Slot machine game having a plurality of ways for a user to obtain payouts based on selection of one or more symbols (power pays)

• US 7,744,458 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Marks, Howard M., Marks, Daniel M., Singer, Anthony M.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan; James S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liddle; Jay Trent
• Application Number:
  US11/217,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 16- 18, 463 20- 22
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method of playing a slot machine game in which a player wagers upon one or more symbols and then collect awards for combinations of two or more symbols wagered upon appearing in adjacent to each other in the symbol matrix. The slot machine game may also provide a symbol repositioning feature in which one or more symbols are moved from their original positions to other positions in the symbol matrix.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a display device;

an input device;

a processor; and

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

(a) display a symbol matrix, said symbol matrix including a plurality of symbol positions;

(b) enable a player to individually select and independently wager on each of a plurality of different activatable symbols from a plurality of symbols to activate said symbol, said plurality of symbols associated with a plurality of symbol generators;

(c) after the player wagers on one of the symbols, display a plurality of the symbols in the symbol positions of the symbol matrix;

(d) evaluate the displayed symbols in the symbol matrix for any winning symbol combinations which include at least two of the same activated symbols displayed adjacently in the symbol matrix, wherein said same symbols of the winning combinations may be located at any adjacent symbol positions in the symbol matrix; and

(e) provide an award to the player for any determined winning symbol combinations.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device for the play of the game to provide at least one bonus game.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of bonus games, wherein the plurality of instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device for the play of the game to provide one or more of the bonus games if designated symbols are displayed in the symbol matrix.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the symbol generators includes a reel.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbols include at least one wild symbol.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbols include at least one scatter symbol.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device for the play of the game to enable the player to wager a separate wager amount on each of a plurality of the activatable symbols.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each symbol of said plurality of symbols is an activatable symbol.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device for the play of the game to enable the player to wager on all of the activatable symbols.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said symbol matrix includes a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

11. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein each of the rows includes the same number of symbol positions.

12. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein each of the columns includes the same number of symbol positions.

13. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the number of rows is the same as the number of columns.

14. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the winning symbol combinations may only include one symbol in each column of the symbol matrix.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein different activatable symbols require different wager amounts to activate said symbols.

16. A gaming device comprising:

a display device;

an input device;

a processor; and

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

(a) for each of a plurality of different symbols of a plurality of symbols, enable a player to individually select and independently wager on said symbol to activate said symbol;

(b) after the player wagers on one or more of the symbols, generate and display a plurality of the symbols;

(c) evaluate the displayed symbols for any winning symbol combinations which include at least two of the same activated symbols displayed adjacently, regardless of any displayed position of any of said winning symbol combinations; and

(d) provide an award to the player for any determined winning symbol combinations.

17. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the symbols are randomly generated and displayed.

18. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device for the play of the game to enable the player to set a wager value for each of a plurality of the symbols.

19. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device for the play of the game to enable the player to select a number of the plurality of symbols to wager upon, each of the plurality of symbols selected having a same wager value.

20. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device for the play of the game to enable the player to select a number of the plurality of symbols to wager on, each of the plurality of symbols selected having a different wager value.

21. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the game includes a symbol matrix including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

22. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein each of the rows includes the same number of symbol positions.

23. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein each of the columns includes the same number of symbol positions.

24. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the number of rows is the same as the number of columns.

25. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the winning symbol combinations may only include one symbol in each column of the symbol matrix.

26. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein different symbols require different wager amounts.

27. A method of operating a gaming device including a plurality of instructions and including a game having a plurality of symbols including a plurality of different activatable symbols, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to individually select and independently wager on each of a plurality of the activatable symbols to activate said symbol;

(b) after the player wagers on one or more of the symbols, causing a display device to display a plurality of said symbols in a symbol matrix;

(c) causing a processor to execute the plurality of instructions to evaluate the displayed symbols in the symbol matrix for any winning combinations which include at least two of said same activated symbols displayed adjacently in the symbol matrix, wherein said same symbols of the winning combinations may be located in any adjacent locations in the symbol matrix; and

(d) providing an award to the player for any determined winning symbol combinations.

28. The method of claim 27, which includes providing at least one bonus game.

29. The method of claim 27, which includes providing one or more of a plurality of bonus games if designated symbols are displayed in the symbol matrix.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the symbols include at least one wild symbol.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the symbols include at least one scatter symbol.

32. The method of claim 27, which includes enabling the player to wager a separate wager amount on each of the plurality of activatable symbols.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein each symbol of said plurality of symbols is an activatable symbol.

34. The method of claim 27, which includes enabling the player to wager on all of the activatable symbols.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the winning symbol combinations include a designated number of the activated symbols.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein the symbol matrix includes a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein each of the rows includes the same number of symbol positions.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein each of the columns includes the same number of symbol positions.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the number of rows is the same as the number of columns.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the winning symbol combinations may only include one symbol in each column of the symbol matrix.

41. The method of claim 27, which is provided through a data network.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the data network is the internet.

43. The method of claim 27, wherein different activatable symbols require different wager amounts.

44. A method of operating a gaming device including a plurality of instructions, said method comprising:

(a) for each of a plurality of different symbols of a plurality of symbols, enabling a player to individually select and independently wager on said symbol to activate said symbol;

(b) after the player wagers on one or more of the symbols, causing a display device to display a plurality of the symbols;

(c) causing a processor to execute the plurality of instructions to evaluate the displayed symbols for any winning symbol combinations which include at least two of the same activated symbols displayed adjacently, regardless of any displayed position of any of said winning symbol combinations; and

(d) providing an award to the player for any determined winning symbol combinations.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the symbols are randomly generated and displayed.

46. The method of claim 44, which includes enabling the player to set a wager value for each of the plurality of different symbols.

47. The method of claim 44, which includes enabling the player to select a number of the plurality of activatable symbols to wager on, said number being at least one and each of the plurality of symbols selected having a same wager value.

48. The method of claim 44, which includes enabling the player the player to select a number of the plurality of activatable symbols to wager on, said number being at least one and each of the plurality of symbols selected having a different wager value.

49. The method of claim 44, which includes a symbol matrix including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein each of the rows includes the same number of symbol positions.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein each of the columns includes the same number of symbol positions.

52. The gaming device of claim 49, wherein the number of rows is the same as the number of columns.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the winning symbol combinations may only include one symbol in each column of the symbol matrix.

54. The method of claim 44, which is provided through a data network.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the data network is the internet.

56. The method of claim 44, wherein different symbols require different wager amounts.