Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to games of chance and, in particular, to the addition of a bonus game to an underlying base game wherein the bonus game includes a skill component rather than chance alone.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Casino gaming machines and state run lotteries have proliferated in recent years. As the number of casinos and gaming outlets has increased, the competition to attract and retain new customers has intensified. To meet this competition for patrons, there is a continual need to develop new games that are exciting and entertaining. Particularly valuable are games that retain their excitement and entertainment value even after being played many times. Typically, these games allow a player to use his skill (within limits) to affect the outcome of the game. Although skill-based games tend to hold player interest and enthusiasm, they generally are not available in casino gaming machines.  
           [0003]    Most new casino games are variations on standard casino gaming machines such as slot machines. The chief drawback of these machines is the minimal participation a player has in the outcome of the gaming event. The player merely actuates the device, and the machine selects the outcome. This lack of participation in the game and a chance to affect the game outcome quickly leads to player boredom.  
           [0004]    Bonus games have been added to slot machines to increase player interest. These bonus games allow a player a chance to win additional awards. These bonus games, like their underlying counterparts, have outcomes dictated by chance and suffer from the same fundamental flaws as the slot machine.  
           [0005]    The bonus games developed to date generally fall under one of two categories. The first category includes unlinked, stand-alone basic slot machine games with a bonus game. The second category includes linked slot machines wherein the game terminals are in communication through a central controller to allow players to enter a common bonus game.  
           [0006]    An example of a bonus game is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,255 to Thomas. This bonus game involves the player is a blind selection process. The player chooses symbols until he picks a winning symbol. The jackpot continually decreases with each nonwinning selection until the winning symbol is selected. No player skill is involved in the selection process and the results of the game are purely based on chance.  
           [0007]    A similar bonus feature is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,429 to Demar, which again involves a player in a blind selection process. The player accumulates awards until the “game over” symbol is picked. Again, no player skill is involved in this selection process and the results of the game are purely based on chance.  
           [0008]    In all of the secondary events, or bonus games described above, the game play requires no skill and the results are purely dictated by chance. The player is merely a passive observer. There is no way for a player to deliberately alter the course of the game, or otherwise form a game play strategy, to affect the outcome of the game.  
           [0009]    Recently, more sophisticated games have been provided that allow players to collaborate and compete from a network of gaming terminals. These games typically provide a group game experience such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,998, entitled “Combined Slot Machine and Racing Game,” to Seelig. This patent generally describes a racetrack ancillary to a standard slot machine. The racing icons are moved around the racetrack based on the underlying slot machine play.  
           [0010]    Another similar patent is U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,275, entitled “Progressive Jackpot Game with Guaranteed Winner” to Olsen. This is another variation of a racetrack game that allows a player to bet on a particular racing icon (e.g., a horse or car) involved in the race. The racing icon, with successive rounds of gaming, progresses around the racetrack as the player wagers on the underlying gaming machine. The player whose icon wins the race is then entitled to an additional bonus.  
           [0011]    The problem with all of the above linked machine bonus events is the fact that the player has no direct control over the outcome of the bonus game. The player merely observes his position relative to other players. The player in the bonus game, as in the nonlinked games, is in a passive, nonthinking environment. What is desired is a new game that challenges a player&#39;s mental skills to make casino games more fun to play.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention, in one embodiment, includes a gaming machine having an underlying base game in combination with a bonus game. The base game comprises a conventional casino gaming machine, such as a slot machine. The bonus game comprises a matching game in which a player may compete for bonus awards. The present invention allows a player to wager in the regular play mode on the base game. Each time a player meets certain qualifying criteria in the base game, the player earns an opportunity to participate in the bonus game play mode.  
           [0013]    The game field or board in which the bonus game is played comprises an array of game spaces on which indicia may be placed. These indicia may be any visual indicia including numbers, colors, images pictograms, etc. Each indicium may have a duplicate somewhere in the game space. The indicia are typically hidden during the bonus game play mode, except for brief periods when the player has an opportunity to view the indicia. The indicia are again hidden and the player has an opportunity to use his memory skills to match game spaces with the same indicium.  
           [0014]    The bonus game awards are based on the number and quality of the matches that are made. For example, if number indicia are used, the number on the matched indicia may reflect the bonus points that the player receives. If images of playing cards are used the player wins that playing card. The playing card may then be used to develop a winning hand in a game of cards such as poker, or blackjack.  
