Wagering game with award unlocking feature

• US 20060111169A1
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hornik, Jeremy M., Casey, Michael P., Flemming, Peter W., Ward, Matthew J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,113,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A method of playing a wagering game having a plurality of players playing at a plurality of gaming terminals, the wagering game including a basic game and a bonus game. The method includes the steps of conducting the basic game at a first gaming terminal, fulfilling a bonus game entry event at the first gaming terminal and satisfying, at the first gaming terminal during a bonus game, a bonus prize unlocking event to unlock a bonus prize. The method also includes satisfying, at any of the plurality of gaming terminals, a bonus prize win event subsequent to the bonus prize unlocking event to win a bonus prize and awarding bonus prize to a player satisfying the bonus prize win event.

Claims

1. A method of playing a wagering game, the wagering game having a basic game and a bonus game including a plurality of successive bonus prizes, the method including a plurality of players playing at a plurality of gaming terminals, the method comprising the acts of:

conducting the basic game at a first gaming terminal;

fulfilling a bonus game entry event at the first gaming terminal;

satisfying, at the first gaming terminal during a bonus game, a bonus prize unlocking event to unlock a bonus prize;

satisfying, at any of the plurality of gaming terminals, a bonus prize win event subsequent to the bonus prize unlocking event; and

awarding bonus prize to a player satisfying said bonus prize win event.

2. The method of playing a wagering game in accord with claim 1, wherein the bonus game comprises a plurality of separate substantially simultaneously occurring bonus games.

3. The method of playing a wagering game in accord with claim 1, wherein the bonus game is funded by a percentage of a wager amount input by a player.

4. The method of playing a wagering game in accord with claim 1, wherein a player satisfying a bonus prize unlocking event receives, at the time of such satisfying event, a predetermined award other than the bonus prize.

5. The method of playing a wagering game in accord with claim 1, wherein the fulfilling a bonus game entry event at the first gaming terminal comprises orientation of reel symbols in at least one predetermined arrangement.

6. The method of playing a wagering game in accord with claim 5, wherein the fulfilling a bonus game entry event at the first gaming terminal comprises orientation of reel symbols in at least one predetermined arrangement along a pay-line that has been activated by a wager input.

7. The method of playing a wagering game in accord with claim 1, wherein the satisfying of a bonus prize win event comprises orientation of reel symbols in the bonus game in at least one predetermined arrangement.

8. The method of playing a wagering game in accord with claim 1, wherein the satisfying of a bonus prize win event comprises moving a game piece on a game board to a game board square having an unlocked bonus prize.

9. A method of playing a bonus game, comprising the acts of:

conducting a wagering game at a first gaming terminal;

fulfilling a bonus game entry event at the first gaming terminal; and

advancing a game element along a game board comprising a plurality of stations, wherein each of the plurality of the stations comprises a distinct bonus game.

10. The method of playing a bonus game according to claim 9, further comprising the act of:

selecting a game element from a displayed plurality of selectable game elements.

11. The method of playing a bonus game according to claim 9, wherein said advancing act further comprises moving the game element a number of game positions corresponding to a random number within a predetermined range, said random number being generated by a game control system, to occupy a game position corresponding to one of a plurality of said separate bonus games.

12. The method of playing a bonus game according to claim 11, wherein said advancing act further comprises satisfying a bonus prize unlocking event, said satisfying a bonus prize unlocking event being associated with occupation of the game position by the game piece.

13. The method of playing a bonus game according to claim 12, wherein said advancing act further comprises satisfying a bonus prize win event, said satisfying a bonus prize win event being associated with occupation of the game position by the game piece following satisfaction of said bonus prize unlocking event.

14. The method of playing a bonus game according to claim 9, wherein said advancing act further comprises satisfying a bonus prize win event, said satisfying a bonus prize win event being associated with occupation of the game position by the game piece.

15. The method of playing a bonus game according to claim 9, wherein said advancing act comprises advancing the game element along a game board comprising a plurality of stations during the bonus game, wherein a majority of said game board stations each comprises a separate bonus game.

16. The method of playing a bonus game according to claim 9, wherein a bonus game occurring on a game board station occupied by the game piece is funded by a percentage of a wager amount input by a player.

17. The method of playing a bonus game according to claim 9, wherein each bonus prize level of a bonus game occurring on a game board station occupied by the game piece is funded by a portion of a percentage of a wager amount input by a player.

18. A gaming terminal controlled by a game control system and being configured to play a wagering game, comprising:

an input device for receiving inputs from a player during the wagering game, the inputs including a wager amount; and

a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game in response to receiving the wager amount from the player;

wherein, in response to satisfaction of a bonus game entry condition by a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game, the game control system permits entry of the player into an ancillary game comprising a plurality of bonus games, each of which is associated with at least one space on a game board upon which a player'"'"'s game element is moved, and

wherein the game control system generates a random number within a predetermined range of numbers and advances said game element a number of spaces on the game board corresponding to the random number to occupy a space on the game board corresponding to one of a plurality of said bonus games.

19. The gaming terminal in accord with claim 18, wherein said occupying of a space on the game board corresponding to one of a plurality of said bonus games satisfies a bonus prize win event.

20. The gaming terminal in accord with claim 18, wherein said occupying of a space on the game board corresponding to one of a plurality of said bonus games satisfies a bonus prize win event only when said random number comprises at least one of a predetermined number or a predetermined combination of numbers.