Patent ID: 8157634

Claim:
A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, comprising: at least one display for displaying a randomly selected outcome of a basic game of the wagering game, the basic game including at least one free-spin event outcome, the wagering game including a free-spin event having a plurality of free spins and one or more special event outcomes; a memory device; and a controller coupled to the display and the memory device, the controller operative to implement the following acts including initiating the basic game; in response to a free-spin event outcome in the basic game, initiating the free-spin event; implementing a free spin of the plurality of free spins and displaying the outcome on the display; in response to achieving at least one of the one or more special-event outcomes during the free spin of the plurality of free spins, initiating a special event, the special event comprising a plurality of levels, each level having player-selectable elements masking associated awards, at least one of the associated awards including a level-advance outcome; receiving a selection of a player-selectable element from the plurality of player-selectable elements in a current level of the plurality of levels and unmasking the award associated with the selected element; after receiving the selection, storing a state of the special event on the memory device; implementing another free spin of the plurality of free spins; in response to achieving at least one of the one or more special event outcomes during the another free spin of the plurality of free spins, resuming the special event at the stored state of the special event; if the unmasked award associated with the selected element in the current level does not include the level-advance outcome, receiving a selection of another player-selectable element from the plurality of player-selectable elements in the current level and unmasking the award associated with the another selected element in the current level; and if the unmasked award associated with the selected element in the current level includes the level-advance outcome, receiving a selection of a player-selectable element from a plurality of player-selectable elements in a next level of the plurality of levels and unmasking an award associated with the selected element in the next level.