Gaming system, gaming device and method providing competitive wagering games

Abstract

The gaming system and method disclosed herein provides a player with an opportunity to compete against an opponent (either a virtual opponent or a human opponent). In one embodiment, the gaming system and method provide a competition game that operates concurrently with a wagering game. In one embodiment, the competition game includes a turn-based video game which enables a player to compete against an opponent. Different generated symbol combinations for the wagering game represent different game actions or sequences for the competition game. That is, the symbols or symbol combinations generated in the wager game determine which game actions or sequences the gaming system causes to occur for the competition game. Based on such displayed game actions and sequences, the disclosed gaming system and method determines whether the player or the opponent wins that competition for the competition game.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least one display device;   at least one input device;   at least one processor; and   at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to:
 (a) for each of a first quantity of at least one play of a first game:
 (i) determine a first game symbol combination for a player, and 
 (ii) display any award associated with the determined first game symbol combination, 
 
 (b) for each of the first quantity of at least one play of a second game:
 (i) determine a second game symbol combination for an opponent, wherein said generation occurs independent of any generated first game symbol combination, and 
 (ii) display any award associated with the determined second game symbol combination, 
 
 (c) display a first competition game action based on at least one of the generated first game symbol combinations for the player, 
 (d) display a second competition game action based on at least one of the generated second game symbol combinations for the opponent, 
 (e) determine a competition outcome based on the first competition game action and the second competition game action, and 
 (f) provide the player any award associated with the determined competition outcome. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause the display of the first competition game action before the display of the second competition game action. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the first quantity of at least one play of the first game and the first quantity of at least one play of the second game are included in a first round and an award associated with the determined competition outcome includes an advance to a second round. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 3 , wherein the first round and the second round are associated with different opponents. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the first quantity of at least one play includes a plurality of plays. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of any award associated with any determined first game symbol combinations, any award associated with any determined second game symbol combinations and any award associated with the determined competition outcome includes at least one of: a progressive award, a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points. 
     
     
         7 . A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
 (a) for each of a first quantity of at least one play of a first game:
 (i) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine a first game symbol combination for a player, and 
 (ii) causing at least one display device to display any award associated with the determined first game symbol combination, 
   (b) for each of the first quantity of at least one play of a second game:
 (i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a second game symbol combination for an opponent, wherein said generation occurs independent of any generated first game symbol combination, and 
 (ii) causing the at least one display device to display any award associated with the determined second game symbol combination, 
   (c) causing the at least one display device to display a first competition game action based on at least one of the generated first game symbol combinations for the player,   (d) causing the at least one display device to display a second competition game action based on at least one of the generated second game symbol combinations for the opponent,   (e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a competition outcome based on the first competition game action and the second competition game action, and   (f) providing the player any award associated with the determined competition outcome.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , which includes causing the at least one display device to display of the first competition game action before the display of the second competition game action. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first quantity of at least one play of the first game and the first quantity of at least one play of the second game are included in a first round and an award associated with the determined competition outcome includes an advance to a second round. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first round and the second round are associated with different opponents. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first quantity of at least one play includes a plurality of plays. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of any award associated with any determined first game symbol combinations, any award associated with any determined second game symbol combinations and any award associated with the determined competition outcome includes at least one of: a progressive award, a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , which is provided through a data network. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the data network is an internet. 
     
     
         15 . A gaming system server comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 (a) for each of a first quantity of at least one play of a first game:
 (i) determine a first game symbol combination for a player, and 
 (ii) cause at least one display device to display any award associated with the determined first game symbol combination, 
 
 (b) for each of the first quantity of at least one play of a second game:
 (i) determine a second game symbol combination for an opponent, wherein said generation occurs independent of any generated first game symbol combination, and 
 (ii) cause the at least one display device to display any award associated with the determined second game symbol combination, 
 
 (c) cause the at least one display device to display a first competition game action based on at least one of the generated first game symbol combinations for the player, 
 (d) cause the at least one display device to display a second competition game action based on at least one of the generated second game symbol combinations for the opponent, 
 (e) determine a competition outcome based on the first competition game action and the second competition game action, and 
 (f) cause any award associated with the determined competition outcome to be provided to the player. 
   
     
     
         16 . The gaming system server of  claim 15 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to display of the first competition game action before the display of the second competition game action. 
     
     
         17 . The gaming system server of  claim 15 , wherein the first quantity of at least one play of the first game and the first quantity of at least one play of the second game are included in a first round and an award associated with the determined competition outcome includes an advance to a second round. 
     
     
         18 . The gaming system server of  claim 17 , wherein the first round and the second round are associated with different opponents. 
     
     
         19 . The gaming system server of  claim 15 , wherein the first quantity of at least one play includes a plurality of plays. 
     
     
         20 . The gaming system server of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of any award associated with any determined first game symbol combinations, any award associated with any determined second game symbol combinations and any award associated with the determined competition outcome includes at least one of: a progressive award, a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.