Online Alternatives to Popular Land Based Slot Machines

Many US land-based slots are available online, but some providers, including the popular Aristocrat, have only partially adapted their portfolio for the internet, so not all land-based slots have online versions.

For some players this is an extra reason to visit Las Vegas or a local casino and have a blast in-person, while other players may feel they’re missing out on their favorite games. On the other hand, online versions of games can have more creative features and bonus buy options that you may not find at physical casinos.

So if you love slot machines like Huff N’ Puff, Buffalo Link, or Mo Mummy but don’t want to travel to a land-based casino to enjoy them, I’ll review the top online alternatives that you can play from the comfort of your home – or from pretty much anywhere via your smartphone!

Every title I mention is available at reputable US sweepstakes casinos, and I’ll share a free bonus to try each. Let’s start from the top…

1. Huff N’ Puff vs The Pig House

Huff N’ Puff and its various sequels were released by Light & Wonder (formerly Scientific Games) starting in 2019, and the series has gone on to become one of the most popular land-based franchises with its innovative bonus game feature. In it, you build up houses from straw, sticks, and bricks before the wolf comes to blow them down, just like in the fairy tale.

Sequels like Huff N’ More Puff and Huff N’ Even More Puff added new features including the Buzzsaw and Super Wheel, and these games can be found at big casinos like Grand Casino Hinckley, Hard Rock hotels, and Harrah’s venues nationwide.

There’s no doubt this game is fun and imaginative, but some players criticize it for its difficulty. Can we find a sweepstakes casino version that beats it?

Let me introduce you to The Pig House by TaDa Gaming, available at Dara Casino. The theme is certainly the same, as is the 5×3 grid size, and while the gameplay is different in some ways, The Pig House is clearly inspired by Huff N’ Puff.

Just like the original, we can trigger a bonus round where we aim to build up the houses with straw, sticks, and bricks – in fact there are six levels to the dwellings in The Pig House, and each new level increases the payout. We build each time a Wolf Scatter lands, rather than the Hard Hats from the original.

We also have a wheel spin, which is actually what leads us into the free spins, rather than it being a separate game like in the original. In fact, you can land on various types of bonus round – each with their own features and rules – or straight jackpot prizes. There’s also the opportunity to buy into the bonus round, with three different levels to choose from.

The max win is 5,000x on The Pig House, which roughly mirrors that of Huff N’ Puff games, but I would say the volatility is lower. This means it’s much easier to enter the bonus round, resulting in a more fun gaming experience overall.

Winner: The Pig House

This new take on Huff N’ Puff vividly emulates the main features of Light & Wonder’s classic game, but Dara’s version is more than a replica. There’s a great variation of bet sizes, fun gameplay, and more levels to the bonus rounds. My only qualm is that the mobile view is enforced, even when playing on desktop.

All in all, the prize winning possibilities are roughly the same, but for bonus round frequency and variation – and pure accessibility – The Pig House wins.

2. Buffalo Link vs Buffalo Power 2: Hold and Win

Buffalo Link, released by Aristocrat in 2021, has become a hugely popular title in land-based casinos across the US. It blends the iconic Buffalo theme with the Hold & Spin bonus mechanic – plus jackpots that grow with each spin.

In the base game, you play on an all ways pays 5×4 grid with symbols from the North American wilderness, including, of course, the Buffalo. In fact, landing 8 Buffalo symbols will send you into a Hold & Spin round where you look to fill up the grid with Money and Jackpot symbols.

The other bonus feature is the free spins, which are triggered by 3 or more Coin scatter symbols. Within this feature you can land Multipliers to boost your winning lines, or more Coins to retrigger more free spins.

In terms of an online version, Buffalo Power 2: Hold and Win by Playson gets you fairly close to the Buffalo Link experience, and it’s available at sweepstakes casinos.

The main features work in a similar way to the original, but there are a few tweaks. For example, the grid is 5×3 and works on 20 paylines, and the Buffalo symbol is actually a Wild that’s 2 squares tall.

