Buffalo Slots
If ever there was a genuine legend in the slot machine world, it has to be Buffalo. This game has been the most popular slot in Vegas for so many years now, it's incredible. Buffalo eclipses other hugely famous slots like Cleopatra and Wheel of Fortune, in terms of the number of machines in the casinos and the number of people playing them.
Buffalo is a hugely popular slot machine that takes you out on to the American plains. Here you will encounter all kinds of wild creatures. The original Buffalo slot proved so popular in live casinos that it has spawned several exciting sequels. These added progressive jackpots, wheel bonuses and unique features like a ‘stampede’ that added more high paying symbols and expanded the reels. The demo version of the Buffalo slot machine (with no download) offers a balance of 100 free coins when playing for fun. Do not play with the highest betting limits to avoid the money exhausted. The better case is using minimum betting amounts in both free and real money versions.
The popularity of Buffalo isn't limited to Vegas, it is massive in casinos all over the US as well as in Canada and Australia. The game is also starting to break into Europe, where Aristocrat games have historically never been particularly prevalent.
It is very easy to find Buffalo slots in every casino in Las Vegas and some casinos have huge areas dedicated to just this one game. One of the best places to play this game is Harrah's, where they have a big area in the middle of the slot floor which has mostly Buffalo.
How many versions of Buffalo Slots are there?
One of the most amazing things about Buffalo, is that every single one of the new versions they produce seems to be a massive success. These new games all retain the best aspects of the original, whilst at the same time, adding new and exciting bonuses and features, which improve on the previous versions and keep the gameplay interesting.
After the original, the next version made was the 'deluxe' version. In that game, the basic play was the same as the first one, but you could choose the multipliers of the Buffalo icons in the bonus game. If you pick a higher multiplier (up to 5x), then you get fewer free spins, but if you pick a lower multiplier (up to 3x), then you get more free spins.
After the Deluxe version, the next really big version (there were a few minor updates in the meantime) was the Stampede game. This is the one with the elongated screen, where the Buffaloes run up the screen. This game still feels like it is quite new, although it can look a little dated in some casinos, is the screens have started to fade.
Following the Stampede version, came the Buffalo Gold and Buffalo Grand games (they came out quite closely to each other), with their huge screens, amazing sound and a lot of innovative new features like spinning wheels (Wheel of Fortune type thing) and new bonus games.
Buffalo Gold
Taking a look around the Vegas casinos, whichever type of casino you go to (big or small, Strip, Downtown, or off Strip) the most popular of the 'newer' versions seems to be Buffalo Gold. In some casinos there are literally dozens of them on the slot floor!
Buffalo Gold is particularly attractive because you can win a huge amount on the bonus game, even if you only play 40 cents per spin. It has been known for players to win over $4,000 in the bonus round on Buffalo Gold. To do that, you will need to hit all the 15 golden Buffalos during the free spins and then keep re-triggering the game after that.
Online, the only version available is the classic game, albeit an updated one with nice shiny graphics. The mathematics of the free online version (and the real money one, if you happen to live in a country where it is available) is identical to the original Vegas one.
Buffalo Gold Slots
Buffalo Stampede
Afer the deluxe version was released, the next version to come out was the Buffalo Stampede game. Buffalo Stampede looks very different at first sight, but the game play has kept all the appeal of the original, so it is still great fun. Possibly, it is even better than the original, although it is more expensive to play - 70c per spin minimum!
Buffalo Stampede slots also has lots of new features, which are really exciting. One of these is where the buffalo seems to run straight at you, approaching like it is coming out of the screen, laving the lassoos on the screen.
Another great feature is the one where the buffalos stampede up from the bottom, elongating the screen as they run. As they do this, the number of rows increases, meaning that you can win on a far greater number of pay-lines during the stampede.
Just like Buffalo original, the stampede and deluxe games give you a great chance of re-triggering the free spin bonus when you are playing. This is because you just need two bonus symbols to re-trigger the games, whereas in the main game you need three of them to start the bonus playing.
Buffalo Stampede Slots
Buffalo Grand
Out of all the versions of Buffalo, the Grand edition is possibly the most fun in terms of sheer entertainment value, but probably not in terms of value for money. The game seems to benefit players that bet more, because it has a jackpot that can only be won if you play max bet (unlike the jackpot on the Buffalo Stampede slot, which can be won by any bet)
So, if you play this game on a lower stake, then you will have to put up with a lower payout rate and so you would be likely to lose your cash a bit more quickly, on average. On the other hand, the game has amazing graphics and actually gives players a chance to win really big in normal play and not just the bonus.
The reason you can win big on Buffalo Grand during regular play, even on minimum bet, is because the screen is so huge and has so many paylines. If you line up a whole load of Buffalo on the same screen, you could find yourself getting a huge multiplier.
Buffalo Grand Slots
Less Well-known Versions
At the same time as those three hugely successful games have appeared, there have been some other versions of Buffalo which are also really good, but quite hard to find in the casinos.
For example, there is a game where you can choose the mathematics of the game, in that you can pick the volatility. This version is interesting, because the game actually has different math in different places around the US and in different countries, but with this one you can choose the one you prefer.
There is also a new, but old-fshioned style of game, with 3 reels. This one is very much like the original Wheel of Fortune game in style and appears to be more of a limit game, than a penny slots. Like many 3-reel games, the three-reel Buffalo slots is one you really need to play max bet per line ($3 per spin, or more) to get any type of value from your play.
