Gaming Machine With Orientable Indicia and Method

Abstract

Disclosed are games, gaming machines, gaming systems and methods including an adjustable multi-part indicia. During play of a game, indicia may be repeatedly reoriented in order to form winning combinations with adjacent indicia.

1 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a processor operatively coupled to a set of player-operable controls;   a first game and a second game operable by the processor in accordance with the player-operable controls, the first game having a set of possible outcomes displayable to include at least two indicia having visually distinguishable sub-parts, the second game initiated upon a triggering event associated with the first game; and   a payout device for awarding one or more awards resulting from adjusting the position of a first displayed sub-part to place it in proximity to a corresponding second displayed sub-part to form a winning combination.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  further comprising a wager input mechanism operatively coupled to the processor, wherein play of the second game is restricted by an amount of a wager placed by way of the wager input mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the awards comprises one or more progressive awards. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  further comprising a video display operatively coupled to the processor. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming machine of  claim 4  wherein the display is a wide-screen display. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming machine of  claim 4  further comprising a touch screen attached to the display. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein adjusting the position comprises one of sliding, spinning, shifting, flipping, rotating and shuffling. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  in which adjusting the position comprises reorientation of the displayed indicium. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  in which adjusting the position comprises relocation of the displayed indicium. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  in which adjusting the position comprises relocation of the sub-part within its indicium. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the indicia having sub-parts are represented as dominoes. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the sub-parts are visually distinguishable by at least one of color, shape, numeric symbols and icons. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  further comprising one or more reels, wherein the indicia are displayed on the one or more reels. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the first game outcome is randomly or pseudo-randomly determined. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the processor adjusts the position of the first displayed sub-part. 
     
     
         16 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the player adjusts the position of the first displayed sub-part by way of the player-operable controls. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating a gaming machine including a first game and a second game played by a player, the method including the steps of:
 accepting a wager from a wager-input mechanism;   initiating play of a processor-controlled first game according to the wager;   displaying a first game outcome on a display comprising displaying at least two indicia having visually distinguishable sub-parts;   upon a triggering event associated with the first game, initiating a second processor-controlled game;   adjusting the position on the display of a first displayed sub-part to place it in proximity to a corresponding second displayed sub-part to form a second game outcome;   determining one or more awards which may be won according to the second game outcome; and   controlling a payment device to pay the determined awards to the player.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the triggering event comprises a predefined one of a set of possible first game outcomes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of restricting play of the second game based on the amount of the wager. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein at least one of the awards comprises a progressive prize. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein adjusting the position comprises one of sliding, spinning, shifting, flipping, rotating and shuffling. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  in which adjusting the position comprises reorientation of the displayed indicium. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  in which adjusting the position comprises relocation of the displayed indicium. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  in which adjusting the position comprises relocation of the sub-part within its indicium. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the indicia having sub-parts are represented as dominoes. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the sub-parts are visually distinguishable by at least one of color, shape, numeric symbols and icons. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising one or more reels, wherein the indicia are displayed on one or more reels or representations of reels. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the first game outcome is randomly or pseudo-randomly determined. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the processor adjusts the position of the first displayed sub-part. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 17  including the step of allowing the player to adjust the position of the first displayed sub-part by way of player-operable controls.