Gaming machine with fixed wild symbols and multiplier

1. A method for use with a gaming machine arranged to provide a spinning reel game in which symbols are spun up on a plurality of reels to form at least one outcome and, if a winning outcome occurs, the gaming machine awards an award, the method comprising:

(a) if at least one specified symbol is spun up and displayed in a resultant position on a reel, holding the specified symbol in the resultant position for at least one further game in which at least the reel carrying the specified symbol is re-spun; and

(b) awarding the award if a winning outcome occurs, wherein a specified symbol comprising part of a winning outcome has the effect of increasing the award if the specified symbol is adjacent at least one other specified symbol.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the adjacent specified symbol has a multiplier effect on the award.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the multiplier effect increases dependent on a quantity of the specified symbols that are adjacent one another on the displayed reels.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the resultant position has four edges and a specified symbol in the resultant position has a multiplier effect if the resultant position shares an edge with an adjacent resultant position in which an adjacent specified symbol is displayed.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the resultant position has four edges and a specified symbol in the resultant position has a multiplier effect if the resultant position shares an edge or a corner with an adjacent resultant position in which an adjacent specified symbol is displayed.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein the multiplier effect is capped.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the specified symbol is a wild symbol that substitutes for one or more other symbols in assessing whether a winning outcome has occurred.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the specified symbol is represented as superimposed on underlying symbols as the reel carrying the specified symbol is re-spun.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the specified symbol is held in the resultant position for a series of spinning reel games.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the specified symbol, if spun up in a bought game, is held in the resultant position for a predetermined number of bought spinning reel games.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the spun-up specified symbol is held in the resultant position if an eligibility criterion is satisfied.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the eligibility criterion is the occurrence of a trigger condition on the reels.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the eligibility criterion is the payment of an ante-bet by a player of the gaming machine.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein the satisfaction of the eligibility criterion commences a series of free games in which all specified symbols that are spun up are held.

15. A gaming machine arranged to provide a spinning reel game in which symbols are spun up on a plurality of reels to form at least one outcome and, if a winning outcome occurs, the gaming machine awards an award, the gaming machine comprising at least one game controller arranged to:

(a) if at least one specified symbol is spun up and displayed in a resultant position on a reel, hold the specified symbol in the resultant position for at least one further game in which at least the reel carrying the specified symbol is re-spun; and

(b) award the award if a winning outcome occurs, wherein a specified symbol comprising part of a winning outcome has the effect of increasing the award if the specified symbol is adjacent at least one other specified symbol.

16. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising machine-readable program code recorded on a machine-readable recording medium, for controlling the operation of a data processing apparatus on which the program code executes to perform a method for use with a gaming machine arranged to provide a spinning reel game in which symbols are spun up on a plurality of reels to form at least one outcome and, if a winning outcome occurs, the gaming machine awards an award, the method comprising:

(a) if at least one specified symbol is spun up and displayed in a resultant position on a reel, holding the specified symbol in the resultant position for at least one further game in which at least the reel carrying the specified symbol is re-spun; and

(b) awarding the award if a winning outcome occurs, wherein a specified symbol comprising part of a winning outcome has the effect of increasing the award if the specified symbol is adjacent at least one other specified symbol.

17. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising machine-readable program code for controlling the operation of a data processing apparatus on which the program code executes to perform a method for use with a gaming machine arranged to provide a spinning reel game in which symbols are spun up on a plurality of reels to form at least one outcome and, if a winning outcome occurs, the gaming machine awards an award, the method comprising:

(a) if at least one specified symbol is spun up and displayed in a resultant position on a reel, holding the specified symbol in the resultant position for at least one further game in which at least the reel carrying the specified symbol is re-spun; and

(b) awarding the award if a winning outcome occurs, wherein a specified symbol comprising part of a winning outcome has the effect of increasing the award if the specified symbol is adjacent at least one other specified symbol.