Gaming device including player selectable wild symbols
A gaming system configured to operate a game associated with a plurality of symbols. For a play of the game, the gaming system displays a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of the symbols and being associated with a plurality of symbol display areas. For an activation of the reels, the gaming system randomly generates and causes each of the reels to display one of the symbols on that reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with that reel. Upon an occurrence of a triggering event, the gaming system: adds one or more wild symbols to one or more of the reels and provides a plurality of additional activations of the reels. If a removal condition is satisfied prior to a final one of the additional activations of the reels, the gaming system removes a remaining wild symbol from one of the reels.
1. A gaming device comprising:
at least one display device;
at least one input device;
at least one processor; and
at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by said at least one processor, cause said at least one processor to operate with said at least one display device and said at least one input device to:
(a) display a play of a game, said game including:
(i) a plurality of reels including a plurality of symbols,
(ii) a plurality of selectable symbols, at least one of said selectable symbols associated with a quantity of free spins, at least one of said selectable symbols associated with a terminator, and at least one of said selectable symbols associated with a multiplier, and
(iii) a plurality of symbol positions associated with said reels;
(b) if a triggering event occurs in association with said play of the game:
(i) display a plurality of the selectable symbols at a plurality of the symbol positions associated with the reels,
(ii) after displaying the plurality of the selectable symbols at the plurality of the symbol positions associated with the reels, enable the player to pick one of the displayed selectable symbols,
(iii) if the picked selectable symbol is associated with the quantity of free spins, subsequently provide the player with the quantity of free spins of the reels,
(iv) if the picked selectable symbol is associated with the terminator, display the terminator and prevent further picking of the displayed selectable symbols associated with said play of the game,
(v) if the picked selectable symbol is associated with the multiplier, display the multiplier, and
(vi) if at least one displayed selectable symbol remains displayed and no terminator is displayed, enable the player to pick another one of the displayed selectable symbols not previously picked, and repeat (b)(iii) to (b)(v); and
(c) evaluate the displayed symbols including any displayed multipliers, and display any awards associated with any winning symbol combinations and any displayed multipliers.
2. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein said instructions, when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, to cause at least one of said selectable symbols to be associated with a wild symbol, and if one of the picked selectable symbol is associated with the wild symbol, display the wild symbol, and evaluate the displayed symbols including any displayed wild symbols, and display any awards associated with any winning symbol combinations, any displayed multipliers, and any displayed wild symbols.
3. The gaming device of claim 2 , wherein said instructions, when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, if one of the picked selectable symbols is associated with said wild symbol, to display the wild symbol at a plurality of the symbol positions associated with the reel which displays said picked selectable symbol.
4. The gaming device of claim 2 , wherein said instructions, when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, if one of the picked selectable symbols is associated with said wild symbol, to display the wild symbol in all of the plurality of the symbol positions associated with the reel which displays said picked selectable symbol.
5. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein said instructions, when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, if the triggering event occurs, to display the selectable symbols at a plurality of symbol positions associated with a plurality of the reels.
6. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein said instructions, when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, if the triggering event occurs, to display a designated quantity of the selectable symbols, wherein the designated number is pre-determined by the at least one processor.
7. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein said instructions, when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operated with the at least one display device, if the triggering event occurs, to display a designated quantity of the selectable symbols, wherein the designated number is randomly determined by the at least one processor.
8. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
causing at least one processor to operate with at least one display device and at least one input device to:
(a) display a play of a game, said game including:
(i) a plurality of reels including a plurality of symbols,
(ii) a plurality of selectable symbols, at least one of said selectable symbols associated with a quantity of free spins, at least one of said selectable symbols associated with a terminator, and at least one of said selectable symbols associated with a multiplier, and
(iii) a plurality of symbol positions associated with said reels; and
(b) if a triggering event occurs in association with said play of the game:
(i) display a plurality of the selectable symbols at a plurality of the symbol positions associated with the reels,
(ii) after displaying the plurality of the selectable symbols at the plurality of the symbol positions associated with the reels, enable the player to pick one of the displayed selectable symbols,
(iii) if the picked selectable symbol is associated with the quantity of free spins, subsequently provide the player with the quantity of free spins of the reels,
(iv) if the picked selectable symbol is associated with the terminator, display the terminator and prevent further picking of the displayed selectable symbols associated with said play of the game,
(v) if the picked selectable symbol is associated with the multiplier, display the multiplier, and
(vi) if at least one displayed selectable symbol remains displayed and no terminator is displayed, enable the player to pick another one of the displayed selectable symbols not previously picked, and repeat (b)(iii) to (b)(v); and
causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to evaluate the displayed symbols including any displayed multipliers, and display any awards associated with any winning symbol combinations and any displayed multipliers.
9. The method of claim 8 , which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, to cause at least one of said selectable symbols to be associated with a wild symbol, and if one of the picked selectable symbol is associated with the wild symbol, display the wild symbol, and evaluate the displayed symbols including any displayed wild symbols, and display any awards associated with any winning symbol combinations, any displayed multipliers, and any displayed wild symbols.
10. The method of claim 9 , which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, if one of the picked selectable symbols is associated with said wild symbol, to display the wild symbol at a plurality of the symbol positions associated with the reel which displays said picked selectable symbol.
11. The method of claim 9 , which includes causing the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, if one of the picked selectable symbols is associated with said wild symbol, to display the wild symbol in all of the plurality of the symbol positions associated with the reel which displays said picked selectable symbol.
12. The method of claim 8 , which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, if the triggering event occurs, to display the selectable symbols at a plurality of symbol positions associated with a plurality of the reels.
13. The method of claim 8 , which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, if the triggering event occurs, to display a designated quantity of the selectable symbols, wherein the designated number is pre-determined by the at least one processor.
14. The method of claim 8 , which includes causing the at least one processor to operated with the at least one display device, if the triggering event occurs, to display a designated quantity of the selectable symbols, wherein the designated number is randomly determined by the at least one processor.
15. The method of claim 8 , which is operated through a data network.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the data network is an internet.