Electronic device for playing a reel-based game with mini-reels
The present invention is a device embodying a reel-based game. The reel-based game includes a plurality of reels and a plurality of mini-reels. The mini-reels replace one or more of the plurality of reels or may replace one or more symbol-bearing positions of the reels. The added feature of the plurality of mini-reels enables the possible attainment of a greater number of symbol combinations and winning outcomes by replacing standard paylines associated with the reel or reel position with sets of paylines that cover all mini-reel-based outcomes.
1. A device used by a player for the operation of electronic game play comprising:
at least one input device;
at least one memory storage location for storing instructions associated with a game;
at least one processor;
at least one display device, wherein upon input associated with a wager made by a player through the at least one input device, the instructions are executed by the at least one processor to display on the display device (i) a plurality of simulated reels, each simulated reel displaying a plurality of positions, (ii) a plurality of simulated mini-reels, each simulated mini-reel displaying one position, and (iii) a symbol displayed in each of the plurality of positions of each simulated reel and the one position of each simulated mini-reel, each of said symbols randomly selected from a symbol set comprising a plurality of symbols;
a plurality of sets of selectable positions wherein one of said sets of selectable positions comprises said plurality of simulated mini-reels and wherein the remainder of said sets of selectable positions are each comprised of at least one of said plurality of positions from each of said plurality of simulated reels;
a payline comprising a selectable position from one of each of the selectable positions of each of the plurality of simulated reels and one of any of the selectable positions from the plurality of simulated mini-reels;
a plurality of symbol combinations associated with said payline wherein each of said symbol combinations consists of a symbol from the selectable position selected from each of said plurality of simulated reels and one of said plurality of simulated mini-reels, wherein the selectable position selected from each of the simulated reels remains the same and the selectable position of the plurality of simulated mini reels differs for each of the plurality of symbol combinations; and
wherein said controller:
(i) reads each of the symbol combinations in, a predetermined order;
(ii) determines if any of said symbol combinations match any of a plurality of predetermined winning symbol combinations;
(iii) awards the player a pre-determined award associated with each of said predetermined winning combinations.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein a triggering event replaces at least one of said simulated reels with said plurality of said simulated mini-reels.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the number of said simulated mini-reels is associated with the amount of said wager.
4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the number of said simulated mini-reels is associated with said triggering event.