Game machine

Abstract

To increase fun of a performance pattern game.SOLUTION: An image of a chroma change performance is displayed during a performance pattern game. The image of the chroma change performance changes outward appearances of a performance pattern from normal chroma to dark chroma for all of the three rows of performance patterns, thus providing a player with a sense of expectation toward occurrence of something during a performance pattern game according to display of the image of the chroma change performance. Besides, when the image of the chroma change performance is displayed in current performance pattern game, an image of a chroma return performance is displayed, and the chroma of the three rows of performance patterns is returned from dark chroma to normal chroma in the image of the chroma return performance. For this reason, the performance pattern is not displayed for an unnecessarily long time with dark chroma, thus preventing a misunderstanding about occurrence of something from being given to a player.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 34

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a pachinko gaming machine.

Background Art

[0002] Some of the above gaming machines are configured to determine success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied, and display an image of a symbol game every time the success or failure is determined. The image of this symbol game displays a plurality of identification elements in a variable state and then in a variable stop state, and the player is notified of the determination result of success or failure according to the combination of the plurality of identification elements in the variable stop state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The above conventional gaming machine makes a plurality of identification elements deviate from the reach state and be either a reach combination or a jackpot combination, and can only give the player a monotonous interest of showing that the plurality of identification elements are approaching the jackpot combination.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a gaming machine capable of enhancing the attractiveness of a symbol game.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The gaming machine according to claim 1 (Examples 4 to 5) includes a determination means (main control circuit 40) that determines success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied (all of the special game in FIG. 1, the special game in FIG. 2, the small win game, and the big win game stop), and a display (performance symbol display 28) on which an image of a symbol game (image of a performance symbol game) is displayed, in which a plurality of identification elements (left column performance symbols, middle column performance symbols, and right column performance symbols) are changed from a variable state (scroll state) to a variable stop state (scroll stop state) in a combination according to the determination result of success or failure. The display is for displaying an image of a symbol game, and before displaying all of the plurality of identification elements in a variable stop state in the image of the symbol game, an image of a change effect (image of a saturation change effect) that changes the appearance (saturation) of at least one of the plurality of identification elements from a first type (normal symbol Nc) to a second type (special symbol Sc) different from the first type is displayed. The symbol game means (sub-control circuit 60) is provided. When the symbol game means displays an image of a change effect in the current symbol game, it is characterized in that an image of a return effect (image of a saturation return effect) that returns the appearance of the identification element whose appearance has been changed to the first type from the second type is displayed for the identification element whose appearance has been changed. According to the above means, an image of a change effect is displayed during the symbol game. This image of the change effect is displayed before all of the plurality of identification elements are brought into a variable stop state, and changes the appearance of at least one of the plurality of identification elements from a first type to a second type. Therefore, it is possible to give the player a sense of anticipation that something will happen during the symbol game in response to the display of the image of the change effect. Moreover, when an image of a change effect is displayed in the current symbol game, an image of a return effect is displayed, and the appearance of the identification element is returned from the second type to the first type in the image of the return effect. Therefore, the identification element is not displayed unnecessarily long in the second type, and the player is not given a misunderstanding that something will happen.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] [Example 1] 1. Mechanical Configuration of the Gaming Machine The outer frame 1 in FIG. 1 is installed on the table island of the pachinko parlor. This outer frame 1 has a vertically long rectangular frame shape with openings in the front and rear, and an inner frame 3 is attached to the left end of the outer frame 1 via a hinge fitting 2. This inner frame 3 has a rectangular container shape with an opening in the front, and is rotatable with respect to the outer frame 1 about the vertical axis of the hinge fitting 2 between the storage position housed in the outer frame 1 and the drawing position drawn forward from the outer frame 1. As shown in FIG. 2, a vertically flat game board 4 is attached to this inner frame 3. This game board 4 is made of a colorless and transparent synthetic resin and closes the opening in the front of the inner frame 3 from the front.

[0009] As shown in Fig. 1, the front frame 5 is attached to the hinge fitting 2. This front frame 5 is in the shape of a rectangular frame with an opening 6, and a colorless and transparent window plate 7 that closes the opening 6 is fixed to the front frame 5. This front frame 5 is rotatable between a closed state that covers the game board 4 from the front around the vertical axis of the hinge fitting 2 and an open state that opens the game board 4, and the window plate 7 faces the game board 4 with a gap therebetween in the closed state of the front frame 5. As shown in Fig. 3, an upper plate 8 and a lower plate 9 are fixed to the front frame 5 in two upper and lower stages. The upper plate 8 stores game balls, and the lower plate 9 stores game balls that cannot be stored in the upper plate 8. An operation button 10 that can be operated by the player is attached to the upper plate 8.

[0010] A launching device (not shown) is attached to the front frame 5. This launching device has a hitting hammer that hits a game ball and a launching motor that operates the hitting hammer, and game balls are supplied one by one from inside the upper plate 8 to the hitting hammer. This launching device supplies a new game ball to the hitting hammer every time the hitting hammer hits one game ball, and as shown in Fig. 3, a launching handle 11 is connected to the launching device. This launching handle 11 is rotatably attached to the lower right corner of the front frame 5 around an axis pointing in the front-rear direction, and the hitting force with which the hitting hammer hits the game ball is adjusted according to the amount of operation (rotation angle) of the launching handle 11 in the clockwise direction.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 2, an outer rail 12 and an inner rail 13 are fixed to the front surface of the game board 4. An arc-shaped launching passage 14 is formed between these outer rail 12 and inner rail 13, and the game ball hit by the hitting hammer rises upward from the bottom in the launching passage 14. These outer rail 12 and inner rail 13 demarcate a game area 15 on the front surface of the game board 4. This game area 15 is a circular area connected to the outlet at the upper end of the launching passage 14, and the game ball rising in the launching passage 14 is discharged into the game area 15 from the outlet of the launching passage 14. A plurality of game nails (not shown) are driven into this game area 15, and the game ball discharged into the game area 15 falls in the game area 15 while colliding with the plurality of game nails.

[0012] Within the gaming area 15, as shown in FIG. 2, a left hitting area 16 and a right hitting area 17 are set. The left hitting area 16 is the area on the left side of the gaming area 15 compared to the center line in the left - right direction. When the amount of operation of the firing handle 11 in the clockwise direction is small, the game ball is discharged from the exit of the firing passage 14 into the left hitting area 16. The way of hitting the game ball into the left hitting area 16 is called left hitting. The right hitting area 17 is the area on the right side of the gaming area 15 compared to the center line in the left - right direction. When the amount of operation of the firing handle 11 in the clockwise direction is large, the game ball passes through the left hitting area 16 from the exit of the firing passage 14 and is discharged into the right hitting area 17. The way of hitting the game ball into the right hitting area 17 is called right hitting.

[0013] Within the gaming area 15, as shown in FIG. 2, a first starting port 18 corresponding to the starting area is fixed. This first starting port 18 is in the shape of a pocket with an open upper surface, and the game ball can enter from the upper surface. This first starting port 18 is arranged across the left hitting area 16 and the right hitting area 17. The game ball can easily enter the first starting port 18 from the upper - surface entrance in the left - hitting state, but it becomes difficult to enter in the right - hitting state.

[0014] In the right hitting area 17, as shown in FIG. 2, a large winning opening 19 corresponding to the ball entry area is fixed. This large winning opening 19 is in the shape of a horizontally long box with an open front and is provided with a door plate 20. This door plate 20 is rotatable about a horizontal axis (not shown) at the lower end between a vertical closed state and a horizontal open state, and closes the entrance at the front of the large winning opening 19 so that game balls cannot enter in the closed state. When game balls are being hit to the right with the door plate 20 in the open state, the game balls fall onto the door plate 20 and roll from the front to the back along the door plate 20, and enter the entrance of the large winning opening 19 accordingly. That is, the large winning opening 19 is made to allow game balls to enter in the state of the game balls being hit to the right. Inside this large winning opening 19, a V winning opening (not shown) is provided. This V winning opening consists of an opening through which game balls that have entered the large winning opening 19 can fall, and has a V door plate (not shown). This V door plate is movable between a closed position where it closes the V winning opening so that game balls cannot fall and an open position where it opens to allow game balls to fall. Game balls that have entered the large winning opening 19 can fall into the V winning opening in the open position of the V door plate, and cannot fall into the V winning opening in the closed position of the V door plate.

