Method of Gaming, A Gaming System and a Game Controller

Abstract

A method of gaming comprising: selecting a set of symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions; determining whether to provide an additional bonus symbol in association with one or more of the display positions; activating a bonus feature if a number of bonus symbols is at least a bonus threshold; and determining a game round outcome based at least on the selected symbols.

1 . A method of gaming comprising:
 selecting a set of symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions;   determining whether to provide an additional bonus symbol in association with one or more of the display positions;   activating a bonus feature if a number of bonus symbols is at least a bonus threshold; and   determining a game round outcome based at least on the selected symbols.   
     
     
         2 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the symbols selected for display are symbols of playing cards for an initial deal of poker. 
     
     
         3 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the player may replace one or more cards in subsequent deals and the method comprises determining in respect of each replaced card whether to provide a bonus symbol at its corresponding display position. 
     
     
         4 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the bonus threshold is three. 
     
     
         5 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the step of activating the bonus feature comprises awarding at least one free game round. 
     
     
         6 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the step of determining the game round outcome is also based on the bonus feature. 
     
     
         7 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the step of determining the game round outcome comprises increasing prize amounts if the bonus feature is activated. 
     
     
         8 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising determining for each display position having an associated additional bonus symbol whether to associate another additional bonus symbol with the display position. 
     
     
         9 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each bonus symbol surrounds the selected symbol at the display position. 
     
     
         10 . A gaming system comprising:
 a display for symbols to be displayed in a set of display positions to a player;   a symbol selector for selecting a set of symbols for display in the display positions;   an additional bonus symbol provider for providing one or more additional bonus symbols associated with one or more of the display positions in response to determining to provide one or more additional bonus symbols;   a bonus feature activator for activating a bonus feature if a number of additional bonus symbols provided is at least a bonus threshold; and   an outcome determiner for determining a game round outcome based at least on the selected symbols.   
     
     
         11 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the symbol selector is adapted to select symbols of playing cards for an initial deal of poker. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the player may replace one or more cards in subsequent deals and the additional bonus symbol provider is adapted to determine in respect of each replaced card whether to provide an additional bonus symbol at its corresponding display position. 
     
     
         13 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the bonus threshold is three. 
     
     
         14 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the bonus feature activator is adapted to award at least one free game round. 
     
     
         15 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the game round outcome determiner is adapted to determine the game round outcome also on the basis of the bonus feature. 
     
     
         16 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the game round outcome determiner is adapted to increase prize amounts if the bonus feature is activated. 
     
     
         17 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the additional bonus symbol provider is adapted to provide a plurality of additional bonus symbols associated with a display position. 
     
     
         18 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the additional bonus symbol provider is adapted to provide each bonus symbol such that it surrounds the selected symbol at the display position. 
     
     
         19 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , comprising a game play mechanism operable by a player to make a wager and initiate a play of the game. 
     
     
         20 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , comprising a processor arranged to execute code stored in a memory to implement the symbol selector, additional symbol provider, bonus feature activator and outcome determiner. 
     
     
         21 . A game controller comprising
 a symbol selector for selecting a set of symbols for display on a display to a player in a set of display positions;   an additional bonus symbol provider for providing one or more additional bonus symbols associated with one or more of the display positions in response to determining to provide one or more additional bonus symbols;   a bonus feature activator for activating a bonus feature if a number of additional bonus symbols provided is at least a bonus threshold; and   an outcome determiner for determining a game round outcome based at least on the selected symbols.   
     
     
         22 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the symbol selector is adapted to select symbols of playing cards for an initial deal of poker. 
     
     
         23 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the player may replace one or more cards in subsequent deals and the additional bonus symbol provider is adapted to determine in respect of each replaced card whether to provide an additional bonus symbol at its corresponding display position. 
     
     
         24 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the bonus threshold is three. 
     
     
         25 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the bonus feature activator is adapted to award at least one free game round. 
     
     
         26 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the game round outcome determiner is adapted to determine the game round outcome also on the basis of the bonus feature. 
     
     
         27 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 26  wherein the game round outcome determiner is adapted to increase prize amounts if the bonus feature is activated. 
     
     
         28 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the additional bonus symbol provider is adapted to provide a plurality of additional bonus symbols associated with a display position. 
     
     
         29 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the additional bonus symbol provider is adapted to provide each bonus symbol such that it surrounds the selected symbol at the display position. 
     
     
         30 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21  wherein at least one of the symbol selector, the additional bonus symbol provider, the bonus feature activator and the outcome determiner is implemented at least in part, by a processor executing code stored in a memory. 
     
     
         31 . A gaming system comprising:
 means for displaying symbols in a set of display positions to a player;   means for selecting a set of symbols for display in the display positions;   means for providing one or more additional bonus symbols associated with one or more of the display positions in response to determining to provide one or more additional bonus symbols;   means for activating a bonus feature if a number of additional bonus symbols provided is at least a bonus threshold; and   means for determining a game round outcome based at least on the selected symbols.   
     
     
         32 . An electronic gaming machine comprising:
 a display for displaying a game including displaying symbols in a set of display positions to a player;   at least one input device operable to initiate a play of the game;   a game controller comprising a processor and a memory storing computer readable instructions, the processor executing the program code to implement the game in which the game controller selects a set of symbols for display in the display positions, the game controller determines whether to provide one or more additional bonus symbols, the game controller provides one or more additional bonus symbols associated with one or more of the display positions in response to determining to provide one or more additional bonus symbols, the game controller activates a bonus feature if a number of additional bonus symbols provided is at least a bonus threshold, and the game controller determines a game round outcome based at least on the selected symbols.   
     
     
         33 . A computer readable storage medium, comprising a plurality of instructions, that in response to being executed, result in a gaming machine:
 selecting a set of playing card symbols for an initial deal of poker;   displaying the set of playing card symbols to a player in a set of display positions;   determining whether to associate a bonus symbol with one or more of the display positions;   activating a bonus feature in response to determining that at least a threshold of bonus symbols haven been associated with the set of display positions; and   determining a game round outcome based at least on the set of playing card symbols.   
     
     
         34 . The computer readable storage medium as claimed in  claim 33  wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, further result in the gaming machine:
 replacing one or more playing card symbols in the set of display positions with other playing card symbols based on received player selections; and 
 determining for each replaced card whether to associate a bonus symbol with its corresponding display position. 
 
     
     
         35 . The computer readable storage medium as claimed in  claim 33  wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, further result in the gaming machine:
 replacing one or more playing card symbols in the set of display positions with other playing card symbols based on received player selections; and 
 determining for each display position, regardless of whether the playing card symbol associated with the respective display position has been replaced, whether to associate a bonus symbol with its corresponding display position. 
 
     
     
         36 . The computer readable storage medium as claimed in  claim 33  wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, further result in the gaming machine:
 replacing one or more playing card symbols in the set of display positions with other playing card symbols based on received player selections; and 
 in response to the received player selections, determining for each display position, regardless of whether the respective display position has an associated bonus symbol, whether to associate an additional bonus symbol with the respective display position.