Gaming machine and operation method thereof

Abstract

A gaming machine having bonus games which start depending upon game outcomes of a normal game, the gaming machine comprises a display control unit for displaying visual information including plural symbols on a display monitor, an array determination unit for determining symbol arrays to be displayed on the display monitor by a lottery at the time of stationary reel display, a judgment unit for judging the game outcomes to compare determined symbol arrays with predetermined judgment data, a bonus game number determination unit for determining the total number of the bonus games to be output when the determined game outcomes give a trigger to start the bonus games and a bonus game number allocation unit for dividing the determined total number of the bonus games and allocating the number of the bonus games every divided unit respectively. The display control unit is characterized in that the display control unit displays the numbers of the bonus games on the display monitor every divided unit sequentially with intervals. The present invention provides the game machine realizing a presentation which is possible to enhance the player's expectation.

1 . A gaming machine for performing moving reel display and stationary reel display of plural symbols on a display monitor and for determining game outcomes in an array of said plural symbols in said stationary reel display, said gaming machine carries out games including a normal game started by a player's betting operation and bonus games started depending on the game outcomes of said normal game, and comprising: 
 a display control unit for displaying visual information including said plural symbols on said display monitor;    an array determination unit for determining, by lottery of symbol arrays which are displayed on said display monitor at said stationary reel display;    a judgment unit for judging said game outcomes by comparing determined said symbol arrays with predetermined judgment data;    a bonus game number determination unit for determining a total number of bonus games to be awarded when judged said game outcome provides a trigger to start said bonus games; and    a bonus game number allocation unit for dividing determined said total number of bonus games into a plurality of divided units, and allocating a number of bonus games respectively to each of said divided units,    wherein said display control unit displays each of said number of bonus games on said display monitor sequentially for each of said divided units with intervals.    
   
   
       2 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein graphical presentations are provided in said intervals.  
   
   
       3 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said display control unit finally displays said total number of bonus games on said display monitor.  
   
   
       4 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said number of bonus games to be displayed in “k”-th time is “m k ” according to equations (1) and (2) when said total number of bonus games “X” is divided into “n” of said divided units, and each said number of bonus games is displayed.  
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   X 
                   = 
                   
                     
                       ∑ 
                       
                         k 
                         = 
                         1 
                       
                       n 
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     
                       m 
                       k 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   1 
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                     m 
                     k 
                   
                   < 
                   
                     m 
                     
                       k 
                       + 
                       1 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   2 
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       5 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said number of bonus games to be displayed in “k”-th time is set randomly according to the equation (1) when said total number of the bonus games “X” is divided into “n” of said divided units, and each said number of bonus games is displayed.  
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   X 
                   = 
                   
                     
                       ∑ 
                       
                         k 
                         = 
                         1 
                       
                       n 
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     
                       m 
                       k 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   1 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
   
   
       6 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein colors displayed on said display monitor are varied whenever said number of bonus games is displayed when said total number of bonus games “X” is divided into “n” of said divided units, and each said number of bonus games is displayed.  
   
   
       7 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein sound is varied whenever said number of bonus games is displayed when said total number of bonus games “X” is divided into “n” of said divided units, and each said number of bonus games is displayed.  
   
   
       8 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein images displayed on said display monitor are varied whenever said number of bonus games is displayed when said total number of bonus games “X” is divided into “n” of said divided units, and each said number of bonus games is displayed.  
   
   
       9 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein images displayed on said display monitor are varied whenever said number of bonus games is displayed by player's operations when said total number of bonus games “X” is divided into “n” of said divided units, and each said number of bonus games is displayed.  
   
   
       10 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein additional number of bonus games is determined following a changeover from said normal game to said bonus games.  
   
   
       11 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said bonus games are free games which start without a player's operation of an insertion of additional coins.  
   
   
       12 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein at the time of said changeover from said normal game to said bonus games, an award in said bonus games is determined.  
   
