Patent ID: 8366535

Claim:
A method including: (a) displaying a matrix of symbol locations in a first game play state, the matrix of symbol locations in the first game play state being displayed by two or more reel representations aligned along a common axis of rotation, each reel representation displaying at least two adjacent symbol locations of the matrix of symbol locations, and each symbol location displaying a respective reel symbol; (b) in response to a first game activation associated with a first wager initiated by a player while the matrix of symbol locations is displayed in the first game play state, simulating the rotation of each reel representation to change the symbols displayed by the matrix of symbol locations; (c) in response to a trigger event while the matrix of symbol locations is operated in the first game play state, displaying an animated graphic sequence which includes more than one animated action occurring with regard to the matrix of symbol locations with the effect of modifying the matrix of symbol locations to display the matrix of symbol locations in a second game play state, the modification including, as part of the animated graphic sequence, adding a previously not present separating element displayed between at least one pair of adjacent symbol locations displayed by a respective reel representation, the modification further including changing the two or more reel representations from simulating multi-symbol reels in the first game play state to simulating uni-symbol reels in the second game play state; and (d) in response to a second game activation initiated by the player while the matrix of symbol locations is operated in the second game play state, simulating an independent rotation for at least one of the symbol locations of a respective pair of adjacent symbol locations having a respective separating element shown there between, the simulated independent rotation changing the symbol displayed at the respective symbol location independently of any other symbol location in the matrix of symbol locations.