[0015] Inside the right hitting area 17, as shown in FIG. 2, a guide plate 21 is fixed below the large winning opening 19. This guide plate 21 slopes downward from right to left, and in the state of the game balls being hit to the right, after the game balls fall onto the guide plate 21, they roll from right to left along the guide plate 21. Inside the right hitting area 17, a general pattern start opening 22 is fixed above the large winning opening 19. This general pattern start opening 22 is in the shape of a U-shaped frame with openings on the upper and lower surfaces, and is made to allow game balls to pass through from the upper surface through the lower surface in the state of the game balls being hit to the right.

[0016] In the gaming area 15, as shown in FIG. 2, a second starting port 23 corresponding to the starting area is fixed below the first starting port 18. The upper surface of this second starting port 23 is open and is provided with an opening / closing member 24. This opening / closing member 24 is movable between an extended state where it protrudes forward from the front surface of the game board 4 and a retracted state where it retracts backward. The entrance on the upper surface of the second starting port 23 is closed so that game balls cannot enter in accordance with the extended / retracted state of the opening / closing member 24. The entrance of this second starting port 23 is opened in the retracted state of the opening / closing member 24. When the game ball is hit to the right in the open state of the second starting port 23, the game ball enters the entrance of the second starting port 23 as it rolls from right to left along the guide plate 21.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, an LED display 25 is fixed to the game board 4. This LED display 25 is arranged outside the gaming area 15, and the determination result of success or failure is displayed on the LED display 25. A decorative frame 26 is fixed to the game board 4. This decorative frame 26 is colored and opaque and has an opening 27. This decorative frame 26 forms a frame shape surrounding the display area E of the effect symbol display 28 when viewed from the front. As shown in FIG. 1, this effect symbol display 28 consists of a color liquid crystal display fixed inside the inner frame 3, and the display area E is set in a horizontally long rectangular shape. This effect symbol display 28 corresponds to a display, and the display area E of the effect symbol display 28 is made visible to the player through the window plate 7, the opening 27 of the decorative frame 26, and the game board 4.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 3, an electric ornament 29 is fixed to the front frame 5. This electric ornament 29 is arranged at the upper end of the front frame 5 and has a plurality of hemispherical LED covers 30. Each of these LED covers 30 is set to a white color with translucency, and an LED 31 is housed inside each LED cover 30. Each of these LEDs 31 is composed of a full-color LED whose color and brightness can be controlled, and each LED cover 30 is decorated in a manner corresponding to the emission color and brightness of the LED 31 as the internal LED 31 emits light. Two speakers 32 are fixed to the front frame 5. These two speakers 32 face each other in the left-right direction with the electric ornament 29 interposed therebetween, and sound is output forward from each speaker 32.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 2, a pre-announcement performer 33 is housed inside the inner frame 3. This pre-announcement performer 33 has a colored transparent hemispherical decorative member 34 and is movable vertically between an upper limit position (refer to the two-dot chain line) and a lower limit position (refer to the solid line). The upper limit position of this pre-announcement performer 33 is set above the display area E of the performance symbol display 28, and the pre-announcement performer 33 becomes invisible to the player at the upper limit position. The lower limit position of this pre-announcement performer 33 is set at a position overlapping the display area E of the performance symbol display 28 from the front, and the pre-announcement performer 33 becomes visible to the player at the lower limit position. A full-color LED 35 (refer to Fig. 4) whose color and brightness can be controlled is housed inside the decorative member 34 of this pre-announcement performer 33. This LED 35 corresponds to a light source, and the decorative member 34 emits light in a color corresponding to the lighting color of the LED 35 as the LED 35 enters the lighting state. This decorative member 34 is connected to a pulse motor 36 (refer to Fig. 4) via a lifting mechanism (not shown), and is moved between the upper limit position and the lower limit position as the pulse motor 36 is driven and controlled in the forward and reverse directions.

[0020] 2. Electrical Configuration of the Gaming Machine The main control circuit 40 in FIG. 4 is mainly composed of a microcomputer and has a ROM, a RAM, a CPU, and I / Os. This main control circuit 40 controls game contents such as special drawing 1 lottery, special drawing 2 lottery, special variable display, big win game, small win game, game state setting, general drawing lottery, general variable display, and general drawing game, and corresponds to game control means. Programs for main processing, programs for timer interrupt processing, general drawing winning determination tables, general drawing variable display time tables, general drawing game pattern tables, big win determination tables, fall determination tables, special drawing 1 big win type tables, special drawing 2 big win type tables, special drawing 1 variable pattern tables, special drawing 2 variable pattern tables, and game pattern tables are stored in the ROM of this main control circuit 40, and special drawing 1 areas and special drawing 2 areas are set in the RAM of the main control circuit 40.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, a first start port sensor 41, a second start port sensor 42, a general drawing sensor 43, a big winning port sensor 44, and a V winning port sensor 48 are connected to the main control circuit 40. The first start port sensor 41 detects a game ball that has entered the first start port 18, the second start port sensor 42 detects a game ball that has entered the second start port 23, the general drawing sensor 43 detects a game ball that has passed through the general drawing start port 22, the big winning port sensor 44 detects a game ball that has entered the big winning port 19, and the V winning port sensor 48 detects a game ball that has fallen into the V winning port. A start port solenoid 45, a big winning port solenoid 46, and a V winning port solenoid 47 are connected to the main control circuit 40. The start port solenoid 45 opens and closes the opening and closing member 24 of the second start port 23, the big winning port solenoid 46 opens and closes the door plate 20 of the big winning port 19, and the V winning port solenoid 47 opens and closes the V door plate of the V winning port. An LED display 25 is connected to this main control circuit 40, and the main control circuit 40 performs special variable display according to controlling the display content of the LED display 25.

[0022] The payout control circuit 50 in FIG. 4 is mainly composed of a microcomputer. This payout control circuit 50 has a ROM, a RAM, and a CPU. When the main control circuit 40 detects signals from the first start port sensor 41, the second start port sensor 42, and the big winning port sensor 44, it sends a payout command to the payout control circuit 50. A prize ball payout device 51 is connected to this payout control circuit 50. When the payout control circuit 40 detects the payout command from the main control circuit 40, it drives and controls the prize ball payout device 51, and accordingly pays out a unit number of game balls as prize balls into the upper tray 8.

[0023] The sub-control circuit 60 in FIG. 4 is mainly composed of a microcomputer. The main control circuit 40 sends commands according to the progress of the game to the sub-control circuit 60. The sub-control circuit 60 sets the display content of the effect symbol display 28, the lighting effect content of the lighting device 29, the sounding content of the speaker 32, and the operation content of the preview effect device 33 according to the commands from the main control circuit 40. This sub-control circuit 60 has a ROM, a RAM, a CPU, an I / O, an RTC, a drive circuit, a PWM circuit, a speaker circuit, and a motor circuit. Programs for main processing, reception interrupt processing, and timer interrupt processing are stored in the ROM. The RAM functions as a work memory, and the CPU executes the programs for main processing to timer interrupt processing in the ROM according to the commands from the main control circuit 40. An operation button 10 is connected to this sub-control circuit 60, and the sub-control circuit 60 detects the operation content of the operation button 10 according to the electrical signal from the operation button 10.

[0024] The drive circuit in FIG. 4 is mainly composed of a microcomputer. This drive circuit controls the effect symbol display 28 according to the setting result of the display content of the sub-control circuit 60, and has a ROM, a RAM, a CPU, a CGROM, a CGRAM, and a VDP. The ROM stores an image control program for specifying image data, the RAM functions as a work memory, the CPU executes the program in the ROM. The CGROM stores image data for displaying an image on the effect symbol display 28, and the VDP reads out the image data from the CGROM according to a command from the CPU. This VDP expands the readout result of the image data in the CGRAM, synthesizes the expansion result of the image data, draws it in the frame buffer of the CGRAM, and outputs the drawing result of the image to the effect symbol display 28 as an RGB signal. An image is displayed in color on the effect symbol display 28 according to the RGB signal from the VDP.

[0025] The PWM circuit in FIG. 4 is mainly composed of a microcomputer. By PWM-controlling the colors and brightness of the plurality of LEDs 31 of the electric ornament 29, the plurality of LED covers 30 of the electric ornament 29 are caused to emit light according to the setting result of the electric ornament content. By PWM-controlling the colors and brightness of the LEDs 35 of the preview effect device 33, the decorative member 34 of the preview effect device 33 is caused to emit light according to the setting result of the electric ornament content. The speaker circuit in FIG. 4 is mainly composed of a microcomputer. By controlling both speakers 32, sounds are output from both speakers 32 with a pitch, volume, and tone corresponding to the setting result of the sounding content. The motor circuit in FIG. 4 is mainly composed of a microcomputer. By driving and controlling the pulse motor 36 in the forward and reverse directions, the preview effect device 33 is moved between the upper limit position and the lower limit position.

