Gaming system, gaming device, and method providing a game including a cascading symbols feature causing one or more repositioned symbols to be wild symbols

• US 8,608,545 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Arora, Prashant, Caputo, Scott A., Weiss, Alan Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Brewster, William M.
• Application Number:
  US13/312,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/23
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a gaming system, device, and method providing a cascading symbols feature. For a play of a game, the system generates and displays one of a plurality of symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display areas, and determines any awards associated with the displayed symbols. If a triggering event occurs, the system determines a set of the displayed symbols. For each displayed symbol of the determined set, the system removes that displayed symbol, resulting in an empty symbol display area. For each empty symbol display area, the system repositions one of the other displayed symbols, which creates a second empty symbol display area, and causes at least one of any repositioned symbols to be a wild symbol. The system generates and displays one of the symbols at each of any second empty symbol display areas, and determines any additional awards associated with the displayed symbols.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device, for a play of a game, to;

(a) generate and display one of a plurality of symbols in each of a plurality of adjacently displayed symbol display areas;

(b) determine any awards associated with the displayed symbols;

(c) if a triggering event occurs;

(i) determine a set of at least one of the displayed symbols;

(ii) for each displayed symbol of the set of the displayed symbols, remove said displayed symbol, each removed symbol resulting in an empty symbol display area;

(iii) for each empty symbol display area;

(A) reposition one of the other displayed symbols to create a second empty symbol display area; and

(B) cause said repositioned symbol to be a wild symbol;

(v) generate and display one of the plurality of symbols in each of any second empty symbol display areas; and

(vi) determine any additional awards associated with the displayed symbols; and

(d) provide any determined awards and any determined additional awards.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the triggering event randomly occurs.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to randomly determine which of the displayed symbols to include in the set of the displayed symbols.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the set of the displayed symbols includes a plurality of the displayed symbols.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each empty symbol display area, reposition one of the other displayed symbols by at least one of:

shifting said displayed symbol downward, shifting said displayed symbol upward, shifting said displayed symbol to the left, and shifting said displayed symbol to the right.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each repositioned symbol, cause said repositioned symbol to be a wild symbol by replacing said repositioned symbol with a wild symbol.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for at least one repositioned symbol, associate a multiplier with said repositioned symbol.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein a value of said multiplier is based on a quantity of symbol display areas said at least one repositioned symbol moved.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least on display device to, prior to the occurrence of the triggering event, display an indication of which of the displayed symbols would be removed should the triggering event occur.

10. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising, for a play of a game:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to generate and display one of a plurality of symbols in each of a plurality of adjacently displayed symbol display areas;

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any awards associated with the displayed symbols;

(c) if a triggering event occurs;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a set of at least one of the displayed symbols;

(ii) for each displayed symbol of the set of the displayed symbols, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to remove said displayed symbol, each removed symbol resulting in an empty symbol display area;

(iii) for each empty symbol display area;

(A) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reposition one of the other displayed symbols to create a second empty symbol display area; and

(B) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause said repositioned symbol to be a wild symbol;

(v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to generate and display one of the plurality of symbols in each of any second empty symbol display areas; and

(vi) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any additional awards associated with the displayed symbols; and

(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause any determined awards and any determined additional awards to be provided.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the triggering event randomly occurs.

12. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine which of the displayed symbols to include in the set of the displayed symbols.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the set of the displayed symbols includes a plurality of the displayed symbols.

14. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for each empty symbol display area, reposition one of the other displayed symbols by at least one of:

shifting said displayed symbol downward, shifting said displayed symbol upward, shifting said displayed symbol to the left, and shifting said displayed symbol to the right.

15. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for each repositioned symbol, cause said repositioned symbol to be a wild symbol by replacing said repositioned symbol with a wild symbol.

16. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for at least one repositioned symbol, associate a multiplier with said repositioned symbol.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a value of said multiplier is based on a quantity of symbol display areas said at least one repositioned symbol moved.

18. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least on display device to, prior to the occurrence of the triggering event, display an indication of which of the displayed symbols would be removed should the triggering event occur.

19. The method of claim 10, which is provided through a data network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) generate and cause at least one display device to display one of a plurality of symbols in each of a plurality of adjacently displayed symbol display areas;

(b) determine any awards associated with the displayed symbols;

(c) if a triggering event occurs;

(i) determine a set of at least one of the displayed symbols;

(ii) for each displayed symbol of the set of the displayed symbols, remove said displayed symbol, each removed symbol resulting in an empty symbol display area;

(iii) for each empty symbol display area;

(A) reposition one of the other displayed symbols to create a second empty symbol display area; and

(B) cause said repositioned symbol to be a wild symbol;

(v) generate and cause the at least one display device to display one of the plurality of symbols in each of any second empty symbol display areas; and

(vi) determine any additional awards associated with the displayed symbols; and

(d) provide any determined awards and any determined additional awards.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the triggering event randomly occurs.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to randomly determine which of the displayed symbols to include in the set of the displayed symbols.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of the displayed symbols includes a plurality of the displayed symbols.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each empty symbol display area, reposition one of the other displayed symbols by at least one of:

shifting said displayed symbol downward, shifting said displayed symbol upward, shifting said displayed symbol to the left, and shifting said displayed symbol to the right.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each repositioned symbol, cause said repositioned symbol to be a wild symbol by replacing said repositioned symbol with a wild symbol.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for at least one repositioned symbol, associate a multiplier with said repositioned symbol.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein a value of said multiplier is based on a quantity of symbol display areas said at least one repositioned symbol moved.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor cause the at least on display device to, prior to the occurrence of the triggering event, display an indication of which of the displayed symbols would be removed should the triggering event occur.