The jackpots are fixed and dependent upon your wager, and the Hold and Win round is triggered by landing 6 or more of the Bonus symbols/Power coins. The free spins are still triggered by 3 Scatters, but here the round has a total multiplier which absorbs values from any Wilds that land.

Winner: Buffalo Power 2: Hold and Win

Buffalo Power 2: Hold and Win has the same framework as Buffalo Link, but actually improves on the original and brings in features more befitting of a modern online slot.

It’s also available at Stake.us and many other sweepstakes and social casinos that carry games by Playson. This means you can play it from home or basically anywhere else if you have your smartphone with you. As for currencies, you can choose from free-play with Gold Coins, or promotional play with Sweeps Coins, leading to real prizes.

3. Wheel of Fortune vs Juicy Wheel

Wheel of Fortune by IGT is often cited as the most successful land-based slot franchise of all time, based on its longevity, brand recognition, and the number of machines worldwide. It’s one of those classic titles that everyone loves, and the original version is very simple to get to grips with.

It’s a 3-reel, single-payline slot in the traditional mechanical style. The symbols include bars, sevens, and the Spin symbol. When you land the latter, it triggers the Wheel Bonus, activating the physical wheel mounted on top of the cabinet. The flashing wheel then spins to award a random money prize which could be as high as $5,000.

This simplicity, combined with the excitement of the real spinning wheel, made the machine an instant classic and laid the foundation for the franchise. Since then, IGT has released numerous sequels and variations, including Wheel of Fortune Triple Diamond, Wheel of Fortune Ultra 5 Reels, Wheel of Fortune Gold Spin Deluxe, and Wheel of Fortune Megatower.

If you want to replicate the feeling of playing Wheel of Fortune but online, we’d recommend the Juicy Wheel slot by Platipus. It’s not quite as simple as Wheel of Fortune, but some players might appreciate the additions anyway (it’s still very easy to understand by modern slot standards).

You’ll be playing on a 5×3 grid with 10 paylines and symbols based on classic fruit machines. You’ll mainly be looking out for the Juicy Wheel Bonus symbol though, because landing 3 triggers the Bonus Wheel feature.

The wheel here is split into 20 segments with multipliers ranging from 10x to 2,000x, so whichever number you land on, just multiply it by your wager size to get your win!

Winner: Tie

Slots don’t come much simpler than this, and both versions are ideal to dip in and out of without having to memorize masses of rules. That being said, if you’re playing online, Juicy Wheel is the way to go, and it’s available at BankRolla sweepstakes casino.

You might even notice the background to Juicy Wheel is rows of casino slot machines, so that’s another way it can create a casino-style atmosphere.

4. Dragon Link: Genghis Khan vs Clover Supreme Hold and Win

Dragon Link: Genghis Khan by Aristocrat is one of the standout titles in the hugely popular Dragon Link series, which first landed on casino floors in 2017. Each game is themed around legends or folklore from Chinese history with symbols and visuals designed to match the story.

Genghis Khan, like the rest of the Dragon Link games, uses the Hold & Spin mechanic and a 4-tier progressive jackpot setup, and it has a reputation for being hard as nails – kind of like the man himself.

The game plays on a 5×3 grid with 50 paylines and is classed as highly volatile. The Wild is represented by Genghis Khan, who substitutes for all regular symbols, while the Scatter symbol (Genghis Khan on horseback) triggers the free spins feature. Land 3 or more Scatters to start 6 free games, where Wilds now have multipliers attached.

The headline mechanic, of course, is the Hold & Spin feature, triggered by 6 or more Orb symbols landing anywhere on the reels. Once triggered, the reels switch to a bonus layout where each Orb landed displays a cash value or jackpot word.

While the theme is completely different – being a combination of Irish luck and classic fruit machine symbology – Clover Supreme Hold and Win by Kalamba games is similar to Genghis Khan for its gameplay mechanics. Namely, we have Multiplier Wilds, a Hold and Win round, and 4 jackpot tiers in play.

