Buffalo Power Megaways — Slot Review by Playson

Buffalo Power Megaways characteristics

Buffalo Power Megaways slot overview

Buffalo Power Megaways takes Playson's original Buffalo Power and rebuilds it on the Megaways engine under licence from Big Time Gaming, swapping the fixed 20-payline structure for a dynamic ways system that can produce up to 46,656 ways to win per spin. The Hold and Win bonus round and jackpot ladder carry over from the wider Buffalo Power series, but the way wins are formed — and the scale of those wins — changes considerably with the Megaways mechanic layered on top. This is Playson's way of extending one of its most consistently popular titles into the Megaways format that became a genre standard following BTG's original licensing push.

Theme, design and gameplay

The setting keeps the series' established look — a North American desert canyon at dusk in deep purples and oranges — with the reel frame styled in weathered timber and the Buffalo Power Megaways logo sitting above the grid. The animal cast expands slightly compared to other entries in the series, with an owl joining the bear, eagle, cougar and wolf as part of the symbol set. Reel heights change from spin to spin as the Megaways mechanic adds or removes rows on each of the six reels, so the visible grid size — and the live "X MEGAWAYS" counter beneath it — shifts constantly rather than staying fixed.

Gameplay runs left to right with wins formed across however many ways are active on a given spin, rather than through fixed paylines. There's no cascading or reaction mechanic here — once a winning spin resolves, the next spin begins with a freshly randomised reel height. The pace feels closer to a standard video slot than some Megaways titles that lean on cascades for extra payouts, since the variability comes entirely from the ways count rather than chained wins.

RTP, volatility and max win

Buffalo Power Megaways carries a theoretical RTP of 95.84%, which sits modestly below the wider Megaways category average. Volatility is rated high, consistent with most Megaways titles, meaning the base game can run cold for stretches before the ways count and feature triggers line up for a meaningful win. The maximum win achievable is x4,806 the stake. Within the Hold and Win round on its own, the top fixed jackpot is the Grand jackpot, paying x2,000 the stake at maximum bet — a significant prize, but well short of the slot's overall ceiling once Free Spins multipliers are factored in.

How to play Buffalo Power Megaways

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 via the active number of ways on that spin — shown directly beneath the grid as "X MEGAWAYS" — rather than across fixed paylines, so the win potential of any given spin depends on how many symbols populate each of the six reels.

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 Megaways — wins are paid directly to the credit balance.

Symbols and paytable

The paytable is split between card-rank symbols (J, Q, K, A) as the low-paying tier and animal symbols — owl, cougar, eagle, wolf and bear — as the high-paying tier, with the buffalo wild sitting above all of them. Payouts are tied to the number of matching symbols landed in a connected way, scaling with the size of the combination.

Symbols and payouts (multiplier of total stake)

Our screenshots captured one confirmed data point — a single Megaways "way" landing four K symbols paid x0.40 the stake on a single way at a AUD 0.80 bet. Because Megaways combinations vary so heavily by how many ways are active on a given spin, individual symbol-by-symbol values for the other animals weren't fully visible across our screenshots — check the in-game paytable for the complete breakdown before staking real money on specific combinations.

Buffalo Power Megaways rules

• Buffalo (Wild): substitutes for any of the regular paying symbols to complete winning combinations and carries the highest payout values of any standard symbol.
• Scatter: landing three or more triggers the Free Spins round, with the number of spins awarded depending on how many scatters land.
• Bonus and Power symbols: landing a six-symbol combination of Bonus and/or Power symbols triggers the Hold and Win bonus game.

Buffalo Power Megaways bonus features

Hold and Win

The Hold and Win round is triggered by landing any six-symbol combination of Power and/or Bonus symbols on the reels. Once active, qualifying positions lock in place and the player receives three respins, which reset back to three whenever an additional Power or Bonus symbol lands. The round ends once all respins are used or up to six Power symbols have been matched, unlocking one of five fixed jackpots. Based on our screenshots, at a AUD 0.80 stake the jackpot bar showed these values:

All five jackpots scale directly with stake. The Grand jackpot pays a flat x2,000 the bet, which at maximum stake can reach a sizeable fixed cash prize — though the slot's overall x4,806 max win comes from combining Free Spins multipliers with strong base or bonus outcomes rather than the Grand jackpot alone.

