Buffalo King Untamed Megaways (Pragmatic Play) Slot Review

Buffalo King Untamed Megaways: Slot Overview 

Buffalo King Untamed Megaways by Pragmatic Play takes players on an adventure into the rugged American wilderness. As a follow-up to the popular Buffalo King and Buffalo King Megaways, this third entry attempts to stand out while maintaining the classic wilderness theme. Featuring a 6-reel setup with up to 7 rows and an impressive 86,436 paylines, the game offers a significant number of ways to win. With its 96.02% RTP, high volatility, and 10,000x max win, this slot aims to balance wild gameplay with accessible features. 

Although the name implies an “untamed” twist, the game closely mirrors its predecessors in terms of style and gameplay, offering multipliers, free spins, and cascading wins. Players can bet from €0.20 to €240, appealing to a wide range of gamblers. Let’s dive deeper into what Buffalo King Untamed Megaways brings to the table.

Design and Graphics 

Buffalo King Untamed Megaways embraces its wilderness theme with vivid graphics and a familiar North American landscape. The game grid is surrounded by canyons, deserts, and skies that shift in tone, evoking the feeling of a wild frontier. Pragmatic Play has stayed true to the iconic imagery of its predecessors: majestic buffaloes, wolves, cougars, and eagles dominate the reels. 

While the visuals are polished, they feel recycled, lacking the bold innovation that one might expect from a third iteration. The 6-reel Megaways grid occupies most of the screen, leaving little room for dynamic background animations or surprises. Aesthetically, the slot is pleasing but fails to break new ground.

Gameplay Mechanics 

Buffalo King Untamed Megaways operates on a Megaways engine, meaning each spin produces a variable number of symbols (2 to 7) per reel. This mechanic creates up to 86,436 ways to win, a staggering number compared to most traditional slots. Winning combinations trigger cascading reels, removing winning symbols and allowing new ones to tumble into place. This mechanic can lead to chain reactions, providing multiple wins in a single spin. 

Symbol payouts are straightforward. The lower-value symbols consist of 10 to Ace card ranks, while premium symbols include wild animals. The buffalo, as expected, is the most lucrative, offering 5x the stake for six-of-a-kind wins. Wilds appear on reels 2 to 5, replacing standard symbols and adding to the gameplay variety. Wilds can also come with multipliers during free spins, significantly enhancing win potential. 

The Ante Bet feature is a noteworthy addition, increasing the chance of triggering free spins by threefold at an additional 50% stake cost. While it’s a useful feature for impatient players, it doesn’t affect symbol payouts or gameplay mechanics.

Sound and Music 

Pragmatic Play has created an immersive soundscape that complements the slot’s wilderness theme. The soundtrack includes dramatic drum beats, howling wolves, and ambient wind effects, setting the mood for a wild adventure. When spins land winning combinations, the sound effects are crisp and dynamic, adding excitement to the game. 

However, like the graphics, the audio design feels somewhat familiar, sharing similarities with previous Buffalo King slots. While it does the job well, it doesn’t elevate the game beyond its predecessors or competitors in the genre. 

Bonus Features 

Buffalo King Untamed Megaways is packed with features designed to keep players engaged: 

Wild Multipliers 

Wilds play a pivotal role during free spins, appearing with multipliers of x2, x3, or x5. When multiple wilds are part of a winning combination, their multipliers multiply with each other, creating significant win potential. 

Free Spins 

The free spins feature is the star of the show. Triggered by landing 4, 5, or 6 scatter symbols, players are rewarded with 10, 15, or 20 free spins, respectively. During free spins, every wild that contributes to a winning combination increases a progressive multiplier, creating opportunities for massive payouts. Additional scatters during the bonus round can retrigger up to 20 extra free spins. 

Random Modifiers 

Occasionally, the game randomly guarantees a minimum of 10,000 ways to win or adds 100 buffalo symbols to the reels for a single spin. These features are triggered at random and add an element of unpredictability to the gameplay. 

Buy Free Spins 

For players who want to skip the base game grind, the free spins feature can be purchased for 100x the total bet. This option guarantees 4 to 6 scatter symbols on the triggering spin, with an RTP of 96.02% during this feature. 

Betting Options and Payouts 

Buffalo King Untamed Megaways caters to a broad audience with its flexible betting range, allowing wagers between €0.20 and €240 per spin. The 10,000x max win is achievable during free spins, particularly when wild multipliers align favorably. 

The game’s RTP varies depending on the version, ranging from 96.02% in its default configuration to lower settings of 95.01% or 94.00% in some jurisdictions. Players should check the RTP before playing, as it can significantly impact the overall experience. 

While the potential for large wins exists, the game’s high volatility means payouts can be infrequent, requiring a fair amount of patience and bankroll management. 

Conclusion 

Buffalo King Untamed Megaways is a competent addition to the Buffalo King series, offering an engaging mix of features, high volatility, and solid win potential. The 10,000x max win cap strikes a reasonable balance between realism and excitement, unlike the exaggerated numbers from earlier entries. The Megaways engine, cascading reels, and wild multipliers provide ample entertainment, especially during free spins. 

However, the game struggles to carve out a unique identity. Its visuals, sound design, and core gameplay feel too familiar, making it more of an iterative update than a groundbreaking release. Players who enjoyed the previous Buffalo King slots will likely find this version appealing, but it’s unlikely to attract a new audience. 

In summary, Buffalo King Untamed Megaways delivers a solid slot experience but doesn’t stray far from its well-trodden path. It’s a reliable choice for fans of wilderness-themed slots and Megaways mechanics, but it lacks the innovation needed to truly stand out in a crowded market.