Patent ID: 8506373

Claim:
An amusement device that awards prizes, the amusement device having a display and an input device, the amusement device comprising: a memory that stores at least one electronic game and a system control program, the at least one electronic game has a plurality of play scenarios and is at least partially skill-based; and a controller operatively coupled to the memory, the input device and the display, the controller controlling the display based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory and based upon inputs from the input device, the controller being configured to: (i) permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play the at least one electronic game; (ii) generate, for play by the user, a particular play scenario selected from a plurality of play scenarios; (iii) prior to play of the particular play scenario by the user, determine, for the particular play scenario, at least one of an optimum series of requisite moves and a best achievable score, performance of the at least one of the optimum series of requisite moves by the user resulting in attainment of the best achievable score for the particular play scenario; (iv) determine a current payout percentage of the amusement device; (v) setting, prior to the play of the at least one electronic game, a first minimum winning score as a percentage of the best achievable score or by adding or subtracting an offset from the best achievable score for the particular play scenario, the percentage or the offset being calculated based on a difference between the current payout percentage and a predetermined payout percentage for the amusement device; and (vi) permit award of a particular prize to the user based on attainment by the user of a score for the particular play scenario between the first minimum winning score and the best achievable score.