[0026] 3. Game function 3-1. General game 3-1-1. General drawing lottery When the game ball passes through the general pattern start port 22, the value of the general pattern random number in Fig. 5(a) is acquired, and the determination result of whether the general pattern is a hit or a miss is acquired from the general pattern hit determination table in Fig. 5(b) according to the acquisition result of the value of the general pattern random number. In this general pattern hit determination table, a non-electric support state and an electric support state are set. In the electric support state, the determination result of a general pattern hit is acquired with a higher probability than in the non-electric support state.

[0027] 3-1-2. General Pattern Fluctuation Display When the determination result of whether the general pattern is a hit or a miss is acquired, the general pattern fluctuation display is started. This general pattern fluctuation display starts blinking a plurality of predetermined LEDs of the LED display 25 in a predetermined pattern and then stops blinking in either the mode of "general pattern hit" or "general pattern miss". The plurality of predetermined LEDs stop blinking in the "general pattern hit mode" when it is determined as "general pattern hit", and stop blinking in the "general pattern miss mode" when it is determined as "general pattern miss". The required time for this general pattern fluctuation display is acquired from the general pattern fluctuation display time table in Fig. 5(c). This general pattern fluctuation display time table assigns general pattern fluctuation times to each of the "electric support state" and the "non-electric support state", and a shorter general pattern fluctuation display time is acquired in the "electric support state" than in the "non-electric support state".

[0028] 3-1-3. General Pattern Game When the general pattern fluctuation display stops in the mode of "general pattern hit", a general pattern game pattern corresponding to the current game state is selected from the general pattern game pattern table in Fig. 5(d), and the general pattern game is started based on the selection result of the general pattern game pattern. This general pattern game opens the second start port 23. In the "electric support state", one long-time (6 seconds) opening of the second start port 23 is executed as the general pattern game, and in the "non-electric support state", one short-time (1 second) opening of the second start port 23 is executed as the general pattern game.

[0029] 3-2. Special Pattern 1 Game 3-2-1. Acquisition of Special Pattern 1 Game Data When a game ball effectively enters the first start port 18, the values of the special figure random number, the big win type random number, the fall random number, and the variation pattern random number in Fig. 5(a) are acquired, and the acquisition results of the values of the special figure random number to the variation pattern random number are stored in the RAM as a set of special figure 1 game data. As shown in Fig. 5(i), special figure 1 hold areas 1 to 4 are set in this RAM, and the special figure 1 game data is stored in the order of "special figure 1 hold area 4", "special figure 1 hold area 3", "special figure 1 hold area 2", and "special figure 1 hold area 1" in the order of acquisition. That is, when the special figure 1 game data is stored in all of the special figure 1 hold areas 1 to 4, the special figure 1 game data in "special figure 1 hold area 4" is the oldest, and the special figure 1 game data in "special figure 1 hold area 1" is the newest. The state where the special figure 1 game data is stored in all of these special figure 1 hold areas 1 to 4 is called that the special figure 1 hold count is "4", the state where the special figure 1 game data is stored in three of the special figure 1 hold areas 2 to 4 is called that the special figure 1 hold count is "3", the state where the special figure 1 game data is stored in two of the special figure 1 hold areas 3 to 4 is called that the special figure 1 hold count is "2", the state where the special figure 1 game data is stored in one of the special figure 1 hold areas 4 is called that the special figure 1 hold count is "1", and the state where the special figure 1 game data is not stored in any of the special figure 1 hold areas 1 to 4 is called that the special figure 1 hold count is "0".

[0030] 3-2-2. Special figure 1 lottery When the special figure 1 game data is stored in the "special figure 1 hold area 4", the special figure 1 lottery is conducted on the condition that the current is in the game stop state. This game stop state refers to the state where all of the special figure 1 game, the special figure 2 game, the big win game, and the small win game have stopped, and the special figure 1 lottery is allowed during the normal figure game. This game stop state corresponds to the playable state, and the state where any one of the special figure 1 game, the special figure 2 game, the big win game, and the small win game is being conducted corresponds to the unplayable state.

[0031] When the special figure 1 game data is stored in the "Special Figure 1 Hold Area 4" in the game stop state, the storage result of the special figure random number value is detected from the "Special Figure 1 Hold Area 4". In the "High Probability State", according to the detection result of the special figure random number value from the big win determination table for the high probability state in Fig. 5(e), a determination result of either "Big Win", "Small Win", or "Miss" is obtained. In the "Normal Probability State", according to the detection result of the special figure random number value from the big win determination table for the normal probability state, a determination result of either "Big Win", "Small Win", or "Miss" is obtained. The big win determination probability in this "Normal Probability State" is set lower than the big win determination probability in the "High Probability State", and the small win determination probability is set the same between the normal probability state and the high probability state. The big win probability in this high probability state is "40 / 1201", and the big win probability in the normal probability state is "3 / 1201".

[0032] When the determination result of "Big Win" is obtained from the big win determination table, the storage result of the big win type random number value is detected from the "Special Figure 1 Hold Area 4", and the big win type corresponding to the detection result of the big win type random number value is obtained from the special figure 1 big win type table in Fig. 5(g). There are three types of big win types set in this special figure 1 big win type table: "Big Win Symbol 1", "Big Win Symbol 2", and "Big Win Symbol 3". When "Big Win Symbol 1" is obtained and when "Big Win Symbol 3" is selected, "Electric Support State 1" and "High Probability State" are set respectively. When "Big Win Symbol 2" is obtained, "Electric Support State 2" and "Normal Probability State" are set.

[0033] When the big win type is determined in response to obtaining the determination result of "Big Win", the storage result of the variation pattern random number value is detected from the "Special Figure 1 Hold Area 4", and the special figure variation pattern and the special figure variation display time corresponding to the detection result of the variation pattern random number value are selected from the special figure 1 variation pattern table in Fig. 6(a). When the determination result of "Miss" is obtained, the storage result of the variation pattern random number value is detected from the "Special Figure 1 Hold Area 4", and the special figure variation pattern and the special figure variation display time corresponding to the detection result of the variation pattern random number value are selected from the special figure 1 variation pattern table in Fig. 6(a).

[0034] 3-2-3. Fall lottery When the special figure variation pattern and the special figure variation display time are selected, the storage result of the value of the fall random number is detected from the "Special Figure 1 Hold Area 4", and according to the detection result of the value of the fall random number from the fall determination table in Fig. 5(f), one of the determination results of "Fall Yes" or "Fall No" is selected. When "Fall Yes" is selected as this determination result, if the current game state is the "High Probability State", the "High Probability State" is released, and instead of the "High Probability State", the "Normal Probability State" is set.

[0035] 3-2-4. Special Figure 1 variation display When the special figure variation pattern and the special figure variation display time are selected, the special figure 1 variation display is started. This special figure 1 variation display is to start flashing a plurality of predetermined LEDs of the LED display 25 in a predetermined pattern and then stop flashing. When a plurality of predetermined LEDs are determined to be off, it stops flashing in the mode of "Special Figure 1 Off". When it is determined to be a big win, it stops flashing in the mode of "Big Win" according to the determination result of the big win type. When it is determined to be a small win, it stops flashing in the mode of "Small Win". From the start of this flashing to the stop of flashing, it is performed in the required time according to the selection result of the special figure variation display time.

[0036] 3-2-5. Small win game When a plurality of predetermined LEDs of the LED display 25 stop blinking in a hit-like manner, a hit game pattern is selected from the game pattern table of FIG. 7(a), and the hit game is started based on the selection result of the hit game pattern. This hit game pattern is composed of an opening period, one round, and an ending period. The round is to open the big winning opening 19, and the opening limit time of the round is set to a short value of "0.8 seconds" that makes it difficult for the game ball to enter the big winning opening 19. This round is carried out with the V winning opening closed, and in the hit game, it is prohibited for the game ball to fall into the V winning opening. The opening period is a period in which the big winning opening 19 is closed and is a waiting period for waiting for the start of the round. The ending period is a period in which the big winning opening 19 is closed, and the period from the start of the opening period to the end of the ending period is referred to as the hit game.

