Buffalo Gold takes everything people liked about the original Buffalo and adds one very satisfying twist: during the free games you collect gold buffalo heads, and the more you collect, the more of the other animals turn into buffalo. It is a simple idea that gives every feature a sense of progress.
Here is how Buffalo Gold plays, how the gold head ladder works, and where you can try it for free.
How Buffalo Gold plays
The base game will feel familiar. It is a 5×4 grid with 1,024 ways on Aristocrat's Xtra Reel Power system, so matching symbols on neighbouring reels from the left pay in any row. Our Reel Power guide explains the bet-per-reel idea. Buffalo, eagles, cougars, wolves and elk are the premium animals, card symbols fill the low end, and gold coins are the scatters.
The free games and gold buffalo heads
- Trigger: 3, 4 or 5 gold coins award 8, 15 or 20 free games.
- Sunset wilds: as in the original, wilds that help a win during free games carry a ×2 or ×3 multiplier, and several wilds in one win multiply together.
- Gold heads: gold buffalo heads can land during the feature and are added to a counter.
- The ladder: at 4 heads eagles become buffalo, at 7 the cougars follow, at 13 the wolves, and at 15 the elk turn too.
- Retriggers: more gold coins during the feature add extra games, which gives you more time to climb the ladder.
Players talk about joining the "15 head club". Once every premium animal has turned into a buffalo, the screen fills with the top symbol and a decent stack of wilds can do a lot of damage.
History and trivia
Buffalo Gold arrived as a follow-up to the original Buffalo and became a familiar sight wherever Buffalo machines were popular. We could not pin down an exact release year from a reliable source, so we will just say it landed in the years after the original. It has since spawned its own spin-offs, such as Buffalo Gold Revolution and Buffalo Gold Cash Collection, plus newer takes like Buffalo Gold Max Power. Our Aristocrat history page covers how the Buffalo family fits into the bigger picture.
What to expect when you play
Expect a lot of quiet features, because the big results come from climbing the head ladder, and most features end long before 15. When it works, it really works, which is why the game has a following. Venue return to player is set within state limits, and no two sessions are alike. Set a budget, enjoy the ride, and if it stops being fun, see our play-safely page.
Where to play Buffalo Gold free
Buffalo Gold has appeared in Cashman Casino, Aristocrat's free social app run by Product Madness, which uses play coins only. App line-ups rotate, so check the lobby. For more free options, see free Aristocrat pokies.
Cashman Casino · Lightning Link Casino
Can't find it online?
Look for 1,024-ways animal pokies where collecting symbols in free games upgrades lower animals to the top symbol. We explain the honest situation, and which mechanics to look for, on our can you play Aristocrat pokies online page.
If it stops being fun, read our play-safely page.
