When you mention Buffalo to anyone who has played slots before, they will usually think of the Buffalo slot machine developed by Aristocrat. And, rightly so, as it not only created a huge following of players, but it also inspired a number of Buffalo-inspired slot games in both land based casinos and online. This page is dedicated to Aristocrat’s Buffalo slot, but other pages detail the many of the other Buffalo-themed slots that have been made by other developers.
The great wild plains of North America form the backdrop for one of Australian slot game developer Aristocrat’s most popular exports. The slot game Buffalo was believed to have been created to help Aristocrat crack the U.S. land-based casino market. It’s instantly noticeable American theme, coupled with excellent game mathematics, makes Buffalo one the of the standout performers in the Aristocrat slot portfolio.
For gameplay fans, Buffalo is unquestionably one of the standout titles in the Aristocrat range and you can tell that a game is popular when it makes its way to online casinos. If Aristocrat slots are available in your country then you can check out Buffalo here at Mr Gamez or for real cash at the leading partner casinos.
I can’t put my finger on one particular thing that makes Buffalo slot so special, it’s just a very well put together game. The animal noises, such as the call of the Eagle or the thundering hoofs of the rampaging Buffalo’s can be heard in hundreds of North American casinos. I have also played this in the UK and on trips around Europe, such is its popularity. Like with many Aristocrat slots, the math of the game can make it hugely addictive. The potential for great big wins, despite there being so many ways to win is testament to the developers, who figured how to make that work.
For many visitors the thrill or playing Buffalo slot even just in free play can be really enjoyable. We do our best to have a working version of Buffalo slot here on this site, but if it should ever be down then there is normally a working version on this Buffalo slot page. Hopefully we will maintain a working version here, so you can play it as and when you like.
When Aristocrat started moving several of their most popular slots online, it didn’t take them long to getting round to Buffalo. We are talking about a game that has dominated North American and Australian casinos since its launch in the naughties. Its popularity is such that in Vegas you can find rows of Buffalo slot machines together and all of them will be full!.
Help from friends
Getting Buffalo slot online required the expertise of gaming specialists GameAccount, who took the Buffalo game engine and reconstructed the slot for internet play. There are some subtle nuances that you may have noticed, such as the ambient casino/bar noise in the background (which you can turn off by the way). There are also some noises missing from some of the characters, such as the eagle – a sound so familiar to many casino floor’s around the world.
Buffalo slot is part of the Xtra Reel Power series from Aristocrat, meaning there are a staggering 1024 winning combinations. That pretty much means that if you have matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right then you are pretty much guaranteed a winning line. Incredibly Buffalo remains a medium to medium-high volatility slot, despite there being a staggering number of different ways to win. This is a testament to Aristocrat and the time and effort they put into getting the maths right in games like Buffalo.
Buffalo stampede
Stacked Buffalo’s appear on all reels and can reward you with some fantastic wins if they land on multiple reels simultaneously. You will hear the cry of ‘Buuuffffaalllooo’ if you have hit a winning combination. Remember the Wilds will replace Buffalo symbols, which can be very rewarding if they assist in making a winning combination of stacked buffalo’s.
Buffalo slot bonus feature
There is two key elements to the bonus in Buffalo that make this game so enthralling. The first one is that you need only two scatters anywhere to retrigger the bonus, which can happen multiple times during the feature. Secondly, Wilds can be multiplied across reel 2, 3 and 4. The maximum you can achieve is 27x (3x multiplied 3 times). If you hit this then you will be looking at a very nice win!
The bonus is triggered by landing 3 or more scatters anywhere on screen. This will release between 8 – 20 free spins, depending on how many scatters are in view. As previously explained the potential for retriggers and multiplied Wilds makes this bonus very exciting. However, you should be warned that Buffalo doesn’t always pay and you can go through a bonus feature with nothing more than a few small wins.
Buffalo slot facts | |
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Type: | Video slot |
Software: | Aristocrat |
Reels: | 5 |
Rows: | 4 |
Paylines: | 1024 way |
RTP: | 94.90% |
Coin Range: | 0.01 - 1 |
Max Win: | 250,000 |
Volatility: | Medium |
Progressive: | No |
Symbols: | Single and stacked |
Bonus Type: | Free Spins |
Freespins Enhancement: | 2 or 3x multiplying Wilds |
Wild Reels: | 2,3,4 |
Wild Type: | Single 1x multiplier/scatter |
To fully understand the significance of the RTP (return to player) in the above table then check out the page slot RTP’s explained. It should help make some sense of why slots have different RTP’s and also the effect on your balance as a player.
Symbols of significance in Buffalo
Like most slot games, there are certain symbols in Buffalo that have more significance than others. Here are what I would call the symbols of significance:
Buffalo – The most valuable of all the regular symbols on the reels, the Buffalo symbol is also stacked. This means that if the symbols fall in the right places you can be in for some very big wins. You will know if you have one as you will hear the cry of ‘Buuuufffffaaaalllllooooo’.