[0037] 3-2-6. Big win game When a plurality of predetermined LEDs of the LED display 25 stop blinking in a manner corresponding to the determination result of the big win type "big win symbol 1", the big win game pattern L is selected from the game pattern table of FIG. 7(a), and the big win game is started with the big win game pattern 1. This big win game allows the game ball to enter the big winning opening 19 in response to the opening and closing of the big winning opening 19. In the big win game pattern L, an opening period is set before the start of the first round, and an ending period is set after the end of the last round. The opening period is a period in which the big winning opening 19 is closed and is a waiting period for waiting for the big winning opening 19 to change from a state where the game ball cannot enter to a state where it can enter. The ending period is a period in which the big winning opening 19 is closed and is a period for allowing the player to recognize the end of the big win game. The period from the start of this opening period to the end of the ending period is referred to as the big win game.

[0038] The big win game pattern L is set with 16 rounds. Each of these rounds keeps the big winning opening 19 open continuously until the limit time elapses and then closes for a certain period of time. If the limit number of game balls enters the ball entry port before the limit time elapses, it will end after being closed for a certain period of time without waiting for the limit time to elapse. That is, the big win game pattern L is composed of 16 unit games. The first round starts when the opening period ends, and the ending period starts after the closing time elapses after the end of the last round. This big win game pattern L can pay out a large number of prize balls to the player. In the big win game pattern L when the big win type big win symbol 1 is selected, when the V winning opening is opened in a specific multiple rounds (for example, the 13th to 15th rounds), the game ball is allowed to fall into the V winning opening.

[0039] When a plurality of predetermined LEDs of the LED display 25 stop blinking in accordance with the mode corresponding to the big win type determination result "big win symbol 2" and the mode corresponding to "big win symbol 3" respectively, the big win game pattern S is selected from the game pattern table in FIG. 7(a), and the big win game starts with the big win game pattern S. This big win game pattern S is set with 8 rounds and pays out a smaller number of prize balls to the player compared to the big win game pattern L. In the big win game pattern S when the big win type big win symbol 3 is selected, when the V winning opening is opened in a specific multiple rounds (for example, the 2nd to 4th rounds), the game ball is allowed to fall into the V winning opening. In the big win game pattern S when the big win type big win symbol 2 is selected, it is prohibited for the game ball to fall into the V winning opening in accordance with the fact that the V winning opening is always in the closed state.

[0040] 3-2-7. Update of Game State 3-2-7-1. High Probability State and Normal Probability State When "Big Hit Symbol 2" is selected, as shown in Fig. 5(g), the "Normal Probability State" is set when the big hit game ends. When "Big Hit Symbol 1" or "Big Hit Symbol 3" is selected, the "High Probability State" is set when the big hit game ends. This "High Probability State" is set on the condition that a game ball has fallen into the V winning opening during the big hit game. If a game ball has not fallen into the V winning opening during the big hit game, the "Normal Probability State" is set. This "High Probability State" continues until it is drawn as "Falling Yes".

[0041] 3-2-7-2. Electric Support State and Non-Electric Support State When "Big Hit Symbol 1" or "Big Hit Symbol 3" is selected, the "Electric Support State 1" is set when the big hit game ends. The minimum number of times "100 times" is set for this "Electric Support State 1". When the "High Probability State" falls to the "Normal Probability State" in response to being drawn as "Falling Yes" before the total of the special figure 1 game and the special figure 2 game reaches the minimum number of times, the "Electric Support State 1" continues until the total of the special figure 1 game and the special figure 2 game reaches the minimum number of times "100 times". When the total of the special figure 1 game and the special figure 2 game has reached the minimum number of times "100 times" and the "High Probability State" falls to the "Normal Probability State" in response to being drawn as "Falling Yes", it is switched to the "Non-Electric Support State". When "Big Hit Symbol 2" is selected, the "Electric Support State 2" is set when the big hit game ends. The limit number of times "100 times" is set for this "Electric Support State 2". The "Electric Support State 2" is switched to the "Non-Electric Support State" when the total of the special figure 1 game and the special figure 2 game reaches the limit number of times.

[0042] 3-2-7-3. Special Figure 1 Prediction When the game ball enters the first start port 18 and the acquisition result of the special figure 1 game data is stored in any of the special figure 1 hold areas 1 to 4, a pre-judgment of success or failure, a pre-judgment of the variation pattern, a pre-judgment of the variation display time, and a pre-judgment of the presence or absence of a fall are made according to the acquisition result of the special figure 1 game data. When the pre-judgment result of success or failure is a big win, a pre-judgment of the big win type and a pre-judgment of the game state are made. These pre-judgments from success or failure to the big win type are carried out in the above-mentioned procedures, and the pre-judgment of the game state is carried out according to the pre-judgment result of the big win type when the pre-judgment result of success or failure is a big win. That is, when the pre-judgment result of the big win type is "big win symbol 1" or "big win symbol 3", "electric support state 1" and "high probability state" are pre-judged, and when it is "big win symbol 2", "electric support state 2" and "normal probability state" are pre-judged.

[0043] When the pre-judgment from success or failure to the game state is made, the pre-judgment results from success or failure to the game state are stored in the RAM as a set of special figure 1 pre-read data. As shown in Fig. 5(i), special figure 1 pre-read areas 1 to 4 are set in this RAM. The special figure 1 pre-read data corresponding to the special figure 1 game data in the "special figure 1 hold area 4" is stored in the "special figure 1 pre-read area 4", the special figure 1 pre-read data corresponding to the special figure 1 game data in the "special figure 1 hold area 3" is stored in the "special figure 1 pre-read area 3", the special figure 1 pre-read data corresponding to the special figure 1 game data in the "special figure 1 hold area 2" is stored in the "special figure 1 pre-read area 2", and the special figure 1 pre-read data corresponding to the special figure 1 game data in the "special figure 1 hold area 1" is stored in the "special figure 1 pre-read area 1".

[0044] 3-3. Special Figure 2 Game 3-3-1. Acquisition of Special Figure 2 Game Data When a game ball effectively enters the second start port 23, the values of the special figure random number, jackpot type random number, fall random number, and variation pattern random number in Fig. 5(a) are obtained, and the obtained results of the special figure random number value to the variation pattern random number value are stored in the RAM as a set of special figure 2 game data. As shown in Fig. 5(j), special figure 2 reservation areas 1 to 4 are set in this RAM, and the special figure 2 game data is stored in the order of "special figure 2 reservation area 4", "special figure 2 reservation area 3", "special figure 2 reservation area 2", and "special figure 2 reservation area 1" in the order of acquisition. The state where the special figure 2 game data is stored in all of these special figure 2 reservation areas 1 to 4 is called that the special figure 2 reservation count is "4", and the state where the special figure 2 game data is stored in three of the special figure 2 reservation areas 2 to 4 is called that the special figure 2 reservation count is "3", and the state where the special figure 2 game data is stored in two of the special figure 2 reservation areas 3 to 4 is called that the special figure 2 reservation count is "2", and the state where the special figure 2 game data is stored in one of the special figure 2 reservation areas 4 is called that the special figure 2 reservation count is "1", and the state where no special figure 2 game data is stored in any of the special figure 2 reservation areas 1 to 4 is called that the special figure 2 reservation count is "0".

[0045] 3-3―2. Special Figure 2 Lottery When the special figure 2 game data is stored in the "special figure 2 reservation area 4" in the game stop state, the stored result of the special figure random number value is detected from the "special figure 2 reservation area 4", and in the "high probability state", one of the determination results of "jackpot", "small win", and "miss" is obtained according to the detection result of the special figure random number value from the jackpot determination table for the high probability state in Fig. 5(e), and in the "normal probability state", one of the determination results of "jackpot", "small win", and "miss" is obtained according to the detection result of the special figure random number value from the jackpot determination table for the normal probability state. This special figure 2 lottery is preferentially performed compared to the special figure 1 lottery, and when the special figure 2 game data is stored in the "special figure 2 reservation area 4", the special figure 2 lottery is performed on the condition that the current state is the game stop state. That is, when both the special figure 1 game data and the special figure 2 game data exist, the special figure 2 lottery is started according to the special figure 2 game data, and the special figure 1 lottery is started after all of the special figure 2 game data has been lottery-selected.