           [0015]    The bonus game may be further enhanced by allowing a player to have a “sneak peek” of the bonus game field or board. These are opportunities to momentarily view all, or portions of, the game area or field. These opportunities may depend on the player&#39;s success in the base game or in the bonus game. For example, the player may need to find certain markers in the bonus game, or hit certain symbols in play of the base game to be allowed a sneak peek.  
           [0016]    A “shuffle” feature may be added to the game to offset the sneak peek feature. The player may make selections that cause the remaining hidden indicia to be shuffled, rendering useless the player&#39;s previous glimpses at the game field or board. The shuffle takes the hidden indicia and randomly repositions the game spaces on the game field or board. The “shuffle” feature may be triggered by certain specified indicia in the bonus game, after a specified number of picks, or upon other occurrences such as, for example, those discussed in the following paragraph.  
           [0017]    At some point, the player must exit from the bonus play mode. A player may exit from the bonus game in the event of a variety of occurrences. For example, a player may continue to make selections of matching indicia until the player fails to make a match. Another approach would allow a player a number of missed matches (e.g., three missed matches) before the player exits from the bonus game. The bonus game play mode may then be ended. Another mechanism for exiting the player from the bonus game is a “stopper”. A stopper comprises a specified indicia on one or more of the game spaces that ends the bonus play mode and forces the player out of the bonus game into the base game. The bonus game play may also end as a result of the bonus game board being completely played.  
           [0018]    Once the player has exited from the bonus game play mode, the player may then attempt to requalify for the bonus game from the base game. The bonus game may change up each time the player leaves the bonus game and reenters the base game.  
           [0019]    The apparatus for running the game may include a basic gaming machine having a base game and monetary exchanger connected with a video display upon which the bonus game is displayed. A positional selector, such as a touch screen used as the video display, light pen, joystick, mouse or other suitable device for picking game spaces is connected to the display and game for allowing players to select game spaces in the bonus game. The rules and probabilities involved in the base game differ only slightly from a conventional base game of the same type, with changes made for accommodating the bonus game (e.g., adding or changing combinations of symbols in a reel-type slot machine game to enable a player to enter the bonus game, programming some symbol combinations to allow “sneak peeks,” etc.)  
           [0020]    The advantages of this game over the prior art are substantial. Significantly, the present invention challenges a player to use his or her memorization skills. The player&#39;s ability for affecting his or her score through memorization and/or the use of sneak peeks provides a degree of control, or skill, regarding the outcome of the game for most players. The present invention enhances the entertainment value of gaming machines by involving a player in affecting the outcome of the game.  
           [0021]    As used herein, the terms “game,” “gaming” and “game of chance” include and encompass not only games having a random or arbitrary outcome, but also such games which also invite or require some player input to the game having at least a potential for affecting a game outcome. Such player input is generally termed “skill” whether or not such input is in actuality beneficial in terms of game outcome.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 depicts an interior schematic of one exemplary apparatus for implementation of the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 depicts a front plan view of the an exemplary apparatus embodiment of the present invention including a conventional reel-type slot machine as the underlying base game and a video display topper for displaying the bonus game field or board;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 depicts an enlarged view of the video display of FIG. 2 depicting the bonus game “sneak peek” feature on the bonus game field or board;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 depicts an enlarged view of the video display of FIG. 2 depicting the bonus game field or board prior to a player making selections;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary bonus game field or board configuration depicting a matching set of indicia that is awarded  50  bonus points;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 depicts a gaming network including a plurality of gaming machines offering bonus games according to the present invention; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 7 depicts a multi-site gaming system including a plurality of the networks depicted in FIG. 6. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]    As shown in drawing FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention may be implemented as a casino gaming machine  100  with an underlying base game  110  and a bonus game played on a “top box” comprising a video display  120 . The base game may be a conventional casino game such as a reel-type slot machine game. A player operates the base game until he or she qualifies for the bonus game. The qualification criteria may be any variety of potential bonus game entry barriers. For example, the qualifying criteria may require hitting certain reel symbols or combinations of symbols or obtaining a minimum number of credit awards. Once the qualifying criteria have been satisfied, the player is entered into the bonus game play mode.  
         [0030]    In use and operation, and referring to FIG. 1, gaming machine or device  100  includes a memory board  140 , a processor board  142 , a main board  144  and a back plane  146  integrally or separately formed. Memory expansion board  140  as well as processor board  142  including a graphics system processor and video expansion board VGA/SVGA  148 , are operably coupled to the main board  144 . The main board  144  preferably includes memory in the form of ROM, RAM, flash memory and EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory). In addition, the main board  144  includes a system event controller, a random number generator, a win decoder/pay table, status indicators, a communications handler and a display/sound generator.  
