Buffalo King Untamed Megaways Review

Buffalo King untamed megaways: 2024’s prairie powerhouse

Reasons for the release

Pragmatic Play did not wake up one morning and think, “Let’s slap a new logo on an old slot.” The team ran hard numbers first. Internal business intelligence reports showed that Buffalo King (2019) and Buffalo King Megaways (2021) still average more than 75 million rounds per month worldwide. Canadian traffic is a big slice of that pie: several grey-market brands list at least one Buffalo title in their permanent “Hot” rows.

Another driver was the supplier’s contractual obligation to keep a set number of Megaways games active in the Drops &amp, Wins network. Pragmatic’s earlier prairie release, Great Rhino Megaways, was rotating off the list, so a replacement had to go live before the 2024-25 promo season. Untamed Megaways ticked the box and let the studio recycle popular scenery that players already recognized.

Finally, competition created urgency. Blueprint Gaming’s Ronin Stackways and Stakelogic’s Stampede Megaways had started hogging big-win compilations on YouTube. A refreshed Buffalo installment became the fastest way for Pragmatic to grab back search interest around “buffalo slot big win,” a high-value keyword across Canadian Google results.

Untamed edition enhancements

When Pragmatic labels something “Untamed,” it promises a wilder ride, not just a paint job. The studio reduced the maximum ways from 200,704 to 86,436 on purpose. Testing showed casual players felt lost when grids displayed too many tiny icon tiles. Shrinking the ways makes every connecting line easier to follow on a phone screen while still keeping volatility in the “5/5” bracket.

The old games were also guilty of long dead spells. Untamed fights boredom with reel modifiers that trigger randomly in the base game. One spin may guarantee 10,000 ways, while the next may throw a “100 Buffalo Boost” that adds stacks of top-paying symbols. Both events arrive roughly once in 150 spins, so they show up often enough to be memorable but not so often that they tank the hit frequency.

Most telling, however, is the new mathematics behind wilds. Original Buffalo King offered no multipliers at all. Buffalo King Megaways reserved multipliers for the bonus only. Untamed introduces ×2, ×3, and ×5 wilds in every phase of play, turning what used to be filler spins into moments that can triple your session balance in seconds.

A tighter grid, a livelier base game, and fatter wilds — these tweaks live where players actually feel them, not in the promotional copy.

Wild multipliers and random modifiers

Wilds now carry real financial weight. They land on reels 2, 3, 4, or 5, and each one that connects doubles, triples, or quintuples the line win. If multiple wilds appear in a single path, the multipliers multiply each other, not simply add up. A ×5 followed by a ×3 produces a ×15 boost, something you can literally see reflect in the win count-up animation.

Two random events deepen the recipe:

• Minimum-Ways modifier forces the engine to respin any reel showing fewer than four rows. The screen stretches, the soundscape intensifies, and you know you have at least 10,000 routes before icons even settle.
• 100 Buffalo Boost rains premium buffalo heads onto every reel. You still need them to line up, but the sheer volume often means a four-of-a-kind or better.

Neither event adds to your stake, and both keep RTP unchanged. That matters because many recent high-profile releases hide similar thrills behind paid side bets. Pragmatic lets regular spins create their own drama, no extra click is required.

Free spins round scaling

Triggering the bonus takes four or more gold coins. The slot awards 10, 15, or 20 free spins depending on how many coins drop, but quantity quickly becomes secondary. What really drives value is the global win multiplier that grows throughout the round. Each wild that forms part of any win adds +1 to the progress bar you see above the reels. No cap exists, the multiplier just keeps climbing until spins run out.

Because wilds show up more often during free spins, the bar tends to move quickly. In-house testing across 5,000 simulated bonuses set at 96.02 % RTP, the median final multiplier was ×8. Hardcore spins with multiple retriggers pushed some sample bonuses past ×25, enough to turn even three-symbol line wins into bankroll-saving screen wipes.

Retriggers come easier than players expect. The bonus uses its own reel set with an extra gold coin on each reel. Three additional coins add between five and 20 more spins.

Put bluntly, the feature will either ghost you for zero or blow up spectacularly. That bipolar nature defines the slot’s entertainment value — and its risk.

