Gaming system with cascading symbol feature
View Patent ↗A gaming system comprising an input device for receiving a wager to play a wagering game. The gaming system also includes a display for displaying an array of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. In response to the randomly selected outcome including a winning symbol combination, at least one symbol that is not a part of the winning symbol combination is removed from the array and causes other symbols to move into a position of the array vacated by the at least one removed symbol.
1. A gaming system comprising:
an input device for receiving a wager to play a wagering game;
a display for displaying an array of symbols having a plurality of array positions displayable to a player, a plurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols in reel positions, the array positions showing symbols in selected reel positions that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game, at least one symbol in a selected reel position of the array having an initial state; and
a controller coupled to the input device and the display, the controller operative to:
(i) in response to a first play of the wagering game meeting a first predetermined criterion, cause the at least one symbol in the selected reel position in the array positions to transition from an initial state to an intermediate state,
(ii) in response to a subsequent play of the wagering game meeting a second predetermined criterion, cause the at least one symbol in the selected reel position to transition from an intermediate state to a removable state, and
(iii) remove the at least one symbol in the removable state.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the array is formed by a plurality of movable reels.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined criterion is at least one of a location of the at least one symbol within a particular cell in the array, the at least one symbol landing on a pay line, the at least one symbol being part of a winning symbol combination, the at least one symbol being adjacent to a state-altering symbol in the array, a player placing a side wager and the at least one symbol landing on the pay line on the display, the at least one symbol appearing on the display a predetermined number of times, or the at least one symbol being part of a predetermined non-winning symbol combination.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein in response to the at least one symbol being in an intermediate state, the display displaying the at least one symbol as being cracked.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second intermediate state, and in response to the first predetermined criterion being met, the controller being operative to transition the at least one symbol from the intermediate state to a second intermediate state.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operative to cause another symbol to move into a position in the array vacated by the removed symbol.
7. A method of conducting a wagering game comprising:
displaying a plurality of symbols in an array having a plurality of array positions displayable to a player, a plurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols in reel positions, the array positions showing symbols in selected reel positions indicating a randomly selected outcome on a display, at least one symbol being in an initial state;
in response to a first predetermined criterion being met during a first play of the wagering game, causing the at least one symbol in the selected reel position in the array to transition from the initial state to an intermediate state by at least one of one or more processors;
in response to a second predetermined criterion being met during a subsequent play of the wagering game, at least one of the one or more processors causing the at least one symbol in the selected reel position in the array to transition from the intermediate state to a removable state; and
removing the at least one symbol from the array.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first and second predetermined criterion is a winning symbol combination being achieved.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first and second predetermined criterion is the at least one symbol entering a predetermined location on the array.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined location is a location that is adjacent to a state-altering symbol.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first and second predetermined criterion are the same.
12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising moving another symbol into a position of the array vacated by the at least one removed symbol.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of moving other symbols comprises cascading symbols adjacent to the removed symbol.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cascading occurs vertically.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the moving other symbols into a position of the array vacated by the at least one removed symbol comprises inserting a symbol that was previously not in the array into the position of the array vacated by the at least one removed symbol.
16. A gaming terminal comprising:
an input device for receiving a wager to play a wagering game;
a display for displaying an array of symbols having a plurality of array positions displayable to a player, a plurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols in reel positions, the array positions showing symbols in selected reel positions that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game, at least one symbol in a selected reel position of the array having an initial state; and
a processor coupled to the input device and the display, the processor operative to:
(i) in response to a first play of the wagering game meeting a first predetermined criterion, cause the at least one symbol in the selected reel position in the array positions to transition from an initial state to an intermediate state,
(ii) in response to a subsequent play of the wagering game meeting a second predetermined criterion, cause the at least one symbol in the selected reel position to transition from an intermediate state to a removable state, and
(iii) remove the at least one symbol in the removable state.
17. The gaming terminal of claim 16 , wherein the array is formed by a plurality of movable reels.
18. The gaming terminal of claim 16 , wherein the first predetermined criterion is at least one of a location of the at least one symbol within a particular cell in the array, the at least one symbol landing on a pay line, the at least one symbol being part of a winning symbol combination, the at least one symbol being adjacent to a state-altering symbol in the array, a player placing a side wager and the at least one symbol landing on the pay line on the display, the at least one symbol appearing on the display a predetermined number of times, or the at least one symbol being part of a predetermined non-winning symbol combination.
19. The gaming terminal of claim 16 , wherein the in response to the at least one symbol being in an intermediate state, the display displaying the at least one symbol as being cracked.
20. The gaming terminal of claim 16 , further comprising a second intermediate state, and in response to the first predetermined criterion being met, the processor being operative to transition the at least one symbol from the intermediate state to a second intermediate state.