Gaming device having positional symbol awards
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a slot machine having awards for the occurrence of certain symbols in certain designated positions of the play matrix. In one embodiment, a game device comprises: a display device; an input device; and a processor for accessing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to: provide a game comprising: a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions, wherein at least one of the symbol positions comprises a capture position; a plurality of symbols at the plurality of symbol positions on the reels; at least one predetermined winning symbol combination of a plurality of winning symbol combinations; and an award associated with the predetermined winning symbol combination; wherein the winning symbol combination comprises a predetermined symbol from the plurality of symbols being positioned in the capture position.
1. A gaming device comprising:
a display device;
an input device; and
a processor for accessing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to, for a play of a game:
(a) receive at least one wager on at least on payline of a plurality of paylines;
(b) at each of a plurality of symbol positions of a plurality of reels, display a symbol selected from a plurality of symbols, wherein at least one of the symbol positions of at least one of the reels includes a capture symbol position and the plurality of symbols includes
at least one predetermined scatter boost symbol;
(c) if the predetermined boost symbol is not displayed at the capture symbol position, for each wagered on payline:
(i) determine any award associated with any winning symbol combination formed from the plurality of symbols displayed along said wagered on payline, wherein said determination is based on a first paytable, and
(ii) display any determined award associated with any formed winning symbol combination along said wagered on payline; and
(d) if the predetermined scatter boost symbol is displayed at the capture symbol position, irrespective of any wagered on paylines:
(i) determine any awards associated with any winning symbol combinations formed from the plurality of displayed symbols, wherein said determination is based on a second, different paytable, and
(ii) display any determined awards associated with the any formed winning symbol combinations.
2. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the symbol displayed at each symbol position is determined by at least one of: a random determination, a pre-determination and a determination based on the wager received.
3. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the symbols include at least one bonus symbol.
4. The gaming device of claim 3 , wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to display at least one bonus award when the displayed symbols form a winning symbol combination including the bonus symbol.
5. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.
6. A gaming device comprising:
a display device;
an input device; and
a processor for accessing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to, for a play of a game:
(a) receive at least one wager on at least one payline of a plurality of paylines;
(b) at each of a plurality of symbol positions of a plurality of reels which form a play matrix, display a symbol selected from a plurality of symbols, wherein at least one of the symbol positions of at least one of the reels includes a capture symbol position and the
plurality of symbols includes at least one predetermined scatter boost symbol;
(c) if the predetermined boost symbol is not displayed at the capture symbol position, for each wagered on payline:
(i) determine any award associated with any winning symbol combination formed from the plurality of symbols displayed along said wagered on payline, wherein said determination is based on a first paytable, and
(ii) display any determined award associated with any formed winning symbol combination along said wagered on payline; and
(d) if the predetermined scatter boost symbol is displayed at the capture symbol position, irrespective of any wagered on paylines:
(i) determine any awards associated with any winning symbol combinations formed from any plurality of displayed symbols occupying at least one symbol position in each of a plurality of consecutive columns of the play matrix, wherein said determination is based on a second, different paytable, and
(ii) display any awards associated with any formed winning symbol combinations.
7. The gaming device of claim 6 , wherein the symbol displayed at each symbol position is determined by at least one of: a random determination, a pre-determination and a determination based on the wager received.
8. The gaming device of claim 6 , wherein the symbols include at least one bonus symbol.
9. The gaming device of claim 8 , wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to display at least one bonus award when the displayed symbols form a winning symbol combination including the bonus symbol.
10. The gaming device of claim 6 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.
11. The gaming device of claim 6 , wherein at least one symbol position in each of a plurality of consecutive columns of the play matrix includes at least one symbol position in each one selected from the group consisting of: a first three columns of the play matrix, a first four columns of the play matrix and a first five columns of the play matrix.
12. A gaming device comprising:
a display device;
an input device; and
a processor for accessing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to, for a play of a game:
(a) receive at least one wager on at least one payline of a plurality of paylines;
(b) at each of a plurality of symbol positions of a plurality of reels which form a play matrix, display a symbol selected from a plurality of symbols, wherein at least one of the symbol positions of at least one of the reels includes a capture symbol position and
the plurality of symbols includes at least one predetermined scatter boost symbol;
(c) if the predetermined boost symbol is not displayed at the capture symbol position, for each wagered on payline:
(i) determine any award associated with any winning symbol combination formed from the plurality of symbols displayed along said wagered on payline, wherein said determination is based on a first paytable, and
(iii) display any determined award associated with any formed winning symbol combination along said wagered on payline; and
(d) if the predetermined scatter boost symbol is displayed at the capture symbol position:
(i) determine any awards associated with any winning symbol combinations formed from the plurality of displayed symbols, wherein at least one winning symbol combination includes a plurality of displayed symbols occurring at least a predetermined number of times anywhere in the play matrix, and said determination is based on a second, different paytable, and
(ii) display any awards associated with the any formed winning symbol combinations.
13. The gaming device of claim 12 , wherein the symbol displayed at each symbol position is determined by at least one of: a random determination, a pre-determination and a determination based on the wager received.
14. The gaming device of claim 12 , wherein the symbols include at least one bonus symbol.
15. The gaming device of claim 14 , wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to display at least one bonus award when the displayed symbols form a winning symbol combination including the bonus symbol.
16. The gaming device of claim 12 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.
17. The gaming device of claim 16 , wherein the gaming device is a video reel slot machine.