Game machine and game program

Abstract

The game machine and game program of the present invention display, at the start of a game, multiple static symbols by constantly changing to various types of symbols including the wild symbol. The game machine then executes a static display by displaying such changing symbols statically again in each display area and recognizes the arrangements of each static symbol. Then, the game machine visually displays the arrangement of the symbols by which multiple wins are established or the win line related to such arrangements of the symbols, when the pre-determined combinations of symbols, in which at least one wild symbol is included, are arranged so that multiple wins are established. The game machine and game program according to the present invention increases the player's interest and arouses the player's anticipation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gaming machine for playing a game, comprising:
 a display module having a symbol region, the symbol region having a plurality of cells arranged in a predefined matrix; and,   a game controller coupled to the display module and configured to playing the game and determining an outcome of the game, the outcome of the game includes a plurality of symbols arranged in the matrix, detecting a first winning condition as a function of the plurality of symbols arranged in the matrix and a second winning condition as a function of the plurality of symbols arranged in the matrix, and to control the display module to emphasize an occurrence of a predetermined symbol in the matrix if the occurrence of the predetermined symbol is shared by the first winning condition and the second winning condition.   
     
     
         2 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined symbol is a wild symbol. 
     
     
         3 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the occurrence of the predetermined symbol is emphasize by one or more of vibration, shape, pattern, color or linkage to other symbols in the first or second winning condition. 
     
     
         4 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein all of the symbols in at least one of the first and second winning conditions are emphasized if the predetermined symbol is shared by the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         5 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein all of the symbols in the first and second winning conditions are emphasized if the predetermined symbol is shared by the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         6 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second winning condition is an occurrence of a predetermined arrangement of symbols on a payline. 
     
     
         7 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein all of the symbols on the payline are emphasized if the predetermined symbol is shared by the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         8 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined symbol occurs in one of the cells of the matrix, the one of the cells of the matrix having a boundary, wherein the predetermined symbol is emphasized, if shared by the first winning condition and the second winning condition, in a manner which extends beyond the boundary of the one of the cells of the matrix. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the outcome of the game has an associated multiplication factor, wherein the predetermined symbol is emphasized in a manner to reflect the multiplication factor. 
     
     
         10 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined symbol is emphasized in a manner to emphasize an attribute of at least one of the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         11 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the attribute of the at least one of the first and second winning conditions is an attribute of the symbols in the respective one of the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming machine, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined symbol is emphasized in an alternative manner to reflect an attribute of the symbols in the first winning condition and an attribute of the symbols in the second winning condition. 
     
     
         13 . A method for playing a game on a machine, including the steps of:
 displaying a symbol region on a display module, the symbol region having a plurality of cells arranged in a predefined matrix;   playing the game and determining an outcome of the game, the outcome of the game includes a plurality of symbols arranged in the matrix,   detecting a first winning condition as a function of the plurality of symbols arranged in the matrix and a second winning condition as a function of the plurality of symbols arranged in the matrix; and   controlling the display module to emphasize an occurrence of a predetermined symbol in the matrix if the occurrence of the predetermined symbol is shared by the first winning condition and the second winning condition.   
     
     
         14 . A method, as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined symbol is a wild symbol. 
     
     
         15 . A method, as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the occurrence of the predetermined symbol is emphasize by one or more of vibration, shape, pattern, color or linkage to other symbols in the first or second winning condition. 
     
     
         16 . A method, as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein all of the symbols in at least one of the first and second winning conditions are emphasized if the predetermined symbol is shared by the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         17 . A method, as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein all of the symbols in the first and second winning conditions are emphasized if the predetermined symbol is shared by the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         18 . A method, as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second winning condition is an occurrence of a predetermined arrangement of symbols on a payline. 
     
     
         19 . A method, as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein all of the symbols on the payline are emphasized if the predetermined symbol is shared by the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         20 . A method, as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined symbol occurs in one of the cells of the matrix, the one of the cells of the matrix having a boundary, wherein the predetermined symbol is emphasized, if shared by the first winning condition and the second winning condition, in a manner which extends beyond the boundary of the one of the cells of the matrix. 
     
     
         21 . A method, as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the outcome of the game has an associated multiplication factor, wherein the predetermined symbol is emphasized in a manner to reflect the multiplication factor. 
     
     
         22 . A method, as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined symbol is emphasized in a manner to emphasize an attribute of at least one of the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         23 . A method, as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the attribute of the at least one of the first and second winning conditions is an attribute of the symbols in the respective one of the first and second winning conditions. 
     
     
         24 . A method, as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined symbol is emphasized in an alternative manner to reflect an attribute of the symbols in the first winning condition and an attribute of the symbols in the second winning condition. 
     
     
         25 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media, having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:
 display a slot game on a display, the slot game having a symbol region, the symbol region having a plurality of cells arranged in a predefined matrix; and,   (1) play the game and determine an outcome of the game, the outcome of the game includes a plurality of symbols arranged in the matrix,   (2) detect a first winning condition as a function of the plurality of symbols arranged in the matrix and a second winning condition as a function of the plurality of symbols arranged in the matrix, and   (3) control the display module to emphasize an occurrence of a predetermined symbol in the matrix if the occurrence of the predetermined symbol is shared by the first winning condition and the second winning condition.