Gaming system having asynchronous motion of symbols determining award outcomes

A gaming system comprising:

• an input device configured to detect a physical item associated with monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
• an electronic display device;
• game-logic circuitry configured to:
• initiate a wagering game responsive to an input indicative of a wager drawn on the credit balance,
• randomly determine a game outcome of the wagering game,
• in response to the game outcome including a bonus feature, direct the electronic display device to display a plurality of symbols moving around a gamescape, wherein symbols of the plurality move into and out of a designated award zone within the gamescape, and
• trigger an award in response to at least two of the plurality of symbols being completely inside the award zone while at least one of the at least two symbols is in motion.

A computer-implemented method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system, the gaming system including an input device configured to detect a physical item associated with monetary value that establishes a credit balance, an electronic display device, and game-logic circuitry, the method comprising:

• detecting, by the input device, a physical item associated with monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
• initiating, via the game-logic circuitry, the wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager drawn on the credit balance;
• displaying, on the electronic display device, a gamescape including a designated award zone and a plurality of game symbols moving intermittently into and out of the designated award zone, each game symbol being assigned a symbol value from a plurality of symbol values;
• trigger an award, via the game-logic circuitry, in response to a predetermined threshold of the plurality of symbols being completely inside the award zone while at least one of predetermined threshold of symbols is moving, the award being based on the symbol values assigned to the predetermined threshold of symbols.