Skill-based wagering machine providing a predetermined return-to-player

A method of playing a game of a gaming machine having a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item representing a monetary value, a player interface configured to generate input signals representative of a move requested by a player of the gaming machine, a display device comprising a plurality of display positions, and a game controller, the method comprising:

• increasing, with the game controller, a credit balance of a credit meter based on the monetary value of the received physical item;
• decreasing, with the game controller, the credit balance based on a wager;
• randomly selecting, with the game controller, an initial game screen from a plurality of initial game screens in a manner that ensures a predetermined minimum return-to-player;
• displaying, in the plurality of display positions of the display device, a plurality of symbols per an initial symbol arrangement specified by the selected initial game screen;
• updating one or more symbols in the plurality of display positions per the move represented by the input signals to obtain an updated plurality of symbols on the display device;
• and
• increasing, with the game controller, the credit balance based on an award associated with the updated plurality of symbols.