Determining a winning symbol combination in a gaming machine

Abstract

A game performed by a gaming machine is described herein which involves an element of player skill in order for the gaming machine to grant an award to the player. The player is presented with a plurality of images to select in a certain manner, such as in a logical order, within a specified period of time. The proper selection of the images results in an award to the player. Video or mechanical reels, having images around their peripheries, then stop to reflect the player-selected images. The concept of the player making selections and the selections appearing as a final outcome on reels (or other display means) to determine an award may be applied to many other types of games.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gaming device comprising: 
 a display portion for displaying a first plurality of images;    at least one control element for being controlled by a player for selecting at least some of the first plurality of images in a certain manner, the certain manner comprising an award-winning manner and a losing manner; and    control circuitry for granting an award to the player for selecting the at least some of the first plurality of images in an award-winning manner.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said display portion comprises a video display.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the display portion comprises motor-driven reels that display the at least some of the first plurality of images in the certain manner.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a second plurality of reels, at least some of the reels displaying images corresponding to the at least some of the first plurality of images.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the control circuitry is also for controlling the at least some of the reels to stop and display images corresponding to the player's selection of the at least some of the plurality of images in a certain manner.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the display portion is a video screen that displays the second plurality of reels and the first plurality of images.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the first plurality is the same number as the second plurality.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the first plurality is fewer than the second plurality.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the first plurality is three and the second plurality is five.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first plurality of images comprises images of numbers.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first plurality of images comprises images of letters.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first plurality of images comprises images of playing card ranks.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the at least one control element comprises a touch screen having areas for being touched by a player for selecting at least some of the first plurality of images in a certain manner.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the selecting at least some of the first plurality of images in a certain manner comprises selecting at least some of the first plurality of images to be in a certain arrangement.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the arrangement is an ascending order.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry controls a second plurality of reels to stop rotating to display an award winning combination of images when the player has selected at least some of the first plurality of images in the award-winning manner.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry also is for granting an award to the player only if the player selects the at least some of the first plurality of images in an award-winning manner within a certain time limit.  
     
     
         18 . A method performed by a gaming device comprising: 
 displaying a first plurality of images;    selecting by a player using at least one control element at least some of the first plurality of images in a certain manner, the certain manner comprising an award-winning manner and a losing manner; and    granting an award to the player for selecting the at least some of the first plurality of images in an award-winning manner.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising displaying a second plurality of reels, and stopping rotation of the reels to display images corresponding to the player's selection of the at least some of the plurality of images in a certain manner.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the certain manner comprises a certain arrangement of the images.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the second plurality of reels is displayed on a video screen.