   
       13 . An operation method for a gaming machine comprising: 
 starting a normal game on the basis of an operation by a player;    determining an array of symbols to be displayed on a display monitor according to an award lottery table on a stationary display of symbols;    judging a game outcome by comparing a determined array of symbols with a judgment data table;    judging whether said determined array of symbols is on a predetermined award line or not and whether said outcome, which is said determined array of symbols, is a trigger array of symbols or not;    moving display of said symbols displayed on reels by rotating said reels;    stopping display of said symbols displayed on said reels by stopping said reels;    changing over to bonus games from said normal game when said determined array of symbols is said trigger array of symbols;    determining a total number of bonus games to be displayed;    determining a divided display number of said determined total number of bonus games;    allocating a number of bonus games to every divided unit respectively; and    displaying said number of bonus games allocated every said divided unit on said display monitor.    
   
   
       14 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , wherein said number of bonus games “m k ” to be displayed in “k”-th time is determined and displayed according to equations (1) and (2) when said total number of bonus games “X” is divided into “n” of said divided units, and each said number of bonus games is displayed.  
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   X 
                   = 
                   
                     
                       ∑ 
                       
                         k 
                         = 
                         1 
                       
                       n 
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     
                       m 
                       k 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   1 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
             
               
                 
                   
                     m 
                     k 
                   
                   < 
                   
                     m 
                     
                       k 
                       + 
                       1 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   2 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
   
   
       15 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , wherein said number of bonus games “m k ” to be displayed in “k”-th time is randomly set and displayed according to equation (1) when said total number of bonus games “X” is divided into “n” of said divided units.  
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   X 
                   = 
                   
                     
                       ∑ 
                       
                         k 
                         = 
                         1 
                       
                       n 
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     
                       m 
                       k 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   1 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
   
   
       16 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , wherein at the time of a changeover from said normal game to said bonus games, an award of said bonus games is determined.  
   
   
       17 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , further comprising judging whether said divided display number of bonus game “k” which is displayed separately has reached “n” or not, displaying a number of bonus games “m k+1 ” to be displayed next when said divided display number of bonus games “k” which is displayed separately has not reached “n”, and completing a divided display of bonus games and starting said bonus games when said divided display number of bonus games “k” which is displayed separately has reached “n”.  
   
   
       18 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , further comprising setting up an executed number of bonus games, determining said array of symbols to be displayed on said display monitor on a stationary display of symbols of bonus games according to an award lottery table in the bonus games, judging a game outcome by comparing a determined array of symbols of bonus games with a judgment data table in the bonus games, and judging whether said determined array of symbols of bonus games is on a predetermined award line of bonus games or not during said bonus games.  
   
   
       19 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , further comprising judging whether said executed number of bonus games has reached “X” or not, starting next bonus game when said executed number of bonus games has not reached “X”, and completing all said bonus games and changing over to said normal game when said executed number of bonus games has reached “X”.  
   
   
       20 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , wherein said number of bonus games to be displayed separately is displayed with intervals by presentations such as images and sound when said total number of bonus games “X” is displayed separately.  
   
   
       21 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , wherein said total number of bonus games “X” is divided into multiple time and separately displayed every said divided unit when said total number of bonus games “X” is not less than a certain number, and said total number of bonus games “X” is not divided into multiple time and not separately displayed when said total number of bonus games “X” is smaller than said certain number.  
   
   
       22 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , wherein said number of bonus games to be displayed becomes more than said number of bonus games displayed last on said display monitor.  
   
   
       23 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , wherein after a display of some number of bonus games, once numbers less than that of last displayed bonus games are displayed, and then, numbers more than that of last displayed bonus games are displayed.  
   
   
       24 . The operation method for the gaming machine according to  claim 13 , wherein, after said bonus games start, said total number of bonus games are re-drawn in an internal lottery and a number of bonus games which is obtained by said internal lottery is added to said total number of bonus games.