Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox: Slot Overview

Have you ever stopped to think about why dollars are often called ‘bucks’? The origin isn’t as straightforward as many people assume, and while plenty of sources point to buckskins, that explanation has never been universally accepted. Another theory puts the blame on gambling—poker, in particular. Supposedly, in the 19th century on the American frontier, a knife with a buckhorn handle was used as a marker at the poker table to show who was dealing. Some say this practice gave rise to the phrase ‘pass the buck’, meaning to hand off responsibility for dealing. Later on, silver dollars replaced the marker, helping cement the link between bucks and dollars.

More or less, anyway—history is often hazy and debated. What’s clear is that when it comes to winning, bigger bucks are always preferable, and Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox from developer ReelPlay puts some hefty sums in play. The slot uses the Gigablox mechanic, supplied by partner Yggdrasil Gaming, and is set in the sweeping North American wilderness. It’s a familiar backdrop, no doubt, but ReelPlay has given it a polished makeover, leaning into the romantic feel of the scenery with a soft, dreamy brown-and-gold color scheme.

Riding into Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox can be done on tablet, mobile, or desktop, with stakes ranging from 40 p/c to $/€14 per spin. It’s a medium/high volatile title and offers several RTP versions, with the top model reaching 96%. Gameplay takes place on a 6×4 game grid, where the Gigablox mechanic randomly merges reels to form symbols sized 2×2, 3×3, or 4×4. Any symbol can appear in an enlarged form, including wilds and coins. For win calculations, though, bigger symbols are broken down into standard 1×1 size blocks to determine results. Every spin includes at least one Gigablox reel.

Spades, clubs, diamonds, and hearts serve as the low-paying symbols in Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox, while moose, wolves, eagles, and buffalos make up the premium set. Wins can land as three to six-of-a-kind combinations, with six matching symbols paying 1.25x the bet for the card suits or 2.5 to 5 times the bet for the higher-value icons. Wild symbols deliver the best payout at 7.5x the bet for six-of-a-kind, and they substitute for any paying symbol to help finish winning lines.

Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox: Slot Features

Another symbol found in Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox is the coin symbol, each carrying bet multiplier values of 1-1,000x, and it’s the gateway to the main feature. When the equivalent of 6 regular sized coin symbols land, the Bonus Respin feature activates. At the start, you receive 3 respins, and the triggering coin symbols are stuck to the reels. Throughout the respins, only coins or blanks can appear. Any new coins that land will lock to the reels too, and the respin counter resets back to three.

If a group of coins creates a square measuring 2×2 or greater, they merge into a single Mega Coin. The mega coin is worth the combined value of the coins that formed it, multiplied by 2. On top of that, 2×2 and 3×3 mega coins are also able to merge with other coins or mega coins, producing even larger mega coins.

Finally, Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox includes a bonus buy option where regulations allow. Purchasing the respins round costs 80x the bet, and it awards a spin that guarantees at least 6 coins symbols will land.

Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox: Slot Verdict

The whole American wilderness and buffalo theme isn’t exactly fresh territory, and arguably the most distinctive element in Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox is how coin symbols can combine into larger coins, boosting their value as they do. It did feel like the idea had shown up elsewhere, though it took a while to pin down where. Most likely, the mechanic didn’t make a huge impact the first time around. Still, a single word in the supplied game info provided the hint that led back to Mega Pearl Gigablox, and after revisiting it, Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox comes across as essentially a reskin. A few stats may vary slightly, but the bulk of the experience is the same. Almost entirely, really.

The expanding-and-merging coin concept is fairly cool and adds a somewhat new twist to the hold ‘n win formula. Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox also benefits from it, because without the grouping and doubling mechanic, the bonus round would be a stark routine of either landing coins or missing them—then collecting whatever total you end with. That’s all. The mega coin grouping may be enough to generate some excitement for dedicated hold ‘n win players, but it’s probably best to approach Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox without expecting nonstop innovation.

On the plus side, the upside is respectable, with a maximum win of 16,297.5 times the stake. Since that’s not going to be achieved in the base game, reaching it—or even getting close—would require an exceptional bonus round. With large coin values available, it does seem technically achievable. Strong top-end potential is a meaningful advantage for a game like this, and it may be the main reason the right audience decides to give Big Bucks Buffalo Gigablox a shot, especially if the rest of the package doesn’t leave a major impression.