[0046] For the determination of the jackpot type in Special Figure 2, the Special Figure 2 Jackpot Type Table in Fig. 5(h) is used. In this Special Figure 2 Jackpot Type Table, "Jackpot Symbol 1", "Jackpot Symbol 2", and "Jackpot Symbol 3" are set. When "Jackpot Symbol 1" is obtained from the Special Figure 2 Jackpot Type Table and when "Jackpot Symbol 3" is obtained, "Power Support State 1" and "High Probability State" are set respectively. When "Jackpot Symbol 2" is obtained from the Special Figure 2 Jackpot Type Table, "Power Support State 2" and "Normal Probability State" are set. The allocation probability of "Jackpot Symbol 1" in this Special Figure 2 Jackpot Type Table is set higher than the allocation probability of "Jackpot Symbol 1" in the Special Figure 1 Jackpot Type Table. When it is determined as a jackpot in response to a game ball entering the second starting port 23, "Power Support State 1" and "High Probability State" are set with a higher probability compared to when it is determined as a jackpot in response to a game ball entering the first starting port 18.

[0047] When the jackpot type is determined in response to obtaining the determination result of "jackpot", the stored result of the value of the variation pattern random number is detected from the "Special Figure 2 Reserved Area 4", and the special figure variation pattern and the special figure variation display time corresponding to the detection result of the value of the variation pattern random number are selected from the Special Figure 2 Variation Pattern Table in Fig. 6(b). When the determination result of "miss" is obtained, the stored result of the value of the variation pattern random number is detected from the "Special Figure 2 Reserved Area 4", and the special figure variation pattern and the special figure variation display time corresponding to the detection result of the value of the variation pattern random number are selected from the Special Figure 2 Variation Pattern Table in Fig. 6(b).

[0048] 3-3-3. Fall lottery When the special figure variation pattern and the special figure variation display time are selected, the stored result of the value of the fall random number is detected from the "Special Figure 2 Reserved Area 4", and either the determination result of "fall exists" or "fall does not exist" is selected according to the detection result of the value of the fall random number from the Fall Judgment Table in Fig. 5(f). When "fall exists" is selected as this determination result, if the current game state is "High Probability State", the "High Probability State" is released and the "Normal Probability State" is set instead.

[0049] 3-3-4. Special Figure 2 variation display When the special figure variation pattern for special figure 2 and the special figure variation display time are selected, the special figure 2 is variably displayed for a required time according to the selection result of the special figure variation display time. This variable display of special figure 2 is to start blinking a plurality of LEDs for special figure 2 of the LED display 25 in a predetermined pattern and then stop blinking. When the LED for special figure 2 is determined to be detached, it stops blinking in the mode of "Special figure 2 detached", when it is determined to be "small win", it stops blinking in the mode of "small win", and when it is determined to be a big win, it stops blinking in a mode according to the determination result of the big win type. 3-3-5. Small win game When a predetermined plurality of LEDs of the LED display 25 stop blinking in the mode of a small win, a small win game pattern is selected from the game pattern table in Fig. 7(a), and the small win game is started with the selection result of the small win game pattern.

[0050] 3-3-6. Big win game When the LED for special figure 2 of the LED display 25 stops blinking in a mode according to the determination result of the big win type, a big win game pattern according to the determination result of the big win type is selected from the game pattern table in Fig. 7(a), and the big win game is started with the selection result of the big win game pattern. 3-3-7. Update of game state When "Big win symbol 2" is selected, "Power support state 2" and "Normal probability state" are set when the big win game ends. When "Big win symbol 1" or "Big win symbol 3" is selected, "Power support state 1" and "High probability state" are set when the big win game ends. This "High probability state" is set on the condition that a game ball has fallen into the V winning hole during the big win game. If the game ball does not fall into the V winning hole during the big win game, the "Normal probability state" is set.

[0051] 3-3-8. Prediction of special figure 2 When the game ball enters the second start port 23 and the acquisition result of the special figure 2 game data is stored in any of the special figure 2 hold areas 1 to 4, the preliminary determination of win / loss, the preliminary determination of the variation pattern, the preliminary determination of the variation display time, and the preliminary determination of the presence or absence of a fall are performed according to the acquisition result of the special figure 2 game data. When the preliminary determination result of win / loss is a big win, the preliminary determination of the big win type and the preliminary determination of the game state are performed. These preliminary determinations of win / loss to the preliminary determination of the game state are performed in the above-mentioned procedure, and the preliminary determination results of win / loss to the preliminary determination results of the game state are stored in the RAM as a set of special figure 2 pre-read data. As shown in FIG. 5(j), special figure 2 pre-read areas 1 to 4 are set in this RAM. The special figure 2 pre-read data corresponding to the special figure 2 game data in the "special figure 2 hold area 4" is stored in the "special figure 2 pre-read area 4", the special figure 2 pre-read data corresponding to the special figure 2 game data in the "special figure 2 hold area 3" is stored in the "special figure 2 pre-read area 3", the special figure 2 pre-read data corresponding to the special figure 2 game data in the "special figure 2 hold area 2" is stored in the "special figure 2 pre-read area 2", and the special figure 2 pre-read data corresponding to the special figure 2 game data in the "special figure 2 hold area 1" is stored in the "special figure 2 pre-read area 1".

[0052] 4. Processing functions of the main control circuit 40 4-1. Main processing When the power is turned on, the main control circuit 40 detects the program for main processing in FIG. 7(b) from the ROM and sets interrupt inhibition at S1. Then, it updates the values of each random number in FIG. 5(a) at S2 and sets interrupt permission at S3. The values of these random numbers are incremented by "1" to the current values. When the upper limit value is reached, they are reset to "0" and incremented again.

[0053] 4-2. Timer interrupt processing When the main control circuit 40 sets interrupt permission at S3, it allows the activation of the timer interrupt processing at S4. This timer interrupt processing is executed at a fixed cycle, and the random number update processing at S3 is repeated during the waiting time from the end of the current timer interrupt processing until the start of the next timer interrupt processing.

[0054] FIG. 8 shows the timer interrupt process of the main control circuit 40. The main control circuit 40 transmits commands and the like set in the output buffer of the RAM in the previous timer interrupt process to the sub-control circuit 60 in the output process of S11 in the current timer interrupt process. Then, in the random number update process of S12, the values of each random number in FIG. 5(a) are updated, and in the sensor detection process of S13, the presence or absence of signals from the first start port sensor 41, the second start port sensor 42, the general drawing sensor 43, the big winning port sensor 44, and the V winning port sensor 48 is detected.

[0055] After the main control circuit 40 finishes the sensor detection process of S13, it determines whether a signal from the general drawing sensor 44 has been detected in S14. If it is determined that a signal from the general drawing sensor 44 has not been detected, the process proceeds to S16. If it is determined that a signal from the general drawing sensor 44 has been detected, the value of the general drawing random number is obtained in the general drawing game data acquisition process of S15, and the process proceeds to S16.

[0056] When the main control circuit 40 proceeds to S16, it determines whether a signal from the second start port sensor 42 has been detected. If it is determined that a signal from the second start port sensor 42 has not been detected, the process proceeds to S19. If it is determined that a signal from the second start port sensor 42 has been detected, the reserved number of special drawing 2 is compared with "4". If it is determined that the reserved number of special drawing 2 is "4", the process proceeds to S19. If it is determined that the reserved number of special drawing 2 is less than "4", the special drawing 2 game data is obtained in S17. Here, the acquisition result of the special drawing 2 game data is stored in any one of the special drawing 2 reserved areas 1 to 4 according to the storage order, the special drawing 2 reserved command is set in the output buffer, and the process proceeds to S18. This special drawing 2 reserved command notifies the sub-control circuit 60 of the reserved number of special drawing 2 and is transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60 in the next timer interrupt process.

[0057] When the main control circuit 40 shifts to S18, it makes a prior determination of pass / fail, a prior determination of the variation pattern, a prior determination of the variation display time, a prior determination of the jackpot type, a prior determination of the presence or absence of a fall, and a prior determination of the game state with respect to the acquisition result of the game data in FIG. 2, and stores the prior determination results of pass / fail to the game state as pre-read data in FIG. 2 in one of the pre-read areas 1 to 4 in FIG. 2 according to the storage order. Next, the main control circuit 40 sets the storage result of the pre-read data in FIG. 2 in the output buffer of the RAM to be transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60 in the next timer interrupt process, and shifts to S19.

