Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

Abstract

Systems and methods of gaming are disclosed herein. An example method includes receiving a credit wager to initiate play of a base game. The method also includes designating a first symbol display position on the display, selecting a first symbol from a symbol set for display at the first symbol display position, evaluating whether the first symbol is an award symbol, and controlling the display to display a secondary game in response to a determination that the first symbol is an award symbol.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic gaming machine comprising:
 a video display configured to display a wagering game;   a player input interface configured to receive player input;   a credit input mechanism including at least one of a card reader, a ticket reader, a bill acceptor, and a coin input mechanism, the credit input mechanism configured to receive a credit wager, the credit wager initiating play of a base game; and   a game controller configured to:
 designate, as part of a base game, a first symbol display position on the video display; 
 select, as part of the base game, a first symbol from a symbol set for display at the first symbol display position; 
 evaluate whether the first symbol is an award symbol; and 
 control the video display to display a secondary game in response to a determination the first symbol is an award symbol. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 1 , the game controller further configured to control the video display to display a first game window, the first game window comprising the first symbol display position. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 2 , wherein the first symbol display position corresponds to at least one game symbol. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein the first symbol display position is co-located with a game symbol associated with the secondary game. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 4 , wherein the game controller is further configured to control the video display to superimpose the first symbol over another game symbol. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein the first symbol display position corresponds to a plurality of game symbol positions. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the first symbol is displayed for a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the game controller is further configured to control the video display to display the secondary game in a second game window. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the game controller is further configured to control the video display to display the award symbol in a second game window. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 9 , wherein the game controller is configured to display the award symbol for a predefined time period. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 2 , wherein the first symbol is independent of the game outcome. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming server configured to communicate with a client device, the gaming server comprising:
 a game controller configured to:
 designate, as part of a base game, a first symbol display position on a video display of the client device; 
 select, as part of the base game, a first symbol from a symbol set for display at the first symbol display position; 
 evaluate whether the first symbol is an award symbol; and 
 control the video display of the client device to display a secondary game in response to a determination the first symbol is an award symbol. 
   
     
     
         13 . The gaming server of  claim 12 , the gaming server further configured to control the client device to display a first game window, the first game window comprising at least one game symbol position. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming server of  claim 13 , wherein the first symbol display position corresponds to at least one game symbol. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming server of  claim 14 , wherein the first symbol display position is co-located with a game symbol position associated with the secondary game. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming server of  claim 15 , the gaming server further configured to control the client device to display the first symbol superimposed over the co-located game symbol position. 
     
     
         17 . An electronic method of gaming implemented using a gaming system, the gaming system including a display configured to display a wagering game, a player input interface, a credit input mechanism including at least one of a card reader, a ticket reader, a bill acceptor, and a coin input mechanism, the credit input mechanism configured to establish a credit balance that is increasable and decreasable based on wagering activity, and a game controller, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the credit input mechanism, a credit wager to initiate play of a base game;   designating, by the game controller and as part of the base game, a first symbol display position on the display;   selecting, by the game controller and as part of the base game, a first symbol from a symbol set for display at the first symbol display position;   evaluating, by the game controller, whether the first symbol is an award symbol; and   controlling, by the game controller, the display to display a secondary game in response to a determination that the first symbol is an award symbol.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising controlling, by the game controller, the display to display a first game window, the first game window comprising at least one symbol display position. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first symbol display position corresponds to at least one game symbol. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first symbol display position is co-located with a symbol display position associated with the secondary game. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising controlling, by the game controller, the display to display the first symbol superimposed over the co-located symbol display position.