         [0031]    The main board  144  is operably coupled to the back plane  146 , which may include additional memory, such as in the form of an EEPROM, and connectors to connect to peripherals. Furthermore, the back plane  146  provides a plurality of communication ports for communicating with external peripherals. The back plane  146  provides the coupling between discrete inputs  150  and the processor board  142  and main board  144 . Typical examples of elements which provide discrete inputs  150  are coin acceptors, game buttons, mechanical hand levers, key and door switches and other auxiliary inputs. Furthermore, the back plane  146  provides the coupling between discrete outputs  152  and the processor board  142 and main board  144 . Typically and by way of example only, elements that provide discrete outputs  152  are in the form of lamps, hard meters, hoppers, diverters and other auxiliary outputs.  
         [0032]    The back plane  146  also provides connectors for at least one power supply  154  for supplying power for the processor and a parallel display interface (PDI)  156  and a serial interface  158  for game display device  178 . In addition, the back plane  146  also provides connectors for a soundboard  160  and a high-resolution monitor  162 . Furthermore, the back plane  146  includes communication ports for operably coupling and communicating with an accounting network  164 , a touch screen  166  (which may also serve as a game display device), a bill validator  155  incorporated in a currency (bill) acceptor, a printer  168 , an accounting network link  170 , a progressive current loop  172  and a network link  174 .  
         [0033]    The back plane  146  optionally includes connectors for external video sources  180 , expansion buses  182 , game or other displays  184 , an SCSI port  188  and an interface  190  for at least one card reader  192  (debit/credit, player card, etc.) and key pad  194 . The back plane  146  may also include means for coupling a plurality of reel driver boards  196  (one per reel) which drive physical game reels  198  with a shaft encoder or other sensor means to the processor board  142  and main board  144  if a gaming device  100  is configured for play of a reel-type game as the base game. Of course, the reels may be similarly implemented electronically by display as video images, technology for such an approach being well known and widely employed in the art. In such an instance reel driver boards  196  and physical game reels  198  with associated hardware are eliminated and the game outcome generated by the random number generator on main board  144  is directly displayed on a video game display  184  and, optionally, on a separate game display device  178 , as known in the art. Other gaming machine configurations for play of different wagering games such as video poker games, video blackjack games, video Keno, video bingo or any other suitable primary games are equally well known in the art. It will also be understood and appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that selected components of gaming machine or device  100  may be duplicated for play of a stand-alone bonus game or event in accordance with the present invention, in that at least a separate board with a second processor may be employed, with associated peripherals and links thereto, for play of the bonus game. In the conventional situation wherein the bonus game of the present invention may be operably coupled as a “top box” or otherwise associated with a conventional, existing gaming machine configured for play of a base game, many of the components illustrated in FIG. 1 and described with respect thereto will be duplicated, including separate software and associated memory for conducting play of the bonus game with associated pay tables for the bonus awards.  
         [0034]    In implementation of the present invention, the gaming machines offering play of the bonus event of the present invention may be deployed, as schematically depicted in FIG. 6, in a gaming network  210  including a central server computer  220  operably coupled to a plurality of gaming machine G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  which may include both electronic and reel type gaming machines. It is notable that, unless the gaming network  210  is configured for progressive play, a variety of different makes of gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  offering widely different games may incorporated in gaming network  210 , since the bonus event operates independently of the base or primary game on each gaming. The central server computer  220  automatically interacts with a plurality of gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  to activate a bonus event.  
         [0035]    More specifically, and again referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the gaming network  210  includes a central server computer  220 , a bonus event computer  240  and a plurality of gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n . Each gaming machine G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  includes a controller assembly  280  operably coupled to the central server computer  220  and is comprised of a controller unit designed to facilitate transmission of signals from each individual gaming machine G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  to central server computer  220  for monitoring purposes. In addition, the controller assembly  280  includes a network interface board fitted with appropriate electronics for each specific make and model of each individual gaming machine G 1 , G 2  . . . G n .  
