Bonus game awarding and displaying selected values
Various bonus games for being played on a gaming machine are described. The base game may consist of the random selection and display of a 5×3 matrix of symbols. In one bonus game (FIGS. 5 - 7 ), upon a certain outcome of the base game including special symbols, all symbols in the matrix except for the special symbols are replaced with values, such as different credit amounts. The player selects a particular special symbol using a touch screen, and the identified special symbol randomly moves to select one of the displayed values in the matrix. In another game (FIGS. 11 - 13 ), the player applies hidden multipliers to a randomly selected award value in the matrix. In another game (FIGS. 14 - 19 ), pointers moving across the matrix of values accumulate values for awarding to the player. The multi-stage interactive bonus games add excitement and more player involvement.
1. A method performed in a gambling game comprising:
displaying an array of symbols in a base game, on a video display screen, at symbol positions having at least one row and a plurality of columns;
detecting a trigger event, by a controller, that enables a bonus feature, wherein detecting the trigger event comprises detecting the display of one or more special symbols in the base game;
after the detecting the trigger event, converting a plurality of the symbols displayed, other than the one or more special symbols, to a plurality of displayed award values located at the symbol positions such that a player sees all the award values;
after converting the plurality of the symbols, receiving a signal identifying a particular special symbol of the one or more special symbols displayed in the base game, causing the identified particular special symbol to select a symbol position displaying a value and indicate that the value has been selected; and
awarding the player a bonus award based on the value selected by the identified particular special symbol.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the trigger event comprises detecting a certain combination of a plurality of the special symbols.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the signal identifying the particular special symbol comprises receiving the signal from a touch screen identifying one special symbol touched by the player via the touch screen.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein multiple special symbols are displayed in the base game, and wherein receiving the signal identifying the particular special symbol comprises:
receiving the signal from the player identifying, in turn, each of the special symbols displayed in the base game, causing each of the identified special symbols to either select a symbol position displaying a value to indicate that the value has been selected or to select a symbol position displaying another special symbol.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein, if an identified special symbol selects a symbol position displaying another special symbol, one or more award values are given an enhanced value.
6. The method of claim 1 where the identified particular special symbol randomly selects another symbol position.