Laughing Buddha Demo & Slot Review

The “Laughing Buddha” slot machine was launched by Habanero Systems in 2022. It’s a lighthearted Asian-themed game with five reels, three rows, 28 win lines, and vibrant visuals. It’s a high-volatility game that pays out pretty often, although big wins are not very frequent. But its bonus feature makes up for the small wins in the base game.

The “Laughing Buddha” is a major figure of Chinese Buddhism, representing prosperity and abundance in several Asian cultures. This makes him a perfect choice for an Asian-themed slot machine. Habanero’s “Laughing Buddha” slot can indeed bring abundance and prosperity to you with its high volatility and generous bonus features. The game is fun to play and highly engaging, no matter if you’re a casual player or a high roller.

Laughing Buddha Slot Demo

Play the Laughing Buddha demo a try for free, in a free demo mode! Find out why Buddha is so happy in the free demo below.

How to Play Laughing Buddha Slot

If you are not very familiar with Habanero slots, it’s a good idea to check out the game’s controls first:

• On the left, you have the game information button (a big I) where you can find details about the paylines, symbols and bonus features

• The Bet displays the total bet per spin

• The Bet level allows you to set the number of coins per line (1, 2, 5, 7, 10)

• The Max bet button sets the number of coins per line to 10

• The Spin button spins the reels

• The Autoplay button allows you to set up automatic play

• The Coin switch allows you to set the value of the coins from 0.01 to 5, in various increments

• The Balance displays how much credit you have

There’s also a settings menu in the game that you can access by pressing the Gear icon, where you can turn the game’s ambient sound and effects on and off, and turn Quick spin on and off.

Note that the game has 28 fixed win lines, so the coin value and multiplier you set will be further multiplied by 28. So, if you set a coin value of R1 and a bet level of 1, you’ll have a total bet of R28 for each spin.

Once you set your bet per spin, you can dive right into the Laughing Buddha online slot. Whether you like to spin the reels yourself or let the game do the work for you, you’ll have a great slot machine experience.

Laughing Buddha Slot Symbols

The wins in the Laughing Buddha slots are based on the coin value. You need three or more symbols on a pay line to trigger a win which will multiply your coin value.

Low Win Symbols

The five low-win symbols in the game are borrowed from playing cards:

High Win Symbols

The high-paying symbols in the game are inspired by the Chinese culture, in general. 

Special Symbols

There are two special symbols in the game:

• The Wild symbol has a double role:

  • It can replace any other symbol, except for the scatter, in winning combinations

  • It can reveal a 2X or 3X multiplier, at random, and apply it to a winning combination it is included in.

• The Scatter symbol only appears on reels 1, 3, and 5. 3 of them on the screen at the same time trigger the game’s free spins feature

My Experience Playing Laughing Buddha Slot

If you’re not used to Asian-themed slot machines, the game might feel overwhelming. But, like in most cases, it depends on your tastes. The lots of red in this game was a bit much for me at first, but it was an acquired taste - I got used to it after a few minutes of playing the game. The Laughing Buddha slot is a pretty common slot machine under its flashy skin. Unlike some other Asian-themed slots from Habanero, this one has background music and sound effects to fit the theme, which is a plus. 

Not Too Fancy… But It Works

Visually, the Laughing Buddha slot doesn’t really stand out from the crowd of other similar games. The symbols, the backdrop, the sound effects, and the music work well together to create a whole - and it simply works. 

Pure Slot Machine Experience

The game doesn’t have a story, only a theme. While this may not cut it for some in 2024, it works perfectly for this game. It offers pure, unadulterated slot machine experience to its players, with focus on nothing more than spinning the reels and collecting wins. 

Laughing Buddha Slot Bonus Features

The game is a simple slot machine with simple bonus features: multipliers and free spins.

Random Multipliers

The Wild symbols in the game have a double role. On the one hand, they can stand in for any other symbol in a winning combination. But it goes above and beyond: it randomly displays a multiplier that will then be applied to the win. If there are more than one multiplier Wilds in a winning combination, though, only the biggest will be applied to the win.

Free Spins

Three Scatter symbols on the screen at the same time will trigger 8 free spins. But the bonuses don’t stop here. At the beginning of the bonus round, you’ll be offered to choose one of three symbols that will expand throughout the free spins. Whenever one of those symbols lands on a reel, it will expand to cover it entirely. This often translates into massive wins.

Depending on the casino, the Laughing Buddha slot may have the Buy feature function activated. It will cost you 1300 times your bet per line (bet level times coin value) to trigger 8 free spins. The feature can be retriggered by three Scatters landing on the screen - but don’t expect it to happen too often.

Some Technical Considerations

Laughing Buddha is a volatile slot machine. It will trigger a win quite often. However, if you look at the pay table, you’ll see that the smaller - more frequent - payouts are all smaller than your total bet. The game has an RTP of 96.64%, slightly higher than the industry average. For a high-volatility slot, though, it’s filled with action, which makes it exciting and captivating. This makes it especially enthralling - you may find yourself playing it more than you expected.

Laughing Buddha Slot Strategy & Tips

Like all other slot machines, Laughing Buddha is completely fair, so nothing you do can influence the outcome of a spin. There are a few things, though, that you can do to make the most of it:

• Set your bet wisely. Practice good bankroll management and play the game responsibly.

• Choose a low-paying expanding symbol. The lower the payout of a symbol, the more often it will land on the reels. So, during the free spins of the game, you can expect more frequent big wins.

• Set a timer. The game is especially captivating, so make sure you play it in moderation. If you feel enthralled by it, set a timer to limit your gaming sessions.

Should You Play Laughing Buddha Slot?

Casual gamers and high rollers will find something to love about the Laughing Buddha slot machine. It’s an action-packed game, so you won’t get bored of it even if you play for low stakes. It has the potential for big wins, though, especially during the free spins. So, whether you’re looking for some light-hearted slot machine fun or are out to win big, you should give Laughing Buddha a try.

Best Casinos to Play Laughing Buddha Slot for Real Money

• Betway South Africa

• Supabets

• Hollywoodbets

• Tusk Casino