Gaming machines and method for increased return to player mode

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device in communication with the at least one processor, the at least one memory device storing instructions which when executed by the at least one processor causes the at least one processor to, at least:

display a plurality of mode tracker display areas associated with respective input amounts, the plurality of mode tracker display areas comprising a respective quantity of mode tracking display elements in respective mode tracking element positions;

receive a first input associated with a selected mode tracker display area of the plurality of mode tracker display areas;

display a user interface in a first game mode with a first quantity of symbol positions arranged in a matrix on the at least one display device, the user interface including a first quantity of mode tracking element positions and a first quantity of mode tracking display elements corresponding to the selected mode tracker display area;

determine a first outcome for the first game mode, based at least in part on a first output from a random number generator;

add a first new mode tracking element to the first quantity of mode tracking element positions, in response to determining that the first outcome includes a mode tracking element;

determine a second outcome for the first game mode, based at least in part on a second output from the random number generator;

add a second new mode tracking element to the first quantity of mode tracking element positions, in response to determining that the second outcome includes a mode tracking element;

determine that the first quantity of mode tracking element positions have been filled with mode tracking elements;

determine a second game mode in response to determining that the first quantity of mode tracking element positions have been filled with mode tracking elements, the second game mode including an increased quantity of symbol positions from the first quantity of symbol positions to a second quantity of symbol positions based upon a third output from the random number generator, wherein the second quantity of symbol positions comprise an expansion from the matrix;

update the user interface to display the second game mode; and

determine a second game mode outcome, based at least in part on a fourth output from the random number generator.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

determine the first outcome for the first game mode in response to the first input, the first input indicative of a first wager amount;

determine the second outcome for the first game mode in response to a second input, the second input indicative of the first wager amount; and

determine the second game mode outcome in response to a third input, the third input indicative of a second wager amount.

3. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the first wager amount is equal to the second wager amount.

4. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

display a plurality of symbol display positions in the user interface for the first game mode, the plurality of symbols display positions arranged in a plurality of columns, each column of the plurality of columns having a column height; and

increase the column height of at least one of the plurality of columns in the second game mode.

5. The gaming system of claim 4 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to increase the column height of at least three of the plurality of columns in the second game mode.

6. The gaming system of claim 4 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

determine that a first trigger condition exists in the first outcome or the second outcome;

in response to determining that the first trigger condition exists, update the user interface to display a first quantity of bonus games;

determine an outcome for each of the first quantity of bonus games, the outcome for each of the first quantity of bonus games including symbols displayed in the plurality of symbol display positions in the user interface for the first game mode;

determine that a second trigger condition exists in the second game mode outcome;

in response to determining that the second trigger condition exists, update the user interface to display a second quantity of bonus games; and

determine an outcome for each of the second quantity of bonus games, the outcome for each of the first quantity of bonus games including symbols displayed in the plurality of symbol display positions in the user interface for the second game mode including the increased column height of at least one of the plurality of columns.

7. The gaming system of claim 4 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

update the user interface to display a third game mode instead of a second game mode, in response to determining that the first quantity of mode tracking element positions have been filled with mode tracking elements and that the third game mode is to be displayed instead of the second game mode;

determine a third game mode outcome, based at least in part on a fifth output from the random number generator; and

increase the column height of at least one of the plurality of columns in the third game mode, wherein the column height of the at least one of the plurality of columns in the third game mode is greater than the column height of the at least one of the plurality of columns in the second game mode.

8. The gaming system of claim 4 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

display a second quantity of second mode tracking element positions in the user interface in the first game mode;

add a second mode tracking element to the second mode tracking element positions, in response to determining that the first outcome includes a second mode tracking element;

add a second mode tracking element to the second mode tracking element positions, in response to determining that the second outcome includes the second mode tracking element;

update the user interface to display a third game mode, in response to determining that the second quantity of second mode tracking element positions have been filled with second mode tracking elements; and

determine a third game mode outcome, based at least in part on a fifth output from the random number generator.

9. The gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to increase the column height of at least one of the plurality of columns in the third game mode, wherein the column height of at least one of the plurality of columns in the third game mode is greater than the column height of at least one of the plurality of columns in the second game mode.

10. The gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the first game mode has a first return to player (RTP), the second game mode has a second RTP, and the third game mode has a third RTP, and wherein the third RTP is greater than the second RTP which is greater than the first RTP.

11. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the first game mode has a first return to player (RTP) and the second game mode has a second RTP, and wherein the first RTP is based on the first wager amount and the second RTP is based on the second wager amount.

