Gaming system having configurable mechanical reels

One or more computer readable storage media encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform a method of operating a wagering game, the method comprising:

• receiving a wager via a wager input device;
• selecting, via a controller, a current game mode from a plurality of available selectable game modes, each game mode being respectively associated with a subset of a plurality of reel strips of a display, each of said subsets containing less than all of the plurality of reel strips;
• selectively concealing each of said reel strips other than said subset of said reel strips associated with the current game mode, responsive to said controller;
• and
• displaying, via said display, a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game on said subset of reel strips associated with the current game mode.

A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system, the method comprising:

• a. selecting a game mode from a plurality of available game modes, each of said plurality of game modes being associated with a subset of a plurality of symbol-bearing reel strips, each of said subsets containing less than all of the plurality of reel strips;
• b. receiving a wager;
• c. determining an outcome randomly selected from among a plurality of possible outcomes associated with the selected game mode;
• d. displaying said outcome as an array of symbols, said symbols being selected from said subset of reel strips associated with said selected game mode;
• and
• e. providing an award if the displayed outcome indicates a winning combination.