You cannot retrigger the round or win additional spins, so those 10 spins are all you get. Still, with all three Hatchlings firing regularly and more room on the board, the free spins round is where the big wins tend to happen.
Final Thoughts on Dragons Clusterbuster
Dragons Clusterbuster is a well-put-together grid slot from Red Tiger that combines cluster pays with a layered progression system. The visuals are polished and the game has a pleasant sparkle to it, even if the setting is a little ambiguous. Where the slot really shines is in its feature set, particularly when all three Hatchling modifiers are unlocked and the free spins round kicks in.
The main thing to be aware of is the unlocking mechanic. You need patience and some budget to get through the early stages before the game reaches its full potential. If you enjoy a sense of progression and do not mind building towards the payoff, the 5,250x max win and the combination of multipliers, wilds, and premium-only cascades make Dragons Clusterbuster well worth a look. Just keep an eye on the RTP setting, as Red Tiger slots can be configured at different levels by operators.
In-Game Screenshots
Dragons Clusterbuster FAQ
Dragons Clusterbuster — Comparison
| Game | RTP | Volatility | Max Win | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96% | High | x7931 | ||
| 95.75% | High | x1888 | ||
| 95.71% | High | x1200 | ||
| 95.75% | High | x10481 | 6 | |
| 95.75% | High | x10285 | ||
| 95.75% | High | x7564 | 6 | |
| 95.73% | High | x5250 | ||
| 95.74% | High | x2300 | ||
| 95.75% | Average | x2571 | 7.3 | |
| 95.73% | High | x2499 | 7 | |
| 96% | High | x10500 | 7.5 | |
| 95.74% | High | x6157 | 7 | |
| 95.7% | High | x4835 | 7.3 | |
| 95.69% | High | x5000 | 10 | |
| 95.69% | High | x5000 | ||
| 95.7% | High | x10486 | 6 | |
| 95.76% | High | x1000 | 6 | |
| 96% | Above average | x21000 | 9 | |
| 95.67% | Average | x3000 | ||
| 95.76% | High | x975 | ||
| 95.7% | High | x10000 | ||
| 95.7% | High | x10000 | ||
| 95.74% | High | x1888 | ||
| 95.72% | High | x10000 | ||
| 95.69% | High | x3151 | ||
| 95.71% | Above average | x6656 | 7 | |
| 95.74% | High | x20482 | 8 | |
| 95.7% | High | x7500 | 8.5 | |
| 95.73% | High | x19995 | 7.3 | |
| 95.73% | High | x7661 | 7 |
