Patent ID: 8568217

Claim:
A method of electronic gaming for use with a gaming system having a display and a controller, the method comprising: (a) displaying a plurality of symbol display positions on the display, the display positions being arranged in a plurality of columns; (b) displaying a plurality of display modification elements in association with respective ones of each of the plurality of columns; (c) selecting via the controller a plurality of symbols for display at the plurality of display positions; (d) evaluating via the controller the selected symbols based on a symbol combination hierarchy to identify a column corresponding to a highest winning symbol combination in the symbol combination hierarchy which would be completed by a designated modification of one or more symbols to be applied to one of the columns; (e) selecting via the controller a column in which to apply the designated modification; (f) selecting via the controller a designated number of the plurality of display modification elements to be in a subset of the plurality of display modification elements changed to an active state, the selection being performed so as to include the display modification element corresponding to the selected column and any display modification element corresponding to the column identified by the evaluation; (g) changing display of the selected subset of display modification elements to an active state; (h) applying via the controller the designated modification to the selected column subsequent to changing the subset of display modification elements to an active state; and (i) evaluating via the controller the symbols displayed at the display positions subsequent to the modification being applied to determine whether to make one or more awards.