Patent ID: 7744455

Claim:
A game machine, comprising: a display unit; a memory unit which stores data corresponding to a cell array, a plurality of game symbols and a plurality of dummy game symbols; a display control unit which displays the cell array, a peripheral region surrounding the cell array, and the plurality of game symbols on the display unit, the display control unit displaying the cell array in an animation mode where each of the plurality of game symbols and the plurality of dummy game symbols moves, a static mode where each of the plurality of game symbols is static and the plurality of dummy game symbols are not displayed, and a hybrid mode where at least one of the plurality of game symbols moves, at least one of the dummy game symbols moves and at least one of the plurality of game symbols is static, the cell array having a plurality of stationary columns, each column having a plurality of game symbol cells, each game symbol cell displaying a single symbol in the static mode, the display control unit animates at least one of the plurality of game symbols and the plurality of dummy game symbols in the hybrid mode, and animates all of the plurality of game symbols and all of the dummy game symbols in the animation mode so that the plurality of game symbols and the plurality of the dummy game symbols are animated and move between the game symbol cells, the columns and across a boundary that separates the cell array from the peripheral region along trajectories that include curved trajectories, and after animating the plurality of game symbols, positions and displays a static combination of game symbols in the cell array with the plurality of dummy game symbols no longer being displayed; and a game control unit which selects the static combination of game symbols to be displayed in the cell array in the static mode, and determines whether a winning combination of game symbols will be included in the static combination of game symbols.