Patent ID: 6896617

Claim:
A reel spinning gaming device that allows a player to play multiple games, wherein each reel spin constitutes a game, the device comprising: a plurality of selectable reels having symbols thereon, wherein each selectable reel displays an outcome symbol after being spun; a selection system operatively associated with each selectable reel, wherein the selection system designates a subset of the selectable reels as the initial active reels for an initial game; an actuating system operatively associated with the selectable reels, wherein the actuating system spins the initial active reels to achieve an outcome symbol combination for the initial game; a prize controller, wherein the prize controller makes a prize determination as to whether a prize is to be awarded based upon the outcome symbol combination of the initial game; and a reselection system, wherein the reselection system substitutes a non-active reel for an active reel from the initial game, thereby designating a new set of active reels for a second game, the new set of active reels for the second game including a newly substituted active reel and remaining active reels, and wherein the newly substituted active reel is spun for the second game while the remaining active reels are not spun for the second game; wherein the outcome symbol from the newly substituted active reel is used in conjunction with the outcome symbols from the remaining active reels to produce a outcome symbol combination for the second game, and wherein the prize controller performs a prize determination for the second game.