Gaming machine with sequential awarding of special feature bonuses

Abstract

A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display 14 and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize. When a trigger condition occurs in a base game of the game 16 , a special feature is awarded where, prior to commencement of the special feature, an animation occurs, without any player intervention. The animation results in a sequence of images being caused to be revealed serially, at least certain of the images revealing a number of bonuses associated with the special feature. A final set of the bonuses awarded in respect of the special feature only becomes known to a player of the game after all the images have been revealed.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A gaming machine having a display means and a game control means arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display means, the game control means being arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, wherein, when a trigger condition occurs in a base game of the game, a special feature is awarded where, prior to commencement of the special feature, an animation occurs, without any player intervention, the animation resulting in a sequence of images being caused to be revealed serially, at least certain of the images revealing a number of bonuses associated with the special feature, with a final set of the bonuses awarded in respect of the special feature only becoming known to a player of the game after all the images have been revealed.  
     
     
         2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  in which the special feature is a free game feature comprising a number of free games.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  in which the bonuses are selected from the group comprising a number of free games to be played in the special feature, multipliers to multiply wins during the free games, bonus symbols which award an amount of credit when the bonus symbols occur during the free games and combinations of the aforegoing.  
     
     
         4 . The gaming machine of  claim 3  in which the bonuses comprise a combination of free games, multipliers and bonus symbols.  
     
     
         5 . The gaming machine of  claim 3  in which the images include non-award winning images which do not award any bonuses but merely act as fillers in the sequence of images.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming machine of  claim 5  in which the animation reveals only a portion of the total number of free games constituting the special feature at a time as the sequence of images is revealed so that, until all the images have been revealed in the sequence, the player is unaware of the total number of free games to be awarded.  
     
     
         7 . The gaming machine of  claim 6  in which the animation occurs in a manner related thematically to the theme of the base game.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming machine of  claim 7  in which, what is revealed in each position in the sequence of images varies from feature to feature.  
     
     
         9 . The gaming machine of  claim 8  in which the images which are to be revealed in the sequence of images and the order in which they are to be revealed are contained in a pathway of outcomes.  
     
     
         10 . The gaming machine of  claim 9  in which the control means includes a set of pathways and when the special feature is awarded, one of the pathways is randomly selected by the control means to apply to that feature.  
     
     
         11 . The gaming machine of  claim 3  in which a display relating to the special feature includes a recording device that records the bonuses awarded as they are revealed so that, when the animation has been completed, the total number of free games of the special feature, any multipliers and any bonus prizes applicable to the special feature are displayed.