Skillful multi-level games and gaming machines in which players are granted free play sessions

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of operating a regulated gaming machine may comprise accepting money from a player and providing a game that comprises a plurality of in-game assets, each of which being configured to generate a wagering opportunity when skillfully interacted with by the player. One or more player interactions may be received with at least some of the plurality of in-game assets and, for each generated wagering opportunity, it is determined whether the received player interaction was a skillful or an unskillful interaction with the in-game asset. A wagering event is generated for each skillful interaction and, responsive to the generation of the wagering event, it is determined whether to award money to the player according to a first payout schedule defining a first Return to Player (RTP) percentage or to award the player a free play session of limited duration. Money is then awarded according to the first payout schedule associated with the first RTP percentage when the determination is to award money. When the determination is to award the free play session, game play is enabled in the free session. The game play is configured such that either a) player interactions with the plurality of in-game assets causes wagering opportunities to be generated, independent of the skillfulness of the received player interactions, and money awarded according to a second payout schedule defining a second RTP percentage that is more advantageous to the player than the first RTP percentage, or b) tokens are collected, each being configured to increase an RTP percentage of at least one wagering event generated after the free play session is over.