There is also a massive version of the original in many casinos. This one is so big it's actually hard to focus on the game when you play. It also features a love-seat for two people, so it's a great one for couples and lovers to enjoy.
In addition, a game called Buffalo Max - this game rewards you for betting more and does not appear to be very popular. Possibly, players have rejected it because it feels like you are being punished, if you just want to play for 40 cents per spin, instead of 400 cents.
Most recently, Aristocrat has launched a 'Diamond' version, which features a 4k screen, to celebrate 10 years of the game. Although the game was launched in 2018, to celebrate the decade since it was released in 2008, most casinos will not see it on their slot floor until 2019.
The Buffalo Diamond game has an unusual 'honeycomb' style format to the reels and is bound to be another big hit. Whether it stands the test of time, like the original and many of the latest versions, remains to be seen. Only time will tell.
Real Money Buffalo Slots
To play Buffalo slots for real money online, you will need to be in a country where Aristocrat games are available in online casinos. This includes the UK and some other European countries, but does not include the US, Canada, or Australia, Unfortunately.
That said, there are quite a few 'copies' or close 'emulations' of the game available (unofficial versions) in several online casinos. To find these games, please visit our real money slots page, where you can find the best casino to play.
Fans of the Aristocrat games in Australia and New Zealand will generally know and love them as Pokies, rather than a 'slot machines'. Pokies are the term used for slots and video poker - see our online pokie casinos page for more details
The same terminology is also used in New Zealand casinos. and you will find the same games in New Zealand as you find in Australia.
Buffalo online pokies is definitely one of the most popular games out there and you will be sure to see this one along with other Aristocrat classics, like Zorro, Big Ben, Wild Panda, More Hearts, More Chili, Wicked Winnings and Where's the Gold.
In Canadian casinos, the Buffalo slot game is as much loved as it is in the USA, including Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City. What you will find though, is that the payout table might be much different. For some reason, the payouts on Buffalo vary from place to place. I have no idea why, but I do know that my favorite is the one in Las Vegas.
Similar Games Online, to Play for Real Money
If you would like to play games online that are similar to the Buffalo slot machine - that is, with the same mathematics (the 243 winning lines) and with similar free spin bonus games, then the best game to play would be Jaguar Mist. It is essentially the same game as Buffalo, but with a different theme. Jaguar Mist used to be available online, but it got taken down in 2018, so you have to go to a bricks and mortar (land-based) casino to play now.
The animal theme is one of the most popular choices for those who like to play slots for free or real money, and while there are countless animal slots in existence you may be surprised to hear that this isn’t even the only Buffalo themed slot - but exactly how does it stack up against competitors such as Buffalo Thunder from Novomatic and the many others that have been developed?
Reel Power
Buffalo boasts a generous 94.58% return to player percentage and is played across 5 reels and thanks to the Xtra Reel Power feature it boasts 1,024 ways to win, however you don’t select paylines - instead you select reels to play with an amount set per reel. Selecting reel one costs 1x, selecting reel one and two costs 5x, selecting reel one to three costs 10x, selecting reel one to four costs 20x, while all five reels activated costs 40x. In addition to this there are four rows as we also saw in 50 Dragons and 50 Lions rather than the usual three rows which are so often used.
Buffalo
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Buffalo Bosses the Reels
Like the Wolf Moon slot machine (also developed by Aristocrat), Buffalo also features various other animals on the reels rather than focusing solely on the gigantic mammals themselves, with a total of thirteen symbols falling on the reels.
The Buffalo is the most valuable symbol of all with five on a single payline rewarding you with 300 coins but it’s just a standard symbols and not the Wild or Scatter. The Wild is a stunning sunset protruding from the horizon and this substitutes for all others except the Scatter, however it does only appear on the second, third, and fourth reels rather than them all. The Scatter in Buffalo is a golden coin, while an American Eagle, Tiger, Grey Wolf, and Deer are the other animals on the reels, with the line-up of symbols completed with the low valued Ace to 9 we see so often.
Up to 27x Multiplier
This is simply one of the best free spins modes that I have ever encountered, and certainly offers you the opportunity of claiming some Buffalo-sized wins!
To activate the free spins mode you’ll first need to land three or more Scatter symbols (golden coin) anywhere on the reels with the number that land determining the amount of free spins that will assigned to you. Three scatters see you claim 8 free spins, four see you claim 15 free spins, while five Scatters see you claim the maximum of 20 free spins – but in addition to this the feature can actually be retriggered as you play and should you only manage to land two Scatter symbols (rather than the minimum of three to trigger at least eight) you’ll generously receive five more spins!
Sounds incredible doesn’t it? Well it gets even better.
While your free spins play out each and every Wild (the sunset) that appears on the second, third or fourth reels will see the amount won for that spin doubled or tripled – and that means the total win for any spin could be multiplied by up to 27x which is astonishing.
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Buffalo Conclusion
Buffalo was actually a very popular Aristocrat title at brick-and-mortar casinos as well as in Fixed Odds Betting Terminals so they brought it online to be played at some of the best online casinos whether it be on desktop, tablet or mobile.
I was a little disappointed the symbols weren’t more Buffalo-themed with different sizes of herds and stances. Instead it’s just a rather general animal-themed slot with a Buffalo as the Wild symbol but to be fair they have been well designed.
Grand Buffalo Slots Free
What did impress me was the quite sensational free spins mode where you can actually enjoy a multiplier bonus of up to 27x, receive up to 20 free spins (which can be retriggered) - plus landing just two Scatters in one spin sees five more spins added to your counter which happens very regularly.