This slot also has a creative way to activate the different levels of features. You’ll see a panel of buttons beneath the grid, and they represent a sliding scale, meaning you can play the basic game with a smaller bet size, or bring more features into play with a larger bet.

• Bet Level 1 pays for standard symbols.
• Bet Level 2 introduces Multiplier Wilds.
• Bet Level 3 introduces the potential for the Hold and Win Bonus.
• Bet Level 4 means the Hold and Win Bonus can be triggered by Hold and Win symbols and Super Hold and Win symbols.

To match the standard of Genghis Khan you’ll want to play at Level 3, but it’s nice that the game gives you some flexibility in this regard. There’s also the Bonus Buy which can take you straight into the Hold and Win Bonus, and that’s missing in Genghis Khan.

Winner: Dragon Link: Genghis Khan

While Clover Supreme Hold and Win is a fun game in its own right and will satisfy many slots fans, there’s something about Genghis Khan which makes it an iconic land-based slot.

Unfortunately there’s no online version from Aristocrat though, so to play Kalamba’s Clover Supreme Hold and Win you can head to McLuck sweepstakes casino.

5. Coin Trio: Fortune Trails vs Super Hot Teapots

Coin Trio: Fortune Trails is a five-reel jackpot slot from Aristocrat’s Coin Trio series. At the top of the screen are three key Coins – Blue, Red, and Green – and instead of a standard Hold & Win bonus, each Coin triggers its own unique feature:

• Landing a Blue Coin in the base game activates the Koi feature, where coin flips increase the total value of a Blue Coin which is then added to the grid.
• A Red Coin triggers the Dragon feature, doubling the values or jackpots whenever a Red Coin lands.
• A Green Coin unlocks the Tiger feature, where Green Coins collect up all other money values on screen for potential big wins.

Coins can also land together in the base game, combining their bonus effects.

This exciting game is available at numerous casinos, including Wildfire Casino, Arizona Charlies Decatur, Golden Nugget LA, Golden Gate Casino, Circa Resort, and California Hotel Casino.

One of the best online alternatives to Coin Trio: Fortune Trails is Super Hot Teapots by 3 Oaks as it works in a very similar way.

For a start it has a 5×3 grid, plus jackpots and a Chinese theme, just like our land-based game. However, instead of Coins it has Teapots:

• Landing the Red Boost Teapot can trigger a bonus round where multipliers are added at random to any Teapots that land, boosting your wins by up to 100x.
• Landing the Blue Extra Teapot can trigger a bonus where the grid becomes 5×5, and the two extra rows have multipliers across them which can be increased during the feature.
• Landing the Violet Multi Teapot can trigger a bonus where multiplier frames land at random on the grid, boosting the values of the Teapots.

It’s also possible to land combinations just like Coin Trio: Fortune Trails, as well as trigger the Master Pot Bonus, which drops Bonus symbols with random values directly onto the grid.

Finally, a Bonus Buy feature allows you to trigger the Hold and Win rounds at will, meaning you can easily skip the base game grind.

Super Hot Teapots is an excellent replacement for Coin Trio: Fortune Trails, imitating many features. It even improves on the original in some aspects – offering the Master Pot Bonus, for example. I like the graphics and music a lot, too.

Winner: Super Hot Teapots

Sweet Sweeps is a great casino to play this title, but Super Hot Teapots is generally available at any sweepstakes or social casino where 3 Oaks has a presence.

6. Mo Mummy vs Piggy Riches 3: Hog Heaven

Mo Mummy is one of the higher volatility games available at land based casinos, and although it can be difficult to score regular wins, it’s become a fan favorite for its unique Cash Collect bonus round.

That’s not the only bonus feature though. A bit like Coin Trio: Fortune Trails, we have three options sitting above the grid at all times, and each can be triggered from the base game via various methods:

• Free Games
• Cash Collect
• Jackpot

Free Games is pretty self explanatory, awarding 6 free spins with chances to retrigger more. The Jackpot feature involves a screen full of Beetle symbols and each one reveals a jackpot when selected – if you manage to match 3 of the same, you win that jackpot.

