Gaming machine and method with hold and spin symbol propagation

A method of operating a gaming machine, the method comprising:

• spinning reels to present first symbols at display positions of the gaming machine;
• holding one or more of the first symbols at their respective display positions;
• spinning one or more of the reels to present second symbols at one or more of the display positions without a held symbol;
• replacing a second symbol of the second symbols with a third symbol that spans multiple display positions, wherein a third prize value of the third symbol is greater than a prize value of the second symbol;
• and
• present, via a display device, an award based, at least in part, on first prize values associated with the one or more first symbols and the third prize value associated with the third symbol.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising instructions that, in response to being executed, cause a gaming machine to at least:

• spin reels of the gaming machine to present first symbols at display positions of the gaming machine;
• spin one or more of the reels to present second symbols at display positions while holding one or more of the first symbols at their respective display positions;
• replacing a second symbol of the second symbols with a third symbol that spans multiple display positions, wherein a third prize value of the third symbol is based on prize values associated with the multiple display positions spanned by the third symbol;
• and
• presenting, via the gaming machine, an award based, at least in part, on one or more first prize values associated with the first symbols, one or more second prize values associated with the second symbols, and the third prize value associated with the third symbol.