Video game with video game stages playable in different modes, and associated information processing system, storage medium, apparatus, and method

An information processing apparatus, comprising:

• a processor and a memory coupled thereto, the processor being configured to control the information processing apparatus to at least:
• designate, from among a plurality of virtual game stages that a user is permitted to be play in a first game mode, a first designated virtual game stage to be played by the user;
• execute a first game in the first designated virtual game stage in the first game mode;
• give an in-game virtual reward associated with the first designated virtual game stage, to the user, provided that a result of the first game played by the user satisfies a reward giving condition;
• designate a second designated virtual game stage to be played by the user in a second game mode, the user being permitted to play the second designated virtual game stage in the second game mode regardless of whether the user is permitted to play the second designated virtual game stage in the first game mode;
• execute a second game in the second designated virtual game stage in the second game mode;
• give the in-game virtual reward associated with the second designated virtual game stage, to the user, provided that a result of the second game played by the user satisfies the reward giving condition;
• and
• change, based on the in-game virtual reward, an in-game element in the first game mode from a state where use of the in-game element by the user is not permitted to a state where use of the in-game element by the user is permitted, regardless of whether the in-game virtual reward is given according to the result of the first game or given according to the result of the second game.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by a processor of an information processing apparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

• Designating, from among a plurality of virtual game stages that a user is permitted to play in a first game mode, a first designated virtual game stage to be played by the user;
• executing a first game in the first designated virtual game stage in the first game mode;
• giving an in-game virtual reward associated with the first designated virtual game stage, to the user, provided that a result of the first game played by the user satisfies a reward giving condition;
• designating a second designated virtual game stage to be played by the user in a second game mode, the user being permitted to play the second designated virtual game stage in the second game mode regardless of whether the user is permitted to play the second designated virtual game stage in the first game mode;
• executing a second game in the second designated virtual game stage in the second game mode;
• giving the in-game virtual reward associated with the second designated virtual game stage, to the user, provided that a result of the second game played by the user satisfies the reward giving condition;
• and
• changing, based on the in-game virtual reward, an in-game element in the first game mode from a state where use of the in-game element by the user is not permitted to a state where use of the in-game element by the user is permitted, regardless of whether the in-game virtual reward is given according to the result of the first game or given according to the result of the second game.

An information processing method executed by an information processing system, the method comprising:

• designating, from among a plurality of virtual game stages that a user is permitted to play in a first game mode, a first designated virtual game stage to be played by the user;
• executing a first game in the first designated virtual game stage in the first game mode;
• giving an in-game virtual reward associated with the first designated virtual game stage, to the user, provided that a result of the first game played by the user satisfies a reward giving condition;
• designating a second designated virtual game stage to be played by the user in a second game mode, the user being permitted to play the second designated virtual game stage in the second game mode regardless of whether the user is permitted to play the second designated virtual game stage in the first game mode;
• executing a second game in the second designated virtual game stage in the second game mode;
• giving the in-game virtual reward associated with the second designated virtual game stage, to the user, provided that a result of the second game played by the user satisfies the reward giving condition;
• and
• changing, based on the in-game virtual reward, an in-game element in the first game mode from a state where use of the in-game element by the user is not permitted to a state where use of the in-game element by the user is permitted, regardless of whether the in-game virtual reward is given according to the result of the first game or given according to the result of the second game.