But the most interesting bonus feature is undoubtedly Cash Collect. Here you play as the titular Mummy, starting off as a 2×2 square on the 5×5 grid. You also start with 5 spins, and the aim is to spin Green Diamonds onto the grid, at which point the Mummy will move to collect them.

If you manage to pick up 5 Diamonds, you retrigger more spins and your square grows to 3×3. Coins can land too, and if they land within the boundaries of your square, you pick them up. You keep growing as you advance through the levels, and the bigger you are, the more prizes you’ll be able to grab.

We noticed that the same concept is at play in Piggy Riches 3: Hog Heaven, one of the newer slots from NetEnt, and this game is available online at sweeps casinos. So if you love Cash Collect from Mo Mummy, this is one way to get the same thrills online.

The base game is not all that similar to Mo Mummy – it actually has a completely different yet fun feature where Wilds move across the grid (left to right and vice versa), triggering wins as they go. They can also collide, creating a giant 2×3 wild.

But most players will be here for the Free Spins round which imitates Mo Mummy’s Cash Collect well. Here there’s a 5×5 grid and the pig starts off as a 2×2 square. Diamonds are replaced by Pearls, and collecting enough of these will help you level up, expanding your square and increasing the amount of free spins, as well as the global multiplier. Coins are present here too, as are Wheel Spins, and Diamonds are back as well, but with massive values attached.

Winner: Piggy Riches 3: Hog Heaven

As you can see, there’s more going on in the Free Spins round of Piggy Riches 3: Hog Heaven, making for a more exciting experience. This title is lacking the tiered Jackpot feature that Mo Mummy has, but it brings Walking and Colliding Wilds to the base game, whereas Mo Mummy is relatively dry unless you’re in the bonus rounds.

Many popular casinos offer Piggy Riches 3: Hog Heaven, including WOW Vegas.

Land Based Versus Online Slots

You could say that more money and effort is invested into building land-based slots. These games have their slot cabinets (often with impressive special effects and visuals), not to mention that regulators personally visit the venue to test the validity of advertised RTP scores.

However, the concepts and features can become repetitive, often based around jackpots and hold and win rounds. I would say that online slots have become more complex and varied, and therefore more exciting. They can also be more graphically rich, as players can easily switch between games online, so providers have to work hard to hold players’ attention.

Online slots are far more accessible too. You can demo most of them at online casino sites supporting demo play or sweepstakes casinos with Gold Coins (free-play currency).

And in terms of fairness and RNG transparency, online slots at legitimate online casinos and sweepstakes casinos are audited by third-party agencies like eCOGRA or Gaming Labs International.

Many renowned iGaming software suppliers offer slots comparable to the games you’d play at land-based casinos – Playson, 3 Oaks, and NetEnt are some of the providers that we’ve featured on this very page.

On the other hand, several studios specialize in crafting slots for brick-and-mortar casinos but sometimes work with online and sweepstakes casinos – Novomatic and Big Time Gaming, for example.

Another key difference is how these games work in slot tournaments. Online and sweepstakes casinos typically host contests like Slot Battles and Drops & Wins, where anyone can climb the leaderboard by wagering as many credits/coins as they like.

Land-based casino tournaments, on the other hand, have stricter rules and offer a variety of types:

Conclusion

If you love the thrill of Vegas lights, jackpot buzzers, and big machines that almost look back at you, slots in land-based casinos are the way to go.

However, as we’ve seen, online slots at sweepstakes casino sites can outperform land-based games with modern and varied concepts and features.

Also, anyone who meets the player eligibility criteria (age & state) can sign up at sweeps casinos for free, claim no deposit bonuses, and bag cash prizes without spending a dime. Most importantly, you can play from the comfort of your own home, or while on the move with your smartphone.

If this interests you, make sure to use our guides and reviews to pinpoint the best sweepstakes casinos in the US and enjoy playing hundreds of creative and high-quality slots from reputable slot providers.