Gaming system and method for providing a cascading symbol game with multiple symbol display position symbols
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gaming system comprising:
- a house;
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) for a play of a game;
(i) display one of a plurality of available symbols at each of a plurality of symbols display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position matrices, wherein prior to any symbols being displayed at any symbol display positions for the play of the game, the plurality of available symbols include at least one multiple symbol display position symbol associated with at least two of the symbol display positions,(ii) for each symbol display position matrix;
(A) determine if any of the symbols displayed at the symbol display positions of said symbol display position matrix form any winning symbol combinations, and(B) 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,(iii) if the multiple symbol display position symbol is displayed at symbol display positions of at least two of the symbol display position matrices, trigger at least one feature associated with the play of the game,(iv) determine whether each displayed symbol qualifies to be removed, and(v) if at least one of the displayed symbols qualifies to be removed;
(A) for each displayed symbol that qualifies to be removed, remove said symbol,(B) reposition a quantity of any remaining displayed symbols,(C) for each created empty symbol display position, display one of the plurality of symbols, and(D) repeat (b)(ii) to (b)(v) at least once, and(c) 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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Accused Products
Abstract
A gaming system including a cascading symbol or tumbling reel game which utilizes zero, one or more multiple symbol display position symbols. Each multiple symbol display position symbol is configured to occupy or span a plurality of symbol display positions of a symbol display position matrix. For a generated multiple symbol display position symbol to be removed from the symbol display matrix, each of the individual symbols of the multiple symbol display position symbol must individually qualify to be removed from the symbol display matrix.
287 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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a house; 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) for a play of a game; (i) display one of a plurality of available symbols at each of a plurality of symbols display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position matrices, wherein prior to any symbols being displayed at any symbol display positions for the play of the game, the plurality of available symbols include at least one multiple symbol display position symbol associated with at least two of the symbol display positions, (ii) for each symbol display position matrix; (A) determine if any of the symbols displayed at the symbol display positions of said symbol display position matrix form any winning symbol combinations, and (B) 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, (iii) if the multiple symbol display position symbol is displayed at symbol display positions of at least two of the symbol display position matrices, trigger at least one feature associated with the play of the game, (iv) determine whether each displayed symbol qualifies to be removed, and (v) if at least one of the displayed symbols qualifies to be removed; (A) for each displayed symbol that qualifies to be removed, remove said symbol, (B) reposition a quantity of any remaining displayed symbols, (C) for each created empty symbol display position, display one of the plurality of symbols, and (D) repeat (b)(ii) to (b)(v) at least once, and (c) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of operating a gaming system, for a play of a game said method comprising:
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(a) causing at least one display device to display one of a plurality of available symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position matrices, wherein prior to any symbols being displayed at any symbol display positions for the play of the game, the plurality of available symbols include at least one multiple symbol display position symbol associated with at least two of the symbol display positions, (b) for each symbol display position matrix; (i) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to 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, causing the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of awards for each displayed winning symbol combination, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any award displayed for any displayed winning symbol combination, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device, (c) if the multiple symbol display position symbol is displayed at symbol display positions of at least two of the symbol display position matrices, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to trigger at least one feature associated with the play of the game, (d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether each displayed symbol qualifies to be removed, and (e) if at least one of the displayed symbols qualifies to be removed; (i) for each displayed symbol that qualifies to be removed, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to remove said symbol, (ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reposition a quantity of any remaining displayed symbols, (iii) for each created empty symbol display position, causing the at least one display device to display one of the plurality of symbols, and (iv) repeating (b) to (e) at least once. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A gaming system server comprising:
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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, for a play of a game, to; (a) cause at least one display device to display one of a plurality of available symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position matrices, wherein prior to any symbols being displayed at any symbol display positions for the play of the game, the plurality of available symbols include at least one multiple symbol display position symbol associated with at least two of the symbol display positions, (b) 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, cause the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of awards for each displayed winning symbol combination, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any award displayed for any displayed winning symbol combination, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device, (c) if the multiple symbol display position symbol is displayed at symbol display positions of at least two of the symbol display position matrices, trigger at least one feature associated with the play of the game, (d) determine whether each displayed symbol qualifies to be removed, and (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, (iii) for each created empty symbol display position, cause the at least one display device to display one of the plurality of symbols, and (iv) repeat (b) to (e) at least once. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification