Slot machine bonus initiated by plural qualifications

Abstract

A multi-stage method qualifies a player for a bonus game. If two stages are used, the first has the player aligning a combination including at least one trigger symbol. The second stage uses the trigger symbols, reel symbols, other secondary mathematically related elements, or elements associated therewith, to qualify the player for the bonus game. The player interacts during the qualification process by providing input to the second stage.

1 . A method of qualifying a player for a bonus game on a reel slot machine comprising a base game and a bonus game, the method of qualifying comprising the steps of: 
 a. aligning in a first stage one or more trigger symbols in a predetermined arrangement on the reels;    b. selecting by the player at least one of the trigger symbols in a second stage, and    c. qualifying the player for the bonus game with at least one but not all of the trigger symbols when the at least one trigger symbol chosen by the player is a qualifying trigger symbol.    
   
   
       2 . A method of qualifying the player for a bonus game on a slot machine having a base game and a bonus game, the method of qualifying comprising the steps of: 
 a. aligning one or more trigger symbols of the base game in a predetermined manner;    b. revealing one or more elements of a symbol;    c. qualifying the player if the at least one element corresponds to the predetermined scheme.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  with the step of the player choosing the at least one symbol to reveal the bonus element.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  with the step of the player revealing two symbols with the bonus elements.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  with the step of revealing all trigger symbols one or more with one bonus element.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2  with the step of having bonus elements that include a numerical value.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2  with the step of the qualified player selecting one or more bonus elements from a group consisting of; suspect weapon, room.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2  with the step of depicting the trigger symbols as cards.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2  with the step of matching a group as the predetermined scheme.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 2  with the step of matching numbers as the predetermined scheme.  
   
   
       11 . A method of qualifying the player for a bonus game on a slot machine comprising a base game and a bonus game, the method of qualifying comprising the steps of: 
 a. aligning one or more trigger symbols of the base game in a predetermined manner;    b. randomly assigning to each symbol either qualification or non-qualification, and    c. qualifying the player if the player chooses a symbol to which has been assigned qualification.    
   
   
       12 . A method of qualifying a player for a bonus game on a slot machine comprising a base game and a bonus game, the method of qualifying comprising the steps of: 
 a. aligning one or more trigger symbols of the base game in a predetermined manner;    b. displaying a plurality of symbols to the player;    c. allowing the player to choose at least one symbol;    d. revealing at least one bonus element associated with the at least one chosen symbol, and    e. qualifying the player if the at least one bonus element corresponds to a predetermined scheme.