Patent ID: 7445547

Claim:
A gaming apparatus comprising: a first display having three rows by X columns (X being an integer and at least five) of display regions for displaying symbols, said X columns including two outermost columns at respective sides of the display and (X−2) columns between said two outermost columns; and a controller for controlling display content of said first display and executing a program, wherein said controller, according to the program, determines, from among a plurality of the symbols, including bonus symbols, which of the symbols shall be displayed in said display regions, decides winnings based on arrangement of the symbols displayed in said display regions, causes a bonus game to start on said first display only when (X−2) bonus symbols are displayed in respective display regions on a center row of said three rows, and not in either of said two outermost columns, in the bonus game, causes a character to move, superimposed, only on said display regions surrounding the bonus symbols displayed on said center row, and, thereafter, causes an interaction between the character and a randomly selected one of the symbols displayed on said display regions surrounding the bonus symbols displayed on said center row, and determines content of a bonus awarded to a player based on the symbol displayed in said display region with which the character performs the interaction.