Bison Rising Megaways Review
Blueprint's Megaways catalogue has expanded considerably since 2018, but Bison Rising Megaways still holds its own as one of the studio's more mechanically generous early entries. Released on 19 October 2018, it runs on a 6-reel, 7-row grid that includes a horizontal top reel, producing up to 117,649 ways to win on any given spin. The 96.5% base RTP is a notch above the industry average of 96%, and that figure climbs further to 97.1% when the Bonus Buy is used — a meaningful jump that matters for players who prefer direct access to the feature. The max win sits at 10,000x stake, and the volatility is rated medium. That combination of above-average RTP, a credible max-win ceiling, and a free spins round that lets you pick your own risk profile makes Bison Rising Megaways worth a closer look, even years after its original launch.
RTP, Volatility, and Max Win
At 96.5%, Bison Rising Megaways sits above the typical slot floor of 96%. That alone isn't headline news, but the Bonus Buy RTP of 97.1% is genuinely notable — a 0.6-percentage-point lift that Blueprint bakes in specifically for the direct-access route. To put that in context, many providers either keep the same RTP for their bonus buy or quietly lower it; Blueprint does the opposite here.
The max win of 10,000x is the other headline number. For a medium-volatility slot, that ceiling is ambitious — most mid-variance games top out between 5,000x and 7,500x. By comparison, Blueprint's own Fishin' Frenzy Megaways caps at 10,000x as well but carries a higher volatility rating, making Bison Rising Megaways the more accessible route to the same theoretical ceiling.
Volatility is listed as medium, which aligns with the structure: cascading wins and an escalating free spins multiplier can stack value, but the base game isn't designed to drain bankrolls through long dry stretches. Hit frequency is not published by Blueprint for this title, so session variance is best gauged through play rather than a single stat.
How Bison Rising Megaways Plays
The grid runs 6 reels with up to 7 rows each, plus a horizontal top reel that spans the full width — a layout Blueprint describes as 6-7-7-7-7-6. The Megaways engine randomises the number of rows on each reel every spin, so the active ways count fluctuates from a low baseline up to the full 117,649. That constant variation is the mechanical heartbeat of the format.
Cascading reels are active throughout. Any winning combination triggers symbol removal, with new symbols dropping in from above. The cascade chain continues for as long as consecutive wins land, which is where the multiplier build-up in the free spins round becomes relevant — but more on that below. In the base game, cascades simply extend winning sequences without a multiplier attached.
The Mystery Symbol adds a second layer of unpredictability. It appears as a landscape image matching the backdrop and converts to a randomly chosen symbol — including wilds, but excluding scatters — when it lands. In a game where the ways count already shifts every spin, mystery conversions can swing a moderate spin into something significantly larger without warning.
Symbols and Paytable
The paytable is anchored by five wildlife symbols and four card-suit lows. The Bison is the standout premium, paying 50x for a six-of-a-kind — a full order of magnitude above the Bear at 5x for six. That gap between the top symbol and the rest of the premium tier is wide, which means the Bison landing in a cascade chain has an outsized effect on a single round's outcome.
The Bear pays 5x, the Wolf 2.5x, and the Elk 2x for six matching symbols. Card suits round out the low end at 1x to 1.5x for a full six-symbol line. Three to six symbols are required on a payline to register a win, consistent with standard Megaways pay structures.
The Wild substitutes for all symbols except the scatter, and the Mystery Symbol can convert to a Wild — meaning a single spin can seed the grid with multiple wilds through mystery transformations before the cascade sequence even begins. That interaction is one of the more interesting base-game dynamics Bison Rising Megaways offers.
Free Spins and the Choice Mechanic
Four diamond scatter symbols on one spin trigger the free spins round. Once triggered, players choose from four configurations that trade spin count against starting multiplier:
15 free spins with a 1x starting multiplier, 10 free spins with a 5x start, 5 free spins with a 10x start, or a Mystery Choice that assigns both values randomly. Regardless of which option is selected, the multiplier increases by 1x after every consecutive cascade win — so a chain of three wins in a row pushes the multiplier up by 3x on top of whatever starting value was chosen.
