Spinning reel game with a synchronized spinning prize reel

1. A gaming machine comprising:

at least one display device displaying:

a first reel, the first reel comprising a plurality of first display positions, each of the plurality of first display positions displaying at least one of a plurality of prizes and operable to be spun in a first direction in which at least one of the plurality of prizes is aligned with the plurality of first display positions arranged in a line extending in the first direction;

a set of second reels, each reel of the set of second reels comprising a plurality of symbols, and operable to be spun in a second direction transverse to the first direction; and

a game controller comprising a processor and memory, the memory storing instructions, which, when executed, cause the game controller to at least:

control each reel of the set of second reels to spin in the second direction and stop to a respective stopping position,

determine, once each reel of the set of second reels reaches the respective stopping position, whether at least one trigger symbol is displayed by at least one of the set of second reels,

modify, in response to the at least one trigger symbol being displayed on the at least one of the set of second reels, the set of second reels to display a set of third reels,

control each reel of the set of third reels to spin in the second direction and stop to display one of an index symbol and a different symbol,

control the first reel to spin in the first direction and stop to a first reel stopping position that aligns each of the plurality of first display positions with each reel of the set of third reels,

evaluate the first reel to determine whether to award at least one of the plurality of prizes by identifying each of the plurality of first display positions that is aligned with a corresponding reel of the set of third reels displaying the index symbol after the first reel reaches the first reel stopping position and each of the set of third reels stops spinning; and

display the at least one of the plurality of prizes determined to be awarded.

2. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein executing the instructions further causes the game controller to initially conduct a number of spins of the set of second reels, and to hold any reel of the set of second reels for which the at least one trigger symbol is selected in any spin of the reel of the set of second reels so that it is not spun in any subsequent spin of the set of second reels.

3. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein executing the instructions further causes the game controller to reset the number of spins to an initial value of the number of spins each time the at least one trigger symbol is selected unless the at least one trigger symbol is selected for each of the set of second reels.

4. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein executing the instructions further causes the game controller to, if the at least one trigger symbol is selected for all reels of the set of second reels after each of the set of second reels reaches the respective stop position, display a predefined prize.

5. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein executing the instructions further causes the game controller to evaluate the prizes by summing amounts of the prizes together.

6. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein executing the instructions further causes the game controller to evaluate the prizes by determining a largest prize.

7. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first display positions that is aligned with the corresponding reel of the set of third reels indicates which prizes are included.

8. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first display positions that are aligned with the corresponding reel of the set of third reels indicates which prizes are excluded.

9. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first reel is a mechanical reel.

10. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the set of second reels are mechanical reels.

11. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the set of second reels are virtual reels.

12. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first reel is a virtual reel.

13. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a first and a last of the plurality of first display positions are treated as contiguous and the first reel has a length that equals to a quantity of the plurality of first display positions.

14. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein executing the instructions further causes the game controller to change at least one of the plurality of prizes in response to a game event.

15. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the game event is an occurrence of a defined combination of symbols selected for display in the set of second reels.

16. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 15 , wherein a defined one of the prizes is incremented each time the defined combination of symbols occurs.

17. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first reel is spun horizontally and each of the set of second reels is spun vertically.

18. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein executing the instructions further causes the game controller to employ values obtained from a random number generator to determine stopping positions of the first reel and each of the set of second reels.

19. A gaming machine comprising:

a first reel, the first reel comprising a plurality of first display positions, each of the plurality of first display positions displaying at least one of a plurality of prizes and operable to be spun in a first direction in which at least one of the plurality of the prizes are displayed at respective ones of the plurality of first display positions arranged in a line extending in the first direction;

a first set of second reels and a second set of second reels, each reel of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels comprising a plurality of symbols, and operable to be spun in a second direction transverse to the first direction; and

a game controller comprising a processor and memory, the memory storing instructions, which, when executed, cause the game controller to at least:

control each reel of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels to spin in the second direction and stop to a respective stopping position;

determine, once each reel of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels reaches the respective stopping position, whether at least one trigger symbol of the plurality of symbols is displayed by at least one of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels;

