Patent ID: 8382570

Claim:
A method for use with a gaming machine having a game controller and a display that is arranged to present a plurality of distinct spinning reels coming to a stopped position on the display, each of the spinning reels comprising a plurality of symbols and wherein at least a first of the spinning reels comprising a plurality of adjacent feature symbols, there being a total m number of the adjacent feature symbols, the method comprising the steps of: presenting via a display a plurality of distinct spinning reels coming to a stopped position on the display to display a plurality of symbols; determining by the game controller whether the first of the spinning reels is displaying at least one feature symbol at the stopped position on the display; determining by the game controller whether one of a plurality of game criteria has been satisfied, wherein the plurality of the game criteria comprises: (1) the first of the spinning reels is displaying m−1 of the adjacent feature symbols on the display at the stopped position; and (2) the first of the spinning reels is displaying m of the adjacent feature symbols on the display at the stopped position; in response to determining that the first of the spinning reels is displaying m−1 of the adjacent feature symbols on the display at the stopped position, moving the first of the spinning reels such that m of the adjacent feature symbols are displayed on the display at the stopped position; and in response to the first of the spinning reels displaying m of the adjacent feature symbols on the display at the stopped position, replacing by the game controller each of the m adjacent feature symbols with a special symbol.