JP2002028279A - Game machine provided with puzzle feature - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine where a new game is mounted in order to promote sales, keep customers and attract new customers. SOLUTION: The game machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller 42 for controlling a picture to be displayed on this display 14. This controller 42 displays at least one random events on the display 14 to carry out a game which gives prize money when a prescribed prize-winning event is generated. When a causing condition is generated, at least some of displayed game symbols are replaced with other puzzle symbols respectively expressing a part of a large picture pattern.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game machine, and more particularly, to a game machine and an improvement in a game played on the game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Players who regularly play with gaming machines are often bored with a particular game, and so gaming machine manufacturers need to develop new game features that make the game interesting. is there. It is hoped that this will keep the player's enjoyment, keep the game going, and attract new players.

[0003]

With the growth of the gaming machine market, there is increasing competition among manufacturers to supply various existing or new gaming arenas. In choosing a game console supplier, game yard owners usually pay close attention to the popularity of various game customers. Therefore, game console manufacturers are keen to devise games that are popular with players as a mechanism for promotion, customer retention, and new customer acquisition.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a game machine having a display device and a game control device configured to control an image displayed on the display device and execute a game. Displaying at least one random event on said display device;
In a game machine that provides a prize money when a predetermined winning event occurs, at least some of the game symbols displayed are displayed when a trigger condition occurs, each of which represents a part of a large picture. A game machine characterized in that the game machine is replaced with a puzzle symbol.

[0005] Preferably, the game is a spinning reel game having a spinning reel depiction, wherein the spinning reel depiction displays a plurality of game symbols, eg, three game symbols, on a display device. At least some of the game symbols may be special symbols.

[0008] Then, when a predetermined number of special symbols are displayed, an incentive condition may occur. In the preferred embodiment, the special symbol is a depiction of a predetermined puzzle piece, ie, a predetermined portion of a larger picture. In the alternative, the trigger condition is independent of the large picture. In other words, the symbol causing the trigger condition may not be a depiction of a portion of a large picture.

[0007] The controller may select a number of puzzle symbols to be displayed when the trigger condition occurs by generating a random number. This random number can be in the range from 1 to a maximum of the total number of display positions. If the trigger condition is the display of a predetermined number of special symbols, the random number can be in the range from 1 to the total number of display positions minus display positions that already include the special symbols. If the incentive condition is irrelevant to the large picture, it will be appreciated that the range is simply from one to the total number of display positions.

The controller may reveal an equivalent number of puzzle symbols instead of game symbols when a random number is selected.

[0009] A special bonus may be given when the entire picture is revealed. Once the entire picture is revealed, the entire picture may be expanded to fill the display device. In addition, this enlargement of the picture may be accompanied by an appropriate audio output, and the special bonus is paid in a separate payment.

[0010] Preferably, a fixed prize is also awarded for each revealed puzzle symbol.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIG.
1 shows the entire game machine of the present invention including the game itself. The game machine 10 includes a console 12 having a video display unit 14 and, when used, the video display unit 1.
The game 16 is displayed in 4. The game that is the basis of the game 16 is a spinning reel game that simulates the rotation of a plurality of spinning reels 18. A central trim 20 of the game machine 10 houses a row of buttons 22 for allowing a player to play the game 16. The central trim 20 also houses a credit insertion mechanism 24 that includes a coin insertion chute 24.1 and a ticket collection section 24.2.

The game machine 10 includes a top box 26 to which an artwork (decorative portion) 28 is attached. The artwork 28 includes a payment table, a description of a bonus prize, and the like.

At the lower part of the console 12, a game machine 10
A coin tray 30 is provided for paying out the coins.

