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Gaming system and method for providing a cascading symbol game with shifting symbols between multiple symbol display position matrices

  • US 9,355,528 B2
  • Filed: 09/17/2013
  • Issued: 05/31/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A gaming system comprising:

  • a housing;

    at least one display device supported by the housing;

    a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

    (i) an acceptor, and(ii) a cashout device;

    at least one processor; and

    at least one memory device which stores 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 plurality of input devices to;

    (a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,(b) display one of a plurality of symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position matrices, wherein;

    (i) at least a first one of the symbol display positions of a first one of the symbol display position matrices is linked to at least a first one of the symbol display positions of a second one of the symbol display position matrices,(ii) at least the first one of the symbol display positions of the second one of the symbol display position matrices is linked to at least a first one of the symbol display positions of a third one of the symbol display position matrices, and(iii) the display of each of the symbols for each symbol display position matrix is independent from the display of any of the symbols for any of the other symbol display position matrices,(c) for each symbol display position matrix;

    (i) determine if any of the symbols displayed at the symbol display positions of said symbol display position matrix form any winning symbol combinations, and(ii) if a plurality of the displayed symbols form at least one winning symbol combination, display one of a plurality of awards for each displayed winning symbol combination,(d) determine whether each displayed symbol qualifies to be removed,(e) if at least one of the displayed symbols qualifies to be removed;

    (i) for each displayed symbol that qualifies to be removed, remove said symbol,(ii) reposition a quantity of any remaining displayed symbols, said repositioning including;

    (A) a first reposition, in a first direction, of any remaining displayed symbols from the first one of the symbol display positions of the first one of the symbol display position matrices to at least the first one of any empty linked symbol display positions of the second one of the symbol display position matrices, and(B) a second, subsequent reposition, in a second, different direction, of any remaining displayed symbols from the first one of the symbol display positions of the second one of the symbol display position matrices to at least the first one of any empty linked symbol display positions of the third one of the symbol display position matrices, wherein at least one of the first direction and the second direction is determined based on at least one of the remaining symbols displayed at at least one of the symbol display positions of at least one of the symbol display position matrices,(iii) for each created empty symbol display position, display one of the plurality of symbols, and(iv) repeat (c) to (e) at least once, and(f) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

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