System and method of allowing a player to play gaming machines having reel overlays

A method of implementing a game machine including a bill acceptor configured to accept a physical item associated with a monetary value, an input device configured to receive an input representative of a wager from a player, a credit controller configured to establish a credit balance associated with the monetary value and register the input of the wager by the player, a payout device configured to enable the player to initiate a payout of the credit balance, a display in communication with the credit controller and configured to display a plurality of symbol cells displayed in a grid, the grid defining a plurality of columns, each column having an associated reel, each reel having an associated reel strip, each reel strip including a plurality of symbol positions and a plurality of game symbols displayed in each of the symbol cells in a predetermined order, and a controller coupled to the display and the credit controller, the method including the steps of:

• accepting a physical item associated with a monetary value by the bill acceptor;
• receiving an input representative of a wager from a player using the input device;
• initiating a game in response to the registered wager by the credit controller;
• establishing a first reel layout and a second reel layout, the second reel layout having a blank symbol in a plurality of consecutive symbol positions and at least one identical symbol in a plurality of consecutive symbol positions;
• randomly shifting the second reel layout by a number of symbol positions in relation to the first reel layout;
• combining the second reel layout with the first reel layout to create a combined reel layout;
• assigning the combined reel layout to one of the reel strips;
• awarding a prize based on one or more of the game symbols displayed in the symbol cells of the associated reels;
• increasing the credit balance based on the awarded prize;
• initiating a payout of the credit balance in response to an input of the player using the payout device;
• and
• reducing the credit balance in response to the player initiating the payout of the credit balance.

A non-transitory information recording medium on which a computer readable program is recorded that causes a computer to function as a game machine, comprising:

• a bill acceptor that accepts a physical item associated with a monetary value;
• an input device configured to receive an input representative of a wager from a player;
• a credit controller configured to establish a credit balance associated with the monetary value and register the input of the wager by the player, wherein the wager is deducted from the credit balance;
• a payout device configured to enable the player to initiate a payout of the credit balance;
• a display in communication with the credit controller and configured to display a plurality of symbol cells displayed in a grid, the grid defining a plurality of columns, each column having an associated reel, each reel having an associated reel strip, each reel strip including a plurality of symbol positions and a plurality of game symbols displayed in each of the symbol cells in a predetermined order, and
• a controller coupled to the display and the credit controller and configured to:
• initiate a game in response to the registered wager by the credit controller;
• establish a first reel layout and a second reel layout, the second reel layout having a blank symbol in a plurality of consecutive symbol positions and at least one identical symbol in a plurality of consecutive symbol positions;
• randomly shift the second reel layout by a number of symbol positions in relation to the first reel layout;
• combine the second reel layout with the first reel layout to create a combined reel layout;
• assign the combined reel layout to one of the reel strips;
• award a prize based on one or more of the game symbols displayed in the symbol cells of the associated reels;
• increase the credit balance based on the awarded prize;
• and
• reduce the credit balance in response to the player initiating the payout of the credit balance.