Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

1. A gaming system comprising:

a display for symbols to be displayed in a set of display positions to a player;

a symbol selector for selecting in each game round a plurality of symbols for display to the player in a set of display positions;

a cloned symbol controller arranged to modify the displayed symbols by copying each symbol in an original subset of the display positions to at least one clone subset of the display positions which is identical to or laterally displaced from the original subset, in response to determining that a subset of the symbols should be cloned; and

an outcome generator arranged to determine an outcome based on the modified symbols;

wherein the cloned symbol controller is arranged to retain the cloned symbols during one or more following cloned symbol game rounds;

wherein the game controller is arranged to restrict the symbol selection in the following cloned symbol game rounds so that the reel positions for reels containing the clone subset and the original subset are fixed relative to each other; and

wherein the original subset is all the visible positions of an original reel and the cloned subsets are all the visible positions of clone reels, and non-visible symbols on the original reel are also copied to corresponding non-visible positions on the clone reels, so that the original and clone reels show the same symbols in each visible reel position in the following cloned symbol game rounds.

2. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein subsets of the display positions correspond to respective ones of a plurality of reels set side by side, each subset comprising a plurality of visible reel positions on spinning reels.

3. A gaming system as claimed in claim 2 comprising a game play mechanism operable by the player for game play.

4. A gaming system as claimed in claim 2 comprising a memory storing program code and a processor arranged to execute the program code to implement the game controller.

5. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the clone subset is identical to the original subset, and the symbols of the original subset are duplicated side by side at half-width, fitting in the same display position.

6. A gaming system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the original subset is all the visible symbols of one reel.

7. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the clone subset is laterally displaced from the original subset and symbols of the original subset replace symbols previously occupying corresponding display positions of the cloned subsets.

8. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the original subset is all the symbols at least at the display positions of an original reel and the clone subsets are displaced horizontally from the original subset occupying clone reels, whereby the visible symbols of the original reel are copied to the clone reels.

9. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the original subset and each clone subset are mutually non-overlapping rectangular regions.

10. A gaming system as claimed in claim 9 wherein at least one of the clone subsets is not fully within the display positions of the reel whereby other symbols on at least one reel are changed.

11. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the game controller is arranged to determine that a subset of the symbols should be cloned in response to at least one of the appearance of a particular symbol combination in the display positions, a random event, or the player purchasing a cloning right.

12. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the game controller is arranged to determine the original subset based on at least one of a player choice, a random event, or the occurrence of a particular symbol or symbol combination.

13. A gaming system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the player choice includes the payment of different wagers depending on the symbol or symbol combination.

14. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the game controller is arranged to determine the at least one clone subset based on at least one of a player choice, a random event, or the occurrence of a particular symbol or symbol combination.

15. A gaming system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the player choice includes the payment of different wagers depending on the symbol or symbol combination.

16. A game controller for a gaming system, the game controller comprising:

a symbol selector for selecting in each game round a plurality of symbols for display to the player in a set of display positions on a display in data communication with the game controller;

a cloned symbol round controller arranged to modify the displayed symbols by copying each symbol in an original subset of the display positions to at least one clone subset of the display positions which is identical to or laterally displaced from the original subset, in response to determining that a subset of the symbols should be cloned; and

an outcome generator arranged to determine an outcome based on the modified symbols

wherein the cloned symbol controller is arranged to retain the cloned symbols during one or more following cloned symbol game rounds;

wherein the game controller is arranged to restrict the symbol selection in the following cloned symbol game rounds so that the reel positions for reels containing the clone subset and the original subset are fixed relative to each other; and

wherein the original subset is all the visible positions of an original reel and the cloned subsets are all the visible positions of clone reels, and non-visible symbols on the original reel are also copied to corresponding non-visible positions on the clone reels, so that the original and clone reels show the same symbols in each visible reel position in the following cloned symbol game rounds.

17. A game controller as claimed in claim 16 , wherein subsets of the display positions correspond to respective ones of a plurality of reels set side by side, each subset comprising a plurality of visible reel positions on spinning reels.

18. A game controller as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the clone subset is identical to the original subset, and the symbols of the original subset are duplicated side by side at half-width, fitting in the same display position.

19. A game controller as claimed in claim 18 wherein the original subset is all the visible symbols of one reel.

20. A game controller as claimed in claim 19 wherein the original subset is all the symbols at least at the display positions of an original reel and the clone subsets are displaced horizontally from the original subset occupying clone reels, whereby the visible symbols of the original reel are copied to the clone reels.

21. A game controller as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the clone subset is laterally displaced from the original subset and symbols of the original subset replace symbols previously occupying corresponding display positions of the cloned subsets.

22. A game controller as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the original subset and each clone subset are mutually non-overlapping rectangular regions.

23. A game controller as claimed in claim 22 wherein at least one of the clone subsets is not fully within the display positions of the reel whereby other symbols on at least one reel are changed.

24. A game controller as claimed in claim 16 arranged to determine that a subset of the symbols should be cloned in response to at least one of the appearance of a particular symbol combination in the display positions, a random event, or the player purchasing a cloning right.

25. A game controller as claimed in 16 arranged to determine the original subset based on at least one of a player choice, a random event, or the occurrence of a particular symbol or symbol combination.

26. A game controller as claimed in claim 25 wherein the player choice includes the payment of different wagers depending on the symbol or symbol combination.

27. A game controller as claimed in claim 16 , arranged to determine the at least one clone subset based on at least one of a player choice, a random event, or the occurrence of a particular symbol or symbol combination.

28. A game controller as claimed in claim 27 wherein the player choice includes the payment of different wagers depending on the symbol or symbol combination.

29. A game controller as claimed in claim 16 implemented by a processor executing program code stored in a memory.