12. The gaming system of claim 11 , wherein the second RTP is greater than the first RTP when the first wager amount is equal to or greater than the second wager amount.

13. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to display a predetermined number of wilds for the second game mode outcome.

14. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

associate a quantity of plays with the second game mode;

determine an outcome for each of the quantity of plays of the second game mode;

display the outcome for each of the quantity of plays of the second game mode; and

update the user interface to display the first game mode after the outcome for each of the quantity of plays of the second game mode have been displayed.

15. The gaming system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a credit input device; and

a credit output device; wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

establish a credit balance in response to receiving a physical item representing a monetary value via the credit input device, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based on wager activity, the first outcome, the second outcome and the second game mode outcome; and

cause the credit output device to dispense an item representing the monetary value of the credit balance in response to receipt of a cash out input.

16. A computer-implemented method comprising:

causing to be displayed, by a controller, a plurality of mode tracker display areas associated with respective input amounts, the plurality of mode tracker display areas comprising a respective quantity of mode tracking display elements in respective mode tracking element positions;

receiving an input associated with a selected mode tracker display area of the plurality of mode tracker display areas;

causing to be displayed, by the controller, a user interface in a first game mode on a display device, the user interface in the first game mode including a first plurality of symbol display positions arranged in a matrix and a first quantity of mode tracking display elements corresponding to the selected mode tracker display area;

determining whether a first mode tracking element is in each outcome of a plurality of outcomes of the first game mode, each outcome of the plurality of outcomes of the first game mode comprising a plurality of symbols displayed at the first plurality of symbol display positions;

accumulating, on the user interface, each first mode tracking element in the plurality of outcomes of the first game mode;

determining that a first quantity of mode tracking elements have been accumulated;

determining a second game mode in response to determining that the first quantity of mode tracking elements have been accumulated, the second game mode including an increased quantity of symbol positions from the first plurality of symbol display positions to a second plurality of symbol display positions based upon an output from a random number generator, wherein the second plurality of symbol display positions comprises an expansion from the matrix;

causing the user interface to update to display the user interface in the second game mode; and

determining an outcome for each of a quantity of second game mode outcomes, each outcome of the quantity of second game mode outcomes comprising a plurality of symbols displayed at the second plurality of symbol display positions, where the quantity of second game mode outcomes is based on the first quantity of mode tracking elements.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein each outcome of the plurality of outcomes of the first game mode is based on a first return to player and each outcome of the quantity of second game mode outcomes is based on a second return to player which is greater than the first return to player.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein the second plurality of symbol display positions are greater than the first plurality of symbol display positions.

19. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions, which when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to, at least:

display a plurality of mode tracker display areas associated with respective input amounts, the plurality of mode tracker display areas comprising a respective quantity of mode tracking display elements in respective mode tracking element positions;

receive an input associated with a selected mode tracker display area of the plurality of mode tracker display areas;

display a user interface in a first game mode on at least one display device, the user interface including a first quantity of mode tracking element positions and a plurality of symbol display positions and a first quantity of mode tracking display elements corresponding to the selected mode tracker display area, the plurality of symbol display positions comprising a first quantity of symbol positions and arranged in a matrix comprising a plurality of columns, each column of the plurality of columns having a column height;

determine a first outcome for the first game mode, based at least in part on a first output from a random number generator;

add a first new mode tracking element to the first quantity of mode tracking element positions, in response to determining that the first outcome includes a mode tracking element;

determine a second outcome for the first game mode, based at least in part on a second output from the random number generator;

add a second new mode tracking element to the first quantity of mode tracking element positions, in response to determining that the second outcome includes a mode tracking element;

determine that the first quantity of mode tracking element positions have been filled with mode tracking elements;

determine a second game mode in response to determining that the first quantity of mode tracking element positions have been filled with mode tracking elements, the second game mode including an increased quantity of symbol positions from the first quantity of symbol positions to a second quantity of symbol positions based upon a third output from the random number generator, wherein the second quantity of symbol positions comprise an expansion from the matrix;

update the user interface to display the second game mode, wherein the column height of at least one of the plurality of columns in the second game mode is increased; and

determine a second game mode outcome, based at least in part on a fourth output from the random number generator.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 19 , wherein the instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

associate a quantity of plays with the second game mode;

determine an outcome for each of the quantity of plays of the second game mode;

display the outcome for each of the quantity of plays of the second game mode; and

update the user interface to display the first game mode after the outcome for each of the quantity of plays of the second game mode have been displayed.