         [0036]    Referring to FIG. 6, in electronic video games, the central server computer  220  is operably coupled to at least one video game display element  118  as shown at the left hand side of FIG. 2 and sequesters a portion of the video game display element  118  for displaying video attract sequences to attract potential players. Video game display element  118  may be used for display of both the base or primary and bonus games. Where the gaming network  210  includes reel type game machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n , as shown at the right hand side of FIG. 6, the central server computer  220  may be operably coupled to at least one active display element  120  (depicted in FIG. 2) so that potential players receive a clear indication of attract sequences and the active display element  120  may be used as a video display for the bonus game. As shown at the left hand side of FIG. 6, the gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  may also be provided with a second video display element  122  as an alternative to sequestering a portion of the video game display element  118  for displaying video attract sequences and the bonus game. In addition, the central server computer  220  may include sound generating hardware and software for producing attractive sounds orchestrated with the video attract sequences at each of gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  if such is not already incorporated therein. The games support input and output between the player and the game for such devices as heads up display, joystick, keyboard, mouse and data glove via interface modules connected through the expansion bus or buses  182  and SCSI port  188 .  
         [0037]    The attractive multimedia video displays and dynamic sounds may be provided by the central server computer  220  by using multimedia extensions to allow gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  to display full-motion video animation with sound to attract players to the machines. During idle periods, the gaming machines G 1 , . . . G n  preferably display a sequence of attraction messages in sight and sound. The videos may also be used to market specific areas of the casino and may be customized to any informational needs.  
         [0038]    Furthermore, the gaming network  210  includes bonus event computer  240  operably coupled to the central server computer  220  for scheduling bonus parameters such as the bonus game configuration, pay tables and players. The functions of central server computer  220  and bonus event computer  240  may, of course, be combined in a single computer. Preferably, the gaming network  210  further includes a real-time or on-line accounting and gaming information system  260  operably coupled to the central server computer  220 . The accounting and gaming information system  260  includes a player database for storing player profiles, a player tracking module for tracking players and a pit, cage and credit system for providing automated casino transactions.  
         [0039]    As previously implied, a bank of gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  may be networked together in a progressive configuration, as known in the art, wherein a portion of each wager to initiate a base or primary game may be allocated to bonus event wards. In addition, and referring to FIG. 7, a host site computer  320  is coupled to a plurality of the central servers  220  at a variety of mutually remote casinos or other gaming sites C 1 , C 2  . . . C n  for providing a multi-site linked progressive automated bonus gaming system  310 .  
         [0040]    Preferably, the host site computer  320  will be maintained for the overall operation and control of the gaming system  310 . The host site computer  320  includes a host site network system  322  and a communication link  324  provided with a high-speed, secure modem link for each individual casino site C 1 , C 2  . . . C n .  
         [0041]    Each casino or other gaming site C 1 , C 2  . . . C n  includes the central server computer  220  provided with a network controller  230  which includes a high-speed modem operably coupled thereto. Bidirectional communication between the host site computer  320  and each casino site central server  220  is accomplished by the set of modems transferring data over communication link  324 .  
         [0042]    A network controller  230 , a bank controller  232  and a communication link  234  are interposed between each central server  220  and the plurality of networked gaming machines at each casino site C 1 , C 2  . . . C n . In addition, the network controller  230 , the bank controller  232  and the communication link  234  may optionally be interposed between each central server  220  and at least one separate bonus game display  236  at each casino site C 1 , C 2  . . . C n . However, the system  310  may include hardware and software to loop back data for in-machine meter displays to communicate with bonus event award insert areas on gaming machines G 1 , . . . G n .  
         [0043]    Gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  may be connected to bonus game display  236  through communication link  234 . Communication link  234  may be any of a variety of communication links known in the art, including, but not limited to: twisted-pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber optic, Ethernet, token ring, bus line, Fibre Channel, ATM, standard serial connections, LAN, WAN, Intranet, Internet, radio waves, or other wireless connections.  
         [0044]    It will be appreciated to those of ordinary skill in the art that another embodiment may employ some or all gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  in the form of personal computers located at sites remote from the host site computer  320 . The personal computers may be located in homes, businesses or other locations remote from the host site computer  320 , such as a casino site C 1 , C 2  . . . C n . In this embodiment, the personal computers are configured such that the personal computer may connect to host site computer  320  through a network, such as the Internet. The personal computers are enabled to participate in gaming activities by downloading software, wherein the software provides access to the gaming activities and configures the personal computer for play of the gaming activity. In such a configuration, both base and bonus games may be conducted and controlled from the host site computer  320 .  
