Gaming device having a designated activator symbol therein and methods thereof

A game comprising:

• a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions;
• a first plurality of symbols at the plurality of symbol positions on the reel, the first plurality of symbols comprising at least one predetermined activator symbol;
• a second plurality of symbols activated by the activator symbol, the second plurality of symbols replacing a subset of the first plurality of symbols, the second plurality of symbols comprising a plurality of replicator symbols, wherein each replicator symbol includes at least two of the same symbols at one of the symbol positions;
• at least one predetermined winning symbol combination of a plurality of winning symbol combinations;
• and
• an award associated with the predetermined winning symbol combination.

A game device comprising:

• a display device;
• an input device;
• and
• a processor for accessing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to:
• provide a game comprising:
• a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions;
• a plurality of symbols at the plurality of symbol positions on the reel, the plurality of symbols comprising at least one bonus activator symbol;
• at least one predetermined winning symbol combination of a plurality of winning symbol combinations, the predetermined winning symbol combination for activating a bonus round;
• and
• the bonus round comprising a plurality of free spins;
• wherein during one free spin a wild symbol appears in a symbol position, and wherein for the remaining free spins, the wild symbol remains locked in the symbol position.