Gaming machine with multi scatter game
View Patent ↗A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display 14 . The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. The display 14 displays a plurality of spinning reels 18 , each reel 18 carrying symbols from a set of symbols. One of the symbols of the set is a scatter symbol and, in respect of at least one of the reels, the set comprises more than one occurrence of the scatter symbol. The scatter symbols on the at least one reel are arranged on the reel so that more than one scatter symbol is able to be displayed simultaneously when the reels are in a rest condition. When more than a minimum number of scatter symbols are displayed at any one time, all the displayed scatter symbols contribute to a single paying combination of the scatter symbols.
1. A method performed by a gaming machine having a display with a plurality of display positions, comprising:
spinning a plurality of reels of the gaming machine, wherein each reel includes a plurality of standard symbols and a plurality of scatter symbols and is configured to display a plurality of symbols in respective ones of the plurality of display positions when at rest, wherein the plurality of scatter symbols is at least equal in number to the plurality of display positions, and wherein each reel includes scatter symbols positioned adjacent to each other;
permitting the reels to come to rest after said spinning; and
awarding a prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying only scatter symbols in each of the plurality of display positions after said plurality of reels come to rest.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said spinning comprises generating a video simulation of spinning reels upon a display.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising awarding a second prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying a winning combination of standard symbols that are aligned with a payline after said plurality of reels come to rest.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising awarding a second prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying a winning combination of standard symbols that are aligned with a payline of a plurality of paylines after said plurality of reels come to rest.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising awarding a second prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying a predetermined number of scatter symbols that is less than all symbols displayed after the plurality of reels come to rest.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accepting a wager, wherein said awarding comprises providing a payout based upon the wager.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying with each reel at least three symbols after the plurality of reels come to rest.
8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising a plurality of instructions that, in response to being executed, result in a gaming machine:
spinning a plurality of reels, wherein each reel includes a plurality of standard symbols and a plurality of scatter symbols and is configured to display a plurality of symbols in respective ones of a plurality of display positions of the gaming machine when at rest, wherein the plurality of scatter symbols is at least equal in number to the plurality of display positions, and wherein each reel includes scatter symbols positioned adjacent to each other;
permitting the reels to come to rest after said spinning; and
awarding a prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying only scatter symbols in each of the plurality of display positions after said plurality of reels come to rest.
9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the gaming machine spinning the plurality of reels by generating a video simulation of spinning reels upon a display.
10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the gaming machine awarding a second prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying a winning combination of standard symbols that are aligned with a payline after said plurality of reels come to rest.
11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the gaming machine awarding a second prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying a winning combination of standard symbols that are aligned with a payline of a plurality of paylines after said plurality of reels come to rest.
12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the gaming machine awarding a second prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying a predetermined number of scatter symbols that is less than all symbols displayed after the plurality of reels come to rest.
13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the gaming machine awarding the prize by providing a payout based upon an accepted wager.
14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the gaming machine displaying with each reel at least three symbols after the plurality of reels come to rest.
15. A gaming machine, comprising:
a plurality of reels, wherein each reel includes a plurality of standard symbols and a plurality of scatter symbols and is configured to display a plurality of symbols in respective ones of a plurality of display positions when at rest, wherein the plurality of scatter symbols is at least equal in number to the plurality of display positions, and wherein each reel includes scatter symbols positioned adjacent to each other; and
a game controller configured to initiate a spin of the plurality of reels, permit the reels to come to rest after the spin, and award a prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying only scatter symbols in each of the plurality of display positions after said plurality of reels come to rest.
16. The gaming machine of claim 15 , further comprising a video display unit configured to depict a video simulation of spinning the plurality reels.
17. The gaming machine of claim 15 , wherein the game controller is further configured to award a second prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying a winning combination of standard symbols that are aligned with a payline after said plurality of reels come to rest.
18. The gaming machine of claim 15 , wherein the game controller is further configured to award a second prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying a winning combination of standard symbols that are aligned with a payline of a plurality of paylines after said plurality of reels come to rest.
19. The gaming machine of claim 15 , wherein the game controller is further configured to award a second prize in response to the plurality of reels displaying a predetermined number of scatter symbols that is less than all symbols displayed after the plurality of reels come to rest.
20. The gaming machine of claim 15 , further comprising a credit input device configured to receive credits for a wager, wherein the game controller is further configured to award the prize as a payout based upon the wager.