Quick Facts
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Provider | Pragmatic Play |
| Release Date | April 2021 |
| Grid | 6 reels, variable rows (2-7 symbols per reel) |
| Ways to Win | Up to 200,704 (Megaways) |
| RTP | 96.52% (95.55% and 94.51% variants also exist) |
| Volatility | High |
| Max Win | 5,000x stake |
| Min/Max Bet | Typically $0.20 to $125 CAD equivalent |
Introduction
Buffalo King Megaways launched in April 2021 as Pragmatic Play's Megaways reimagining of the original 2019 Buffalo King, a slot notable at the time for advertising a theoretical max win of 93,750x - a figure the studio and industry reviewers later acknowledged was, in practical terms, close to unreachable. The Megaways version represents a deliberate correction: a more honest, achievable 5,000x max win paired with the added ways-to-win structure Big Time Gaming's Megaways engine provides. For Canadian players, it's a useful case study in reading slot marketing critically, as well as a solid high-volatility title in its own right.
Theme and Presentation
Buffalo King Megaways sets its action across an American desert prairie, with buffalo, eagles, wolves, and cougars filling out the premium symbol tier against a sun-scorched backdrop. The presentation leans into the same rugged, wildlife-driven visual language found in several of Pragmatic Play's animal-themed titles, though the desert setting and its earthier color palette give it a distinct feel from more temperate savannah-themed slots like Great Rhino Megaways.
Buffalo, eagles, wolves and cougars anchor the premium symbol set against a rugged desert backdrop.
Six Megaways reels can show between two and seven symbols each, creating a different reel shape on every spin.
Earthy wildlife imagery and bold reel symbols keep the action readable while the Megaways layout changes dynamically.
How Buffalo King Megaways Plays
The game runs on the Megaways engine licensed from Big Time Gaming: six reels display between two and seven symbols each on any given spin, and the number of ways to win recalculates dynamically, reaching a maximum of 200,704 on a spin where every reel is at full height. Wins form when two or more identical symbols land on adjacent reels starting from reel one, a structure common to Megaways titles that trades larger individual line payouts for a much higher overall number of ways a win can form.
Buffalo King Megaways also incorporates a tumble mechanic: winning symbols are removed and replaced with new ones cascading down from above, which can chain into additional wins within the same spin if the newly dropped symbols create fresh matches.
Wild Multipliers and the Free Spins Round
The game's standout feature is its treatment of wild symbols during free spins. Any wild that lands in the base game acts as a standard substitute, but during the free spins round specifically, wilds gain random multiplier values of 2x, 3x, or 5x. When multiple multiplier wilds contribute to the same tumble sequence, their values multiply together rather than simply adding, which is the mechanism behind the game's larger free spins payouts. This multiplicative stacking, combined with the tumble mechanic's tendency to chain consecutive wins, is what allows Buffalo King Megaways to reach its 5,000x ceiling within a well-performing bonus round.
Free spins themselves are triggered by landing scatter symbols, and as with most Pragmatic Play Megaways titles, additional scatters landing during the bonus round extend play with further free spins, giving the wild multiplier mechanic more opportunities to compound before the round ends.
The source review emphasizes that multiple wild multipliers multiply together rather than add, making the free spins round the main engine behind larger payouts.
RTP and Volatility in Practical Terms
Buffalo King Megaways carries a default RTP of 96.52%, comfortably above the industry standard, with reduced configurations at 95.55% and 94.51% also available depending on the operator - standard practice across Pragmatic Play's catalogue that Canadian players should confirm before committing real money.
Volatility is rated at the maximum 5 out of 5, and the published hit frequency of roughly 20-31% (reviewer estimates vary slightly depending on which RTP configuration was tested) places it among the more demanding titles in this review series. Reviewers commonly note that base-game action can feel relatively subdued, with the bulk of the game's theoretical return concentrated in the free spins round's multiplicative wild stacking - a design pattern typical of very high volatility Megaways titles.
| Configuration / profile | What the review says |
|---|---|
| Default RTP | 96.52% |
| Reduced RTP variants | 95.55% and 94.51% |
| Volatility | High - maximum 5 out of 5 |
| Published / estimated hit frequency | Roughly 20-31%, depending on tested RTP configuration |
| Max win | 5,000x stake |
The review notes a meaningful spread from 96.52% down to 94.51%, so confirm the game's active RTP in the casino information screen before real-money play.
