Gaming system and method of storing symbols to obtain enhanced awards

A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a monetary value acceptor, a monetary value;
• establishing, by a processor of the gaming system, a credit balance based at least in part on the received monetary value;
• accepting, from an input device in a housing of the gaming system, a wager amount;
• decreasing, by the processor, the credit balance by the wager amount;
• randomly generating a first plurality of symbols;
• displaying, on a display device of the housing, the first plurality of symbols in a plurality of symbol display areas, each of the first plurality of symbols being associated with a separate one of the plurality of symbol display areas and the plurality of symbol display areas being arranged in a plurality of columns;
• determining, with the processor, if a nudge symbol was generated in the first plurality of symbols, wherein the nudge symbol causes the processor to move displayed symbols, the move further comprising removing the nudge symbol from the plurality of symbol display areas where the nudge symbol is displayed in a bottom row of the plurality of symbol display areas, and the nudge symbol controls whether the processor generates one or more additional plurality of symbols for one or more of the plurality of columns;
• randomly generating and displaying, using the processor, a second plurality of symbols for at least one of the plurality of columns that does not display the nudge symbol, the second plurality of symbols replacing the first plurality of symbols in the at least one of the plurality of columns, the displayed second plurality of symbols and the remaining displayed first plurality of symbols comprising currently displayed symbols;
• displaying, on the display device, any determined nudge awards based on the nudge symbol in the currently display symbols;
• determining, with the processor, if any storage symbols were generated in the currently displayed symbols;
• storing any determined storage symbols in a symbol storage area separate from the plurality of symbol display areas;
• converting the storage symbols to storage symbol award values;
• displaying, on the display device, the storage symbol award values, the credit balance being increased by the storage symbol award values;
• increasing, by the processor, the credit balance by the storage symbol award values;
• and
• issuing another monetary value, by the value dispenser, based on the credit balance upon receipt of a cash out signal.

A gaming system comprising:

• a cabinet;
• a processor;
• a display device supported by the cabinet;
• an input device supported by the cabinet;
• a value acceptor supported by the cabinet;
• a value dispenser supported by the cabinet;
• a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• establish a credit balance based at least in part on a monetary value received by the value acceptor;
• place a wager following receipt of a wager input via an input device, the credit balance being decreased by the wager;
• randomly generate a first plurality of symbols;
• display, on the display device, the first plurality of symbols in a plurality of symbol display areas, each of the first plurality of symbols being associated with a separate one of the plurality of symbol display areas;
• determine if any nudge symbols were generated in the first plurality of symbols wherein the nudge symbols cause the processor to move displayed symbols, the move further comprising removing at least one of the nudge symbols from the plurality of symbol display areas where the at least one of the nudge symbols is displayed in a bottom row of the plurality of symbol display areas, and the nudge symbols control whether the processor generates one or more additional plurality of symbols for one or more of the plurality of columns;
• display, on the display device, any determined nudge awards based on at least one winning nudge symbol combination if the nudge symbols form the at least one winning nudge symbol combination;
• determine if any storage symbols were generated in the first plurality of symbols;
• store any determined storage symbols in a symbol storage area separate from the plurality of symbol display areas;
• convert the storage symbols to storage symbol award values;
• display, on the display device, the storage symbol award values, the credit balance being increased by the storage symbol award values;
• and
• issue value from the value dispenser based on the credit balance upon receipt of a cash out signal.