FIG. 2 shows the control means or control circuit 40. Programs relating to the game and the user interface are executed by the processor 42 of the control circuit 40. Processor 42 forms part of controller 44 that drives the screen of video display unit 14 and receives input signals from sensors 46. The sensor 46 is
It includes a sensor associated with the row of buttons 22 and a touch sensor mounted in the screen. Control device 44
Also receives an input pulse from mechanism 24 indicating that the player has inserted enough credits to begin playing. The mechanism 24 may include a credit card reader (not shown) or another type of verification device instead of, or in addition to, the coin insertion chute 24.1 or the ticket collection unit 24.2.

Finally, the control device 44 controls the dispensing mechanism 4
The payout mechanism 48 is a coin hopper that supplies coins to the coin tray 30 for paying out when a player wants to refund credits, for example.

As described above, the game 16 is a rotating reel game that simulates the rotation of a plurality of rotating reels 18. When the trigger condition occurs, some or all of the symbol positions displayed by the reels 18 on the screen 16 are randomly replaced by larger picture portions.

Thus, after the initial or base game, screen display 50 is displayed as shown in FIG. In the following description, it is assumed that there are three active paylines that will only award prizes for left-to-right combinations, and that only three or more combinations of the same type will be paid.

The screen display 50 shown in FIG. 3 displays two special symbols 52 in addition to the standard symbols. The special symbol 52 is an eye of an animal, for example, an eye of a tiger. The special symbol 52 thus forms part of a larger picture, as will be explained in more detail below. In addition, the special symbol 52 also functions as a substitute symbol for all the other standard symbols except the spreading symbol during the basic game.

Furthermore, the appearance of two special symbols 52 constitutes a triggering condition for a special feature according to the invention. A special feature is that once the trigger condition occurs, it reveals (exposes) one or more parts of the larger picture.

Therefore, when the trigger condition occurs, the control means 44 randomly selects the number of large picture portions to be revealed.

As shown, the preferred embodiment is applied to a five reel spinning reel game, in which three positions of each reel are always displayed on screen 14 simultaneously. Therefore, the random number selected by the control means 44 is in the range from 1 to the total number of display positions on the screen excluding positions already including a part of the picture. Therefore, in the game shown in FIG. 3, the random number can be between 1 and 13.

As mentioned above, the picture revealed is the face of a tiger. In the case of the eye position shown in FIG. 3, it is recognized that the face will be distorted. Therefore, after any prize has been paid for the result of the screen display 50 shown in FIG.
The reel 18 moves downward, thereby causing the eye symbol 52 to move to the second and fourth reels 18 as shown in FIG.
Will be located at the center of each.

In the case of the screen display 50 of FIG. 3, since the eye symbol 52 functions as a substitute symbol, the prize is 4 × K on the pay line 2 and 3 × K on the pay line 3.
J paid. Second and fourth reels 18
However, after moving to the position shown in FIG.
A further prize is paid to × J.

A random number between 1 and 13 (the choice of random number is preferably biased) is selected by the control means 44 as the number of picture parts to be revealed.
By "biased" it is meant that the opportunity to select a number from 1 to 13 is not fairly 1/3.

The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS.
It is assumed that the selected random number is three. When a random number is selected, a random display position other than the position of the eye symbol 52 is selected to replace the standard symbol at that position with a portion of a picture or puzzle symbol.

Then, as shown in FIG.
The first reel strip of the fifth reel, denoted by, is replaced by a portion of the picture. Preferably, the portion revealed at any of the display positions represents a portion of a tiger pattern that is appropriate to be displayed at that position.
However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the portion need not necessarily correspond to the exact location from the beginning. Additional shuffle features may be performed, in which case the puzzle symbols are shuffled to complete the picture.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5b, a puzzle symbol 56 is displayed at a third position on the fourth reel 18.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 5c, a puzzle symbol 58 is shown in a third position on the first reel.

Each puzzle symbol 54-
For 58, a prize is paid. As mentioned above, the selected random number is three, so the feature ends when the puzzle symbol 58 is revealed.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, since the number selected by the control means 44 is 13, all the standard symbols except for the eye symbol 52 are replaced by puzzle symbols, and the face of the tiger's face is replaced. The picture 60 is revealed. Puzzle symbols are revealed one by one until all standard symbols have been replaced by appropriate parts of the picture.

