Gaming system and a method of gaming

Abstract

A gaming system is disclosed which includes a symbol selector arranged to select a plurality of symbols for display at a plurality of display positions, an outcome evaluator arranged to determine whether the selected symbols correspond to a winning outcome, and a replicator arranged to replicate a symbol aspect when a winning outcome occurs such that all symbols forming part of the winning outcome acquire the symbol aspect. The system is arranged so as to retain the replicated symbol aspect until after at least one subsequent selection of symbols. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a symbol selector arranged to select a plurality of symbols for display at a plurality of display positions;   an outcome evaluator arranged to determine whether the selected symbols correspond to a winning outcome; and   a replicator arranged to replicate a symbol aspect when a winning outcome occurs such that all symbols forming part of the winning outcome acquire the symbol aspect;   the system being arranged so as to retain the replicated symbol aspect until after at least one subsequent selection of symbols.   
   
   
       2 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the symbol aspect is a representation of a symbol. 
   
   
       3 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the symbol aspect is a function associated with a symbol. 
   
   
       4 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the replicator is arranged to replicate a symbol aspect when a winning outcome including at least one special symbol and at least one other symbol occurs. 
   
   
       5 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the symbol aspect is a representation of the special symbol. 
   
   
       6 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the symbol aspect is a function associated with the special symbol. 
   
   
       7 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the special symbol is a WILD symbol or a symbol having an associated WILD function. 
   
   
       8 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein a symbol which has acquired the symbol aspect becomes a special symbol in a subsequent game. 
   
   
       9 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the winning combination which causes replications to occur is any winning combination. 
   
   
       10 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the winning combination which causes replications to occur is one or more specific winning combinations. 
   
   
       11 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to randomly select one or more specific winning outcomes, and the replicator is caused to replicate an aspect of a symbol when the or each selected winning outcome occurs. 
   
   
       12 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to facilitate selection by a player of one or more specific winning combinations, and the replicator is caused to replicate an aspect of a symbol when the or each selected winning outcome occurs. 
   
   
       13 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the replicator is arranged to replicate a symbol aspect when a winning outcome including a specific randomly selected symbol occurs. 
   
   
       14 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to facilitate selection by a player of a symbol, and the replicator is arranged to replicate a symbol aspect when a winning outcome including a player selected symbol occurs. 
   
   
       15 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the replicator is arranged to replicate a symbol aspect when a winning outcome occurs in conjunction with a specific game event. 
   
   
       16 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the game event is a simultaneously occurring secondary winning outcome. 
   
   
       17 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the game event is occurrence of a specific symbol in the display area. 
   
   
       18 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to randomly select one or more win lines, and the replicator is arranged to replicate a symbol aspect only if a winning combination appears on a selected win line. 
   
   
       19 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to facilitate selection by a player of one or more win lines, and the replicator arranged to replicate a symbol aspect only if a winning combination appears on a selected win line. 
   
   
       20 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a prize allocator arranged to allocate a prize to a player when a winning outcome exists. 
   
   
       21 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to operate in normal game mode and special game mode;
 wherein during special game mode a symbol aspect is replicated when a winning outcome occurs such that all symbols forming part of the winning outcome acquire the symbol aspect, and the replicated symbol aspect is retained until after at least one subsequent selection of symbols.   
   
   
       22 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to commence special game mode when a specific game outcome occurs. 
   
   
       23 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to commence special game mode on the basis of a game event occurring during a game such as display of a particular symbol, in response to player input, based on the amount or type of bet placed, or when a special game is purchased by a player. 
   
   
       24 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is implemented as a stand alone gaming machine or across a network. 
   
   
       25 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a game play mechanism operable to place a wager and the outcome evaluator evaluates the outcome based on the wager. 
   
   
       26 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system comprises a gaming machine. 
   
   
       27 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a gaming terminal and a gaming server in networked communication with the gaming terminal. 
   
   
       28 . A method of gaming comprising:
 selecting a plurality of symbols for display at a plurality of display positions;   determining whether the selected symbols correspond to a winning outcome;   replicating a symbol aspect when a winning outcome occurs such that all symbols forming part of the winning outcome acquire the symbol aspect; and   retaining the replicated symbol aspect until after at least one subsequent selection of symbols.   
   
   
       29 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the symbol aspect is a representation of a symbol. 
   
   
       30 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the symbol aspect is a function associated with a symbol. 
   
   
       31 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , comprising replicating a symbol aspect when a winning outcome including at least one special symbol and at least one other symbol occurs. 
   
   
       32 . A method as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the symbol aspect is a representation of the special symbol. 
   
   
       33 . A method as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the symbol aspect is a function associated with the special symbol. 
   
   
       34 . A method as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the special symbol is a WILD symbol or a symbol having an associated WILD function. 
   
   
       35 . A method as claimed in  claim 31 , comprising defining symbols which have acquired the symbol aspect as special symbols in a subsequent game. 
   
   
       36 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , comprising defining the winning combination which causes replications to occur as any winning combination. 
   
   
       37 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , comprising defining the winning combination which causes replications to occur as one or more specific winning combinations. 
   
   
       38 . A method as claimed in  claim 37 , comprising randomly selecting one or more specific winning outcomes, and replicating an aspect of a symbol when the or each selected winning outcome occurs. 
   
   
       39 . A method as claimed in  claim 37 , comprising facilitating selection by a player of one or more specific winning combinations, and replicating an aspect of a symbol when the or each selected winning outcome occurs. 
   
   
       40 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , comprising replicating a symbol aspect when a winning outcome including a specific randomly selected symbol occurs. 
   
   
       41 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein method is arranged to facilitate selection by a player of a symbol, and the replicator is arranged to replicate a symbol aspect when a winning outcome including a player selected symbol occurs. 
   
   
       42 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , comprising replicating a symbol aspect when a winning outcome occurs in conjunction with a specific game event. 
   
   
       43 . A method as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the game event is a simultaneously occurring secondary winning outcome. 
   
   
       44 . A method as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the game event is occurrence of a specific symbol in the display area. 
   
   
       45 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , comprising randomly selecting one or more win lines, and replicating a symbol aspect only if a winning combination appears on a selected win line. 
   
   
       46 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , comprising facilitating selection by a player of one or more win lines, and replicating a symbol aspect only if a winning combination appears on a selected win line. 
   
   
       47 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , comprising operating in normal game mode and special game mode;
 wherein during special game mode a symbol aspect is replicated when a winning outcome occurs such that all symbols forming part of the winning outcome acquire the symbol aspect, and the replicated symbol aspect is retained until after at least one subsequent selection of symbols.   
   
   
       48 . A method as claimed in  claim 47 , comprising commencing special game mode when a specific game outcome occurs. 
   
   
       49 . A method as claimed in  claim 47 , comprising commencing special game mode on the basis of a game event occurring during a game such as display of a particular symbol, in response to player input, based on the amount or type of bet placed, or when a special game is purchased by a player. 
   
   
       50 . An article of manufacture comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium; and   executable program instructions embodied in the computer readable storage medium that when executed by a programmable system cause the programmable system to perform functions that implement a gaming system, the functions comprising:   a symbol selector arranged to select a plurality of symbols for display at a plurality of display positions;   an outcome evaluator arranged to determine whether the selected symbols correspond to a winning outcome; and   a replicator arranged to replicate a symbol aspect when a winning outcome occurs such that all symbols forming part of the winning outcome acquire the symbol aspect;   the system being arranged so as to retain the replicated symbol aspect until after at least one subsequent selection of symbols.