Wagering game, gaming machine, networked gaming system and method with a player selection symbol replacement game
View Patent ↗A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed in which a gaming machine provides both a base game and a feature game which may be triggered by the base game. The feature game includes a player selectable set of symbols, where the symbols include one or more high and low value incrementing symbols and one or more terminator symbols; such that, when a player selects one of the incrementing symbols, the player's position on a ladder or other graduated sequence increments to a higher value award, all the symbols in the set are shown and then recovered and shuffled with one of the remaining high value incrementing symbols being replaced by a terminator symbol. The process iterating until the player selects a terminator symbol or achieves the jackpot (highest) award on the ladder.
1. A method for operating a feature game using a processor, the method including:
receiving a player input from a card reader or bill acceptor/printer of a player tracking unit associated with a gaming machine, and in response activating player credits to be wagered;
receiving a player game activation risking player credits in a wager;
displaying a set of player selectable elements, each of the selectable elements corresponding to a respective award;
displaying a sequence of prize levels;
responsive to a player selection of one of the elements, uncovering an award associated with the element;
increasing an achieved prize level from a first prize level to a second prize level based upon the award;
replacing at least one of the respective awards with a terminator;
shuffling the selectable elements;
enabling a player to select again from the set of player selectable elements, and increasing the achieved prize level according to the award uncovered by each selection;
terminating the feature game, when the player selects the terminator; and
awarding an amount corresponding to the achieved prize level.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective awards of the player selectable elements include awards of advancing one prize level, awards of advancing two prize levels, and awards of advancing three prize levels, all with respect to the displayed sequence of prize levels.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, after uncovering an award associated with the element and before shuffling the selectable elements, displaying awards associated with the other elements not selected by the player.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising replacing at least one of the respective awards with a terminator after every selection made by the player, so that the number of terminators among the player selectable elements goes up after every selection made by the player.
5. The method of claim 2 , in which the award replaced with a terminator is the highest value award remaining within the selectable elements.
6. The method of claim 1 , in which the sequence of prize levels is displayed on a secondary display, and in which each prize level is presented as a different floor in a depiction of a multi-story building.
7. The method of claim 6 , in which the selectable elements are depicted as elevator buttons.
8. A program product embodied in one or more tangible computer readable media, the program product including code executable by a gaming machine and at least one gaming server for:
receiving a player input from a card reader or bill acceptor/printer of a player tracking unit associated with the gaming machine, and in response activating player credits to be wagered;
receiving a player game activation risking player credits in a wager;
providing a wagering game to a player, the wagering game having a possible feature game available as a bonus feature triggered in a base game, the feature game including:
displaying a set of player selectable elements, each of the selectable elements corresponding to a respective award;
displaying a sequence of prize levels;
responsive to a player selection of one of the elements, uncovering an award associated with the element;
increasing an achieved prize level from a first prize level to a second prize level based upon the award;
replacing at least one of the respective awards with a terminator;
shuffling the selectable elements;
enabling a player to select again from the set of player selectable elements, and increasing the achieved prize level according to the award uncovered by each selection;
terminating the feature game, when the player selects the terminator; and
awarding an amount corresponding to the achieved prize level.
9. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the respective awards of the player selectable elements include awards of advancing one prize level, awards of advancing two prize levels, and awards of advancing three prize levels, all with respect to the displayed sequence of prize levels.
10. The program product of claim 9 , further comprising, after uncovering an award associated with the element and before shuffling the selectable elements, displaying awards associated with the other elements not selected by the player.
11. The program product of claim 9 , further comprising replacing at least one of the respective awards with a terminator after every selection made by the player, so that the number of terminators among the player selectable elements goes up after every selection made by the player.
12. The program product of claim 9 , in which the award replaced with a terminator is the highest value award remaining within the selectable elements.
13. The program product of claim 8 , in which the sequence of prize levels is displayed on a secondary display, and in which each prize level is presented as a different floor in a depiction of a multi-story building.
14. The program product of claim 13 , in which the selectable elements are depicted as elevator buttons.