Gaming machine and control method thereof

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a symbol display which is able to variably display plural symbols; and

a controller programmed to execute the following processes of:

(b1) after a game medium whose number is smaller than a predetermined maximum bet amount is bet, running a game in which the plural symbols are variably displayed on the symbol display and the symbols are stopped, and a predetermined number of game media are paid out according to the stopped symbols or a combination of the stopped symbols;

(b2) on condition that a predetermined number of game media, which is not smaller than a minimum bet amount and not larger than the maximum predetermined bet amount, are inserted in (b1), automatically shifting from a non-rescue mode to a rescue mode without an additional input from a game player after insertion of the game media, and on condition that the predetermined number of game media are not inserted in (b1), maintaining the non-rescue mode;

(b3) if automatic shifting to the rescue mode is carried out in (b2), displaying a meter table which is divided into a predetermined number of blocks;

(b4) determining by lottery a rescue achieving game number;

(b5) counting the number games run in the rescue mode;

(b6) displaying, by the number of blocks turned on the meter table, the number of games counted in (b5);

(b7) awarding a predetermined benefit when the number of games counted in (b5) reaches the rescue achieving game number determined in (b4); and

(b8) if the predetermined benefit is awarded in (b7) or if a game resulting in payout of a predetermined number of game media is run in (b1) before the number of games counted reaches the rescue achieving game number, initializing the rescue achieving game number determined in (b4) and the number of games counted in (b5).

2. The gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein, in (b6), the number of games displayed in one of the blocks is calculated by dividing the rescue achieving game number determined in (b4) by the predetermined number of blocks.

3. The gaming machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:

in (b1) a game is executed such that, after a predetermined number of paylines to be activated is determined based on a bet amount, the symbols are variably displayed on the symbol display and are stopped, and the predetermined number of game media are paid out according to the stopped symbols or a combination of the stopped symbols, and

in (b2), when the predetermined number of paylines are activated in (b1), shifting from the non-rescue mode to the rescue mode is automatically carried out, whereas, when the predetermined number of paylines are not activated in (b1), the non-rescue mode is maintained.

4. The gaming machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:

in (b3), when shifting from the non-rescue mode to the rescue mode is carried out, the meter table is changed from a state in which the entirety of the meter table is displayed in half tone to a state of no half tone, and

when shifting from the rescue mode to the non-rescue mode is carried out, the meter table is changed from the state of no half tone to the state in which the entirety of the meter table is displayed in half tone.

5. A method of controlling a gaming machine, which is executed by a processor of the gaming machine, the method comprising the steps of:

(c1) after a game medium whose number is smaller than a predetermined maximum bet amount is bet, running a game in which the plural symbols are variably displayed on the symbol display and the symbols are stopped, and a predetermined number of game media are paid out according to the stopped symbols or a combination of the stopped symbols;

(c2) on condition that a predetermined number of game media, which is not smaller than a minimum bet amount and not larger than the maximum predetermined bet amount, are inserted in (c1), automatically shifting from a non-rescue mode to a rescue mode without an additional input from a game player after insertion of the game media, and on condition that the predetermined number of game media are not inserted in (c1), maintaining the non-rescue mode;

(c3) if automatic shifting to the rescue mode is carried out in (c2), displaying a meter table which is divided into a predetermined number of blocks;

(c4) determining by lottery a rescue achieving game number;

(c5) counting the number of games run in the rescue mode;

(c6) displaying, by the number of blocks turned on the meter table, the number of games counted in (c5);

(c7) awarding a predetermined benefit when the number of games counted in (c5) reaches the rescue achieving game number determined in (c4); and

(c8) if the predetermined benefit is awarded in (c7) or if a game resulting in payout of a predetermined number of game media is run in (c1) before the number of games counted reaches the rescue achieving game number, initializing the rescue achieving game number determined in (c4) and the number games counted in (c5),

wherein, in (c6),

the number of games displayed in one of the blocks is calculated by subtracting the predetermined number of blocks from the rescue achieving game number determined in (c4),

for each of the blocks displayed on the meter table, the number of games displayed by each of the blocks is randomly determined, and

each time the number of games counted in (c5) reaches the number of games having been randomly determined for each of the blocks, one of the blocks of the meter table is turned on.

6. A gaming machine awarding a rescue payout when the number of games reaches a rescue achieving game number, comprising:

a symbol display which is able to variably display plural symbols;

an effect display; and

a controller programmed to execute the following processes of:

(d1) displaying a meter divided into a predetermined number of blocks on the effect display to display a number of games having been executed;

(d2) randomly determining the rescue achieving game number;

(d3) for each of the blocks displayed on the meter, randomly determining a number of games displayed in each of the blocks so as to be different among the blocks;

(d4) counting the number of games having been executed;

(d5) turning on each of the blocks displayed on the meter, each time the number of games counted in (d4) reaches, in each of the blocks, the number determined in (d3) for each of the blocks; and

(d6) awarding the rescue payout when the number of games counted in (d4) reaches the rescue achieving game number determined in (d2).