Gaming Machine Providing Awards Corresponding to Ranking in the Order of the Cumulative Numbers of Specific Symbols Rearranged on a Scroll Line Selected During a Free Game

Abstract

A gaming machine 13 starts a game, causes the game to switch to a free game based on a predetermined condition, determines a single scroll line among the plurality of scroll lines, and rearranges the symbols. Then, the gaming machine 13 counts the number of specific symbols rearranged in each of the scroll lines in each free game, and cumulatively adds the number of specific symbols rearranged. The gaming machine 13 repeats the abovementioned operations until the free game is, terminated. When the free game is terminated, the gaming machine 13 determines the ranking of scroll lines in the order of the number of specific symbols thus cumulatively added which is fixed to correspond to each of the scroll lines, and provides an award corresponding to the ranking.

1 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a display for variably displaying each of a plurality of symbol groups; and   a controller executing the following operations of:
 (a) starting a game and causing the game to switch to a free game based on a predetermined condition; 
 (b) determining one or more single symbol display blocks among a plurality of symbol display blocks when switching to the free game; 
 (c) determining a symbol to be rearranged on the display corresponding to a random number generated; 
 (d) variably displaying each of the plurality of symbol groups on the display; 
 (e) rearranging the symbol thus determined; 
 (f) while executing a predetermined number of free games, repeating the following operations of counting a number of specific symbols rearranged in the one or more symbol display blocks determined in the operation (b) in each free game, and then, cumulatively adding the number of specific symbols thus rearranged; and 
 (g) when the predetermined number of free games is executed and then terminated, providing an award corresponding to the number of specific symbols thus cumulatively added in the operation (f). 
   
   
   
       2 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a display for variably displaying each of a plurality of symbol groups corresponding to each of a plurality of scroll lines; and   a controller executing the following operations of:
 (a) starting a game and causing the game to switch to a free game based on a predetermined condition; 
 (b) determining a single scroll line among the plurality of scroll, lines when switching to the free game; 
 (c) determining a symbol to be rearranged on the display corresponding to a random number generated; 
 (d) variably displaying each of the plurality of symbol groups on the display; 
 (e) rearranging the symbol thus determined; 
 (f) while executing a predetermined number of free games, repeating the following operations of counting a number of specific symbols rearranged in each symbol display block corresponding to each of the plurality of scroll lines in each free game, each of the numbers being fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of scroll lines, and then, cumulatively adding the number of specific symbols rearranged; 
 (g) when the predetermined number of free games are executed and then terminated, determining the ranking of each of the plurality of scroll lines in an order of the number of specific symbols thus cumulatively added which is fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of scroll lines; and 
 (h) providing an award for the single scroll line thus determined in the operation (b) corresponding to the ranking of the single scroll line thus determined in the operation (g). 
   
   
   
       3 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a first display for variably displaying each of a plurality of symbol groups corresponding to each of a plurality of scroll lines;   a second display for displaying a plurality of types of character images; and   a controller executing the following operations of:
 (a) starting a game and causing the game to switch to a free game based on a predetermined condition; 
 (b) determining a single scroll line among the plurality of scroll lines when switching to the free game; 
 (c) displaying a character image corresponding to the single scroll line and a plurality of types of character images corresponding to a plurality of scroll lines other than the single scroll line on the second display; 
 (d) determining a symbol to be rearranged on the first display corresponding to a random number generated; 
 (e) variably displaying each of the plurality of symbol groups on the first display; 
 (f) rearranging the symbol thus determined; 
 (g) while executing a predetermined number of free games, repeating the following operations of counting a number of specific symbols rearranged in each symbol display block corresponding to each of the plurality of scroll lines in each free game, each number being fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of scroll lines, cumulatively adding the number of specific symbols rearranged, and displaying an image corresponding to the number of specific symbols thus cumulatively added on the second display; 
 (h) when the predetermined number of free games are executed and then terminated, determining the ranking of each of the plurality of scroll lines in the order of the number of specific symbols thus cumulatively added which is fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of scroll lines; and 
 (i) providing an award for the single scroll line thus determined in the operation (b) corresponding to the ranking of the single scroll line thus determined in the operation (h). 
   
