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 gaming device used by a player for the operation of electronic game play comprising:
at least one fund-receiving mechanism for receiving funds and establishing a monetary credit associated with said gaming device;
at least one memory storage location for storing instructions associated with a game;
at least one processor;
at least one data input mechanism for allowing said player to input data associated with said game including a wager amount drawn from said monetary credit; and
at least one display device, wherein upon input associated with said game including said wager amount, the instructions are executed by the at least one processor to display on the display device: (i) a plurality of positional sets with each of said positional sets comprising a plurality of positions wherein the positions of at least one of said positional sets comprises segments of a simulated reel strip and the positions of at least one other of said positional sets comprises a plurality of simulated mini-reels, and (ii) a symbol residing within each of said positions, said symbol randomly selected from a symbol set;
a payline defined by the selection in a predetermined order of one of the positions from each of the positional sets that comprise segments of a simulated reel strip and one of the positions from each of the positional sets that comprise a plurality of simulated mini-reels;
a payline set comprising all combination of positions of said payline wherein the position from each of the positional sets that comprise segments of a simulated reel strip remains the same for each of said combination of positions and one of the positions from one of the positional sets that comprise a plurality of simulated mini-reels is different for each of said combination of positions;
at least one predetermined winning symbol combination comprised of an arrangement of specified symbols from said symbol set wherein said controller:
(i) reads each of said symbols from each of said combination of positions in said predetermined order;
(ii) determines if the arrangement of said symbols from each of said combination of positions matches any of said at least one predetermined winning symbol combinations;
(iii) awards the player a pre-determined award value for each arrangement of said symbols that match one of said at least one predetermined winning symbol combinations.
2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of pre-determined values wherein each of said pre-determined values is associated with one of said at least one predetermined winning symbol combinations.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said positional sets comprised of simulated mini-reels changes from a positional set comprised of segments of a simulated reel strip to simulated mini-reels upon the occurrence of a trigger event.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein said payline set comprises less than all of said combination of positions of said payline.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the positional set comprised of said positional set comprised of segments of a simulated reel strip converts to said positional set comprised of said plurality of mini-reels after display of a special symbol within said positional set comprised of segments of a simulated reel strip.
6. A gaming device used by a player for the operation of electronic game play comprising:
at least one fund-receiving mechanism for receiving funds and establishing a monetary credit associated with said gaming device;
at least one memory storage location for storing instructions associated with a game;
at least one processor;
at least one data input mechanism for allowing said player to input data associated with said game including a wager amount drawn from said monetary credit; and
at least one display device, wherein upon input associated with said game including said wager amount, the instructions are executed by the at least one processor to display on the display device: (i) a plurality of positional sets with each of said positional sets comprising a plurality of positions wherein at least one of the positions from at least one of the positional sets comprises a plurality of simulated mini-reels with the remainder of the positions comprised of segments of a simulated reel strip wherein each of said mini-reels further comprises one of said plurality of positions, and (ii) a symbol residing within each of said positions, said symbol randomly selected from a symbol set;
a payline defined by the selection in a predetermined order of one of the positions from each of the positional sets;
a payline set comprising all combination of positions of said payline wherein the positions that are segments of a simulated reel strip remain the same for each of said combination of positions and one of the positions from the at least one of the plurality of simulated mini-reels are different for each of said combination of positions;
at least one predetermined winning symbol combination comprised of an arrangement of specified symbols from said symbol set wherein said controller:
(i) reads each of said symbols from each of said combination of positions in a predetermined order;
(ii) determines if the arrangement of said symbols from each of said combination of positions matches any of said at least one predetermined winning symbol combinations;
(iii) awards the player a pre-determined award value for each arrangement of said symbols that match one of said at least one predetermined winning symbol combinations.
7. The device of claim 6 further comprising a plurality of pre-determined values wherein each of said pre-determined values is associated with one of said at least one predetermined winning symbol combinations.
8. The device of claim 6 wherein said payline set comprises less than all of said combination of positions of said payline.
9. The device of claim 6 wherein a special symbol displayed within one of said segments of a simulated reel triggers the replacement of said segment with said plurality of mini-reels.
10. The device of claim 9 wherein said special symbol is one of a plurality of special symbols and the number of said plurality of mini-reels is dependent on the special symbol that is displayed.