Buffalo Power Christmas characteristics
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Playson |
| Release date | 18 November 2021 |
| RTP | 95.85% |
| Volatility | Medium |
| Hit frequency | 25.83% |
| Max win | x1,187 the stake |
| Grid | 5×3 — 20 fixed paylines |
| Min bet | AUD 0.20 |
| Max bet | AUD 100 |
| Bonus Buy | Not available |
| Free Spins | Yes — 8 spins, with Stacked Wild x2 multipliers |
| Jackpot | Yes — 4 fixed jackpots in the Hold and Win round, top jackpot x500 |
| Mobile | Full support — iOS and Android, portrait and landscape |
Buffalo Power Christmas slot overview
Buffalo Power Christmas takes Playson's established Buffalo Power: Hold and Win formula and wraps it in a holiday theme, keeping the same core math model and feature set while swapping in seasonal visuals. It's built on a 5×3 grid with 20 fixed paylines, and the bonus structure carries over largely unchanged from the original release — a Hold and Win round built around Power symbol jackpots, plus a Free Spins feature with doubled wild wins. Playson positioned this release as a seasonal refresh for operators rather than a mechanically new title, so anyone familiar with the base Buffalo Power game will recognise the structure immediately under the snow.
Theme, design and gameplay
The backdrop shifts the usual desert canyon into a snow-dusted prairie at dusk, with candy-cane striped reel borders, holly leaves framing the grid, and a small Santa hat perched on the game logo. The buffalo wild itself wears a Santa hat in its close-up artwork, which is the clearest seasonal touch among the symbol set — the supporting cast of wolf, eagle, cougar and bear keep their standard appearance. The four jackpot tiers (Mini, Minor, Major, Grand) sit permanently across the top of the screen, each showing its current dollar value at the active stake.
Gameplay runs on a conventional payline structure rather than anything experimental, consistent with the rest of the Buffalo Power series — wins land across the 20 fixed lines rather than through clusters or ways. A Hold for Quick Spin button speeds up the reel animation, and gentle jingling bells layer over the usual ambient soundtrack to keep the holiday framing consistent during play.
RTP, volatility and max win
Buffalo Power Christmas carries a theoretical RTP of 95.85%, with medium volatility and a hit frequency of around 25.83% — close to one in four spins returning some form of win. The maximum win achievable is x1,187 the stake, considerably more modest than the higher-volatility entries in the Buffalo Power series. Within the Hold and Win round itself, the top fixed jackpot is the Grand jackpot, paying x500 the stake. The combination of medium volatility and a capped four-figure max win makes this a steadier, more frequent-but-smaller-reward title than its high-volatility stablemates.
How to play Buffalo Power Christmas
The stake is set using the plus and minus buttons either side of the bet display at the bottom of the screen, with bets running from AUD 0.20 up to AUD 100 per spin. Wins are formed across the game's 20 fixed paylines, running left to right, when matching symbols land on connected positions.
The round "A" button on the right-hand side toggles Autoplay, and the orange "Hold for Quick Spin" button speeds up the reel animation when held down. There's no separate gamble feature in Buffalo Power Christmas — wins are paid directly to the credit balance.
Symbols and paytable
The paytable is split between four card-rank symbols (J, Q, K, A) as the low-paying tier and four animal symbols — cougar, eagle, wolf and bear — as the high-paying tier. Payouts scale with the number of matching symbols landed on a payline, from three-of-a-kind up to five-of-a-kind.
Symbols and payouts (multiplier of total stake)
| Symbol | 3 of a kind | 4 of a kind | 5 of a kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo (Santa Wild) | — | — | — |
| Bear / Cougar / Eagle / Wolf (animal symbols) | — | — | x3 / x4 / x5 range |
| K | — | — | x2.50 |
| A, Q, J (card ranks) | x0.50 | — | — |
Our screenshots confirmed a 6-symbol A combination paying x0.50 the stake and a King combination paying x2.50 the stake, both at a AUD 1.00 stake. Beyond those two data points, the animal symbols (bear, cougar, eagle, wolf) and the royals are described by Playson as paying in the x3 to x5 range for a full five-symbol line, but the exact per-symbol breakdown for each individual animal wasn't visible across our screenshots — we'd recommend checking the in-game paytable directly before staking real money on specific combinations.
Buffalo Power Christmas rules
- Buffalo (Wild): appears as a stacked symbol wearing a Santa hat and substitutes for any of the regular paying symbols to complete winning combinations.
- Stacked Wild x2: during Free Spins, stacked wild appearances can carry a x2 multiplier, doubling the value of any winning combination they help complete.
- Scatter: appears only during the base game, on reels two, three and four. Landing three scatters triggers the Free Spins round.
- Bonus and Power symbols: landing enough Bonus and/or Power symbols on the grid triggers the Hold and Win round, where Power symbols are collected toward the four jackpot tiers.
Buffalo Power Christmas bonus features
Hold and Win
The Hold and Win round is triggered by landing a sufficient number of Bonus and Power symbols on the grid in a single spin. Once active, qualifying positions lock in place and the player receives a set number of respins, which reset whenever a new Bonus or Power symbol lands. Power symbols only pay during this round, collected toward four fixed jackpot tiers. Based on a AUD 1.00 stake, our screenshots showed these jackpot values:
| Jackpot tier | Jackpot (at AUD 1.00 stake) |
|---|---|
| Grand | AUD 500.00 |
| Major | AUD 150.00 |
| Minor | AUD 50.00 |
| Mini | AUD 20.00 |
All four jackpots scale directly with stake — the Grand jackpot pays a flat x500 the bet regardless of stake size, which is the maximum payout available from the Hold and Win round itself.