[0058] When the main control circuit 40 shifts to S19, it determines whether or not a signal from the first start port sensor 41 has been detected. If it is determined that a signal from the first start port sensor 41 has not been detected, the process proceeds in order to the general diagram process in S22, the special diagram 2 process in S23, and the special diagram 1 process in S24. If it is determined that a signal from the first start port sensor 41 has been detected, the main control circuit 40 compares the special diagram 1 reserved number with "4". If it is determined that the special diagram 1 reserved number is "4", the process proceeds in order to S22 to S24. If it is determined that the special diagram 1 reserved number is less than "4", the main control circuit 40 acquires the special diagram 1 game data in S20. Here, the acquisition result of the special diagram 1 game data is stored in one of the special diagram 1 reserved areas 1 to 4 according to the storage order, and a special diagram 1 reservation command is set in the output buffer. This special diagram 1 reservation command notifies the sub-control circuit 60 of the special diagram 1 reserved number and is transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60 in the next timer interrupt process.

[0059] When the main control circuit 40 stores the acquisition result of the special diagram 1 game data in S20, it makes a prior determination of pass / fail, a prior determination of the variation pattern, a prior determination of the variation display time, a prior determination of the jackpot type, a prior determination of the presence or absence of a fall, and a prior determination of the game state with respect to the acquisition result of the special diagram 1 game data in S21, and stores the prior determination results of pass / fail to the game state as pre-read data in FIG. 1 in one of the pre-read areas 1 to 4 in FIG. 1 according to the storage order. Next, the main control circuit 40 sets the storage result of the pre-read data in FIG. 1 in the output buffer of the RAM to be transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60 in the next timer interrupt process, and proceeds in order to S22 to S24. 4-3. General Diagram Process

[0060] The main control circuit 40 makes a pass / fail determination according to the acquisition result of the layout random number value in the layout processing of S22, and selects the layout variation display time corresponding to the current game state from the layout variation display time table in Fig. 5(c). Then, when executing the layout variation display according to the selection result of the layout variation display time, the pass / fail determination result of the layout is notified. When notifying the determination result of "winning in the layout", the layout game pattern corresponding to the current game state is selected from the layout game pattern table in Fig. 5(d), and when performing the layout game according to the selection result of the layout game pattern, the entry of the game ball into the second start port 23 is allowed.

[0061] 4-4. Special Figure 2 Processing Fig. 9(a) shows the special figure 2 processing of S23. In the special figure 2 processing, the main control circuit 40 selectively executes the special figure 2 lottery processing of S31, the short-time count update processing of S32, the fall determination processing of S33, the special figure 2 variation stop processing of S34, the small win game processing of S35, and the big win game processing of S36 according to the setting result of the value of the second pointer P2 in the RAM. The value of this second pointer P2 is initially set to "1" when the power is turned on.

[0062] 4-4-1. Special Figure 2 Lottery Processing When the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "1", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the special figure 2 lottery processing of S31. The value of this second pointer P2 is set to "1" in the game stop state. The main control circuit 40 determines whether special figure 2 game data is stored in the "special figure 2 reservation area 4" in the special figure 2 lottery processing of S31. If it is determined that the special figure 2 game data is not stored in the "special figure 2 reservation area 4", the special figure 2 lottery processing ends. If it is determined that the special figure 2 game data is stored in the "special figure 2 reservation area 4", a pass / fail determination, a variation pattern determination, and a variation display time determination are made based on the special figure 2 game data in the "special figure 2 reservation area 4". When the pass / fail determination result is a big win, a big win type determination is made. Then, the pass / fail determination result, the variation pattern determination result, and the big win type determination result are set in the output buffer of the RAM to be transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60 as special figure 2 game data, and the variation start command 2 is set in the output buffer of the RAM to be transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60.

[0063] When the main control circuit 40 sets the game data of Special Figure 2 in the output buffer at S31 in Fig. 9(a), it starts the special figure variable display and arranges "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 1" to "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 4". This process deletes the game data of Special Figure 2 from "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 4". If the game data of Special Figure 2 is stored in "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 3", the game data of Special Figure 2 is shifted to "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 4". If the game data of Special Figure 2 is stored in "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 2", the game data of Special Figure 2 is shifted to "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 3". If the game data of Special Figure 2 is stored in "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 1", the game data of Special Figure 2 is shifted to "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 2". When the main control circuit 40 arranges "Special Figure 2 Hold Areas 1 to 4", it arranges "Special Figure 2 Prefetch Areas 1" to "Special Figure 2 Prefetch Areas 4" in the same procedure and sets "2" to the value of the second pointer P2.

[0064] 4-4-2. Short Time Count Update Process When the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "2", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the short time count update process at S32. Fig. 101 shows the short time count update process. The main control circuit 40 determines at S41 in Fig. 10 whether the current game state is any of "Power Saving State 1", "Power Saving State 2", or "Non-Power Saving State". If it is determined that the current game state is "Non-Power Saving State" here, "3" is set to the value of the second pointer P2 at S48. If it is determined that the state is "Power Saving State 1" or "Power Saving State 2", "1" is added to the value of the short time count counter at S42. The value of this short time count counter measures the continuous count of the power saving state. When the main control circuit 40 adds to the short time count counter, it sets the short time count command. This short time count command notifies the sub-control circuit 60 of the addition result of the value of the short time count counter as the continuous count of the power saving state. When the main control circuit 40 sets the short time count command, it sets the setting result of the short time count command to the output buffer of the RAM at S43 to send it to the sub-control circuit 60 and then shifts to S44.

[0065] When the main control circuit 40 shifts to S44, it determines whether the current game state is the "Power Support State 2". If it is determined here that the current game state is the "Power Support State 1", the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "3" at S48. If it is determined that the current game state is the "Power Support State 2", the value of the time shortening count counter is compared with the upper limit value "100" at S45. If it is determined here that the value of the time shortening count counter is not the upper limit value "100", the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "3" at S48.

[0066] When the main control circuit 40 determines at S45 that the value of the time shortening count counter is the upper limit value "100", it changes the current game state from the "Power Support State 2" to the "Non-Power Support State" at S46, and sets a power support release command in the output buffer of the RAM at S47. This power support release command notifies the sub-control circuit 60 that the state has switched from the "Power Support State 2" to the "Non-Power Support State". When the main control circuit 40 sets the power support release command at S47, it sets the value of the second pointer P2 to "3" at S48.

[0067] 4-4-3. Fall Judgment Process When the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "3", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the fall judgment process of S33 in Fig. 9(a). Fig. 11 shows the fall judgment process of S33. The main control circuit 40 determines at S61 whether the current game state is the "High Probability State". If it is determined here that the current game state is the "Normal Probability State", the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "4" at S70. If it is determined that the current game state is the "High Probability State", it shifts to S62. Here, the value of the fall random number is detected from the "Special Figure 2 Reserved Area 4", and the judgment result corresponding to the detection result of the value of the fall random number is detected from the fall judgment table in Fig. 5(f).

[0068] When the main control circuit 40 detects the determination result of the presence or absence of a fall at S62, it determines at S63 whether the detection result indicates "fall present". If it is determined that the detection result is "fall absent" here, the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "4" at S70. If it is determined that the detection result is "fall present", the "normal probability state" is set instead of the "high probability state" at S64, and at S65, it is set in the output buffer of the RAM to send a fall command to the sub-control circuit 60. This fall command notifies the sub-control circuit 60 that the "high probability state" has changed to the "normal probability state", and is sent to the sub-control circuit 60 in the next timer interrupt process.

[0069] When the main control circuit 40 sets a fall command in the output buffer at S65, it determines at S66 whether the current game state is "power support state 1". If it is determined that the current game state is "power support state 1" here, the value of the time shortening count counter is compared with "100" at S71. If it is determined that the value of the time shortening count counter is "100" or less here, "power support state 1" is changed to "power support state 2" at S68, and at S69, it is set in the output buffer of the RAM to send a power support change command to the sub-control circuit 60, and the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "4" at S70. This power support change command notifies the sub-control circuit 60 that "power support state 1" has switched to "power support state 2", and is sent to the sub-control circuit 60 in the next timer interrupt process.

