Patent ID: 8075385

Claim:
A gaming machine comprising a display and a game controller which will enable a player to stake a wager on the outcome of a wagering game controlled by the game controller played on the machine, the wagering game comprising a base game during the play of which at least one symbol is randomly selected by the game controller from a first set of symbols comprising a plurality of standard symbols and at least one special symbol, and the selected symbol is displayed in a non-revealed manner in a display position on the display, the gaming machine having a symbol characteristic nominator by means of which the player is able to nominate at least one characteristic of a symbol, the nomination of the characteristic occurring either before or after the selection of the symbol, the game controller being adapted to reveal the characteristic of the selected symbol after said nomination by displaying the symbol in the display position, and if the selected symbol is revealed to have the nominated characteristic a prize is awarded to the player, and if the symbol is revealed to be a special symbol the game controller awards the player a feature outcome that comprises a plurality of bonus plays of a feature game in each of which a selection is made from one or more second sets of symbols that each comprise at least one special symbol, and wherein progression to the next bonus play in the plurality of bonus plays is dependent on the selection of a special symbol in the current bonus play, wherein at least one feature award is awardable from the feature game and in at least one of the plurality of bonus plays at least one aspect of the base game has been changed.