Free Spins

Landing three or more Scatter symbols triggers Free Spins, awarding up to 27 spins depending on the scatter count. Landing further scatters during the round can retrigger additional spins, up to a maximum of 47 free spins in total. The standout mechanic here is the x2 wild multiplier — any wild that lands during Free Spins carries a x2 multiplier on wins it's part of, which is the main driver of the round's bigger payouts.

Buffalo Power Megaways on mobile

Buffalo Power Megaways 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 dynamic Megaways grid renders correctly on smaller screens, with the live ways counter staying visible beneath the reels.
• The Hold and Win and Free Spins rounds play identically to desktop, with the same jackpot tiers and respin logic.
• There's no Bonus Buy option on mobile, consistent with desktop.

Pros and cons

• Pros:
• Up to 46,656 ways to win brings genuine variety to each spin compared to the fixed-payline entries in the Buffalo Power series.
• Five fixed jackpot tiers in the Hold and Win round, with a Grand jackpot worth x2,000 the stake.
• Free Spins can extend well beyond the initial allocation, up to a maximum of 47 spins, with x2 wild multipliers adding real upside.
• Full mobile support with no loss of features compared to desktop.

• Cons:
• 95.84% RTP sits modestly below the wider Megaways category average.
• No Bonus Buy option — the feature round can only be reached through natural play.
• High volatility means extended cold streaks in the base game are common between feature triggers.
• No progressive jackpot — all five jackpot tiers are fixed multiples of the stake.

Our take

Buffalo Power Megaways suits players who enjoy the Megaways format's variable ways-count excitement layered onto a familiar Hold and Win jackpot structure. The combination of a wide ways range, a five-tier jackpot ladder, and a Free Spins round that can stretch to 47 spins with x2 wild multipliers gives the slot several distinct paths to a worthwhile result, which helps offset the inherent unpredictability of high volatility play.

On the downside, 95.84% RTP is on the lower side for the Megaways category, and there's no Bonus Buy option for players who'd rather skip straight to the bonus round. The base game can run quiet between feature triggers, as is typical for high-volatility Megaways titles, and the x4,806 max win — while solid — sits below some other Megaways slots in the same weight class. There's also no progressive jackpot here; everything is capped at fixed multiples of the stake.

Buffalo Power Megaways FAQ

What is Buffalo Power Megaways and who developed it?

Buffalo Power Megaways is a video slot from Playson, released in June 2021 as the Megaways adaptation of the studio's original Buffalo Power. It runs on a 6-reel Megaways grid with up to 46,656 ways to win.

What is the RTP of Buffalo Power Megaways?

The RTP of Buffalo Power Megaways is 95.84%. 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 Megaways?

The Hold and Win round triggers when a six-symbol combination of Power and/or Bonus symbols lands on the reels. Free Spins are triggered separately by landing three or more Scatter symbols.

Can you buy the bonus in Buffalo Power Megaways?

No. Buffalo Power Megaways 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 Megaways?

The maximum win is x4,806 the stake. The largest single fixed jackpot within the Hold and Win round on its own is the Grand jackpot, paying x2,000 the stake.

Is Buffalo Power Megaways available on mobile?

Yes. Buffalo Power Megaways 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 Megaways?

Buffalo Power Megaways 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 Megaways

• James, Sydney (2026): "Ways count swung from under 1,000 to over 4,000 across a handful of spins — that variability is the whole appeal of Megaways. Landed the Hold and Win round around spin 60 and walked away with the Minor jackpot."
• Sarah, Melbourne (2026): "Free Spins retriggered once, ended up with close to 40 spins total. The x2 wilds made a real difference compared to the base game payouts."
• Tom, Brisbane (2026): "No buy bonus, so it's a grind to get into the feature. High volatility is real — had a long quiet stretch before anything substantial landed."
• Emma, Perth (2026): "Played at a $0.80 stake. Hit a K combination worth $0.32 on a single way fairly early, then nothing major until a small Free Spins trigger later in the session."
• Nick, Adelaide (2026): "The owl symbol is a nice touch on top of the usual Buffalo Power cast. Mechanically it's the same Hold and Win structure as the rest of the series, just dressed up with Megaways."
• Olivia, Sydney (2026): "RTP feels about average for this category. The jackpot ladder is the main draw for me — Grand jackpot at x2,000 is a solid target even without the Megaways multiplier swings."

Michael Turner

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