Free Spins
Landing three Scatter symbols during the base game awards 8 free spins. During the round, Stacked Wild symbols can appear with a x2 multiplier attached, doubling any winning combination they're part of. This is the main source of larger wins outside of the Hold and Win jackpots, and it's the feature most likely to produce a standout result in an otherwise medium-volatility session.
Buffalo Power Christmas on mobile
Buffalo Power Christmas runs on Playson's standard HTML5 framework, loading directly in a mobile browser without a separate native app. We tested the game on an iPhone 14 and a Samsung S23 over standard Australian 4G, and the interface scales cleanly to both portrait and landscape orientation.
- All core controls — bet size, spin, Autoplay, Hold for Quick Spin and the paytable/info menu — remain accessible on the mobile layout.
- The Hold and Win and Free Spins rounds play identically to desktop, with the same jackpot tiers and respin logic.
- Load times were quick on both Chrome and Safari during testing.
- There's no Bonus Buy option on mobile, consistent with desktop.
Pros and cons
- Pros:
- Medium volatility makes this a steadier, more accessible session than the high-volatility entries in the Buffalo Power series.
- 95.85% RTP is solid for a Hold and Win title and above several of its stablemates.
- Stacked Wild x2 multipliers during Free Spins add real upside without requiring a huge bonus trigger.
- Full mobile support with no loss of features compared to desktop.
- Cons:
- Max win of x1,187 is modest compared to other Hold and Win slots, including Playson's own higher-volatility releases.
- No Bonus Buy option — the feature round can only be reached through natural play.
- Christmas theming is fairly light — mostly limited to the Santa hat on the buffalo and the snowy background, rather than a full visual overhaul.
- No progressive jackpot — all four jackpot tiers are fixed multiples of the stake.
Our take
Buffalo Power Christmas suits players who want the familiar Hold and Win format without committing to the long cold streaks that come with high volatility — the medium volatility rating and respectable 95.85% RTP make it a more approachable pick for regular sessions. The Free Spins round, with its Stacked Wild x2 multipliers, gives a reliable secondary source of value alongside the jackpot-driven Hold and Win game.
On the downside, the max win of x1,187 is well below what high-volatility Hold and Win slots can offer, so this isn't the title for players chasing a five-figure multiplier. The seasonal theming is also fairly restrained — this is the existing Buffalo Power: Hold and Win game with festive dressing rather than a built-from-scratch Christmas slot. There's no Bonus Buy option, and no progressive jackpot beyond the four fixed tiers.
Buffalo Power Christmas FAQ
What is Buffalo Power Christmas and who developed it?
Buffalo Power Christmas is a video slot from Playson, released in November 2021 as a festive edition of the studio's Buffalo Power: Hold and Win title. It's set on a 5×3 grid with 20 fixed paylines.
What is the RTP of Buffalo Power Christmas?
The RTP of Buffalo Power Christmas is 95.85%. Some casinos may offer a reduced RTP configuration, so it's worth checking the in-game info screen at your chosen operator before playing.
How do you trigger the bonus round in Buffalo Power Christmas?
The Hold and Win round triggers when enough Bonus and Power symbols land on the grid in a single spin. Free Spins are triggered separately by landing three Scatter symbols during the base game.
Can you buy the bonus in Buffalo Power Christmas?
No. Buffalo Power Christmas doesn't include a Bonus Buy or Feature Buy option — the Hold and Win round and Free Spins can only be triggered through natural play.
What is the maximum win in Buffalo Power Christmas?
The maximum win is x1,187 the stake. The largest single fixed jackpot within the Hold and Win round on its own is the Grand jackpot, paying x500 the stake.
Is Buffalo Power Christmas available on mobile?
Yes. Buffalo Power Christmas runs on Playson's HTML5 framework and is fully playable through a mobile browser on iOS and Android, with the same features available as on desktop.
Where can you play Buffalo Power Christmas?
Buffalo Power Christmas is available at online casinos that carry the Playson game catalogue. Check our recommended casino list for licensed operators offering this title to Australian players.
Player reviews of Buffalo Power Christmas
- James, Sydney (2026): "Triggered the Hold and Win round at a $1 stake and walked away with the Minor jackpot. Nothing huge, but it landed more often than I expected for a medium volatility game."
- Sarah, Melbourne (2026): "Got 3 scatters about 40 spins in and the Stacked Wild x2 came up twice during the 8 free spins. Doubled a decent line win both times."
- Tom, Brisbane (2026): "The Christmas theme is pretty subtle — basically just a Santa hat on the buffalo and some snow. Gameplay is solid though, same as the original Buffalo Power."
- Emma, Perth (2026): "Played on a $0.50 stake for about an hour. Hit small wins fairly often, which matches the medium volatility billing. Didn't reach the Grand jackpot but the Major paid out once."
- Nick, Adelaide (2026): "No buy bonus option, so you just have to grind for the Hold and Win trigger. It comes around more often than in the high-volatility Buffalo Power 2 though."
- Olivia, Sydney (2026): "Max win potential is lower than I'd like, but the trade-off is a calmer session overall. Good for shorter play sessions rather than chasing a big multiplier."
iGaming analyst and pokie reviewer
Michael Turner is the lead iGaming analyst on this website, specialising in online casino platforms and pokies available to Australian players. With over 10 years of hands-on experience in the industry, he focuses on payment behaviour, RTP structures, bonus mechanics, and real transaction systems used across international operators. His analysis is based on actual platform use rather than promotional claims. Michael reviews wagering models, bonus limits, and withdrawal timelines across cards, e-wallets, and crypto methods, evaluating how each system performs in real conditions. Based in Sydney, he continuously tracks changes in the iGaming market and updates reviews according to how platforms operate in practice, not how they are advertised.
Published October 21, 2025 / Updated June 17, 2026