Gaming system, gaming device and gaming method providing stacking symbols and convertible reels

摘要

The gaming system, gaming device and method provides a reel game that includes stacks of symbols configured on the reels to provide a large number of winning symbol combinations. The gaming device includes a plurality of reels wherein each reel includes a reel-strip and a plurality of symbols. Each of the plurality of reels is configured to include one or more stacks of symbols wherein a stack of symbols is formed by placing a plurality of identical symbols adjacent to each other on a single reel. If two non-adjacent reels each generated a stack of identical symbols and at least one reel positioned between the two non-adjacent reels generated symbols different from the symbols used to form the stack of identical symbols, at least one symbol on the at least one reel positioned between the two non-adjacent reels is modified into the symbol that forms the stacks of identical symbols.

主权项

1. A gaming system comprising:
a housing; at least one input device supported by the housing; an acceptor supported by the housing; at least one display device supported by the housing and operable to display a game; at least one processor; and at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, the acceptor, and the at least one input device to: (a) establish a credit balance based at least in part on a monetary value associated with a physical item responsive to receipt of the physical item by the acceptor, wherein the physical item is one of: (1) a ticket associated with the monetary value; and (2) currency; (b) apply a wager to a play of a game responsive to an actuation of a wager button, the credit balance decreasable by the wager; (c) for the play of the game, randomly determine and display a plurality of symbols on a plurality of adjacently arranged reels, wherein at least two of the reels each include a plurality of a designated symbol adjacent to each other to form a stack of the designated symbols; (d) determine if two non-adjacent reels of the plurality of reels each display at least two symbols of the stack of the designated symbols; (e) modify at least one of any symbol that is different from the designated symbol displayed on at least one reel that is positioned between the two non-adjacent reels into the designated symbol when the two non-adjacent reels each display at least two symbols of the stack of the designated symbols; (f) determine an award for any winning symbol combinations, the credit balance increasable by any determined award; (g) display any determined award; and (h) initiate a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to receipt of an actuation of a cashout button.