Reel-type slot machine

Abstract

Each of a plurality of reels has an outer peripheral face and an inner peripheral face. A plural kinds of symbols are provided on the outer peripheral face of each of the reels, the symbols including at least one group of special symbols having identical shapes and different colors. An illuminator selectively emits at least one of plural colors of light to illuminate the inner peripheral face of at least one of the reels. A controller spins and stops the reels while controlling the illuminator such that the colors of the special symbols are not ascertained by a player when the at least one reel is spun, and each of the special symbols are illuminated with one of the plural colors of light pursuant to a predetermined rule, when the at least one reel is stopped.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reel-type slot machine, comprising: 
 a plurality of reels, each having an outer peripheral face and an inner peripheral face;    a plural kinds of symbols, provided on the outer peripheral face of each of the reels, the symbols including at least one group of special symbols having identical shapes and different colors;    an illuminator, which selectively emits at least one of plural colors of light to illuminate the inner peripheral face of at least one of the reels; and    a controller, which spins and stops the reels while controlling the illuminator such that the colors of the special symbols are not ascertained by a player when the at least one reel is spun, and each of the special symbols are illuminated with one of the plural colors of light pursuant to a predetermined rule, when the at least one reel is stopped.    
     
     
         2 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the group of special symbols includes at least a first kind of symbol related to a first type of winning combination and a second kind of symbol related to a second type of winning combination.  
     
     
         3 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the group of special symbols includes a first symbol illuminated with a first color of light and a second symbol illuminated with a second color of light;    the controller shifts a gaming status of the slot machine from a first, basic gaming status to a second gaming status which provides higher gaming value than the first gaming status, when a winning combination involves the first symbol; and    the controller shifts the gaming status of the slot machine from the first gaming status to a third gaming status which provides higher gaming value than the second gaming status, when a winning combination involves the second symbol.    
     
     
         4 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a position of each of the special symbols on the at least one reel is predetermined before the at least one reel is spun;    the predetermined rule defines a relationship between a stop position of the at least one reel and a color of light emitted by the illuminator; and    the controller detects the stop position of the at least one reel to control the illuminator with reference to the predetermined rule.    
     
     
         5 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the controller changes a position of at least one of the special symbols on the at least one reel, when a predetermined condition is satisfied.  
     
     
         6 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of stoppers, each associated with one of the reels, through which a player inputs an instruction to stop an associated one of the reels, wherein: 
 the predetermined rule defines a relationship between a position of the at least one reel when the instruction is inputted and a color of light emitted by the illuminator; and    the controller detects the position of the at least one reel when the instruction is inputted to control the illuminator with reference to the predetermined rule.    
     
     
         7 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a spin starter, through which a player inputs an instruction to spin the reels; and    a random number selector, which determines one of a plurality of lottery results including at least one special lottery result corresponding to the special symbols, based on a timing at which the instruction is inputted through the spin starter, to generate internal information indicating the determined one of the lottery results,    wherein the controller activates the illuminator after the at least one reel is stopped, only when the internal information indicates that the determined one of the lottery result is the special lottery result.    
     
     
         8 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a spin starter, through which a player inputs an instruction to spin the reels;    a random number selector, which determines one of a plurality of lottery results including at least one special lottery result corresponding to the special symbols, based on a timing at which the instruction is inputted through the spin starter, to generate internal information indicating the determined one of the lottery results; and    a plurality of stoppers, each associated with one of the reels, through which the player inputs an instruction to stop an associated one of the reels,    wherein the controller controls the illuminator so as to subsequently emit the colors of light corresponding to the special symbols when the internal information indicates the determined one of the lottery result is the special lottery result, and controls the illuminator so as to determine one of the colors of light when the instruction is inputted through one of the stopper associated with the at least one reel.    
     
     
         9 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the controller provides a gaming value corresponding to one of the special symbols illuminated by the determined one of the colors of light.  
     
     
         10 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the controller deactivates the illuminator while the reels are spun.  
     
     
         11 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the illuminator so as to illuminate at least one of the special symbols with a color of light which is different from an original color of the at least one of the special symbols.  
     
     
         12 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the illuminator so as to emit at least one of the colors of light intermittently.  
     
     
         13 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the controller provides a gaming value corresponding to one of the special symbols illuminated by the determined one of the colors of light.  
     
     
         14 . A reel-type slot machine, comprising: 
 a plurality of reels, each having an outer peripheral face and an inner peripheral face;    a plural kinds of symbols, provided on the outer peripheral face of each of the reels, the symbols including a first special symbol having a first color and a second special symbol having a second color;    an illuminator, which selectively emits at least one of plural colors of light to illuminate the inner peripheral face of at least one of the reels; and    a controller, which shifts a gaming status of the slot machine from a first, basic gaming status to a second gaming status which provides higher gaming value than the first gaming status, when a winning combination involves the first symbol, and shifts the gaming status from the first gaming status to a third gaming status which provides higher gaming value than the second gaming status, when a winning combination involves the second symbol,    wherein the controller controls the illuminator so as to emit the first color of light such that each of the special symbols becomes the first special symbol.    
     
     
         15 . A reel-type slot machine, comprising: 
 a plurality of reels, each having an outer peripheral face and an inner peripheral face;    a plural kinds of symbols, provided on the outer peripheral face of each of the reels, the symbols including a plurality kinds of special symbols;    an illuminator, which selectively emits at least a first color of light and a second color of light; and    a controller, which controls the illuminator so as to emit one of the first color of light and the second color of light while the reels are spun under a basic gaming status, and controls the illuminator so as to illuminate a first group of the special symbols with the first color of light and illuminate a second group of the special symbols with the second color of light while the reels are spun under a special gaming status shifted from the basic gaming status when a predetermined condition is satisfied.    
     
     
         16 . The slot machine as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the controller provides a gaming value to a player, in accordance with the number of the first group of the special symbols aligned on a predetermined pay line when the reels are stopped under the special gaming status.