Electronic system for playing of reel-type games

A method of operating an electronic gaming system including at least one player interface for enabling a player to interact with the system, and a display screen, wherein the gaming system is configured so as to enable the player to simultaneously play a plurality of reel-type games, the method comprising:

• simultaneously displaying a plurality of the games in distinct display windows on the display screen, each display window being associated with a respective one of the games and being configured to display a plurality of reels pertaining to the respective game, each reel having a plurality of reel indicia arranged thereon;
• generating a random number to determine a particular outcome for each play of each given game, that outcome being one of a plurality of possible outcomes, and being constituted by a particular arrangement of reel indicia pertaining to the given game;
• entering a feature phase based upon the outcome of a particular game constituting a predetermined feature-triggering event, wherein the particular game is displayed in a given display window of the display screen;
• suspending play of a number of games during the feature phase;
• and
• configuring the display screen to automatically display the feature phase in an expanded form of the given display window, and to automatically reduce in size a corresponding display window that displays a suspended game during the feature phase in order to accommodate for the size of the expanded form of the given display window that displays the feature phase.

An electronic gaming system comprising:

• at least one player interface for enabling a player to interact with the system;
• a display screen;
• and
• means for generating a random number;
• wherein the gaming system is configured to enable the player to simultaneously play a plurality of reel-type games;
• wherein the display screen is configured to simultaneously display a plurality of the games in distinct display windows of the display screen, each display window associated with a respective one of the games and configured to display a plurality of reels pertaining to the respective game, each reel having a plurality of reel indicia arranged thereon;
• wherein a particular outcome for each play of each given game is determined based upon a random number generated by the means for generating a random number, that particular outcome being one of a plurality of possible outcomes, and being constituted by a particular arrangement of reel indicia pertaining to the given game;
• wherein the gaming system is configured to enter a feature phase based upon the outcome of a particular game constituting a predetermined feature-triggering event, wherein the particular game is displayed in a given display window of the display screen;
• wherein the gaming system is configured to suspend play of a number of games during the feature phase;
• and
• wherein the display screen is further configured to automatically display the feature phase in an expanded form of the given display window, and to automatically reduce in size a corresponding display window that displays a suspended game during the feature phase in order to accommodate for the size of the expanded form of the given display window that displays the feature phase.