Patent ID: 7108602

Claim:
A game system that allows a player to play multiple games, wherein each actuation of reels constitutes a game, the system comprising: a plurality of selectable reels, wherein each selectable reel displays an outcome symbol after the reel has been actuated; a selection system operatively associated with each selectable reel, wherein the selection system designates a subset of the selectable reels as the initial active reels for an initial game; an actuating system operatively associated with the selectable reels, wherein the actuating system actuates the initial active reels to achieve an outcome symbol combination for the initial game; a prize controller, wherein the prize controller makes a prize determination as to whether a prize is to be awarded based upon the outcome symbol combination of the initial game; and a reselection system, wherein the reselection system substitutes a non-active reel for an active reel from the initial game, thereby designating a new set of active reels for a second game, the new set of active reels for the second game including a newly substituted active reel and remaining active reels, and wherein the newly substituted active reel is actuated for the second game while the remaining active reels are not actuated for the second game; wherein the active reels are designated as active by de-emphasizing at least a portion of the non-active reels; and wherein the outcome symbol from the newly substituted active reel is used in conjunction with the outcome symbol from the remaining active reels to produce an outcome symbol combination for the second game, and wherein the prize controller performs a prize determination for the second game.