Embedded reel games with progressives

Abstract

A method and gaming machine are disclosed for operating a game with a primary and embedded game. An embedded game is disclosed as a bonus game with one embodiment animating miniature reels inside the primary game symbol. Each embedded slot game may have its own progressive, or may be tied into the progress associated with the primary game. Each embedded slot game will have its own paytable, and may be a miniature version of a well-recognized full-sized slot game.

1 . A method of operating a reel-based game including the steps of:
 obtaining a primary reel game outcome based upon a random or quasi-random primary event;   depending upon the primary reel game outcome, triggering a random or quasi-random embedded event;   obtaining an embedded reel game outcome based upon the random or quasi-random embedded event;   displaying the embedded reel game outcome by spinning and stopping a set of embedded reels; and   depending upon the embedded reel game outcome, paying a progressive jackpot.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  including the step of:
 depending respectively upon the primary and embedded reel game outcomes, paying none, one or more awards in accordance with at least one paytable.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 the step of obtaining a primary reel game outcome including randomly or quasi-randomly determining the primary reel game outcome from one or more sets of primary values associable with a set of primary reels.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 the step of obtaining an embedded reel game outcome including randomly or quasi-randomly determining the embedded reel game outcome from one or more sets of embedded values associable with a set of embedded reels.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3  including the steps of:
 associating one or more embedded reel game symbols with one or more of the primary reels;   associating one or more progressive jackpots with each of the embedded reel game symbols;   depending upon the primary reel game outcome including one or more of the embedded reel game symbols, the triggering step including triggering one or more random or quasi-random embedded events associated respectively with the one or more of the embedded reel game symbols and obtaining one or more embedded reel game outcomes based upon the one or more random or quasi-random embedded events;   paying none, one or more of the progressive jackpots associated with the one or more embedded reel game symbols depending upon the one or more embedded reel game outcomes.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  where each of the plurality of primary reels has an associated embedded reel game symbol that corresponds to a distinct embedded reel game,
 the step associating progressive jackpots includes associating a distinct progressive jackpot with each of the distinct embedded reel games.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  where said visually spinning and stopping said set of embedded reels further comprises animating said embedded reel game symbol to show said visual spinning and stopping. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  where said visually spinning and stopping said set of embedded reels further comprises animating said at least one reel in a manner that substantially visually covers said reel game symbol. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising paying out winnings from said embedded reel game to a same credit meter as said primary reel game. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising paying out winnings from said embedded reel game in a same manner as said primary reel game. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , depending upon the primary reel game outcome, paying a primary award based on a primary paytable. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , depending upon the primary reel game outcome, paying a primary award based on a primary paytable. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  including the step of displaying the primary reel game outcome by spinning and stopping a set of primary reels. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , the step displaying the embedded reel game outcome including displaying the set of embedded reels visually smaller than the set of primary reels.