modify, in response to the at least one trigger symbol being displayed on the at least one of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels, the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels to display a set of third reels and a set of fourth reels, respectively;

control each reel of the set of third reels and the set of fourth reels to spin in the second direction and stop to display one of an index symbol and a different symbol;

after the set of third reels and the set of fourth reels stop spinning identify each of the plurality of first display positions that aligns with a corresponding reel of the set of third reels and the set of fourth reels displaying the index symbol;

control the first reel to spin in the first direction and stop at a first reel stopping position;

determine whether to award at least one of the plurality of prizes by applying the index symbol that is aligned with the at least one of the plurality of prizes on the first reel after the first reel reaches the first reel stopping position; and

display the at least one of the plurality of prizes determined to be awarded.

20. A method of operating a gaming machine, wherein the gaming machine comprises a first reel, the first reel comprising a plurality of first display positions, each of the plurality of first display positions displaying at least one of a plurality of prizes and operable to be spun in a first direction in which at least one of the plurality of the prizes is aligned with the plurality of first display positions arranged in a line extending in the first direction, a set of second reels, each reel of the set of second reels comprising a plurality of symbols, and operable to be spun in a second direction transverse to the first direction, and a game controller comprising a processor and memory, the memory storing instructions, which, when executed, cause the game controller to spin each reel of the set of second reels to spin in the second direction and stop to a respective stopping position, the method comprising:

determining, by the game controller, once each reel of the set of second reels reaches the respective stopping position, whether at least one trigger symbol is displayed by at least one of the set of second reels;

modifying, by the game controller, in response to the at least one trigger symbol being displayed on the at least one of the set of second reels, the set of second reels to display a set of third reels,

controlling, by the game controller, each reel of the set of third reels to spin in the second direction and stop to display one of an index symbol and a different symbol;

controlling, by the game controller, the first reel to spin in the first direction and stop to a first reel stopping position that aligns each of the plurality of first display positions with each reel of the set of third reels;

evaluating, by the game controller, the first reel to determine whether to award at least one of the plurality of prizes by identifying each of the plurality of first display positions that is aligned with a corresponding reel of the set of third reels displaying the index symbol after the first reel reaches the first reel stopping position and each of the set of third reels stops spinning; and

displaying the at least one of the plurality of prizes determined to be awarded.

21. A method of operating at least one gaming machine, the method comprising:

displaying a first reel on a display, the first reel comprising a plurality of first display positions, each of the plurality of first display positions displaying at least one of a plurality of prizes and operable to be spun in a first direction in which the plurality of the prizes are displayed at respective ones of the plurality of first display positions arranged in a line extending in the first direction;

displaying a first set of second reels and a second set of second reels on the display, each reel of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels comprising a plurality of symbols including at least one trigger symbol, and operable to be spun in a second direction transverse to the first direction, and

initiating a game controller, the game controller comprising a processor and memory, the memory storing instructions, which, when executed, cause the game controller to spin each reel of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels in the second direction and stop to a respective stopping position;

controlling, by the game controller, each of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels to spin at least once to the respective stopping position;

determining, by the game controller, once each reel of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels reaches the respective stopping position, whether at least one trigger symbol of the plurality of symbols is displayed by at least one of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels;

modifying, by the game controller, in response to the at least one trigger symbol being displayed on the at least one of the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels, the first set of second reels and the second set of second reels to display a set of third reels and a set of fourth reels, respectively;

controlling, by the game controller, each reel of the set of third reels and the set of fourth reels to spin in the second direction and stop to display one of an index symbol and a different symbol;

after the set of third reels and the set of fourth reels stop spinning, identifying each of the plurality of first display positions that aligns with a corresponding reel of the set of third reels and the set of fourth reels displaying the index symbol;

controlling, by the game controller, the first reel to spin in the first direction and stop at a first reel stopping position;

determining, by the game controller, whether to award at least one of the plurality of prizes by applying the index symbol that is aligned with the at least one of the plurality of prizes on the first reel after the first reel reaches the first reel stopping position; and

displaying the at least one of the plurality of prizes determined to be awarded.