Gaming machine and method with ratcheting enhancement feature

Abstract

There is provided a gaming system, gaming machine, and method that presents a set of persistent enhancers as well as a plurality of symbols in an array corresponding to a plurality of symbol-bearing reels. The plurality of symbol-bearing reels bear game symbols. Each of the persistent enhancers is paired respectively with a separate one of a subset of the game symbols. The persistent enhancers persist across a plurality of game cycles of the game. Game-logic circuitry uses a random number generator to spin and stop the reels for a first game cycle, to populate the array with a portion of the game symbols. The game-logic circuitry detects, in response to the spinning and stopping, occurrence of one or more win events associated with one or more of the subset of the game symbols. In response to detecting a win event, the game-logic circuitry enhances an award for the win event using one of the persistent enhancers that is paired with a subset symbol displayed for the win event. Furthermore, the game-logic circuitry resets the used persistent enhancer to a default value and also increments one or more values of un-used ones of the persistent enhancers. The reset value(s) and incremented value(s) persist to a second game cycle subsequent to the first game cycle.