Buffalo Ascension

Introduction

Buffalo Ascension stands out among the many buffalo-themed games due to its unique feature of varying symbol stacks on reels 2 to 4, ranging from 4 to 7. Higher stacks increase winning opportunities and the chances for bonus rounds.

Slot enthusiasts understand that when the symbol stacks are substantial, the game shifts in the player’s favor. Timing your gameplay is essential for those looking to maximize advantages.

Rules

1. Instead of traditional paylines, this game operates on the concept of 'ways to win.'
2. One bet buys all possible ways to win.
3. Players have the option to place bets of 100, 200, 300, 400, or 500 credits, with one credit typically equaling one cent in most games.
4. All payout values correspond to the worth of a single credit, except for the progressive jackpot which operates differently.
5. Symbols that pay out on lines include the buffalo, eagle, cougar, wolf, reindeer, and the card values A, K, Q, J, 10, and 9.
6. The sunrise symbol acts as a wild card, substituting for any line pay symbol but appears only on reels 2 to 4.
7. Gold coins serve as scatter symbols and can payout 1, 5, or 10 credits depending on whether 3, 4, or 5 appear simultaneously. Additionally, players can earn 3, 15, or 20 Free Games by collecting 3 to 5 gold coins.
8. Reels 1 and 5 are 4 positions high.
9. Reels 2 through 5 can accommodate between 4 to 7 positions, which I like to refer to as 'stacks.'
10. Some symbols possess the ability to morph into arrows or buffalo.
11. Landing an arrow symbol will cause the reel it appears on to extend by one additional position.
12. If a stack already has its maximum height of 7 positions and another arrow appears, the player receives the prize above that stack, and the reel resets back to 4 positions high.
13. A special golden arrow is available only on reel 3 and can only be activated when its stack is at the maximum height of 7. If this appears, the player is awarded the progressive jackpot and the stack resets to 4 positions.
14. Different sets of reel strips are deployed based on the height of the stacks.
15. The rewards situated above reels 2 and 4 typically entail a Stampede or Free Games bonus, with a Super Stampede being a rare occurrence.
16. On reel 3, the prevailing reward is always the Super Stampede bonus.
17. The Free Games feature can initiate with either 8, 15, or 20 free spins.
18. During free spins, a distinct set of reel strips will be in effect.
19. The stack sizes present at the start of the game will carry over to the free spins I mentioned.
20. If the player collects two gold coins during a free spin, they are granted an additional 5 free spins. Moreover, obtaining 3 to 5 gold coins can lead to re-triggering the bonus, which can reward 8, 15, or 20 more free spins.
21. During free spins, the sunrise symbol not only acts as a wild card, but also introduces multipliers of 2x or 3x to all wins in that spin. Should a player manage to re-trigger with 3 to 5 gold coins, the wild multiplier would increase to 3x or 5x for the remaining spins.
22. The Stampede feature can only be activated if that bonus is positioned above either reel 2 or 4, and a stack size of 7 on that reel must also get an arrow.
23. In a Stampede round, a herd of buffalo rushes across all five stacks, changing many of the symbols into buffalo.
24. The Super Stampede operates similarly to a regular stampede, but with several buffalo herds appearing at once. Generally, this results in a higher number of symbols transforming into buffalo.

For example, in terms of the 'ways to win' mechanic, if the reels show 1, 4, 2, 2, and 1 buffalo respectively, that translates to 1×4×2×2×1, which equals 16 winning combinations. If five buffalo appear, they would payout 300 credits, giving a total win of 16 multiplied by 300, totaling 4800 credits or $48.

If there’s any confusion regarding the rules, you can refer to the game screens for clarification.

• Assension Feature page 1
• Assension Feature page 2
• Assension Feature page 3
• Free games feature
• Pay table
• General rules
• $1,200 rule

Play Point

I recommend playing when you have access to 3,136 ways to win or more.

An exception exists if there's a Super Stampede above either reel 2 or 4; in such cases, it may be beneficial to lower the Play Point. If needed, I suggest adjusting it to 2,688, though this number might not be entirely backed by substantial data.

Some players modify the Play Point based on whether the stack on reel 2 or 4 is at 7 and just one step away from a bonus. Others prefer to play if the bonuses above those stacks are Free Games rather than a regular stampede. While I personally believe these factors shouldn't dramatically alter the Play Point, I understand that opinions may vary on such matters.

The interface conveniently performs calculations, indicating the number of winning ways for all five betting options.

External Links

Discussion For discussions about Buffalo Ascension, feel free to visit my forum at Wizard of Vegas.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to 'Howard Ratner' for his insights and advice regarding this game.

Written by: Michael Shackleford