Electronic gaming systems and methods

Abstract

Systems and method for providing a slot-type game in which a game outcome includes a symbol displayed in each cell and a randomly determined background feature in one or more cells, wherein the symbol remains in the foreground.

1 . A gaming system, comprising:
 a housing;   at least one display device supported by the housing;   a plurality of input devices supported by the housing;   at least one processor;   and at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, 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 plurality of input devices to:   (a) establish a credit balance based at least in part on a monetary value associated with a physical item after an input device receives the physical item, the physical item being a ticket associated with the monetary value or currency;   (b) place a wager to initiate play of a wagering game in response to receipt of an actuation of a wager button, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager;   (c) randomly determine and display a game outcome of an instance of play of the wagering game, wherein the game outcome includes the display of (i) a randomly generated one or more symbols of a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol is displayed within a symbol display area of the game outcome, and (ii) a background feature randomly generated for display in one or more of the symbol display areas, wherein each symbol in the symbol display area having the background feature is displayed as being in the foreground with respect to the background feature;   (d) determine an award outcome based on the randomly generated symbols in the game outcome, the credit balance being increasable by the determined award outcome;   (e) actuate a bonus feature responsive to at least a preset amount of occurrences of the background feature in the game outcome; and   (f) initiate a payout of the credit balance in response to receipt of a payout request.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the bonus feature is one or more free instances of the wagering game. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the bonus feature is an enhanced award outcome. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the preset amount is at least half of the symbol display areas. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the background feature is a color. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the background feature is a pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the background feature is a color encompassing all of a symbol display area. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed game outcome includes a depiction of virtual reels forming an array of multiple rows and multiple columns defining a plurality of cells therein. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein each cell of the array comprises a symbol display area. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming system, comprising:
 a housing;   at least one display device supported by the housing;   one or more input devices;   at least one processor;   and at least one memory device that stores a plurality of symbols, a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to communicate with the at least one display device and the one or more input devices to:   (a) establish a credit balance through the one or more input devices;   (b) receive a wager through the one or more input devices to initiate play of a wagering game, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager;   (c) display an outcome of an instance of play of the wagering game, wherein the displayed game outcome includes a representation of adjacent virtual reel strips, the adjacent virtual reel strips forming an array comprising rows and columns defining a plurality of cells, each cell defining a symbol display area;   (d) determining a symbol of the plurality of symbols for display in each symbol display area;   (e) randomly determine one or more symbol display areas to display a background feature in the entirety of the symbol display area, wherein each symbol in the symbol display area having the background feature is displayed as being in the foreground with respect to the background feature;   (f) determine an award outcome based on the randomly generated symbols in the game outcome, the credit balance being increasable by the determined award outcome; and   (g) actuate a bonus feature responsive to at least a preset amount of occurrences of the background feature in the game outcome, wherein the bonus feature results in an enhanced award outcome.   
     
     
         10 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the bonus feature is one or more free instances of the wagering game. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the preset amount is at least half of the symbol display areas. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the array is formed of three rows and five columns. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the background feature is a pattern. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the background feature is a color. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the background feature is the color gold. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the probability of the background feature being displayed in a symbol display area increases based on the amount of the wager received. 
     
     
         17 . A gaming system, comprising:
 a housing;   at least one display device supported by the housing;   one or more input devices;   at least one processor;   and at least one memory device that stores a plurality of symbols, a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to communicate with the at least one display device and the one or more input devices to:   (a) establish a credit balance through the one or more input devices;   (b) receive a wager through the one or more input devices to initiate play of a wagering game, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager;   (c) display an outcome of an instance of play of the wagering game, wherein the displayed game outcome includes a representation of adjacent virtual reel strips, the adjacent virtual reel strips forming an array comprising rows and columns defining a plurality of positions;   (d) determine a symbol of the plurality of symbols for display in each position;   (e) randomly determine one or more symbol display areas to display a background feature in the entirety of the position, wherein each symbol in a position having the background feature is displayed as being in the foreground with respect to the background feature;   (f) determine an award outcome based on the randomly generated symbols in the game outcome, the credit balance being increasable by the determined award outcome; and   (g) actuating a bonus feature responsive to at least a preset amount of occurrences of the background feature in the game outcome, wherein the bonus feature results in an enhanced award outcome.