Wagering game with a secondary game determined by symbol positions in a base game

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

• (a) receiving an input via a user interface device, the input indicative of a wager to play the wagering game;
• (b) after receiving the input, initiating a base game of the wagering game via one or more processors;
• (c) displaying, via one or more display devices, a plurality of symbols arranged in an array of symbol positions in a first display area for the base game, the symbols including one or more special symbols, each symbol position having a corresponding bonus-game position in an array of bonus-game positions in a second display area, each bonus-game position linked to a different bonus game;
• (d) in response to a special symbol being displayed in a symbol position during play of the base game, identifying the corresponding bonus-game position in the array of bonus-game positions;
• (e) repeating acts (a) through (d) until a plurality of bonus-game positions are identified;
• and
• (f) in response to a plurality of bonus-game positions being identified, implementing each of the different bonus games linked to the identified bonus-game positions.

A gaming machine configured to play a wagering game having a basic game and a secondary game including a plurality of bonus games, the gaming machine comprising:

• an input device configured to receive a wager to play the basic game;
• one or more display devices configured to display a plurality of symbols arranged in an array of symbol positions in a primary display area associated with the basic game, each symbol position having a corresponding bonus-event position in an array of bonus-event positions in a secondary display area associated with the secondary game, each bonus-event position of the secondary game linked to a different bonus game;
• one or more processors operative to
• (i) vary the symbols displayed in the array of symbol positions during play of the basic game, the symbols including one or more bonus-event symbols,
• (ii) in response to a bonus-event symbol being displayed in a symbol position during play of the basic game, identifying the corresponding bonus-event position in the array of bonus-event positions for the secondary game,
• (iii) in response to a predetermined number of bonus-event positions being identified for the secondary game, completing the secondary game by implementing each of the different bonus games linked to the identified bonus-event positions, and
• (iv) immediately after completing the secondary game, resuming play of the basic game.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having an instruction set borne thereby, the instruction set being configured to cause, upon execution by a controller, the acts of:

• (a) receiving a wager via a user interface device, the wager associated with a wagering game;
• (b) initiating, via one or more processors, a basic game of the wagering game;
• (c) displaying, via one or more display devices, a plurality of symbols arranged in an array of symbol positions in a first display area for the basic game, the symbols including one or more bonus-event symbols, each symbol position having a corresponding position in an array of bonus-game positions for a secondary game displayed in a second display area, each bonus-game position linked to a different bonus game of the secondary game;
• (d) in response to a bonus-event symbol being displayed in a symbol position during play of the basic game, identifying the corresponding position in the array of bonus-game positions;
• (e) repeating acts (a) and (d) until at least two bonus-game positions are identified as part of the secondary game;
• and
• (f) in response to at least two bonus-game positions being identified, implementing each of the different bonus games linked to the identified bonus-game positions.

A gaming system comprising:

• at least one input device;
• at least one display device;
• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the least one input device to:
• (a) receive a wager,
• (b) in response to receiving the wager, initiating a basic game and a secondary game, the secondary game including a plurality of bonus games,
• (c) displaying, on the at least one display device, a plurality of symbols arranged in an array of symbol positions in a first display area for the basic game, each symbol position having a corresponding position in an array of bonus-game positions in a second display area for the secondary game, each bonus-game position linked to a different bonus game,
• (d) vary the symbols displayed in the array of symbol positions during play of the basic game, the symbols including one or more secondary game trigger symbols,
• (e) in response to a secondary game trigger symbol being displayed in a symbol position, identifying the corresponding position in the array of bonus-game positions for the secondary game, and
• (f) in response to a plurality of bonus-game positions being identified, completing the secondary game by implementing each of the different bonus games linked to the identified bonus-game positions.