[0070] When the main control circuit 40 determines at S67 that the value of the time shortening count counter is "101" or more, it changes the current gaming state from the "power support state 1" to the "non-power support state" at S71. Then, at S72, it sets in the output buffer of the RAM to send a power support change command to the sub-control circuit 60, and sets "4" to the value of the second pointer P2 at S70. This power support release command notifies the sub-control circuit 60 that the "power support state 1" has switched to the "non-power support state", and is sent to the sub-control circuit 60 in the next timer interrupt process. That is, when it is determined that there is a fall in the "high probability state" or "power support state 1" where the value of the time shortening count counter is "100" or less, although the normal probability state is set, the power support state continues. When it is determined that there is a fall in the "high probability state" or "power support state 1" where the value of the time shortening count counter is "101" or more, the "normal probability state" and "non-power support state" are set.

[0071] 4-4-4. Special Figure 2 Variation Stop Processing When the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "4", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the special figure 2 variation stop processing of S34 in Fig. 9(a). Here, the value of the timer is added, and the addition result of the timer value is compared with the determination result of the special figure variation display time. If the addition result of the timer value has not reached the determination result of the special figure variation display time here, the special figure 2 variation stop processing ends. If the addition result of the timer value has reached the determination result of the special figure variation display time, the special figure variation display stops in a manner corresponding to the determination result of pass / fail, and is set in the output buffer to send a variation stop command 2 to the sub-control circuit 60. Then, when the determination result of pass / fail is "miss", the value of the second pointer P2 is initially set to "1", when the determination result of pass / fail is "small win", the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "5", and when the determination result of pass / fail is "big win", the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "6".

[0072] 4-4-5. Small Win Gaming Processing When the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "5", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the small hit game process of S35 in Fig. 9(a), and after starting the small hit game in the small hit game pattern, it sets the output buffer to send a small hit game start command to the sub-control circuit 60. When this main control circuit 40 advances the small hit game to the end of the small hit game pattern, it ends the small hit game, sets the output buffer to send a small hit game end command to the sub-control circuit 60, and sets "1" to the value of the second pointer P2. This small hit game opens the big winning port 19 while the V winning port is in the closed state, and in the small hit game, it is prohibited for the game ball to fall into the V winning port. That is, when it is determined as a small hit in the high-probability state, the high-probability state is maintained.

[0073] 4-4-6. Big Hit Game Process When the value of the second pointer P2 is set to "6", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the big hit game process of S36 in Fig. 9(a). Here, it starts the big hit game and sets the output buffer to send a big hit game start command to the sub-control circuit 60. When the determination result of the big hit type is "big hit symbol 1", this main control circuit 40 executes the big hit game in the big hit game pattern L, and when the determination result of the big hit type is "big hit symbol 2" or "big hit symbol 3", it executes the big hit game in the big hit game pattern S. Every time it starts a round in the big hit game, it sets a round start command to the output buffer and sends it to the sub-control circuit 60. This round start command notifies which round this is. Every time the main control circuit 40 stops a round in the big hit game, it sets a round stop command to the output buffer and sends it to the sub-control circuit 60. When this main control circuit 40 advances the big hit game to the end of the big hit game pattern, it ends the big hit game and sets the output buffer to send a big hit game end command to the sub-control circuit 60.

[0074] When the determination result of the jackpot type is "Jackpot Symbol 2", the main control circuit 40 prohibits the game ball from falling into the V winning port in each round in response to closing the V winning port. When the determination result of the jackpot type is "Jackpot Symbol 1", the main control circuit 40 allows the game ball to fall into the V winning port in response to opening the V winning port in each of the 13th to 15th rounds. When the determination result of the jackpot type is "Jackpot Symbol 3", the main control circuit 40 allows the game ball to fall into the V winning port in response to opening the V winning port in each of the 2nd to 4th rounds. This main control circuit 40 monitors whether the game ball has fallen into the V winning port according to the output signal from the V winning port sensor 48 during the jackpot game, and records that there has been a V winning when it determines that the game ball has fallen into the V winning port.

[0075] When the main control circuit 40 advances the jackpot game to the end of the jackpot game pattern, it detects the determination result of the jackpot type when ending the jackpot game. Here, when the determination result of the jackpot type is "Jackpot Symbol 1" or "Jackpot Symbol 3", it determines whether there has been a V winning. If it determines that there has been a V winning here, it sets the game state to the "high probability state" and the "electric support state 1", resets the value of the time-saving count counter to "0", and initializes the value of the second pointer P2 to "1". Then, it sets the "high probability command", the "electric support command 1", and the time-saving count command 0 in the output buffer of the RAM to be transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60. This time-saving count command 0 notifies the sub-control circuit 60 that the continuous count of the electric support state is "0 times", the "high probability command" notifies the sub-control circuit 60 of the setting of the "high probability state", and the "electric support command 1" notifies the setting of the electric support state 1 that may continue for more than "100 times".

[0076] When the determination result of the jackpot type is "Jackpot Symbol 2", the main control circuit 40 sets the game state to the "Normal Probability State" and the "Power Assist State 2", resets the value of the time shortening count counter to "0", and initializes the value of the second pointer P2 to "1". Then, in order to send the "Normal Probability Command", the "Power Assist Command 2", and the time shortening count command 0 to the sub-control circuit 60, they are set in the output buffer of the RAM. This "Normal Probability Command" notifies the sub-control circuit 60 of the setting of the "Normal Probability State", and the "Power Assist Command 2" notifies the setting of the power assist state 2 with a limit value of "100 times".

[0077] 4-5. Special Figure 1 Process Figure 9(b) shows the special figure 1 process of S24. The main control circuit 40 selectively executes the special figure 1 lottery process of S81, the time shortening count update process of S82, the fall determination process of S83, the special figure 1 variation stop process of S84, the small jackpot game process of S85, and the big jackpot game process of S86 according to the setting result of the value of the first pointer P1 in the RAM. The value of this first pointer P1 is initially set to "1" when the power is turned on.

[0078] 4-5-1. Special Figure 1 Lottery Process When the value of the first pointer P1 is set to "1", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the special figure 1 lottery process of S81. The value of this first pointer P1 is set to "1" in the game stop state. The main control circuit 40 determines whether the special figure 1 game data is stored in the "Special Figure 1 Hold Area 4" in the special figure 1 lottery process of S81. If it is determined that the special figure 1 game data is not stored in the "Special Figure 1 Hold Area 4" here, the special figure 1 lottery process ends. If it is determined that the special figure 1 game data is stored in the "Special Figure 1 Hold Area 4", it is determined whether the special figure 2 game data is stored in the "Special Figure 2 Hold Area 4".

[0079] When the main control circuit 40 determines that the special drawing 2 game data is stored in the "Special Drawing 2 Reserved Area 4", it ends the special drawing 1 lottery process. When it determines that the special drawing 2 game data is not stored in the "Special Drawing 2 Reserved Area 4", it makes a determination of success or failure, a determination of the variation pattern, and a determination of the variation display time based on the special drawing 1 game data in the "Special Drawing 1 Reserved Area 4" at S81. When the determination result of success or failure is a big win, it makes a determination of the big win type. These determinations of the variation pattern and the variation display time are made according to the special drawing 1 variation pattern table in Fig. 6(a). The main control circuit 40 sets the determination result of success or failure, the determination result of the variation pattern, and the determination result of the big win type in the output buffer of the RAM to be transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60 as the special drawing 1 game data, sets the variation start command 1 in the output buffer of the RAM to be transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60, and sets the special drawing 1 hold command in the output buffer of the RAM to be transmitted to the sub-control circuit 60. This special drawing 1 hold command notifies the sub-control circuit 60 of the special drawing 1 hold count.

[0080] When the main control circuit 40 sets the variation start command 1 etc., after starting the special drawing variation display, it arranges the "Special Drawing 1 Reserved Area 1" to "Special Drawing 1 Reserved Area 4". This process is carried out in the same procedure as the "Special Drawing 2 Reserved Areas 1 to 4". The main control circuit 40 arranges the "Special Drawing 1 Prefetch Areas 1 to 4" in the same procedure and then sets the value of "2" to the first pointer P1. That is, the special drawing 1 lottery process has a lower priority setting compared to the special drawing 2 lottery process. When the special drawing 2 hold count is not "0", the special drawing 2 lottery process is preferentially carried out over the special drawing 1 lottery process, and when the special drawing 2 hold count becomes "0", the special drawing 1 lottery process is started.

