Dual wagering game and amusement-style gaming unit
A “dual” gaming unit or machine is configured to implement both one or more traditional casino-style wagering games, such as games having outcomes determined primarily by chance and not skill, and one or more games which are traditionally not casino style games, such as amusement-type games or games having amusement-type game components, such as games where the outcome is determined substantially by skill. The wagering game portion of the gaming machine may award monetary awards to the player for winning wagering game outcomes, and the amusement portion of the gaming machine may be used to award promotional prizes to the player. A player rewards system may include such dual gaming units or other award dispensing mechanisms.
1. A gaming machine comprising:
a housing;
an amusement-type game device comprising a prize area for containing one or more prizes for winning as a result of the play of the amusement-type game device, said prize area having a front and an opposing back, at least a portion of said front comprising a viewing panel, said viewing panel permitting said one or more prizes in said prize area to be viewable at one or more times;
at least one player input device, said at least one player input device comprising a device for receiving input from a player to control the amusement-type game device;
a projector configured to project information onto said viewing panel of said prize area;
a monetary-value receiving device for creating a monetary value credit balance at the gaming machine;
a processor, said processor configured to execute machine-readable code stored in memory to:
present at least one wagering game to said player in response to a wager placed from said monetary value credit balance, comprising projecting wagering game information on said viewing panel via said projector, said game information generally obscuring the viewing of said one or more prizes through said viewing panel;
determine an outcome of said wagering game and award winnings for winning outcomes of said wagering game; and
activate said amusement-type game device for play by said player at one or more times, wherein when said amusement-type game device is activated, said one or more prizes are viewable through said viewing panel of said prize area.
2. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said prize area is defined by one or more sides between said front and said back and said projector is further configured to project said information onto at least one of said sides.
3. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said projector is configured to project advertising information onto said at least one of said sides.
4. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said processor is configured to activate said amusement-type game device in response to a signal from an external rewards server.
5. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said viewing panel is configurable between transparent and opaque conditions and wherein said viewing panel is configured into its opaque condition when said game information is projected thereon by said projector.
6. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said amusement-type game device has a player skill component that at least partially determines the outcome of the amusement-type game.
7. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said amusement-type game device comprises one or more of the following: a crane device, a coin-pusher device.
8. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a prize dispenser configured to dispense a prize from said prize area to said player, wherein said controller is configured to receive information regarding a prize which is awardable to said player via play of said amusement-type game, and further comprising machine-readable code which is configured to cause said controller to control said prize dispenser to prevent the award of a prize from said prize area which is not said awardable prize.
9. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said information regarding a prize which is awardable is related to information generated by said player's player tracking account or player loyalty program.
10. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said amusement-type device comprises a claw which can be manipulated by said player and wherein said controller causes said claw to drop a prize grabbed thereby if said prize is not said awardable prize.
11. A gaming machine comprising: a housing; an amusement-type game device comprising a prize area for containing one or more prizes for winning as a result of the play of the amusement-type game device, said prize area having a front and an opposing back, at least a portion of said front comprising a viewing panel, said viewing panel configurable between a first generally transparent condition in which said one or more prizes in said prize area are viewable therethrough, and a second generally opaque condition in which said one or more prizes are generally not viewable therethrough; at least one player input device, said at least one player input device comprising a device for receiving input from a player to control the amusement-type game device; a display device located at said front and configured to display information; a monetary-value receiving device for creating a monetary value credit balance at the gaming machine; a processor, said processor configured to execute machine-readable code stored in memory to: present at least one wagering game to said player in response to a wager placed from said monetary value credit balance, comprising causing said display device to display game information and causing said viewing panel to be placed into said second generally opaque condition; determine an outcome of said wagering game and award winnings for winning outcomes of said wagering game; and activate said amusement-type game device for play by said player at one or more times, wherein when said amusement-type game device is activated, said viewing panel is placed into said first generally transparent condition.
12. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said prize area further comprises a left side and a right side; said left and right side each comprising a display device configured to display information.
13. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of said display device on said left and right side is transparent at one or more times, allowing said player to see therethrough into said prize area, and said at least a portion of said display device on said left and right side is generally opaque at other times.
14. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising a touch screen associated with said front.
15. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said gaming machine communicates with a promotional server and said processor is configured to activate said amusement-type game device in response to an instruction from said promotional server, independent from said at least one wagering game.
16. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said amusement-type game device has a player skill component that at least partially determines the outcome of the amusement-type game.
17. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said amusement-type game device comprises one or more of the following: a crane device, a coin-pusher device.
18. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising a prize dispenser configured to dispense a prize from said prize area to said player, wherein said controller is configured to receive information regarding a prize which is awardable to said player via play of said amusement-type game, and further comprising machine-readable code which is configured to cause said controller to control said prize dispenser to prevent the award of a prize from said prize area which is not said awardable prize.
19. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 18 , wherein said information regarding a prize which is awardable is related to information generated by said player's player tracking account or player loyalty program.
20. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 18 , wherein said amusement-type device comprises a claw which can be manipulated by said player and wherein said controller causes said claw to drop a prize grabbed thereby if said prize is not said awardable prize.