Gaming system and method for providing a cascading symbol game with interacting symbols

• US 9,472,065 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nicely, Mark C., Saunders, Brian F., Leupp, Jon M., Lafky, Ernest M., Basallo, Leandro
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Application Number:
  US14/028,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20150080090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/31
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system including a cascading symbol game which utilizes a plurality of interacting symbols. In certain embodiments, the cascading symbol game utilizes a plurality of symbol display position matrices or grids. Each symbol display position matrix includes a plurality of symbol display positions. In operation, the gaming system generates and displays a symbol at each symbol display position of each employed symbol display position matrix, wherein the gaming system utilizes a separate set or pool of available symbols for each employed symbol display position matrix. Upon an occurrence of an interacting symbol triggering event, such as the shifting of one or more symbols between symbol display position matrices, the gaming system causes one or more symbols to interact to provide one or more benefits to a player.

Claims

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) for each play of a game;

(i) at each of a plurality of symbol display positions, display one of a plurality of different symbols, wherein the plurality of symbol display positions form at least three columns and at least three rows including a first row, a second row positioned adjacent to the first row and a third row positioned adjacent to the second row,

(ii) determine if any of the displayed symbols form any winning symbol combinations,

(iii) if any of the displayed symbols form at least one winning symbol combination, display one of a plurality of awards for each displayed winning symbol combination,

(iv) for each displayed symbol, determine whether said displayed symbol qualifies to be removed,

(v) for each displayed symbol that qualifies to be removed, remove said symbol,

(vi) determine if an interacting symbol triggering event occurs in association with any remaining displayed symbols,

(vi) if the interacting symbol triggering event occurs in association with at least two of the remaining displayed symbols;

(A) select at least one of any of the remaining displayed symbols, said selection of at least one of any of the remaining displayed symbols being independent of the at least two remaining displayed symbols associated with the occurrence of the interacting symbol triggering event, and

(B) modify the selected at least one of the remaining displayed symbols,

(viii) for each of any symbols removed from the first row of the symbol display positions, reposition at least one of the remaining displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position,

(ix) for each of any symbols removed from the second row of the symbol display positions, reposition at least one of the remaining displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position,

(x) if any empty symbol display positions are created;

(A) for each created empty symbol display position, display one of the plurality of different symbols, and

(B) repeat (b)(iii) to (b)(x) 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.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine, for each displayed symbol, whether said symbol qualifies to be removed based on if said symbol is part of any formed winning symbol combinations.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor if any empty symbol display positions are created, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to repeat (b)(iii) to (b)(x) until no symbols qualify to be removed.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the interacting symbol triggering event occurs based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

one of the remaining displayed symbols being repositioned to another symbol display position, one of the remaining displayed symbols being repositioned to a designated symbol display position, a plurality of the remaining displayed symbols being repositioned to a plurality of designated symbol display positions, and at least two designated symbols each being part of the same formed winning symbol combination.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor if the interacting symbol triggering event occurs in association with at least two of the remaining displayed symbols, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to modify at least one selected from the group consisting of:

at least one of the at least two remaining displayed symbols associated with the occurrence of the interacting symbol triggering event and at least one symbol different from any of the at least two remaining displayed symbols associated with the occurrence of the interacting symbol triggering event.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of awards include at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, a quantity of player tracking points, a progressive award, a modifier, a quantity of free plays of the game, a quantity of plays of at least one non-wagering game, at least one lottery based award, a wager match for at least one play of the game, an increase in an average expected payback percentage of the game, at least one comp, a quantity of credits usable for an online play of an online game, a quantity of virtual goods and an access code usable to unlock content on an internet.

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

(a) at each of a plurality of symbol display positions, causing at least one display device to display one of a plurality of different symbols, wherein the plurality of symbol display positions form at least three columns and at least three rows including a first row, a second row positioned adjacent to the first row and a third row positioned adjacent to the second row,

(b) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine if any of the displayed symbols form any winning symbol combinations,

(c) if any 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,

(d) for each displayed symbol, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether said displayed symbol qualifies to be removed,

(e) 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,

(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if an interacting symbol triggering event occurs in association with any remaining displayed symbols,

(g) if the interacting symbol triggering event occurs in association with at least two of the remaining displayed symbols;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to select at least one of any of the remaining displayed symbols, said selection of at least one of any of the remaining displayed symbols being independent of the at least two remaining displayed symbols associated with the occurrence of the interacting symbol triggering event, and

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify the selected at least one of the remaining displayed symbols,

(h) for each of any symbols removed from the first row of the symbol display positions, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reposition at least one of the remaining displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position,

(i) for each of any symbols removed from the second row of the symbol display positions, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reposition at least one of the remaining displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position, and

(j) if any empty symbol display positions are created;

(i) for each created empty symbol display position, causing the at least one display device to display one of the plurality of different symbols, and

(ii) repeating (b) to (j) at least once.

8. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine, for each displayed symbol, whether said symbol qualifies to be removed based on if said symbol is part of any formed winning symbol combinations.

9. The method of claim 7, which includes, if any empty symbol display positions are created, repeating (b) to (j) until no symbols qualify to be removed.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the interacting symbol triggering event occurs based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

one of the remaining displayed symbols being repositioned to another symbol display position, one of the remaining displayed symbols being repositioned to a designated symbol display position, a plurality of the remaining displayed symbols being repositioned to a plurality of designated symbol display positions, and at least two designated symbols each being part of the same formed winning symbol combination.

11. The method of claim 7, which includes, if the interacting symbol triggering event occurs in association with at least two of the remaining displayed symbols, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify at least one selected from the group consisting of:

at least one of the at least two remaining displayed symbols associated with the occurrence of the interacting symbol triggering event and at least one symbol different from any of the at least two remaining displayed symbols associated with the occurrence of the interacting symbol triggering event.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of awards include at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, a quantity of player tracking points, a progressive award, a modifier, a quantity of free plays of the game, a quantity of plays of at least one non-wagering game, at least one lottery based award, a wager match for at least one play of the game, an increase in an average expected payback percentage of the game, at least one comp, a quantity of credits usable for an online play of an online game, a quantity of virtual goods and an access code usable to unlock content on an internet.

13. The method of claim 7, which is executed through a data network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

15. A gaming system server comprising:

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 each play of a game, to;

(a) at each of a plurality of symbol display positions, cause at least one display device to display one of a plurality of different symbols, wherein the plurality of symbol display positions form at least three columns and at least three rows including a first row, a second row positioned adjacent to the first row and a third row positioned adjacent to the second row,

(b) determine if any of the displayed symbols form any winning symbol combinations,

(c) if any 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,

(d) for each displayed symbol, determine whether said displayed symbol qualifies to be removed,

(e) for each displayed symbol that qualifies to be removed, remove said symbol,

(f) determine if an interacting symbol triggering event occurs in association with any remaining displayed symbols,

(g) if the interacting symbol triggering event occurs in association with at least two of the remaining displayed symbols;

(i) select at least one of any of the remaining displayed symbols, said selection of at least one of any of the remaining displayed symbols being independent of the at least two remaining displayed symbols associated with the occurrence of the interacting symbol triggering event, and

(ii) modify the selected at least one of the remaining displayed symbols,

(h) for each of any symbols removed from the first row of the symbol display positions, reposition at least one of the remaining displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position,

(i) for each of any symbols removed from the second row of the symbol display positions, reposition at least one of the remaining displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position, and

(j) if any empty symbol display positions are created;

(i) for each created empty symbol display position, cause the at least one display device to display one of the plurality of different symbols, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (j) at least once.

16. The gaming system server of claim 15, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine, for each displayed symbol, whether said symbol qualifies to be removed based on if said symbol is part of any formed winning symbol combinations.

17. The gaming system server of claim 15, wherein when executed by the at least one processor if any empty symbol display positions are created, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to repeat (b) to (j) until no symbols qualify to be removed.

18. The gaming system server of claim 15, wherein the interacting symbol triggering event occurs based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

one of the remaining displayed symbols being repositioned to another symbol display position, one of the remaining displayed symbols being repositioned to a designated symbol display position, a plurality of the remaining displayed symbols being repositioned to a plurality of designated symbol display positions, and at least two designated symbols each being part of the same formed winning symbol combination.

19. The gaming system server of claim 15, wherein when executed by the at least one processor if the interacting symbol triggering event occurs in association with at least two of the remaining displayed symbols, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to modify at least one selected from the group consisting of:

at least one of the at least two remaining displayed symbols associated with the occurrence of the interacting symbol triggering event and at least one symbol different from any of the at least two remaining displayed symbols associated with the occurrence of the interacting symbol triggering event.

20. The gaming system server of claim 15, wherein the plurality of awards include at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, a quantity of player tracking points, a progressive award, a modifier, a quantity of free plays of the game, a quantity of plays of at least one non-wagering game, at least one lottery based award, a wager match for at least one play of the game, an increase in an average expected payback percentage of the game, at least one comp, a quantity of credits usable for an online play of an online game, a quantity of virtual goods and an access code usable to unlock content on an internet.