Slot machine game - hidden prize

Abstract

A slot machine includes a prize display ( 12 ), a coin entry slot ( 13 ), a payout tray ( 14 ) and internally mounted game control processor circuits. The game display means ( 11 ) comprises a video display screen ( 11 ) controlled to display a game image divided into a matrix of elements or player selectable zones. The video screen has an array of touch sensitive areas located on its display surface with one such area associated with each matrix element ( 4048 ). The player selects one of the matrix elements (e.g. 44) by touching the screen within the area of the respective element to be selected, thereby causing the image in the element to change to reveal the associated prize value. Additional player controls are implemented by displaying images (18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23), corresponding to controls on the screen such that when the control images are touched, the associated function is caused to be performed. In the event that the player wins the game, by aligning three of the selected zones in a straight line, the machine will pay him a prize equivalent to the sum of the prizes (e.g. 51 and 55 in the figure) displayed in the zones selected by the player multiplied by the number of units bet, if

1 . A slot machine includes display means arranged to display a game being played on the machine, game initiating means to initiate a game on the machine and game control means responsive to the initiating means to control the playing of the game, characterised in that the display means is arranged to display a game image having a plurality of player selectable zones. the control means including player zone selection means, prizes being associated with at least one of the zones and the control means being arranged to display an indica in a zone selected by a player, the indica being representative of the prize, if any, associated with that zone, the game requiring the player to select one or more zones to produce a game result and in the event of the game result being a winning result, the machine awarding the prizes indicated by the indica revealed in the zones selected by the player.  
     
     
         2 . The slot machine of  claim 1  wherein the game image is a static image.  
     
     
         3 . The slot machine of  claim 1  wherein the game image is a dynamic image.  
     
     
         4 . The slot machine of  claim 1 .  2 , or  3 , wherein clues are provided to assist the player in determining the probability of a particular zone being the winning zone.  
     
     
         5 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the game includes one or more zones which have a zero prize value such that if randomly selected by the controller and selected by the player, no prize is awarded to the player.  
     
     
         6 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein the zone selection means includes touch sensors associated with the display means such that touching the display means within the area of one of the player selectable zones causes the respective zone to be selected.  
     
     
         7 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein the display means is a video screen.  
     
     
         8 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the display means is an LCD panel.  
     
     
         9 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  8 , wherein the zone selection means is a set of touch switches associated with zones of the display.  
     
     
         10 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the game is an interactive game where the player plays against the machine.  
     
     
         11 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the game is an interactive game where the player plays against another player,  
     
     
         12 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of claims  10  or  11 , wherein the game is tic-tac-toe and the player accumulates prizes for each square selected and wins the prizes by winning the game.  
     
     
         13 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of claims  10  or  11 , wherein the game is battleship where the player is required to find objects (ships) hidden by his opponent to win.  
     
     
         14 . The slot machine as claimed in any one of claims  10  or  11 , wherein the game is “concentration” where the player is required to match hidden images of prize values to win.