Buffalo King vs Release the Kraken — 2026 Comparison

Buffalo King wins over Release the Kraken on max win potential (93,750× stake vs 10,000× stake). Release the Kraken leads on RTP at 96.50% versus 96.06%. Choose Buffalo King if you want a massive ceiling and 4,096 ways to win; choose Release the Kraken if you prefer a marginally better return-to-player across longer sessions.

Side-by-Side Specs

Both titles come from Pragmatic Play and share an animals theme, so players often confuse them - but the specs tell a different story.

How Buffalo King Plays

Released by Pragmatic Play in 2019, Buffalo King runs on a 6-reel, 4-row grid with 4,096 ways to win rather than fixed paylines. The North American wildlife theme uses buffalo, eagles, and wolves as premium symbols. The free spins feature awards a set of spins where extra wild reels can be added, expanding the ways-to-win count - the public paytable does not disclose the exact scatter count required to trigger this. In our testing the base game felt steady, with the free spins delivering the bulk of notable returns. The ceiling of 93,750× stake is one of the highest we have logged from Pragmatic Play. See Buffalo King review for a full mechanic breakdown.

How Release the Kraken Plays

Release the Kraken arrived from Pragmatic Play in 2022 on a more conventional 5-reel, 3-row layout with 20 fixed paylines. The deep-sea monster theme incorporates several distinct bonus modes: Kraken's Lair free spins, Poseidon's free spins, and a mystery symbol mechanic - the public paytable does not disclose the precise trigger counts for each mode. In our testing, the variety of bonus paths kept sessions feeling varied compared with single-feature slots. The 96.50% RTP is the stronger figure here, though the 10,000× max win sits well below Buffalo King's ceiling. Full details at Release the Kraken review.

Who Wins On Each Metric

RTP winner

Release the Kraken edges it on Release the Kraken rtp: 96.50% versus Buffalo King's 96.06%, a 0.44 percentage-point advantage that compounds meaningfully over extended play.

Max win winner

Buffalo King dominates here: its 93,750× ceiling is more than nine times Release the Kraken's 10,000× cap, making it the clear choice for players chasing headline payouts.

Volatility fit

Neither slot publicly discloses a volatility rating - consult Slot Volatility Explained to understand how undisclosed variance affects session planning - though Buffalo King's vast ways-to-win count and sky-high ceiling suggest a wider pay distribution than Release the Kraken's tighter 20-payline structure.

Bonus feature winner

Release the Kraken offers more mechanic variety, with multiple distinct free spin modes and a mystery symbol layer, giving players more decision points compared with Buffalo King's single free spins path.

Which Should You Play?

Play Buffalo King if...

Play Buffalo King if you are drawn to a high ceiling and prefer a wide-ways format. The 4,096 ways-to-win grid suits players who want frequent small hits feeding into sporadic larger returns, and the 93,750× maximum is the standout reason to choose it over the Kraken. Released in 2019, it remains one of Pragmatic Play's most recognised titles.

Play Release the Kraken if...

Play Release the Kraken if a higher base RTP and more varied bonus mechanics matter more to you than a sky-high max win. The 96.50% return and multiple free spin modes make it the more structured choice for players who prefer clear feature variety over a single outsized ceiling.

Play both if...

Play both if you enjoy Pragmatic Play's production style and want to compare a wide-ways format (Buffalo King, 4,096 ways) against a fixed-payline structure (Release the Kraken, 20 lines). Rotating between them also lets you observe how each distributes returns across sessions. See Buffalo King and Release The Kraken for similar titles.

Where to Play Both Slots in the UK

Genting Casino holds licences for both Buffalo King and Release the Kraken and operates under UKGC regulation. UK players are subject to the £5 stake cap on higher-volatility content, the 5-second spin interval, and the 10× wagering cap on bonuses. Always verify your casino's full terms before depositing. Please gamble responsibly via BeGambleAware. 18+ only.