'Buffalo Gold' is a Western-themed, 5x4 video slot game featuring bet-able reels that allow over 1,000 ways to pay. You can bet up to 5 credits per reel which yields a maximum total bet of 200 credits. The bonus game with stacked Buffalo symbols, free spin re-triggers, and Wild Wild Multipliers pay.
Visit any US casino and you’ll find Buffalo slot machines. The original game became such a big hit that there are now multiple variations. While Buffalo Gold, Grand and Diamond have their fans – there is something about the original that has timeless appeal.
Buffalo slots are known for their sound effects as much as their graphics and prizes. With so many Native American animals on the reels, the screech of an eagle, stampede of buffalo hooves and howl of a wolf intertwine with a distinctive ‘wild west’ music tune.
This game uses an all-ways winning system, along with multiplier wilds. That gives you plenty of big win potential – especially when you hit the free spins bonus. During that bonus, just 2 gold coins will see your free spins extended. You’ll now find the Buffalo slots on casino apps, as well as in live venues around the country.
While some of the newer Buffalo variations have non-square reel setups, the original Buffalo slots use a standard 5×4 setup. This game uses ‘Xtra Reel Power’ to determine wins. This is an ‘all-ways’ variation. To win, you need to match symbols on consecutive reels from the left. There are no win-lines – so you can’t miss a win by getting the symbols in the wrong rows, as long as there are no full-reel gaps.
Buffalo symbols are distinctive. These are purple and show a buffalo charging towards you. They are the top paying symbols.
Here are all the symbols with bigger prizes on the Buffalo slots:
There are brightly colored playing card symbols for the smaller wins.
Wild symbols show a sunset over a barren rocky landscape. These symbols only appear on reels 2,3 and 4 – and will only appear once on each reel.
They are ‘wild’, replacing any other symbol to create extra wins. With the ‘Xtra Reel Power’ setup, these wilds are more valuable than average. They will frequently create multiple wins with different symbols from the same spin.
During the base game, these are random. You’ll hear the screech of an eagle, and the wild will show either 2x or 3x. Multipliers work together, for example 2 of the 3x wilds in the same winning combination gives you 9x (and 3 x 3 gives you 27x). As you will see below, wilds always get multipliers when the free spins bonus is in-play.
The only symbols not covered so far are gold coins. These can appear on any reel. They have prizes of up to 100x your triggering bet for 5 – though their main role is to trigger the free spins bonus game.
3 coins gets you 8 spins, with 15 for 4 and 20 for the maximum 5. During the free spins, you’ll be treated to that distinctive ‘Wild West’ style tune. Wilds now always get multipliers, which can add significantly to your wins. If you get multiple buffalo symbols, along with multiplier wilds, then the coin show and characteristic Aristocrat slots circus music will often kick in.
During the free spins bonus, just 2 coins will extend your bonus games. This will get you 5 extra spins. 3+ coins will add 8, 15 or 20 spins respectively (with additional scatter wins). It is common to see a Buffalo free spins bonus game extended multiple times.
This classic slot does not have any added features like picks games or wheel spins.
It is rare to find a casino anywhere in the country without the original Buffalo slots. These are smaller cabinets – especially when compared to the newer variations like Buffalo Stampede, Gold or Grand.
As well as in live casinos, there is an online casino version of the original Buffalo slot. This is produced by slot software studio Aristocrat. They license games to online casinos. With legal online gambling in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Colorado (and elsewhere), you’ll have a lot of options. Many regulated casinos have huge lists of online slots – with 600+ titles common, you’ll have plenty of options even if you can’t find the original Buffalo.
Remember to check the terms of any slot bonus deals on offer. You might be able to take a shot at a big (27x multiplier) Buffalo win with the houses’ money.
There have been a lot of slots based on Native American wildlife. Somehow, Buffalo ticked all the right boxes. The symbols used have become familiar to millions of slot players. The purple-framed buffalo charging at you is the main attraction. These have an animation where they are kicking up dust as they charge whenever they are involved in a win.
Listen out for the eagle screech – this kicks in when the wild symbols are about to get multipliers. In contrast with the wildlife sound effects, you’ll hear the distinctive Aristocrat slot sounds too. These are quirky jingles, which change depending on how big your win is.
Buffalo slots are classic games – a part of slot history. The game play is relatively simple. There is an all-ways system, free spins and wilds which can get multipliers. What is different about this game is that the balance is just right. You’ll get enough smaller wins to keep you enjoying the game, while the potential for a screen full of buffalo (and a huge win) is always there.
Free spins bonuses have the advantage of being easily extended. You might just come away with the theme tune in your head. Check out Buffalo slots via a live or online casino soon!