         [0045]    Thus, it will be appreciated that the bonus game of the present invention may be implemented as a stand-alone bonus game on a gaming machine  100 , as a bonus game administered to a bank or other plurality of gaming machines G 1 , G 2  . . . G n  over a gaming network  210  by a bonus event computer  240 , or as a bonus game administered over a gaming system  310  to multiple, mutually remote casinos or other gaming sites C 1 , C 2  . . . C n . Also as previously noted, the bonus game may have fixed awards or prizes associated therewith, or the bonus game as administered over gaming network  210  or gaming system  310  may be structured as a progressive, wherein a portion of base or primary game wagers are allocated to a bonus pool. Of course, both progressive and non-progressive bonus games may be offered concurrently, the type of bonus game enabled being related to specific base or primary game outcomes or, optionally, a progressive bonus game may be enabled by certain outcomes during play of a stand-alone bonus game or a networked but not progressive bonus game.  
         [0046]    Depicted in drawing FIG. 4 is the starting position of the bonus game of the present invention with all of the bonus game indicia hidden from player view. The bonus game is comprised of a game field or board  10  including a plurality of game spaces  20  in an array. The game field or board may be divided into any suitable array pattern formed by the discrete game spaces. In the illustrated embodiment, the game spaces  20  are formed in a rectangular matrix. Each game space  20  has associated indicia  30 , shown in drawing FIG. 3, which may be numbers, symbols, or colors. The indicia  30  generally consist of a plurality of matching indicia. For example, in one embodiment, there is at least one matching indicium  30  on the game field or board  10  for each game space  20 . To further increase the odds of matching indicia  30 , more than one matching indicia  30  may be placed on the board. For example, there may be three or more indicia  30 that display the number “100”. The greater the number of matching indicia  30 , the greater the chance the player has to match an indicium  30 . To minimize a player&#39;s chance of selecting matching indicium  30 , only one pair of matching indicia  30  may be available on the game field or board  10 .  
         [0047]    The bonus game of the present invention comprises a process for winning bonus awards by matching indicia  30  on two or more game spaces  20 . The indicia  30  are generally hidden during bonus game play. The only time the indicia  30  are revealed is at the start of the bonus game when the player is allowed to briefly view the indicia  30 . The game field or board  10  reverts to the hidden indicia mode depicted in drawing FIG. 4 after a specified period. The indicia  30  in game spaces  20  may also be briefly revealed when a player earns a “sneak peek” during play of the base game or the bonus game. Depicted in drawing FIG. 3 are both the sneak peek feature and the initial opening of the bonus game when a player is given the opportunity to memorize revealed indicia  30  on the game field or board  10 . The sneak peek feature may be earned based on matching certain indicia  30 , revealing specified indicia  30 , earning a minimum number of points, etc. Otherwise, during the bonus game, the player only sees a pair of indicia  30  that he has selected for an attempted match.  
         [0048]    After the initial brief revealing of indicia  30  on bonus game field or board  10 , the player is next allowed to select specific game spaces  20  in an attempt to match the indicia  30  on those game spaces  20 . The indicium  30  associated with a first selected game space  20  is revealed as the player makes his selection. The player next attempts to select another game space  20  with associated indicium  30  that matches the indicium  30  associated with the previously selected game space  20 . If the two selected, revealed indicia  30  match as shown at  50  in FIG. 5, the player is awarded the prize indicated by the indicia match  50 , and is allowed to continue to attempt to select pairs of game spaces  20  with matching indicia  30 . If the revealed indicia  30  of the next pair of selected game spaces  20  do not match, the player is returned to the base game play mode. Illustrated in drawing FIG. 5 is a player who has matched both the numbers “7” and “66” and the “$” image.  
         [0049]    Players may develop a strategy to search and match the indicia  30  in game spaces  20  that indicate the largest prizes. Alternately, the player may simply try to find the indicia  30  that are most easily matched. The game field or board  10  may also contain game spaces  20  that provide special awards such as a “wild card” resulting in an automatic match with the indicia  30  of the next selected game space  20 , a sneak peek, etc.  
         [0050]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the indicia  30  are distributed in a rectangular matrix of square game spaces  20  that is displayed on the video display  120 . Each square game space  20  takes on the appearance of a block that can revolve independently of all other blocks (games spaces  20 ) and reveal the indicia  30  on that block. The block may continue to revolve, again hiding the indicia  30  on the block. At the start of the bonus play mode the player is given an opportunity to shortly view either all or a portion of the game spaces  20  with their associated indicium  30  (See FIG. 4.). The indicium  30  on a square game space  20  is not visible until the player selects that square game space  20 . Once the square game space  20  is selected, the indicium  30  associated with that square game space  20  is displayed or revealed. The player then selects another square game space  20  with a hidden indicium  30  in an effort to match the indicium  30  displayed on the last selected square game space  20 . If the indicia  30  match  50  (FIG. 5), the corresponding award associated with the matched square game spaces  20  is credited to the player. If the indicia  30  on the squares do not match, the revealed indicia  30  of the square game spaces  20  are returned to their hidden position.  