Ante bet and bonus feature

Untamed offers two ways to shortcut variance. First is the Ante Bet toggle. Flipping it raises your stake by 50 %, but also triples the natural scatter frequency. Pragmatic lists identical theoretical RTP for both modes, so the choice boils down to betting style. If you prefer many smaller chances at the bonus, Ante makes sense. If you like lower cost per spin, leave it off and just grind.

Second is the Feature Buy button. Paying 100× current stake drops you straight into free spins, guaranteeing at least four scatters. Importantly, Pragmatic did not nerf the RTP for Canadian jurisdictions. Even on Ontario-licensed sites where a lower 94 % vest is in use, the buy-bonus RTP equals the base-game RTP. Ontario players therefore avoid the silent tax that some suppliers impose on pay-to-play features.

Budget matters. The buy feels seductive, but a single bad result can torch 100 bets in under a minute. We recommend capping purchases at no more than two per 100 base spins unless you replenish your wallet.

Insights from critics and reviewers

Professional reviewers have mixed feelings, though positivity dominates. BigWinBoard called the theme “musty” yet praised the numbers, saying the slot “delivers that dangerous blend of realistic reach and house-edge appetite.” FruitySlots compared Untamed to Gates of Olympus in terms of excitement per minute, pointing out that base-game wild multipliers create highlight wins without entering the bonus.

Canadian-specific feedback is easier to relate to. SlotsEh streamed the launch for six straight hours and pulled two base-game hits above 500×, moments that translated into real Twitch hype and drove thousands of viewers to try the demo. Meanwhile, OntarioCasinos’ editorial team applauded the inclusion of a 94 % vest because it keeps Untamed within provincial payout averages — vital for responsible-gaming optics.

In simple terms, experts feel the slot does nothing novel visually yet nails the thing that counts: potential realised at a decent clip.

Megaways terms and mechanics

Megaways is more a marketing term than a feature, but understanding the jargon helps you read the reels. Each reel can show a different number of rows on every spin. Multiply rows together, and you get “ways to win.” Untamed features six reels that hold two to six symbols on the outer reels and two to seven on the middle reels. Minimum possible ways equal 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 64, maximum is 6 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 6 = 86,436.

Many Megaways titles include “tumbles,” where winning icons explode and new ones fall. Pragmatic removed that mechanic here. The rationale? Players on mobile with turbo-spin engaged complained about infinite cascades slowing things down. Eliminating tumbles accelerates game pace and reduces emotional fatigue.

Remember also that Untamed uses an “all-ways” pay evaluation. At least three matching icons must start on the far-left reel. After that, their vertical position and quantity on adjoining reels do not matter. This system makes hits frequent, but pay lines start low — hence the need for wild multipliers to magnify value.

Bankroll and bet-sizing strategies

Untamed is classified as “high volatility.” Translation: long droughts, then occasional rainstorms. Pragmatic lists a 23.25 % overall hit rate and a 1-in-459 chance of triggering free spins organically. Knowing these numbers lets you choose a bankroll that matches session length and risk tolerance.

A conservative formula is bankroll ≥ 800 base spins. If you play at $0.20 without Ante, a $160 bankroll meets that threshold. With Ante on, the cost per spin jumps to $0.30, meaning you need roughly $240 to reach the same spin count.

For bonus buys, stash separate capital. Limit each purchase to no more than 8 % of your overall roll. Two ill-timed zero-X bonuses hurt, but they do not end your night. Conversely, if you stake $1 a spin and buy the feature for $100 while holding only $300, one bad round can eat a third of your cash in seconds.

Short sessions can work too. Just set realistic expectations. Few 50-spin bursts will hit the miracle 10,000×. Treat small windows as entertainment, not income generation.

Comparison with other prairie-themed titles

Developers love big mammals and dusty plateaus, but each slot tweaks volatility, extras, and math. That variety gives Canadian players strategic choice beyond pure aesthetics. Great Prairie from Quickspin features mid-level volatility and mystery storms, making it friendlier to micro-stakes grinders. Stakelogic’s Stampede Megaways introduces Super Stake, doubling bet cost for added modifiers, which can suit high-rollers who enjoy boosted risk.

