Systems and methods of electronic gaming including an upgradeable game object

A method for presenting an electronic game on an electronic gaming machine in which an upgradeable game object is displayed and accrues value during the electronic game, the electronic gaming machine comprising a display configured to present the electronic game, a player input interface, and a game controller, the method comprising:

• simulating, by the game controller, a plurality of reels, each reel of the simulated plurality of reels comprising a plurality of symbols;
• presenting, by the game controller, the upgradeable game object, the upgradeable game object having a visual appearance that is upgradeable during the electronic game, the upgradeable game object further associated with a credit value that is increasable during the electronic game;
• spinning and stopping, by the game controller, each reel of the simulated rotating plurality of reels, whereby symbols from each reel are stopped and displayed;
• determining, by the game controller, that the symbols stopped and displayed from each of the simulated plurality of reels include a number of special symbols greater than at least a threshold number of special symbols;
• depicting, by the game controller and in response to the determining, a first upgrade to the visual appearance of the upgradeable game object;
• increasing, by the game controller and in addition to depicting the first upgrade to the visual appearance of the upgradeable game object, the credit value of the upgradeable game object by a first credit amount;
• and
• adding, by the game controller and in response to a specified trigger event, the credit value associated with the upgradeable object to a credit balance of the player.