Electronic gaming machine

1. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

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

credit meters configured to monitor the credit balance;

a display;

a memory storing program instructions for each of a plurality of different games; and

a game controller for executing the program instructions, the game controller configured to conduct, in accord with the wagering activity, plural game instances in respective ones of a plurality of game areas on the display based on one or more player selections from among the different games, the game controller configured to operate in a first mode when conducting less than a defined number of game instances and a second mode when conducting a defined number of game instances,

wherein when operating in the second mode, the game controller is configured to add at least one additional game feature to each of the defined game instances irrespective of the player game selections of games for the respective game areas; and

a payout mechanism configured to provide a payout.

2. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional game feature enables additional game play to be triggered in each of the game instances.

3. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one additional game feature enables an additional prize to be won during play of the game.

4. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the different games are spinning reel games and the at least one additional game feature modifies at least one reel of each of the game instances to incorporate at least one additional function symbol during play of the respective game instance.

5. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one additional game feature modifies at least one reel by replacing the at least one reel with a reel composed of function symbols.

6. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the function symbol is a substitute symbol.

7. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the game controller is configured to operate in the second mode when conducting more than the defined number of game instances.

8. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the defined number is the maximum number of game instances.

9. A method of operating a gaming machine comprising a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item representing a monetary value to establish a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity, credit meters configured to monitor the credit balance, a display, a memory storing program instructions for each of a plurality of different games, a payout mechanism, and a game controller for executing the program instructions, the method comprising:

conducting, via the game controller, in accord with the wagering activity, one or more game instances in respective ones of a plurality of game areas on the display based on one or more player selections from among the different games, including by conducting plural game instances when more than one game instance is conducted;

operating, via the game controller, in a first mode when conducting less than a defined number of game instances; and

operating, via the game controller, in a second mode when conducting a defined number of game instances,

wherein operating in the second mode, comprises the game controller adding at least one additional game feature to each of the defined game instances irrespective of the player game selections of games for the respective game areas.

10. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

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

credit meters configured to monitor the credit balance;

a display;

a memory storing program instructions for each of a plurality of different games;

a game controller for executing the program instructions, the game controller configured to:

conduct, in accord with the wagering activity, plural game instances in respective ones of a plurality of game areas on the display based on one or more player selections from among the different games,

maintain a common jackpot prize winnable from any one of the game instances during a play of a respective game instance,

monitor concurrent plays of each of the game instances for a jackpot award condition to be met, and

upon one or more jackpot prize award conditions being met in respect of one or more of concurrent plays of the game instances, make an award of the common jackpot prize in respect of each jackpot condition that is met.

11. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the game controller maintains a plurality of jackpot prizes each having an associated jackpot award condition.

12. A method of operating an electronic gaming machine comprising a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item representing a monetary value to establish a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity, credit meters configured to monitor the credit balance, a display, a memory storing program instructions for each of a plurality of different games, a payout mechanism, and a game controller for executing the program instructions, the method comprising:

conducting, via the game controller, in accord with the wagering activity, plural game instances in respective ones of a plurality of game areas on the display based on one or more player selections from among the different games,

maintaining, via the game controller, a common jackpot prize winnable from any one of the game instances during a play of a respective game instance,

monitoring, via the game controller, concurrent plays of each of the game instances for a jackpot award condition to be met, and

upon one or more jackpot prize award conditions being met in respect of one or more of concurrent plays of the game instances, making, via the payout mechanism, an award of the common jackpot prize in respect of each jackpot condition that is met.

13. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

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

credit meters configured to monitor the credit balance;

a display;

a memory storing program instructions for each of a plurality of different spinning reel games;

a game controller for executing the program instructions, the game controller configured to, in accord with the wagering activity, conduct plural game instances in respective ones of a plurality of game areas on the display based on one or more player selections from among the different spinning reel games, the game controller configured to respond to a trigger condition being met by modifying at least one reel of each of the game instances to incorporate at least one additional symbol during play of the respective game instance; and

a payout mechanism configured to provide a payout.

14. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the game controller modifies at least one reel by replacing the at least one reel with a reel composed of function symbols.

15. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the function symbol is a substitute symbol.

16. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the game controller is configured to modify the at least one reel of each of the game instances by adding a symbol to one or more reserved reel positions of each reel.

17. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 16 , wherein there are a plurality of contiguous reserved reel positions.

18. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the added symbol is selected by the game controller.

19. A method of operating an electronic gaming machine comprising a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item representing a monetary value to establish a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity, credit meters configured to monitor the credit balance, a display, a memory storing program instructions for each of a plurality of different spinning reel games, a payout mechanism, and a game controller for executing the program instructions, the method comprising the game controller:

conducting, via the game controller, in accord with the wagering activity, plural game instances in respective ones of a plurality of game areas on the display based on one or more player selections from among the different spinning reel games, and

responding to a trigger condition being met by modifying, via the game controller, at least one reel of each of the game instances to incorporate at least one additional symbol during play of the respective game instance.

20. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

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

credit meters configured to monitor the credit balance;

a touch screen display;

a memory storing program instructions for each of a plurality of different games;

a game controller for executing the program instructions, the game controller configured to, in accord with the wagering activity:

control the display to display a game selections interface comprising a plurality of game areas and a plurality of game icons corresponding to respective ones of the plurality different games;

monitor the touch screen for touch gestures in respect of the game icons and in response to determining a touch gesture beginning at a respective game icon and directed towards a respective game area, populating the game area with a game instance of the game corresponding to the respective game icon; and

a payout mechanism configured to provide a payout.

21. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the touch gesture is a drag gesture.

22. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the touch gesture is a flick gesture.