Gaming device having a second separate bonusing event

Abstract

A gaming system wherein a second game is triggered once a specific event occurs in a first game.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gaming machine system comprising:
 at least two gaming machines (i) linked to a shared interactive sign and (ii) allowing at least two players to play a first game thereon; and   a device connected to the gaming machines to direct the at least two players to play a second game after satisfying an operation of the linked gaming machines that triggers a bonusing event from the linked gaming machines;   wherein the second game is a bonusing video game played on the interactive sign, the interactive sign being configured to display the bonusing video game when the triggered bonusing event occurs on the linked gaming machines; and   wherein (i) the interactive sign is configured to display play of all of the players during the bonusing video game and (ii) each player can respond to the displayed play on the interactive sign from their respective gaming machines.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming machine system of  claim 1 , wherein the second game is played independently of play in the first game without any additional payment or wager. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming machine system of  claim 1 , wherein play of the first game (i) is halted for play of the bonusing video game and (ii) only resumes when the bonusing video game is completed. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming machine system of  claim 1 , wherein the second game is played on the interactive sign on behalf of a bonusing event triggering player. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming machine system of  claim 4 , wherein the play of the second game is facilitated by a bonusing event triggering player. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming machine system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bonus machine linked to the interactive sign, wherein the bonus machine is configurable to facilitate play of the second game on the interactive sign. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming machine system of  claim 6 , wherein upon triggering the bonusing event, each player can access the bonus machine for playing the second game on the interactive sign. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming machine system of  claim 1 , further comprising alerting at least one of the players of the first game to play the second game on the interactive sign. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming machine system of  claim 1 , wherein the bonusing event is triggered based upon symbols appearing on the one gaming machine. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming machine system of  claim 1 , wherein the bonusing event is triggered based upon an amount of money played on the one gaming machine.