Skillful regulated multi-level casino games and gaming machines configured to encourage exploration of game levels, stages, areas

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of operating a regulated gaming machine may comprise accepting, in the regulated gaming machine, funds from a player and enabling the player to play a wager-based game having a plurality of stages and enabling, for a game session, game play and wagers at a current stage of the game. A determination may then be made whether game play has reached a stage complete state in which all requirements necessary for transitioning game play to a next or another stage of the plurality of stages, as may be a determination whether this is a first time, during the game session, that the game play has reached the stage complete state for the current stage. An incentive may be offered to the player to transition game play to the next or another stage when game play has reached the stage complete state for the first time and not offering the player the incentive otherwise. The offered incentive may be rewarded when a player interaction is received in the regulated gaming machine that causes game play to transition to a next or another stage of the plurality of stages. Continued game play may be enabled in the current stage of the game when a player interaction received in the regulated gaming machine causes game play to remain in the current stage of the plurality of stages. When a determination is made that game play has previously reached the stage complete in the current stage in the game session, the offering and rewarding the incentive to transition the game to the next or another stage is disallowed.