Bonus Game For A Gaming Machine

Abstract

A machine is operable in a basic mode and a bonus mode. The bonus game is entered upon the occurrence of a start-bonus game outcome in the basic mode. In the bonus game, a player may select from an array of windows, each associated with a bonus game outcome. Credits are awarded based upon which ones of the windows are selected. The bonus game may end upon selection of a window associated with an end-bonus outcome but otherwise continues, allowing the player to make further selections until encountering an end-bonus outcome. A bonus game resource obtained in the basic game may be exercised in the bonus game to affect the bonus game outcome. For example, where the occurrence of an end-bonus outcome would otherwise end the bonus game, a player having a bonus game resource may exercise the bonus game resource to continue playing the bonus game.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A computer-implemented method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system having an input device and at least one display; comprising:
 receiving a wager via the input device;   displaying, on the at least one display device, a basic game including a plurality of basic-game symbols indicative of an outcome in the basic game, one or more of the basic-game symbols indicating a bonus-game resource award;   displaying, on the at least one display device, a bonus feature including a plurality of selectable elements, each of the plurality of selectable elements being assigned respective indicia;   revealing, on the at least one display device, the indicia assigned to the one or more selected elements;   exercising the bonus-game resource, at a request of the player, so as to affect an outcome associated with the one or more selected elements of the bonus feature; and   providing an award to the player based on the exercised bonus-game resource and the outcome associated with the one or more selected elements.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more of the basic-game symbols indicating a bonus-game resource award is a special symbol combination. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the bonus-game resource is exercisable only one time during the bonus feature. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein one of the plurality of selectable elements is an end-bonus-feature outcome, the bonus-game resource overriding the end-bonus-feature outcome in response to the end-bonus-feature outcome being one of the selected elements. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further including storing, in a memory device, the bonus-game resource award until the bonus-game resource is exercised at the request of the player. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the bonus-game resource enhances a payout of a monetary value associated with the one or more selected elements. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the bonus-game resource is an award multiplier and the enhanced payout multiplies an award associated with the one or more selected elements. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the revealing of the indicia occurs immediately after receiving a selection from the player. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , further including awarding a second bonus-game resource to the player. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the bonus-game resource and the second bonus-game resource perform different beneficial functions for the player. 
     
     
         32 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least one input device;   at least one display device;   at least one processor; and   at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the least one input device to:
 receive a wager via the input device that permits play of a wagering game, the wagering game having a basic game and a bonus game; 
 in response to the player achieving an outcome associated with a bonus-game resource in the basic game, store in the at least one memory device the bonus-game resource; 
 display, on the at least one display device, the bonus game having a plurality of selectable elements, the plurality of selectable elements being assigned respective indicia; 
 receive a selection by a player of one or more of the selectable elements in the bonus game; 
 in response to the player's request, exercise the bonus-game resource in the bonus game so as to affect an outcome associated with the one or more selected elements. 
   
     
     
         33 . The gaming system of  claim 32 , wherein one of the plurality of selectable elements is associated with an end-game outcome, the bonus-game resource overriding the end-game outcome in response to the end-game outcome being one of the selected elements. 
     
     
         34 . The gaming system of  claim 32 , wherein the wagering game includes a basic game and a bonus game, the bonus-game resource being awarded in the basic game and being exercised in the bonus game. 
     
     
         35 . The gaming system of  claim 32 , wherein the bonus-game resource is exercisable only one time during the bonus game. 
     
     
         36 . The gaming system of  claim 32 , wherein the bonus-game resource enhances a payout of a monetary value associated with the one or more selected elements. 
     
     
         37 . The gaming system of  claim 32 , wherein the bonus-game resource is an award multiplier. 
     
     
         38 . The gaming system of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause an award of a second bonus-game resource that is stored in the at least one memory device for use during a future play of the bonus game by the player. 
     
     
         39 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least one input device;   at least one display device;   at least one processor; and   at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the least one input device to:
 award a game resource to the player during the wagering game; 
 store, in the at least one memory device, the game resource so that a player may exercise the game resource at a later point within the wagering game; 
 display, on the at least one display device, the wagering game having a plurality of selectable elements, the plurality of selectable elements being assigned respective indicia, one of the plurality of selectable elements being associated with an end-game outcome; 
 receive a selection by a player of one or more of the selectable elements; 
 allow the player the option (i) to exercise the game resource so as to override the end-game outcome associated with one of player's selectable elements so as to permit the continued play of the wagering game or (ii) to not exercise the game resource such that game resource can be used at later point in the wagering game. 
   
     
     
         40 . The gaming system of  claim 39 , wherein the wagering game includes a basic game and a bonus game, the game resource being awarded in the basic game and being exercised in the bonus game. 
     
     
         41 . The gaming system of  claim 39 , wherein the game resource is exercisable only one time during the wagering game.