Patent ID: 8529333

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 which stores 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 plurality of primary game video reels associated with a plurality of symbol positions; (b) enable a player to place a wager to play a primary game; (c) display a randomly generated first plurality of symbols at the plurality of symbol positions associated with the primary game video reels; (d) determine if any awards are associated with any of the displayed symbols; (e) display any determined awards associated with any of the displayed symbols; and (f) when a first designated quantity of the randomly generated symbols displayed at a second designated quantity of the symbol positions associated with a third designated quantity of the primary game video reels are each a triggering symbol: (i) for each of at least one of said randomly generated triggering symbols, display at least one supplemental video reel adjacent to the symbol position associated with the primary game video reel which displayed said triggering symbol, wherein the at least one supplemental video reel is displayed at least partially overlapping at least one of the primary game video reels and the at least one supplemental video reel is associated with at least one symbol position; (ii) activate the at least one supplemental video reel; (iii) randomly determine at least one of a second plurality of different symbols; and (iv) display the at least one randomly determined symbol at the at least one symbol position associated with the at least one supplemental video reel.