Coin Scatter – The free spins feature in Buffalo slot is triggered by the coin scatter. 3, 4 or 5 coin scatters in view will trigger 8, 15 or 20 free spins respectfully. During the bonus feature 2 or more coin scatters will unlock between 5 – 20 free spins dependant on how many are in view.
Sunset Wilds – These appear on reels 2, 3 and 4 only, leading to 1x multiplier in the base game. During the free spins feature they increase to either 2x or 3x and are multiplied if appear on adjacent reels. This can produce up to 27x multiplier if they are 3 sunset wilds at 3x on a winning line.
You can get a great deal of understanding about the Buffalo slot from this video. The camera has deliberately been left the rolling as the bonus round is triggered to show how wins can be significantly better during the feature. If you are unable to access Buffalo slot from where you are then you may find that this video allows you to understand how the online version of this slot plays compared with the land based slot. What this video doesn’t show you is details of pays or the paytable, which are contained within the demo version and real money version of the game.
The Buffalo Gold slot machine is a game for low rollers and mid-stakes players. The coin denominations are 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05 and 0.10. Players can set the reel cost at 1, 5, 10, 20 and 40. This means you can set the bet level from one cent to $4.00. The coin denominations are variable based on the online casino. Different operators can set the levels, though the bet levels above are what you’ll find in most online casinos.
The gameplay, graphics and sound effects of the Buffalo Gold slot machine will be familiar to bettors who’ve enjoyed Buffalo slot machines before. The 2021 version includes enhancements in the animations, though some might not like how the wolf howls when a winning spin happens. In the free spins round, players collect golden buffalo symbols, which turn symbols into the jackpot symbol for the duration of the free games round. Collect enough and you win the Buffalo Gold jackpot.
Unlike the new Buffalo Grand, the Buffalo Gold slot machine variation uses a conventional setup of four rows and five reels. It uses the all-ways system, which pays for consecutive symbols from the left-hand side, regardless of their position. Bet increments are 60 cents. Each casino operator sets the Buffalo Gold slot machine’s max bet according to their whims, although a real money high limit of around $3 is the norm.
As mentioned before, each casino decides the max bet, with a max bet of between $3 and $3.60 the usual top range. For those wanting to practice the Buffalo Gold slot machine before playing for real money, a free slots version is also available. The free version of Buffalo Gold Slots contains all the wild multipliers, free games, machine bonus videos and jackpots of its real money counterpart.
The golden buffalo symbols are large and impossible to miss. Once you collect them, the symbol turns into a regular buffalo – which triggers wins as usual. When you collect three, four or five gold buffalo coins, you win eight, 12 and 20 free spins respectively.
To win big, you’ll need re-triggers, but that’s a possibility with the Buffalo Gold slot machine. When you hit two or more gold coins, the two coins re-trigger five extra spins.
The symbols on the Buffalo Gold slot machine are stacked, though not overly so. Stacked wilds mean you’ll trigger multiple win lines at the same time. With the help of wild symbols (which show the iconic sunrise over a mountain), you find bigger wins come because the stacked wilds cover up several icons on the Buffalo Gold slot machine.
The Buffalo Gold icon is the best-paying symbol on the Buffalo Gold slot machine. When a win happens, an animated buffalo appears on the screen to charge you, complete with a dust trail. If you hit several five-of-a-kind buffaloes, it activates the famous Aristocrat coin fountain effect. At that point, you’ll hear the ‘big win’ tune.
Like on the original Buffalo slots game, the wild symbols on the Buffalo Gold slot machine act as multipliers during the machine bonus game. Each time one or more is involved in a win, it gets 2x or 3x wild multipliers (together with an eagle screech sound effect). This makes a big difference to your prizes. Players want to combine multiple buffalo symbols with two or more wild multipliers.
The scatter symbols are gold coins. These have two main roles. First, they are scatter symbols, which will pay a multiple of your total spin amount for 3+. Second, they trigger the free games. When you receive multiple scatters on the Buffalo Gold slot machine, you’ll get eight free spins for three coins, 12 free spins for four coins, and the maximum 20 free spins for five coins.
Other winning symbols on the Buffalo Gold slot machine include examples of wildlife like eagles, mountain lions, wolves and elks. Playing card symbols in bold primary colors make up the smaller wins. Most symbols require 3+ from the left to trigger a win, though there are some smaller two-of-a-kind wins.
When the free spins bonus game hits on the Buffalo Gold slot machine, you’ll hear a ringing bell and a song. You will then see an area set up to count the number of golden buffalo symbols you select. Once you get 4+ of these, the eagle symbols will all turn into buffalo. Another eight turns the lions into buffalo, with the wolves and elks following on.
Any time a buffalo symbol appears on the Buffalo Gold slot machine, it adds to the Buffalo Gold Meter. Collect four buffaloes to change all eagle icons (or wolf icons) to buffalo icons – whichever helps you win more cash. Once a gold buffalo appears, it changes to the buffalo symbol for all remaining free games.