Amusement device prize awarding system and method

An amusement device that awards prizes, the amusement device having a display and an input device, the amusement device comprising:

• a memory that stores plurality of electronic games and a system control program, each of the plurality of electronic games has a plurality of play scenarios and is at least partially skill-based;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the memory, the input device and the display, the controller controlling the display based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory and based upon inputs from the input device,
• the controller being configured to:
• (i) permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play one of the plurality of electronic games;
• (ii) generate, for play by the user, a particular play scenario selected from a plurality of play scenarios;
• (iii) prior to play of the particular play scenario by the user, determine at least one of an optimum series of requisite moves and a best achievable score, performance of the at least one of the optimum series of requisite moves by the user resulting in attainment of the best achievable score for the particular play scenario;
• (iv) set, as a percentage of the best achievable score or by adding or subtracting an offset from the best achievable score, a minimum score necessary to win at least one of a minimum prize/minimum payout and a jackpot, the percentage or the offset being calculated based on a difference between a current payout percentage of the amusement device and a predetermined payout percentage of the amusement device;
• and
• (v) permit award of the at least one of the minimum prize and the jackpot to the user based on attainment by the user of a score for the particular play scenario between the minimum score and the best achievable score.

A method of playing an amusement device having a display, an input device, a memory that stores at least one electronic game and a system control program, and a controller operatively coupled to the memory, the input device and the display, the controller controlling the display based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory and based upon inputs from the input device, the method comprising:

• selectively retrieving from the memory the at least one electronic game, the at least one electronic game has a plurality of play scenarios and is at least partially skill-based;
• permitting a user to selectively play the at least one electronic game;
• generating, for play by the user, a particular play scenario selected from the plurality of play scenarios;
• prior to play of the particular play scenario by the user, determining, in the controller, at least one of an optimum series of requisite moves and a best achievable score, performance of the at least one of the optimum series of requisite moves by the user resulting in attainment of the best achievable score for the particular play scenario;
• determining a current payout percentage of the amusement device;
• setting, prior to the play of the at least one electronic game, a minimum winning score as a percentage of the best achievable score or by adding or subtracting from to the best achievable score for the particular play scenario, the percentage or offset being calculated based on a difference between the current payout percentage and a predetermined payout percentage for the amusement device;
• and
• permitting award of a particular prize to the user based on attainment by the user of a score for the particular play scenario between the minimum winning score and the best achievable score.