Patent ID: 7717786

Claim:
A computer program product for causing a gaming machine having at least one display to present a game comprising: machine readable code stored in a tangible medium comprising: (a) instructions to cause said gaming machine to accept a wager from a player; (b) instructions to cause said gaming machine to activate and display via said at least one display a first row of game symbols relative to a matrix of m rows by n columns of symbol positions; (c) instructions to randomly generate and cause said gaming machine to display a row of base symbols having n positions; (d) instructions for comparing, as to base symbols and game symbols appearing in corresponding n positions, said base symbols to said first row of game symbols for potential symbol matches; (e) instructions to cause said gaming machine to award awards for symbol matches; (f) instructions to cause said gaming machine to end said game if a required number of symbol matches are not received relative to said first row of game symbols; and (g) instructions to cause said game to continue by, if a required number of symbol matches are received relative to said first row of game symbols: (h) activate and cause said gaming machine to display via said at least one display a next row of game symbols relative to said matrix of symbol positions; (i) randomly generate and cause said gaming machine to display via said at least one display a new set of base symbols; (j) compare said base symbols to all active game symbols which are in corresponding n positions for potential symbol matches; (k) awarding awards for symbol matches; (l) defining at least one predetermined winning pattern of two or more matched game symbols, at least one of said winning patterns comprising at least two matched game symbols located in at least two rows of said matrix of game symbols and, if a sufficient number of rows of gaming symbols are active to achieve said one or more predetermined winning patterns, determining whether any combinations of symbol matches comprise one or more of said predetermined winning patterns; (m) awarding at least one award for any winning patterns; (n) if a required number of symbol matches are not received relative to said next row of game symbols, end said game; and (o) if a required number of symbol matches are received relative to said next row of game symbols and any rows of said matrix of symbol positions remain unactivated, repeat steps (h)-(o).