Bonus game for a gaming machine
View Patent ↗A bonus game for a slot machine operable in a basic mode and a bonus mode. The bonus game is entered upon the occurrence of a special start-bonus game outcome in the basic mode. In the bonus game, a player selects, one at a time, from an array of windows each associated with a bonus game outcome. Credits are awarded based upon which ones of the windows are selected. The bonus game ends upon selection of a window associated with an end-bonus outcome but otherwise continues, allowing the player to make further selections and accumulate further credits until encountering an end-bonus outcome. In one embodiment, a bonus game resource obtained in the basic game may be exercised in the bonus game to affect the bonus game outcome. In one embodiment, for example, where the occurrence of an end-bonus outcome would otherwise end the bonus game, a player having a bonus game resource may exercise the bonus game resource upon encountering an end-bonus outcome to continue playing the bonus game.
1. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising:
conducting a basic game until a start-bonus outcome is achieved, said conducting including displaying a set of basic-game symbols that are indicative of outcomes in said basic game;
in response to said start-bonus outcome, terminating said displaying of said set of said basic-game symbols;
in response to said start-bonus outcome, displaying selectable elements fixedly associated with respective award indicia for a bonus game, said selectable elements being distinct from said set of basic-game symbols in said basic game, said award indicia for at least one of said selectable elements having a monetary value, said award indicia for at least one of said selectable elements being a stop-bonus-game symbol;
receiving, from a player, a plurality of selections from said selectable elements;
revealing said award indicia associated with each of said plurality of selected elements;
after said revealing said award indicia associated with each of said plurality of selected elements, revealing said award indicia associated with unselected ones of said selectable elements, thereby permitting said player to view said award indicia that were not achieved in said bonus game; and
awarding a bonus-game award associated with each one of said plurality of selected elements such that said plurality of selections results in a plurality of bonus game awards, said bonus game award for each of said plurality of selections being independent of a previous selection of said plurality of selections.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said basic game includes a plurality of video reels bearing said basic-game symbols.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said revealing said award indicia associated with unselected ones of said selectable elements occurs in response to selecting a selectable element with an award indicia having said stop-bonus-game symbol.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said bonus-game award is independent of any basic-game award.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said monetary value is in wagering-game credits.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving said plurality of selections is performed by use of a touch screen.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said bonus game does not result in a loss of any basic-game award that has been achieved prior to the bonus game.
8. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising:
conducting a basic game until a start-bonus outcome is achieved, said conducting including displaying basic-game symbols that are indicative of outcomes in said basic game;
in response to said start-bonus outcome, displaying a plurality of selectable elements fixedly associated with respective award indicia for a bonus game, said plurality of selectable elements being arranged in a multi-row and multi-column array, said plurality of selectable elements being distinct from said basic-game symbols displayed in said basic game, said award indicia for at least one of said plurality of selectable elements having a monetary value, said award indicia for at least one of said plurality of selectable elements being a stop-bonus-game symbol;
receiving player-inputs for a plurality of selections of said plurality of selectable elements;
after said receiving said player-inputs for said plurality of selections of said plurality of selectable elements, providing a bonus award for each of said plurality of selections, each bonus game award being independent of previous selections of said plurality of selections; and
after said receiving said player-inputs for said plurality of selections of said plurality of selectable elements, revealing said award indicia associated with unselected ones of said plurality of selectable elements, thereby permitting a player to view said award indicia that were not achieved in said bonus game.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said receiving said player inputs is performed by use of a touch screen.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said bonus game does not result in a loss of any basic-game award that has been achieved prior to the bonus game.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein said revealing said award indicia associated with unselected ones of said plurality of selectable elements occurs in response to receiving a player input of a selectable element with an award indicia having said stop-bonus-game symbol.
12. A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game feature, comprising:
at least one display; and
a processor coupled to said at least one display and operative to
instruct said at least one display to display a symbol combination selected from a plurality of basic-game symbols for indicating an outcome of a basic game;
in response to a start-bonus outcome being achieved in said basic game, instruct said at least one display to display a plurality of player-selectable elements fixedly associated with and masking respective award indicia, said plurality of player-selectable elements being distinct from said plurality of basic-game symbols that were displayed in said basic game, said award indicia for at least one of said plurality of player selectable elements having a monetary value;
receive player inputs of a plurality of selected elements from said plurality of player-selectable elements;
instruct said display to reveal said award indicia associated with said plurality of selected elements;
after receiving said player inputs, instruct said at least one display to reveal said award indicia associated with unselected ones of said plurality of selectable elements; and
award a bonus-game award for each of said plurality of selected elements, each of said bonus-game awards being independent of a previous selection from said plurality of selected elements.
13. The machine of claim 12 , wherein said basic game includes a plurality of reels bearing said basic-game symbols, said reels being rotated and stopped to place said symbol combination in visual association with a display area on said at least one display.
14. The machine of claim 12 , wherein said bonus-game award is independent of any basic-game award.
15. The machine of claim 12 , wherein said award indicia includes a stop-bonus-game symbol.
16. The machine of claim 12 , wherein said bonus game does not result in a loss of any basic-game award that has been achieved prior to the bonus game.
17. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising:
conducting a basic game until a start-bonus outcome is achieved, said conducting including displaying a set of basic-game symbols that are indicative of outcomes in said basic game;
in response to said start-bonus outcome, displaying selectable elements fixedly associated with respective award indicia for a bonus game, said selectable elements being distinct from said set of basic-game symbols in said basic game; receiving, from said player, a plurality of selections from said selectable elements; revealing said award indicia associated with each of said plurality of selected elements;
after said revealing said award indicia associated with each of said plurality of selected elements, revealing said award indicia associated with unselected ones of said selectable elements, thereby permitting a player to view said award indicia that were not achieved in said bonus game; and
awarding a bonus-game award associated with each one of said plurality of selected elements such that said plurality of selections results in a plurality of bonus game awards, said bonus game award for each of said plurality of selections being independent of a previous selection of said plurality of selections.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said basic game includes a plurality of video reels bearing said basic-game symbols.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said bonus-game award is independent of any basic-game award.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein said revealing said award indicia associated with unselected ones of said plurality of selectable elements occurs in response to receiving a player input of a selectable element with an award indicia having a stop-bonus-game symbol.