Slot machine hybrid pin and ball game

• US 7,766,742 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Bennett, Nicholas Luke, Stevens, Christopher, Villa, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu; Ryan
• Application Number:
  US12/238,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20090117961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 25- 29, 463/46, 2731381- 2, 273/143.R, 273/121.B
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2007/0064 Ball games combined with other games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/02 using falling playing bodies or playing bodies running on an inclined surface, e.g. pinball games bagatelle or similar games A63D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

An electronic gaming console is illustrated having a console cabinet 10 including a prize display 12, a coin entry slot 13, a payout tray 14 and internally mounted game control processor circuits. A video game is provided for play on the console in which images of and objects (balls) are dropped through a series of obstacles (pins) and eventually fill a number of containers. Prizes are paid according to either the number of balls which are in each container at the end of the ball drop and/or the manner in which the pins are hit.

Claims

1. An electronic gaming console having credit means, reward means, game control means, display means, and player input controls, the control means being responsive to the credit means and the player input controls to play a game which is displayed on the display means and if a winning event occurs, a player reward is awarded by the reward means, the gaming console being characterized in that the game provides a video display, for displaying a game image of a hybrid game comprising two different subgames played simultaneously wherein;

a first of the sub-games provides a game image displayed on the video display, the game image comprising images of one or more rotatable reels of a spinning reel game; and

the second of the sub-games provides a game image displayed on the video display, the game image comprising a labyrinth of pins or pins and holes of a pin and ball game,

wherein, the player input controls allow the player to initiate the motion of the one or more rotatable reels of the first sub-game and one or more ball images of the second sub-game on the display, player rewards being awarded on the occurrence of an event where one or more of the reel and one or more of the ball images come to rest in predetermined prize winning locations, the spinning reel and pin and ball sub-games each potentially contributing to a single hybrid game outcome which depends on outcomes of each of the sub-games and player rewards awarded to the player as a result of the combined game outcome are awarded as a result of events of the first and second sub-games and/or combinations of these events, and at least one of the game outcomes results in a preselected player reward being awarded when the reel game outcome and the pin and ball game outcome combine to define a preselected winning event,

at least one of the game outcomes being the award of a feature outcome, the feature outcome being the awarding of either a feature event or feature game or the awarding of a jackpot prize, the feature outcome being awarded when the reel game outcome and the pin and ball game outcome, when combined, together define a winning combination,

wherein the pin and ball game has a number of prize zones each offering at least one bonus feature or prize,

wherein the number and position of the prize zones is variable from game to game,

wherein the number and position of the prize zones are selectable by a player, and

wherein the number and position of the prize zones are selected as a result of the size of a bet wagered by the player on the particular game.

2. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein prize winning outcomes are determined by an outcome of the spinning reel game and may be modified by a ball arriving at a bonus position of the pin and ball game.

3. The gaming console as claimed in claim 2, wherein the reels stop spinning before the ball or balls reach the bonus position.

4. The gaming console as claimed in claim 2, wherein the balls or balls are projected from a location remote from the labyrinth and the reels stop spinning before the ball or balls enter the labyrinth.

5. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spinning reel game comprises a plurality of reels each carrying a plurality of symbols located sequentially around its circumference, such that when the reels spin and stops a result is defined by an outcome line of symbols formed by one symbol from each reel which is in a predetermined stopping position of the respective reel, prize winning combinations of symbols being predefined and a prize being awarded if one of the prize winning combinations occurs on the outcome line.

6. The gaming console as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one substitution location is defined in the pin and ball game such that if a ball comes to rest at the substitution location a symbol is substituted for a symbol in the outcome line of the spinning reel game to assist in forming a prize winning combination.

7. The gaming console as claimed in claim 6, wherein the symbol substituted on the outcome line will cause a prize to be awarded if two symbols of a kind are displayed on the outcome line of the spinning reel game and the substituted symbol is of the same kind.

8. The gaming console as claimed in claim 7, wherein the substituted symbol is determined to be the same as any two symbols of a kind that occur on the outcome line of the spinning reel game.

9. The gaming console as claimed in claim 7, wherein the substituted symbol is a predetermined symbol and the substituted symbol will only modify the outcome of the spinning reel game if the two symbols of a kind match the predetermined symbol.

10. The gaming console as claimed in claim 5, wherein if the ball arrives in a predetermined location the outcome of the spinning reel game is modified by modifying the prize associated with the outcome combination.

11. The gaming console as claimed in claim 10, wherein the prize is modified by multiplying it by a predetermined multiplier.

12. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein an outcome of a main game awards the player with a bonus game characterized in that the bonus game displays a game image of the bonus game on the video display, the game image comprising, one or more targets in a game field and the player input controls allow the player to initiate the motion of one or more ball images on the display, player rewards being awarded when the ball images come to rest in or pass through predetermined prize winning target positions.

13. The gaming console as claimed in claim 12, wherein, holes are positioned behind each of the targets to allow a ball to pass through a target, such that the target remains empty to receive further balls during a game.

14. The gaming console as claimed in claim 12, wherein, additional pins and/or holes are scattered around the field in addition to those associated with targets.

15. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1, wherein the prize zones comprise targets such that if a ball comes to rest in or on the target, a reward is awarded.

16. The gaming console as claimed in claim 15, wherein, the targets are surfaces of objects.

17. The gaming console as claimed in claim 15, wherein the targets are containers.

18. The gaming console as claimed in claim 17, wherein, each target is formed as a pair of virtual pins appearing to extend out of the game image and having a container suspended between them.

19. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1, wherein targets move during the game.

20. The gaming console as claimed in claim 19, wherein prize values associated with targets change during a game.

21. The gaming console as claimed in claim 17, wherein the number of containers provided is related to the number of credits bet.

22. The gaming console as claimed in claim 21, wherein the prize winning locations comprise containers and one or more container are associated with a bonus feature whereby the feature is awarded if a ball lands in a container.

23. The gaming console as claimed in claim 21, wherein the feature is awarded if container or containers are filled in a predetermined way.

24. The gaming console as claimed in claim 22, wherein the bonus feature is awarded if a predetermined number of balls are caught in a predetermined set of one or more containers.

25. The gaming console as claimed in claim 5, wherein if the ball arrives in a predetermined position, the outcome of the spinning reel game is modified by awarding a further prize in addition to the prize associated with the outcome combination.

26. The gaming console as claimed in claim 5, wherein if the ball arrives in a predetermined position, the outcome of the spinning reel game is modified by awarding a bonus game, and if the bonus game achieves a prize winning result, a bonus prize is awarded which is determined by the result of the bonus game in addition to the prize associated with the outcome combination.