Patent ID: 8545307

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one display device; at least one input device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device storing 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) display a game including a plurality of different multi-component symbols, wherein: (i) the multi-component symbols are displayable at a plurality of symbol display areas; (ii) each of the multi-component symbols includes a plurality of symbol component locations; and (iii) for each of a plurality of the multi-component symbols, said multi-component symbol includes at least one of a plurality of different symbol components at least one of the symbol component locations of said multi-component symbol; and (b) for a play of the game: (i) randomly generate and display a plurality of the multi-component symbols at the symbol display areas, wherein, for each of a designated number of the displayed multi-component symbols, the designated number being at least two, each of at least one of the symbol component locations of said displayed multi-component symbol corresponds to one of the symbol component locations of each of the other displayed multi-component symbols of the designated number of the displayed multi-component symbols; (ii) determine a quantity of the symbol component locations of a first one of the displayed multi-component symbols of the designated number of the displayed multi-component symbols that: (A) display one of the symbol components, and (B) correspond to one of the symbol component locations of each of the other displayed multi-component symbols of the designated number of the displayed multi-component symbols that each display one of the symbol components; (iii) determine any awards; and (iv) provide any determined awards.