GAMING MACHINE

1 . A gaming machine comprising:

a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item representing a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on a wagering activity;

credit meters configured to monitor the credit balance;

a display having three separate display areas;

a game controller configured to, in accord with the wagering activity,:

display a base game in a first display area of said separate display areas,

display a listing of a plurality of prizes in a second display area of said separate display areas, and

display a feature wheel in a third display area of said separate display area; and

wherein the listing includes a plurality of prize identifiers, each prize identifier being associated with one of said plurality of prizes and being displayed in said second display area in relation to the prize to which said prize identifier is associated;

wherein said feature wheel is circular in configuration and has a plurality of prize slices, each said prize slice has one of said plurality of prize identifiers identifying one prize of said plurality of prizes;

wherein said game controller is further configured to play a feature game by selecting one of said slices having a prize identifier identifying one prize of said plurality of prizes on said feature wheel;

wherein said game controller is further configured to award said prize identifier identified by the selecting of one of said slices;

wherein said game controller is configured to change said prize identifiers of at least some of said slices in response to the selected one of said slices lands on an upgrade identifier; and

a payout mechanism configured to, in response to awarding the one prize, increase the credit balance based on the one prize, and to cause a payout associated with the credit balance.

2 . A gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein said game controller is configured to change said prize identifiers on all of said slices.

3 . A gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein said game controller is configured to change said prize identifiers on all of said slices except the identifier associated with the largest prize of said prizes.

4 . A gaming machine according to claim 2 , wherein said plurality of prizes are a series of prizes arranged according to prize amount; and wherein said game controller is configured to change said identifiers by increasing each identifier to a prize identifier associated with a next larger prize amount in said series.

5 . A gaming machine according to claim 3 , wherein said plurality of prizes are a series of prizes arranged according to prize amount; and wherein said game controller is configured to change said identifiers by increasing each identifier to a prize identifier associated with a next larger prize amount in said series.

6 . A gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein said feature wheel includes at least one slice having an upgrade indicator, and wherein is said game controller configured to change a prize identifier of at least one slice in response to the selected slice having an upgrade indicator.

7 . A gaming machine according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of prizes includes a number of progressive prizes.

8 . A gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein said game controller is configured to randomly select one of said slices.

9 . A gaming machine according to claim 8 , wherein said plurality of prize slices includes a number of prize slices having the same prize identifier, and wherein more prize slices having the same prize identifier identify a smaller valued prize than slices having a prize identifier identifying a larger valued prize.

10 . A gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein said game controller is configured to select one of said slices by selecting a position on the third display.

11 . A gaming machine according to claim 10 , wherein said position is identified by an indicator.

12 . A gaming machine according to claim 11 , wherein said indicator is located at the center of said feature wheel and rotates with respect to said feature wheel.

13 . A gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein said game controller is configured to return the prize identifiers of said prize slices to the prize identifiers originally appearing on said feature wheel to any changes to said prize identifiers.

14 . A gaming machine comprising:

a credit input mechanism operable to receive a physical item representing a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on a wagering activity;

credit meters operable to monitor the credit balance;

a display including 1) a first display area displaying a plurality of display positions, and 2) a second display area displaying a plurality of display slices and an indicator, and a first display slice of the display slices being configured to display a first prize identifier associated with a first value, a second display slice of the display slices having a second prize identifier associated with a second value that is greater than the first value, and a third display slice of the display slices having an upgrade identifier;

a memory storing a plurality of symbols;

a game controller configured to, in accord with the wagering activity,:

select symbols for display in the display positions, and to display the selected symbols,

determine if the displayed symbols include a trigger condition,

rotate the indicator with respect to the display slices and stop the rotating of the indicator, in response to determining that the displayed symbols include a trigger condition,

determine one award of the first prize identifier, the second prize identifier, and the upgrade identifier is to be awarded, when the rotating of the indicator stops, and

change the first value associated the first display slice to the second value, in response to determining the one award includes the upgrade identifier; and

a payout mechanism configured to, in response to determining one of the first prize identifier and the second prize identifier is to be awarded, increase the credit balance based on one of the first value and the second value, and to cause a payout associated with the credit balance.

15 . A gaming machine according to claim 14 , wherein the indicator rotates with respect to the plurality of display slices.

16 . A gaming machine according to claim 14 , wherein the first value and the second value are credit prizes.

17 . A gaming machine according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of symbols include a plurality of special symbols, and wherein the trigger condition occurs when the displayed symbols include a combination of the special symbols.

18 . A gaming machine according to claim 14 , wherein the first prize identifier identifies a first prize level, and wherein the first value identifies a first prize amount.

19 . A gaming machine according to claim 14 , wherein the game controller is further configured to change the second value associated the second display slice to a third value, in response to determining the one award includes the upgrade identifier, and wherein the third value is greater than the second value.

20 . A gaming machine according to claim 14 , wherein the first value and the second value are a first prize tier and a second prize tier, respectively, of a plurality of prize tiers.

21 . A gaming machine according to claim 20 , wherein the plurality of display slices further include a fourth slice having a third prize identifier associated with a third value, wherein the third value is a top tier of the plurality of prize tiers, and wherein the game controller is further configured to maintain the third prize identifier associated with the third value of the fourth slice in response to determining the one award includes the upgrade identifier.

22 . A gaming machine according to claim 14 , wherein the game controller is configured to add an additional display slice to the second display area in response to a base game outcome.

23 . A gaming machine according to claim 14 , wherein the game controller is further configured to additionally rotate the indicator in response to determining the one award includes the upgrade identifier.

24 . A gaming machine comprising:

a credit input mechanism operable to receive a physical item representing a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on a wagering activity;

credit meters operable to monitor the credit balance;

a display having three separate display areas;

a game controller configured to, in accord with the wagering activity;

display a base game in a first display area of said separate display areas,

display a listing of a plurality of prizes in a second display area of said separate display areas, and

display a feature wheel in a third display area of said separate display area; and

wherein the listing includes a plurality of prize identifiers, each prize identifier being associated with one of said plurality of prizes and being displayed in said second display area in relation to the prize to which said prize identifier is associated;

wherein said feature wheel is circular in configuration and has a plurality of prize slices, each said prize slice has one of said plurality of prize identifiers identifying one prize of said plurality of prizes, and wherein said feature wheel has at least one upgrade slice having an upgrade indicator;

wherein said game controller is configured to play a feature game by selecting one of said slices having a prize identifier identifying one prize of said plurality of prizes;

wherein said game controller is configured to award said prize identifier identified by the selection of the prize slices;

wherein said game controller is configured to change said prize identifiers of at least some of said prize slices in response to a selection in the feature game of said at least one slice having said upgrade indicator; and

a payout mechanism configured to, in response to awarding the one prize, increase the credit balance based on the one prize, and to cause a payout associated with the credit balance.

25 . A gaming machine according to claim 24 , wherein said game controller is configured to provide an additional selection of said feature wheel in response to the selected one prize slice having an upgrade indicator.

26 . A gaming machine according to claim 24 , wherein said game controller is configured to add an upgrade slice to said feature wheel in response to a base game outcome.

27 . A gaming machine according to claim 26 , wherein said game controller is configured to change a prize slice of said feature wheel to an upgrade slice.

28 . A gaming machine according to claim 27 , wherein said game controller is configured to change a prize slice having a prize identifier identifying a lowest value prize.