   
   
       4 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a display for variably displaying each of a plurality of symbol groups corresponding to each of a plurality of scroll lines;   an input device for accepting a player's selecting operation to select a single scroll line among the plurality of scroll lines and outputting a signal indicating a type of a scroll line; and   a controller executing the following operations of:
 (a) starting a game and causing the game to switch to a free game based on a predetermined condition; 
 (b) determining a single scroll line corresponding to the signal outputted from the input device among the plurality of scroll lines when switching to the free game; 
 (c) determining a symbol to be rearranged on the display corresponding to a random number generated; 
 (d) variably displaying each of the plurality of symbol groups on the display; 
 (e) rearranging the symbol thus determined; 
 (f) while executing a predetermined number of free games, repeating the following operations of counting a number of specific symbols rearranged in each symbol display block corresponding to each of the plurality of scroll lines in each free game, each of the numbers being fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of scroll lines, and then, cumulatively adding the number of specific symbols rearranged; 
 (g) when the predetermined number of free games is executed and then terminated, determining the ranking of each of the plurality of scroll lines in an order of the number of specific symbols thus cumulatively added, which is fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of scroll lines; and 
 (h) providing an award for the single scroll line thus determined in the operation (b) corresponding to the ranking of the single scroll line thus determined in the operation (g). 
   
   
   
       5 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a display for variably displaying each of a plurality of symbol groups; and   a controller executing the following operations of:
 (a) starting a game and causing the game to switch to a free game based on a predetermined condition; 
 (b) determining a single symbol display block among a plurality of symbol display blocks when switching to the free game; 
 (c) determining a symbol to be rearranged on the display corresponding to a random number generated; 
 (d) variably displaying each of the plurality of symbol groups on the display; 
 (e) rearranging the symbol thus determined; 
 (f) while executing a predetermined number of free games, repeating the following operations of counting a number of specific symbols rearranged in each of the plurality of symbol display blocks in each free game, each of the numbers being fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of symbol display blocks, and then, cumulatively adding the number of specific symbols rearranged; 
 (g) when the predetermined number of free games is executed and then terminated, determining the ranking of each of the plurality of symbol display blocks in an order of the number of specific symbols thus cumulatively added, which is fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of symbol display blocks; and 
 (h) providing an award for the single symbol display block thus determined in the operation (b) corresponding to the ranking of the single symbol display block thus determined in the operation (g). 
   
   
   
       6 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a display for variably displaying each of a plurality of symbol groups;   an input device for accepting a player's selecting operation to select a single symbol display block among a plurality of symbol display blocks and outputting a signal indicating a type of symbol display block; and a controller executing the following operations of:
 (a) starting a game and causing the game to switch to a free game based on a predetermined condition; 
 (b) determining a single symbol display block corresponding to the signal outputted from the input device among a plurality of symbol display blocks when switching to the free game; 
 (c) determining a symbol to be rearranged on the display corresponding to a random number generated; 
 (d) variably displaying each of the plurality of symbol groups on the display; 
 (e) rearranging the symbol thus determined; 
 (f) while executing a predetermined number of free games, repeating the following operations of counting a number of specific symbols rearranged in each of the plurality of symbol display blocks in each free game, each of the numbers being fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of symbol display blocks, and then, cumulatively adding the number of specific symbols rearranged; 
 (g) when the predetermined number of free games is executed and then terminated, determining the ranking of each of the plurality of symbol display blocks in an order of the number of specific symbols thus cumulatively added, which is fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of symbol display blocks; and 
 (h) providing an award for the single symbol display block thus determined in the operation (b) corresponding to the ranking of the single symbol display block thus determined in the operation (g). 
   
   
   
       7 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a display for displaying a plurality of symbol display blocks arranged in matrix and variably displaying each of a plurality of symbol groups;   an input device for accepting a player's selecting operation to select a single symbol display block group among a plurality of symbol display block groups and outputting a signal indicating a type of symbol display block group; and   a controller executing the following operations of:
 (a) starting a game and causing the game to switch to a free game based on a predetermined condition; 
 (b) determining a single symbol display )lock group corresponding to the signal outputted from the input device among the plurality of symbol display block groups when switching to the free game; 
 (c) determining a symbol to be rearranged on the display corresponding to a random number generated; 
 (d) variably displaying each of the plurality of symbol groups on the display; 
 (e) rearranging the symbol thus determined; 
 (f) while executing a predetermined number of free games, repeating the following operations of counting a number of specific symbols rearranged in symbol display blocks corresponding to each of the plurality of symbol display block groups in each free game, each of the numbers being fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of symbol display block groups, and then, cumulatively adding the number of specific symbols rearranged; 
 (g) when the predetermined number of free games is executed and then terminated, determining the ranking of each of the plurality of symbol display block groups in an order of the number of specific symbols thus cumulatively added, which is fixed to correspond to each of the plurality of symbol display block groups; and 
 (h) providing an award for the single symbol display block group thus determined in the operation (b) corresponding to the ranking of the single symbol display block group thus determined in the operation (g).