Double Buffalo Spirit

WMS

Few land-based cabinets crossed into the online world with as much baggage of expectation as this one, and after a good many sessions on it I can tell you Double Buffalo Spirit largely earns the reputation the WMS name carries. This is a reference review: what the maths actually does, where the value sits, and who it suits.

Double Buffalo Spirit at a glance

Provider WMS (Williams Interactive / Light & Wonder)
Release Originally a WMS land-based cabinet; ported to online play in the mid-2010s (confirm exact date in-client)
RTP Approx. 95.96% (below the modern 96% benchmark)
Volatility Medium
Layout 5 reels, 4 rows, 1,024 ways to win
Max win Not published as a single headline figure — verify the payout table in the game’s info screen
Bet range Roughly 0.40 to 100 per spin (operator-dependent)
Key features Golden Buffalo wild (reels 2–4), free spins with 2x/3x wild multipliers, retriggers

What is Double Buffalo Spirit?

Double Buffalo Spirit is WMS’s online adaptation of a floor favourite, dressing the familiar North American plains theme in a 1,024-ways engine rather than fixed paylines. The distinction matters: instead of chasing symbols along set lines, you are paid for matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left, four rows deep. It is a template WMS refined across a whole generation of cabinets, and it holds up because the mechanics are legible at a glance while still leaving room for a meaningful bonus.

How to play Double Buffalo Spirit

Set your stake, spin, and let the ways-pays do the accounting. Buffaloes, eagles, wolves and the higher-value plains iconography form the pay ladder, with card-rank symbols filling the lower rungs. There is no bonus buy and no side bet to manage, which keeps the session honest — your only lever is stake size.

The Golden Buffalo wild

The Golden Buffalo is the wild and substitutes for every symbol bar the bonus. Crucially, it only lands on reels two, three and four. That placement is deliberate design rather than an oversight: it means wilds bridge the middle of the grid to complete left-to-right ways, and it is the single most important thing to understand about how this game pays.

Features & bonus round

The engine is the free spins round. Land three or more bonus scatters and you are awarded a free-spins allocation — commonly tiered at 8, 15 or 20 spins depending on how many scatters triggered it. Retriggering is possible by hitting further scatters mid-feature, extending the round. The genuine value, though, comes from the multiplier behaviour: wilds that participate in a winning way during free spins are upgraded to 2x or 3x, and because wilds sit on the three central reels, they attach to a large share of the ways that pay. That is where the session’s variance concentrates and where the better results are made.

Graphics, sound & theme

Judged by 2026 standards the presentation shows its age — the artwork and animation carry the flatter, cabinet-era WMS house style rather than the layered cinematics of newer releases. What it retains is atmosphere: the drum-led audio and the roar cues on a big buffalo hit are unmistakably WMS, and there is a reason players sought this title out on the floor. It is honest, uncluttered, and quick to read, which is more useful in a long session than gloss for its own sake.

Pros

  • 1,024-ways engine keeps wins landing at a sensible frequency
  • Central-reel wilds interact cleverly with the ways structure
  • Free-spins multipliers give the bonus real teeth
  • Simple, transparent play with no side bets or gimmicks
  • Genuine WMS pedigree and floor heritage

Cons

  • RTP of ~95.96% trails the modern 96% standard
  • Base game can feel flat between bonuses
  • Dated visuals and audio versus current releases
  • No headline max-win figure published up front
4.2/5  —  Our verdict

A well-engineered, honest medium-variance slot that does exactly what its heritage promises. The below-benchmark RTP and dated presentation are the only real marks against it; the free-spins multiplier maths remains genuinely rewarding. A dependable choice, if not a landmark one.

Where to play Double Buffalo Spirit

Availability varies by market, but the following licensed operators are reliable homes for WMS content and are worth comparing on welcome terms and wagering before you commit.

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Double Buffalo Spirit FAQ

What is the RTP of Double Buffalo Spirit?

It is commonly listed at around 95.96%, which sits just below the modern 96% benchmark. Always check the exact figure in your operator’s game info, as configurations can differ.

Who makes Double Buffalo Spirit?

It is a WMS (Williams Interactive) title, now under the Light & Wonder umbrella, adapted from a popular land-based cabinet.

How do you trigger the free spins?

Land three or more bonus scatters to award a free-spins round, typically 8, 15 or 20 spins depending on the trigger, with retriggers possible during the feature.

Why do the wilds only appear on some reels?

The Golden Buffalo wild is restricted to reels two, three and four by design. This positions it to bridge the middle of the grid and complete more left-to-right ways.

Is there a bonus buy?

No. There is no feature-buy option; the bonus can only be triggered organically through scatters.