A special bonus award is randomly selected from a plurality of bonus awards and paid for completion of the picture 60. This bonus prize is paid in addition to the prize money given to each of the revealed picture portions.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the picture is enlarged to fill the entire screen of the video display unit 14 as well as the reel position of the display when the entire picture is revealed. The picture is accompanied by an appropriate audio output as it is enlarged. In the case of a tiger pattern, the pattern expands with the sound of a tiger groan.

A special bonus prize is paid at the groaning packet or location, and the win meter is a prize money bet on the base game 16 that triggered the feature. Increase by 10 times. When the grunts are heard again, the win meter then increases again by a factor of 10 over the base game bet. This process continues until all special bonus prizes have been paid to Win Meter. This results in a suspense of being given a special bonus prize when the entire picture is completed.

Therefore, the advantage of the present invention is that the game
It has special features that enhance the excitement of the player.

Numerous variations and / or modifications may be made to those skilled in the art to the invention illustrated by the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the broadly described invention. It will be appreciated. The present example is therefore to be regarded in all respects as illustrative and not general.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a game machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the game machine.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a screen display at the end of a basic game.

FIG. 4 shows a screen display after the first stage of special features.

FIG. 5a shows a screen display of one embodiment of a special feature.

FIG. 5b shows a screen display of one embodiment of a special feature.

FIG. 5c illustrates a screen display of one embodiment of a special feature.

FIG. 6 illustrates a completed screen display of another embodiment of a special feature.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a game played on the game machine in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Game machine 12 Console 14 Video display unit 16 Game 18 Spinning reel 20 Central trim 22 Button row 24 Credit insertion mechanism 24.1 Coin insertion chute 24.2 Ticket collection part 26 Top box 28 Artwork 30 Coin tray 40 Control circuit 42 Processor 44 control unit 46 sensor 48 payout mechanism 50 screen display 52 special symbols 54, 56, 58 puzzle symbols 60 pictures

Continued on the front page F-term (reference) 2C001 AA00 AA13 AA14 BA00 BA01 BA06 BB00 BB01 BB03 BB08 BC00 BC05 BD00 BD03 BD05 CA01 CB01 CC02 CC08

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A game machine having a display device and a game control device configured to control an image displayed on the display device and execute a game, wherein at least one random event is generated. In a game machine that displays on a display device and provides a prize when a predetermined winning event occurs, at least some of the game symbols being displayed are each displayed in a large pattern when an incentive condition occurs. A game machine characterized by being replaced with another puzzle symbol representing a part. 2. The game according to claim 1, wherein the game is a spinning reel game having a spinning reel depiction, wherein each spinning reel depiction displays a plurality of game symbols on a display device. Game console. 3. The game machine according to claim 2, wherein at least some of the game symbols are also special symbols. 4. The game machine according to claim 3, wherein a trigger condition occurs when a predetermined number of special symbols are displayed. 5. The game machine according to claim 4, wherein the special symbol is a predetermined puzzle piece. 6. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the trigger condition is irrelevant to the large picture. 7. The game control device according to claim 1, wherein the number of puzzle symbols to be displayed when an incentive condition occurs is generated by generating a random number. The game machine according to any one of the above. 8. The game machine according to claim 7, wherein the randomly selected number is in a range from 1 to a maximum of the total number of display positions. 9. The game machine according to claim 7, wherein, when a random number is selected, the game control device reveals an equivalent number of puzzle symbols instead of game symbols. 10. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein a special bonus is given when the entire pattern is revealed. 11. The game machine according to claim 10, wherein when the whole picture is revealed, the whole picture expands to fill the display device. 12. The game machine according to claim 11, wherein the enlargement of the picture is accompanied by an appropriate audio output, and the special bonus is paid in a separate payment. 13. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein a fixed prize is awarded for each of the revealed puzzle symbols.