Method of gaming, a gaming system, and a game controller

1. An electronic method of gaming for use with a gaming system having a game controller and a display having a plurality of display positions, the method comprising:

(a) selecting via the game controller a plurality of sets of symbols for display on said display;

(b) displaying on said display the selected symbols in said display positions;

(c) determining via the game controller whether the displayed symbols include any winning symbol combination; and

(d) only upon determining that the displayed symbols do not include any winning symbol combination, repeatedly applying via the game controller a modification rule to at least one of the plurality of sets of symbols until the displayed symbols include any winning symbol combination, wherein said applying modification rule includes selecting for display via the game controller in one of said display positions at least one further symbol from symbols of the at least one set of symbols that are previously not displayed on said one of said display positions.

2. An electronic method as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising displaying each set of symbols on the display at respective ones of a plurality of columns of said display positions.

3. An electronic method as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising selecting each symbol from a predetermined set of symbols representing a reel of symbols.

4. An electronic method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the reel is a physical, substantially circular reel.

5. An electronic method as claimed in claim 3 , and further comprising implementing the reel in software as a virtual reel.

6. An electronic method as claimed in claim 3 , and wherein the modification rule includes rotating one of the reels.

7. An electronic method as claimed in claim 3 , and wherein the modification rule includes rotating a plurality of reels.

8. An electronic method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the modification rule includes replacing the predetermined set of symbols of one of the plurality of reels of symbols by a separate predetermined set of symbols.

9. An electronic method as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising (e) making an award corresponding to the winning symbol combination.

10. An electronic method as claimed in claim 9 , and further comprising conducting a base game and determining whether a trigger condition is met in the base game, and carrying out (a) to (e) as part of a feature game upon the trigger condition being met in the base game.

11. An electronic method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the feature game comprises a series of free games, and said method further comprising carrying out (a) to (e) during each of a plurality of free games.

12. An electronic method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising reverting back to the base game upon the completion of the series of free games.

13. An electronic method as claimed in claim 11 , and further comprising using at least one of a plurality of trigger conditions and determining the number of free games dependent on which of the trigger conditions occurs.

14. An electronic method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the base game is a spinning-reel type game.

15. An electronic method as claimed in claim 10 , and further comprising including a scatter combination in the trigger condition.

16. A gaming system, comprising:

a display having a plurality of display positions;

a symbol selector configured to select a plurality of sets of symbols for display on the display, and wherein said display is configured to display the selected set of symbols at said display positions;

a symbol evaluator configured to determine whether the displayed symbols include any winning symbol combination; and

a symbol modifier configured to, only upon a determination that the displayed symbols do not include any winning symbol combination, repeatedly apply a modification rule to at least one of the plurality of sets of symbols until the displayed symbols include any winning symbol combination, wherein said modification rule includes selecting for display in one of said display positions at least one further symbol from symbols of the at least one set of symbols that are previously not displayed on said one of said display positions.

17. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein each set of symbols is displayed on the display at respective ones of a plurality of columns of display positions.

18. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein each symbol is selected from a predetermined set of symbols representing a reel of symbols.

19. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the reel is a physical, substantially circular reel.

20. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the reel is implemented in software as a virtual reel.

21. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the modification rule is that one of the reels is rotated.

22. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the modification rule is that a plurality of reels are rotated.

23. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the modification rule is that the predetermined set of symbols of one of the plurality of reels of symbols are replaced by a separate predetermined set of symbols.

24. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the gaming system is configured to make an award.

25. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein:

the gaming system is configured to conduct a base game and a feature game;

the symbol evaluator comprises a trigger monitor configured to determine whether a trigger condition is met in the base game; and

the symbol modifier is configured to apply the modification rule only during the feature game.

26. A gaming system as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the feature game comprises a series of free games.

27. A gaming system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the gaming system is configured to revert back to the base game upon the completion of the series of free games.

28. A gaming system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein there are a plurality of trigger conditions and the number of free games is dependent on which of the trigger conditions occurs.

29. A gaming system as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the base game is a spinning-reel type game.

30. A gaming system as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the trigger condition is that there is a scatter combination.

31. A game controller for a gaming system, the game controller configured to:

select a plurality of sets of symbols for display on a display having a plurality of display positions;

cause said display to display the selected symbols in said display positions;

determine whether the displayed symbols include any winning symbol combination; and

only upon determining that the displayed symbols do not include any winning symbol combination, repeatedly apply a modification rule to at least one of the plurality of sets of symbols until the displayed symbols include any winning symbol combination, wherein said apply modification rule includes selecting for display in one of said display positions at least one further symbol from symbols of the at least one set of symbols that are previously not displayed on said one of said display positions.

32. A game controller as claimed in claim 31 , wherein each set of symbols is displayed on the display at respective ones of a plurality of columns of display positions.

33. A game controller as claimed in claim 31 , wherein each symbol is selected from a predetermined set of symbols representing a reel of symbols.

34. A game controller as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the reel is a physical, substantially circular reel.

35. A game controller as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the reel is implemented in software as a virtual reel.

36. A game controller as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the modification rule is that one of the reels is rotated.

37. A game controller as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the modification rule is that a plurality of reels are rotated.

38. A game controller as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the modification rule is that the predetermined set of symbols of one of the plurality of reels of symbols are replaced by a separate predetermined set of symbols.

39. A game controller as claimed in claim 31 , wherein the game controller is configured to make an award corresponding to the winning symbol combination.

40. A game controller as claimed in claim 39 , wherein the game controller is configured to:

conduct a base game and a feature game;

determine whether a trigger condition is met in the base game; and

apply the modification rule only during the feature game.

41. A game controller as claimed in claim 40 , wherein the feature game comprises a series of free games.

42. A game controller as claimed in claim 41 , wherein the game controller is configured to revert back to the base game upon the completion of the series of free games.

43. A game controller as claimed in claim 41 , wherein there are a plurality of trigger conditions and the number of free games is dependent on which of the trigger conditions occurs.

44. A game controller as claimed in claim 40 , wherein the base game is a spinning-reel type game.

45. A game controller as claimed in claim 40 , wherein the trigger condition is that there is a scatter combination.

46. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a display having a plurality of display positions, mounted to the cabinet, and configured to display a plurality of sets of symbols at said display positions to a player;

a game play mechanism mounted to the cabinet, the game play mechanism operable by the player to initiate a play of a game; and

a game controller mounted within the cabinet and communicatively coupled to the display and the game play mechanism, the game controller comprising:

a symbol selector configured to select the plurality of sets of symbols for display on the display to the player, and wherein said display is configured to display the selected set of symbols at said display positions;

a symbol evaluator configured to determine whether the displayed symbols on the display include any winning symbol combination; and

a symbol modifier configured to, only upon a determination that the displayed symbols on the display do not include any winning symbol combination, repeatedly apply a modification rule to at least one of the plurality of sets of symbols until the displayed symbols on the display include any winning symbol combination, wherein said apply modification rule includes selecting for display in one of said display positions at least one further symbol from symbols of the at least one set of symbols that are previously not displayed on said one of said display positions.