Buffalo King Megaways vs. the Original Buffalo King
Understanding the relationship between Buffalo King Megaways and its 2019 predecessor is genuinely useful context for Canadian players. The original Buffalo King advertised a theoretical max win of 93,750x, a figure that became something of an industry talking point for being extremely difficult to approach in any realistic session, even over an extended sample of spins. Buffalo King Megaways represents Pragmatic Play stepping back from that style of headline marketing: the declared 5,000x max win is 5.3% of the original's theoretical figure, but it's a considerably more honest ceiling that reviewers and players have found meaningfully more attainable in practice. For Canadian players comparing the two versions, the Megaways release is generally the more sensible choice unless you specifically want the original's fixed 4,096-way format and are comfortable with its more extreme theoretical (if impractical) upside.
A further variant, Buffalo King Untamed Megaways, released in mid-2024, offers another spin on the format with a slightly different RTP profile (96.02%), for players who want to compare the series' evolution further.
The source also notes Buffalo King Untamed Megaways, released in mid-2024 with a different 96.02% RTP profile.
Playing Buffalo King Megaways in Canada
Buffalo King Megaways is available across most Canadian-facing online casinos carrying Pragmatic Play's catalogue. In Ontario, it's accessible through operators licensed under the AGCO's regulated iGaming Ontario framework. Elsewhere in Canada, players typically reach it through provincial lottery corporation platforms where Pragmatic Play content is carried, or through Kahnawake-licensed or internationally licensed operators serving Canadian traffic, since most provinces outside Ontario haven't yet developed a fully competitive regulated private online casino market.
Given the gap between the game's RTP variants (96.52% down to 94.51%), it's worth confirming which version is loaded at your chosen Canadian-facing casino before playing for real money.
For broader context, see our Canadian gambling regulations guide, Ontario casino guide and Canadian casino reviews.
Bankroll Considerations
With very high volatility and a hit frequency in the 20-30% range, Buffalo King Megaways demands a disciplined bankroll approach. A sensible guideline is budgeting for at least 400 to 600 spins at your chosen stake before expecting a natural free spins trigger, given the design concentrates most of the theoretical return in that bonus round's multiplicative wild stacking rather than in frequent base-game payouts.
For broader safer-play guidance, use our responsible gambling resources and set a fixed entertainment budget before playing.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Strong 96.52% default RTP
- Multiplicative (rather than additive) wild multiplier stacking in free spins produces genuinely large payouts
- More honest, achievable max win figure than its 2019 predecessor
- Dynamic Megaways structure with up to 200,704 ways to win
- Well-regarded North American wildlife theme and presentation
Cons
- Very high volatility with a subdued base game
- Multiple RTP variants require checking before play
- 5,000x max win, while more realistic than the original's figure, is modest compared to some other high-ceiling Megaways titles
- Requires extended play to reach the natural bonus trigger
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the RTP of Buffalo King Megaways?
96.52% by default, with 95.55% and 94.51% variants also in circulation.
What is the maximum win on Buffalo King Megaways?
5,000x your total stake, achieved through multiplicative wild multiplier stacking (2x, 3x, or 5x per wild) during free spins.
How does Buffalo King Megaways compare to the original Buffalo King?
The original advertised a theoretical 93,750x max win widely considered impractical to reach. Buffalo King Megaways offers a more honest, achievable 5,000x ceiling combined with the Megaways engine's up to 200,704 ways to win.
Final Verdict
Buffalo King Megaways is a good example of Pragmatic Play refining an earlier release into something more balanced and genuinely playable. The multiplicative wild stacking during free spins gives the bonus round real teeth, and the more modest, achievable 5,000x max win is arguably a point in the game's favor rather than a downgrade, given how the original's headline figure became a cautionary tale about theoretical-versus-practical win potential. For Canadian players who enjoy the Megaways format and don't mind a demanding, high-volatility base game, it remains one of Pragmatic Play's more credible wildlife-themed titles.