Wagering game, gaming machine, networked gaming system and method with nudging re-spinning stacked wilds
View Patent ↗A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed with one or more stacked wild symbols which when appearing, trigger one or more re-spins wherein stacked wild symbols are locked in place for at least one re-spin. Awards are paid following each game outcome. In the event that a portion of a stacked wild symbol is displayed as part of a game outcome, the associated reel may nudge upward or downward to shift the entire stacked wild symbol into view, awards are then paid on the winning outcomes, and one or more re-spins may ensue with any displayed stacked wild symbols being locked for at least one subsequent re-spin.
1. A gaming machine including:
(a) a processor;
(b) an acceptor operable to accept a physical item associated with a monetary value;
(c) a set of primary reels operable by the processor to randomly or pseudo-randomly obtain a primary game outcome by displaying an updated set of symbols in a matrix of symbol locations, the matrix of symbol locations having at least two rows extending along the horizontal dimension of a gaming display and at least two vertical columns extending along the vertical dimension of the gaming display, the set of symbols having a chance to include one or more winning patterns along one or more paylines;
(d) at least one multiple-location wild symbol associated with at least one reel and vertically spanning two or more symbol locations vertically adjacent in the matrix of symbol locations with the effect of changing all the spanned locations to count as any symbol in the game for forming winning patterns, the at least one multiple location wild symbol having a chance to appear in the updated set of symbols in either a first state in which the multiple location wild symbol is fully visible in the matrix of symbol locations, or a second state in which only a lower or upper portion of the multiple location wild symbol is shown in the matrix of symbol locations, with a remainder of the multiple location wild symbol appearing to be outside the matrix of symbol locations;
(e) the processor configured to nudge a reel upward or downward when the multiple location wild symbol appears in the second state in which a portion of the multiple location wild symbol is visible as part of the primary game outcome, to cause the entire multiple location wild symbol to be visible on the reel and fill corresponding symbol locations; and
(f) the processor configured to pay an award for winning game outcomes, and in the event that the primary game outcome includes the at least one multiple location wild symbol, to re-spin the set of reels to obtain an additional game outcome and pay any additional winning game outcomes.
2. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein in the event that another multiple location wild symbol appears in the additional game outcome, the re-spinning process is repeated until no additional multiple location wild symbols appear during a subsequent re-spin or all reels show a multiple location wild symbol.
3. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein only the reels without the multiple location wild symbol are re-spun.
4. The gaming machine of claim 3 , wherein the reels with the multiple location wild symbol are only locked if all the reels to the left are locked.
5. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the player receives a bonus multiplier that is randomly determined each time the player receives a re-spin.
6. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein alternative game presentations are selected based at least in part on low frequency of historical occurrence.
7. A method for providing a wagering game through an electronic gaming machine, the method including:
(a) via an acceptor of the electronic gaming machine, accepting a physical item associated with a monetary value;
(b) controlling, with one or more processors, a set of primary reels to randomly or pseudo-randomly obtain a primary game outcome by displaying an updated set of symbols in a matrix of symbol locations, the matrix of symbol locations having at least two rows extending along the horizontal dimension of a gaming display and at least two vertical columns extending along the vertical dimension of the gaming display, the set of symbols having a chance to include one or more winning patterns along one or more paylines;
(c) wherein the set of primary reels includes at least one multiple location wild symbol associated with each reel and vertically spanning two or more symbol locations vertically adjacent in the matrix of symbol locations with the effect of changing all the spanned locations to count as any symbol in the game for forming winning patterns, the at least one multiple location wild symbol having a chance to appear in the updated set of symbols in either a first state in which the multiple location wild symbol is fully visible in the matrix of symbol locations, or a second state in which only a lower or upper portion of the multiple location wild symbol is shown in the matrix of symbol locations, with a remainder of the multiple location wild symbol appearing to be outside the matrix of symbol locations;
(d) nudging a reel upward or downward when the multiple location wild symbol appears in the second state in which a portion of the multiple location wild symbol is visible as part of the primary game outcome, to cause the entire multiple location wild symbol to be visible on the reel and fill corresponding symbol locations; and
(e) paying an award for winning game outcomes, and in the event that the primary game outcome includes the at least one multiple location wild symbol, re-spinning the set of reels to obtain an additional game outcome and paying any additional winning game outcomes.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein in the event that another multiple location wild symbol appears in the additional game outcome, the re-spinning process is repeated until no additional multiple location wild symbols appear during a subsequent re-spin or all reels show a stacked wild symbol.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein only the reels without the multiple location wild symbol are re-spun.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reels with the multiple location wild symbol are only locked if all the reels to the left are locked.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the player receives a bonus multiplier that is randomly determined each time the player receives a re-spin.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein alternative game presentations are selected based at least in part on low frequency of historical occurrence.
13. A tangible non-transitory computer readable media encoded with a program product, the program product including code executable by a gaming machine for:
(a) via an acceptor of the gaming machine, accepting a physical item associated with a monetary value;
(b) controlling a set of primary reels to randomly or pseudo-randomly obtain a primary game outcome by displaying an updated set of symbols in a matrix of symbol locations, the matrix of symbol locations having at least two rows extending along the horizontal dimension of a gaming display and at least two vertical columns extending along the vertical dimension of the gaming display, the set of symbols having a chance to include one or more winning patterns along one or more paylines;
(c) the set of primary reels including at least one multiple location wild symbol associated with each reel and vertically spanning two or more symbol locations vertically adjacent in the matrix of symbol locations with the effect of changing all the spanned locations to count as any symbol in the game for forming winning patterns, the at least one multiple location wild symbol having a chance to appear in the updated set of symbols in either a first state in which the multiple location wild symbol is fully visible in the matrix of symbol locations, or a second state in which only a lower or upper portion of the multiple location wild symbol is shown in the matrix of symbol locations, with a remainder of the multiple location wild symbol appearing to be outside the matrix of symbol locations;
(d) nudging a reel upward or downward when the multiple location wild symbol appears in the second state in which a portion of the multiple location wild symbol is visible as part of the primary game outcome, to cause the entire multiple location wild symbol to be visible on the reel and fill corresponding symbol locations; and
(e) paying an award for winning game outcomes, and in the event that the primary game outcome includes the at least one multiple location wild symbol, re-spinning the set of reels to obtain an additional game outcome and paying any additional winning game outcomes.
14. The media of claim 13 , wherein in the event that another multiple location wild symbol appears in the additional game outcome, the re-spinning process is repeated until no additional multiple location wild symbols appear during a subsequent re-spin or all reels show a multiple location wild symbol.
15. The computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein only the reels without the multiple location wild symbol are re-spun.
16. The computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the player receives a bonus multiplier that is randomly determined each time the player receives a re-spin.
17. The computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein alternative game presentations are selected based at least in part on low frequency of historical occurrence.