The 5-spin / 10x start option is the highest-variance path: fewer chances to land wins, but any cascade chain is immediately amplified. The 15-spin / 1x option is the most conservative, giving the multiplier more time to build organically through cascades. Neither is objectively correct — the right choice depends on bankroll tolerance and how much risk a player wants to front-load.
The Mystery Choice option is worth noting for players who find the decision paralysing or who simply want the RNG to dictate terms. It's a small but player-friendly design touch that acknowledges not everyone wants to optimise. The Buy Feature bypasses the scatter trigger entirely, granting direct access to the free spins round — and doing so at the elevated 97.1% RTP.
Betting Range and Accessibility
Bets run from $0.10 to $10.00 per spin. The $10 ceiling is low relative to modern Megaways releases — many comparable titles allow $20 to $100 per spin, which matters for players who want to maximise the nominal value of a 10,000x hit. At $10 maximum, the absolute top prize works out to $100,000, which is a meaningful sum but well below what the same max-win multiplier would produce on a higher-stakes game.
For recreational players and those managing smaller bankrolls, the $0.10 minimum is accessible and the medium volatility means the game isn't designed to rapidly deplete a modest session budget. The low max bet is the one structural limitation worth flagging for high-stakes players specifically — it's not a flaw in the game's mechanics, but it does cap the upside in absolute dollar terms.
The Bonus Buy is available within that same $0.10–$10.00 range, so players who want the 97.1% RTP version of the game can access it at any stake level.
Who Should Play Bison Rising Megaways
The medium volatility and above-average RTP make Bison Rising Megaways a solid choice for players who want genuine max-win potential without the session variance that high-volatility Megaways titles demand. The 10,000x ceiling is real, but the path to it isn't as brutal as it would be on a high-variance equivalent.
The free spins choice mechanic adds a layer of player agency that some Megaways titles strip out entirely. Players who enjoy calibrating their own risk within a feature — rather than being handed a fixed free spins count — will find the four-option structure genuinely useful rather than cosmetic.
Players who regularly bet above $10 per spin will find the max bet restrictive. That's a real constraint for high-rollers, and a newer Blueprint Megaways title with a wider stake range would serve that audience better. For everyone else, the combination of 96.5% RTP, a Bonus Buy that raises it further, and a flexible free spins round makes a strong case.
Final Verdict
Bison Rising Megaways launched in 2018 and the core mechanics have aged well. The Megaways engine with cascading reels remains a proven format, the 96.5% base RTP is competitive, and the 97.1% Bonus Buy RTP is one of the better provider-side arguments for using the direct-access feature. The four free spins configurations give the round more strategic texture than a single fixed option would.
The $10 maximum bet is the most tangible limitation, and the base game can feel routine before the free spins trigger — cascades alone don't generate the same rhythm as games with a dedicated base-game multiplier. Those are minor structural points rather than fundamental problems.
For a medium-volatility Megaways slot with a 10,000x ceiling and an above-average RTP, Bison Rising Megaways remains a credible option in Blueprint's catalogue and a reasonable pick for players who want a balanced risk-reward profile.
- +96.5% base RTP rises to 97.1% with Bonus Buy — one of Blueprint's better RTP setups
- +10,000x max win is strong for a medium-volatility game
- +Four free spins configurations let players choose their own risk level
- +Mystery Symbol adds genuine base-game variance through wild conversions
- +Cascading reels extend win chains throughout base game and free spins
- +Low $0.10 minimum bet suits recreational bankrolls
- -$10 maximum bet caps absolute prize value — restrictive for high-stakes play
- -Hit frequency not published by Blueprint
- -Base game pacing can feel slow between feature triggers
Best for
Bison Rising Megaways delivers a well-rounded Megaways package: a 96.5% RTP that rises to 97.1% on Bonus Buy, four distinct free spins configurations, and a 10,000x ceiling. The medium volatility keeps sessions manageable. It won't overwhelm players chasing the absolute biggest swings, but the RTP advantage and the free spins choice mechanic give it staying power in a crowded genre.
