System and method of allowing a player to play gaming machines having expanding symbol and column replication

A method of implementing a game machine including a user input device, a display and a controller, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, by the controller, a signal from the user input device indicating a wager being received from a player, the user input device configured to accept physical media indicating a monetary value to establish a credit balance;
• adjusting, by the controller, the credit balance by an amount of the wager and initiating a game in response to receiving the wager;
• displaying, through the display, a plurality of symbol cells, the plurality of symbol cells defining a plurality of columns, each column including a plurality of game symbols in a plurality of symbols positions;
• generating an outcome of the game including determining, through the controller, the game symbol displayed within each symbol cell within a first column;
• evaluating, through the controller, each symbol within the first column;
• dynamically allocating a ranking to the symbols within the first column;
• selecting, through the controller, a symbol based on the allocated ranking;
• copying, through the controller, the selected symbol into at least one other symbol position within the first column based on the allocated ranking;
• randomly selecting a second column of the plurality of columns;
• copying the selected symbol into at least one symbol position in the selected second column to display the outcome of the game;
• and
• evaluating the outcome of the game, providing an award to the player based on the outcome of the game, and adjusting the credit balance as a function of the outcome of the game and the wager.

A non-transitory information recording medium containing a computer readable program that functions as a game machine comprising:

• a user input device configured to accept physical media indicating a monetary value to establish a credit balance;
• a display configured to display a plurality of symbol cells, the plurality of symbol cells defining a plurality of columns, each column including a plurality of game symbols in a plurality of symbols positions;
• and
• a controller, the controller configured to:
• receive a signal from the user input device indicating a wager being received from a player, adjust the credit balance by an amount of the wager, and initiate a game in response to receiving the wager;
• generate an outcome of the game including determining the game symbol displayed within each symbol cell within a first column;
• evaluate each symbol within the first column;
• dynamically allocate a ranking to the symbols within the first column;
• select a symbol based on the allocated ranking;
• copy the selected symbol into at least one other symbol position within the first column based on the allocated ranking
• randomly select a second column of the plurality of columns;
• copy the selected symbol into at least one symbol position within the selected second column to display the outcome of the game;
• and
• evaluate the outcome of the game, provide an award to the player based on the outcome of the game, and adjust the credit balance as a function of the outcome of the game and the wager.