Gaming device having prize ladder populated with incrementable prize levels

A method of operating a gaming device comprising a display operable to display a series of prizes including a variable prize identified by a variable prize amount in a first area, and a game controller comprising a processor and a memory storing i) data specifying a plurality of selectable symbols including a plurality of increment symbols, each of the increment symbols defining a prize increment amount, and ii) instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to initiate a base game, the method comprising:

• a) controlling the display with the processor to i) display a prize ladder including a bottom prize level and a top prize level, ii) remove the variable prize from the first area, iii) display the variable prize identified by the variable prize amount in the prize ladder, and iv) identify a current prize level in the prize ladder;
• and
• b) initiating, by the processor, a plurality of game instances and in each game instance the processor:
• controlling the display to display a plurality of symbols selected from the selectable symbols based on one or more random numbers from a random number generator at a plurality of symbol positions,
• upon the symbols displayed including one or more increment symbols having one or more increment amounts, incrementing the variable prize amount by the one or more increment amounts of the one or more increment symbols, and
• upon the symbols displayed including a winning combination, displaying the current prize level being incremented to a different current prize level in the prize ladder provided the different current prize level is not the top prize level of the prize ladder;
• and
• c) at an end of the plurality of game instances, awarding a current prize based on one of the current prize level and the different current prize level on the prize ladder.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for conducting a game on an electronic gaming machine that includes a display operable to display a series of prizes including a variable prize identified by a variable prize amount in a first area, and a game controller comprising a processor and a memory storing a) data specifying a plurality of selectable symbols including a plurality of increment symbols, each of the increment symbols defining a prize increment amount, and b) instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to at least the steps of:

• displaying a prize ladder including a bottom prize level and a top prize level, removing the variable prize from the first area, displaying the variable prize identified by the variable prize amount in the prize ladder, and identifying a current prize level in the prize ladder;
• initiating a plurality of game instances and in each game instance:
• displaying a plurality of symbols selected from the selectable symbols based on one or more random numbers from a random number generator at a plurality of symbol positions,
• upon the symbols displayed including one or more increment symbols having one or more increment amounts, incrementing the variable prize amount by the one or more increment amount of the one or more increment symbols, and
• upon the symbols displayed including a winning combination, displaying the current prize level being incremented to a different current prize level in the prize ladder provided the different current prize level is not the top prize level;
• and
• at an end of the plurality of game instances, awarding a current prize based on one of the current prize level and the different current prize level in the prize ladder.