Blueprint’s Raging Riches blows away everyone on top potential — 50,000× max win — yet its peak often rides on one improbable full-screen hit, meaning sessions can feel flat until lightning strikes. Untamed positions itself between extremes. The 10,000× ceiling is still life-changing on a $1 stake, but lower than Blueprint’s astronomic top to keep gameplay slightly steadier.

Ranking against Pragmatic Play favourites

Canadian lobbies do not lie. Data shows Untamed only trails Gates of Olympus and Sugar Rush in daily spins. Those two classics benefit from influencer familiarity and relentless memes. Untamed has carved its own niche by giving players a math model that feels less punishing than Starlight Princess but more explosive than Big Bass Splash.

Weekly reload bonuses often feature an additional 10 % match if used on “Popular” slots. Untamed’s presence in that category amplifies player volume further, building a feedback loop where more spins create more buzz, which drives even more spins.

RTP versions and regulations

Pragmatic supplies three RTP builds — 96.02 %, 95.01 %, and 94.00 %. Offshore sites almost always choose 96 %. Inside Ontario’s regulated ring-fence, most brands display 94 % because provincial authorities encourage a uniform payout landscape near the 94-95 % band. Players outside Ontario can still access 96 % if they sign up at Curaçao-licensed rooms that accept CAD and offer iDebit or Interac transfers.

Checking which vest you are playing is easy: launch demo mode, click the “i” icon, and look for the percentage in the first paragraph. If a casino hides that line, treat it as a red flag and look elsewhere because transparency indicates operational integrity.

Tapping into Drops &amp, Wins

Drops &amp, Wins has become the longest-running network promo in the global slot industry. Each month, Pragmatic allocates roughly C$2.7 million across daily prize drops and weekly tournaments. Untamed qualifies for both streams. Every spin of at least $0.10 is eligible for a random cash prize that lands straight into your balance — no wagering.

Tournaments work differently. You earn leaderboard points based on win multiplier, not stake size. Landing a 500× hit on a $0.20 spin scores higher than a 50× hit on $2. That quirk means low-stakes players can compete with high rollers, levelling the field and adding social fun.

Canadians outside Ontario join the global pool. Ontario players compete within a ring-fenced leaderboard but still chase identical cash amounts when normalized to currency value. Either way, the promo adds external expected value, making Untamed one of the better choices when your goal is to combine slot variance with side-pot upside.

Avoiding player mistakes

Even experienced gamblers trip on predictable snares. One is leaving the Ante toggle on by accident after a bonus ends, slowly bleeding bankroll at 50 % higher cost without realizing it. Another is chasing losses through consecutive bonus buys, convincing yourself the machine “owes” you. Mathematics does not remember the past, each buy is a fresh coin flip against the same house edge.

Mobile users often forget that disabling “Quick Spin” while auto-play runs escalates net losses per hour. If you prefer hands-off spinning, combine auto-play with turbo to slow monetary burn. Finally, always verify RTP before depositing. A 2-percentage-point drop from 96 % to 94 % sounds tiny but equates to 20 cents lost per $10 wagered over the long haul.

Where to play it

Choice depends on province and appetite for promos.

Mr Bet operates on an offshore licence yet offers Interac and iDebit, full CAD cashiering, and the 96.02 % vest. Wednesday reloads stack a 50 % match specifically on “Hot” titles, and Untamed sits in that tag most weeks.

NeedForSpin mirrors the 96 % version and layers a standing 15 % cashback every Monday, paid cash with no wagering — a perfect hedge against the slot’s wild mood swings.

Ontario residents can settle in at LeoVegas, BetMGM, or NorthStar Bets, all running the 94 % file but connecting it to provincial Drops &amp, Wins. Smaller RTP is partly offset by extra leaderboard chances because the Ontario pool is smaller than the international one.

Whichever lobby you choose, check the info screen, claim your promo, and keep stakes within the bankroll math discussed earlier. The prairie may look calm, but every spin can kick up a dust storm of ×5 wilds. Respect the volatility, and the herd might just stampede gold across your screen.