         [0051]    In another embodiment of the present invention, rather then awarding bonus points for matched game spaces  20 , the player obtains the indicia  30  that are matched and is allowed to place those indicia  30  in either the bonus or base game to further the potential for winning an award in either the base or bonus game. For example, the bonus game may employ indicia of playing cards. The bonus game is won by matching indicia  30  to collect a winning card hand. In one exemplary embodiment, a player is required to create a poker hand in the bonus game. Each of the game spaces  20  may have associated with it an indicium  30  representing a playing card. The player is given a finite number of opportunities to find matching pairs of cards. He may be given, for example, five opportunities to find a matching pair of game spaces  20  to form a five card poker hand. A good player may be able to attain a royal flush, a lesser player a full house. A winning hand is credited with a bonus award commensurate with the hand created. This same game could be played based on other card games as well (e.g., blackjack).  
         [0052]    At some point, the bonus game field or board  10  will need to be renewed as prizes are matched. This may be done in a number of ways. One method is to allow a player to win a maximum prize award before the game field or board  10  is renewed. Another method is to renew the game field or board  10  after the player has failed to match indicia  30  of game spaces  20  a specified number of times. Another alternative is to substantially continuously renew the game field or board  10  to add indicia-containing game spaces  20  each time indicia  30  are matched. This adds another level of complexity to the game, making it more difficult for a player because of the ongoing changes in the game field or board  10 . The termination of the bonus game may occur in response to any of these possibilities. Once the bonus game is terminated, the bonus game field or board  10  may be randomly reset.  
         [0053]    The base game awards may be based on typical slot machine pay out schedules or pay tables. To increase the flexibility of the game, it is possible to award players certain benefits or advantages associated with the bonus game based on the outcomes obtained during base game play. For example, certain specified outcomes that enable or qualify a player to have a sneak peek of the revealed indicia may appear in play of the base game. Once the player enters the bonus game, the sneak peek “award” won in base game play may be activated to obtain an advantage in selecting matching indicia  30 . The sneak peak may be provided, depending upon configuration of the bonus game, at a preset time during bonus play, at the player&#39;s instigation, upon revealing a selected indicium  30 , at a random time, or otherwise as determined to be appropriate by the gaming establishment operating the bonus game. Of course, the sneak peak advantage may also be offset in the game architecture by shuffling the locations of the indicia  30  in the game spaces after a predetermined number of game space selections, or otherwise as deemed appropriate to maintain a fairly consistent payout.  
         [0054]    It will also be apparent that that bonus game of the present invention may be implemented in different variations, responsive to different outcomes of the associated base game. For example, one reel combination may enable a “5×” or 10×” money match, where a user is prompted to play a bonus game round and the first two matching indicia  30  result in a bonus award of 5 times or 10 times the value of the matched indicia. Another variation, enabled by a different reel combination, ma be termed a “prize match”, wherein the casino or other gaming establishment operating the bonus game has preentered its own prizes in the array of game spaces  20  and the first match awards the depicted or associated prizes. Another variation is a timed event which may be termed a “money match frenzy”. In this instance, a qualified player has a given time, for example 30 seconds, to match as many sets of indicia  30  in gaming spaces  20  as possible. The total of all the matched indicia sets is the value of the bonus award.  
         [0055]    Yet another implementation, as previously noted, is a multi-tiered bonus game. Each tier or level is more difficult than the preceding one, but competing at higher levels results in higher bonus awards. Bonus game play at any level may be triggered by specific reel combinations. Insofar as this approach may take an extended amount of time in terms of both base game play and various levels of bonus game play, it is contemplated that such an approach may be enabled by conventional player tracking technology such as a smart card or player tracking card, so that a player&#39;s personal progress and current status in bonus game play (e.g., the level or tier, accumulated sneak peeks, etc.) may be stored at the end of a gaming session and the bonus game “reset” in a future gaming session conducted from the prior termination point in the bonus game. Thus, a player would not be forced to leave points or other bonus game advantages on a gaming machine at the end of a gaming session leaving an uncompleted bonus game for use by a subsequent player. Of course, player tracking may be used similarly with single-tier bonus games according to the present invention, although the relative brevity of a single-tier game would normally not require this feature.  
         [0056]    Moreover, having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth above and as described by the claims.

Technology Category: 3