[0081] 4-5-2. Short Time Count Update Process When the value of the first pointer P1 is set to "2", the main control circuit 40 executes the short time count update process in Fig. 10 at S82 and sets the value of the first pointer P1 to "3". 4-5-3. Fall Determination Process When the value of the first pointer P1 is set to "3", the main control circuit 40 executes the fall determination process in Fig. 11 at S83 and sets the value of the first pointer P1 to "4". 4-5-4. Special Figure 1 Variation Stop Process When the value of the first pointer P1 is set to "4", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the special figure 1 variation stop process of S84 in Fig. 9(b). In response to the addition result of the timer value reaching the determination result of the special figure variation display time, the special figure 1 variation display stops in a manner corresponding to the determination result of pass / fail, and is set in the output buffer to transmit a variation stop command 1 to the sub-control circuit 60. Then, when the determination result of pass / fail is "off", the value of the first pointer P1 is initially set to "1", when the determination result of pass / fail is "small win", the value of the first pointer P1 is set to "5", and when the determination result of pass / fail is "big win", the value of the first pointer P1 is set to "6".

[0082] 4-5-5. Small Win Game Process When the value of the first pointer P1 is set to "5", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the small win game process of S85 in Fig. 9(b). After starting the small win game in the small win game pattern, it is set in the output buffer to transmit a small win game start command to the sub-control circuit 60. When this main control circuit 40 progresses the small win game to the end of the small win game pattern, it ends the small win game, sets it in the output buffer to transmit a small win game end command to the sub-control circuit 60, and sets "1" to the value of the first pointer P1. This small win game is such that the large winning opening 19 is in an open state with the V winning opening closed, and it is prohibited for the game ball to fall into the V winning opening during the small win game.

[0083] 4-5-6. Big Win Game Process When the value of the first pointer P1 is set to "6", the main control circuit 40 shifts to the jackpot game process of S86 in FIG. 9(b), and after starting the jackpot game, it sets it in the output buffer to send a jackpot game start command to the sub-control circuit 60. When the determination result of the jackpot type is "jackpot symbol 1", this main control circuit 40 executes the jackpot game in the jackpot game pattern L, and when the determination result of the jackpot type is "jackpot symbol 2" or "jackpot symbol 3", it executes the jackpot game in the jackpot game pattern S. Every time a round is started, it sets a round start command in the output buffer and sends it to the sub-control circuit 60. Every time a round is stopped in the jackpot game, this main control circuit 40 sets a round stop command in the output buffer and sends it to the sub-control circuit 60. When this main control circuit 40 advances the jackpot game to the end of the jackpot game pattern, it ends the jackpot game and sets it in the output buffer to send a jackpot game end command to the sub-control circuit 60.

[0084] When the determination result of the jackpot type is "Jackpot Symbol 2", the main control circuit 40 closes the V winning port in each round. When the determination result of the jackpot type is "Jackpot Symbol 1" or "Jackpot Symbol 3", the main control circuit 40 opens the V winning port in each of a specific number of rounds. This main control circuit 40 monitors whether a game ball has fallen into the V winning port according to the output signal from the V winning port sensor 48 during the jackpot game. When the jackpot game is advanced to the end of the jackpot game pattern, the main control circuit 40 detects the determination result of the jackpot type when ending the jackpot game. Here, when the determination result of the jackpot type is "Jackpot Symbol 1" or "Jackpot Symbol 3", it is determined whether there is a V win. If it is determined that there is a V win here, the game state is set to the "high probability state" and the "electric support state 1", the value of the time-saving counter is reset to "0", and the value of the second pointer P2 is initially set to "1". Then, it is set in the output buffer of the RAM to send the "high probability command", the "electric support command 1", and the time-saving command 0 to the sub-control circuit 60. When the determination result of the jackpot type is "Jackpot Symbol 2", this main control circuit 40 sets the game state to the "normal probability state" and the "electric support state 2", the value of the time-saving counter is reset to "0", and the value of the second pointer P2 is initially set to "1". Then, it is set in the output buffer of the RAM to send the "normal probability command", the "electric support command 2", and the time-saving command 0 to the sub-control circuit 60.

[0085] 5. Explanation of the game mode The game flow in Fig. 12(a) shows how the game mode transitions. Figs. 12(b) and (c) show the relationship between the game mode and the effect mode. When the power is turned on here, the normal game mode is set. This normal game mode is the "normal probability state" and the "non-electric support state". In the normal game mode, a left hitting image that prompts the player to hit the game ball to the left is displayed on the effect symbol display 28. When the player hits the game ball to the left according to this left hitting image and the game ball enters the first start port 18, and it is determined that it is a jackpot when the game ball enters the first start port 18, the low probability time-saving mode or the high probability time-saving mode is set.

[0086] The short-time low-probability mode is a state in which "normal probability state" and "power support state 2" are set, and it is set when "big win symbol 2" is selected in response to a big win being determined in the normal game mode. The short-time high-probability mode is a state in which "high probability state" and "power support state 1" are set, and it is set when "big win symbol 1" or "big win symbol 3" is selected in response to a big win being determined in the normal game mode. In each of these short-time low-probability mode and short-time high-probability mode, a right-hit image that prompts the player to hit the game ball to the right is displayed on the effect symbol display 28. When the player hits the game ball to the right according to this right-hit image, the game ball passes through the general symbol start port 22, and in response to being determined as a win and a high probability, the second start port 23 is frequently opened for a long time. Therefore, the special symbol variation display time "1000 msec" for short-time is frequently acquired from the special symbol 2 variation pattern table in Fig. 6(b). Accordingly, in each of the short-time low-probability mode and short-time high-probability mode, since the determination processes for big wins and misses are repeated at shorter time intervals compared to the normal game mode, the probability of obtaining the next big win with a smaller consumption number of game balls increases. That is, each of the short-time low-probability mode and short-time high-probability mode is a state more advantageous to the player compared to the normal game mode.

[0087] In the low-probability short mode, the game balls are hit to the right. When the total number of special drawing 1 times and special drawing 2 times (in reality, only special drawing 2) does not reach the jackpot determination in the low-probability short mode and reaches the limit number of times "100 times", "non-electric support state" is set instead of "electric support state 2", and the game shifts to the normal game mode accordingly. When "jackpot symbol 2" is selected due to a jackpot determination before the total number of special drawing 1 times and special drawing 2 times reaches the limit number of times "100 times" in this low-probability short mode, the low-probability short mode is repeated. When "jackpot symbol 1" or "jackpot symbol 3" is selected, the game shifts to the high-probability short mode. In this high-probability short mode, the game balls are hit to the right. When "jackpot symbol 2" is selected due to a jackpot determination, the low-probability short mode is set. When "jackpot symbol 1" or "jackpot symbol 3" is selected, the high-probability short mode is set again. This high-probability short mode is a state where a jackpot is determined with a higher probability compared to the low-probability short mode, and it is a state more advantageous to the player compared to the low-probability short mode. The degree of advantage to the player is that the "high-probability state" is higher than the "electric support state".

[0088] In the high-probability short mode, the presence or absence of a fall is determined every time special drawing 1 and special drawing 2 are performed. When it is determined that there is a fall in a state where the total number of special drawing 1 and special drawing 2 does not exceed the limit number of times "100 times", "normal probability state" and "electric support state 2" are set, and the game shifts from the high-probability short mode to the low-probability short mode. When it is determined that there is a fall in a state where the total number of special drawing 1 times and special drawing 2 times exceeds the limit number of times "100 times" in this high-probability short mode, "normal probability state" and "non-electric support state" are set, and the game immediately falls from the high-probability short mode to the normal game mode.

[0089] 6. Explanation of the presentation mode The performance mode designates a background image in particular as the performance content when displaying images of the performance symbol game. The performance modes include a normal mode, a chance mode, and a speed mode. The normal mode is the performance mode when the normal game mode is set. In the normal mode, as shown in Fig. 13(a), a normal background image imitating a townscape is displayed in the display area E of the performance symbol display 28. The chance mode is a common performance mode when the low probability short mode and the high probability short mode are set. In the chance mode, as shown in Fig. 13(b), a chance background image imitating four women is displayed in the display area E of the performance symbol display 28. The speed mode is shifted from the chance mode when the total number of special figure 1 lottery times and special figure 2 lottery times exceeds the limit number of times "100 times" in the set state of the high probability short mode. In the speed mode, as shown in Fig. 13(c), a speed background image imitating ancient land is displayed in the display area E of the performance symbol display 28.

[0090] 6-1. Behavior of the Performance Mode Fig. 12(b) shows the behavior of the performance mode when the big win symbol 2 is selected in response to being determined as a big win. In this case, the chance mode is set in response to the low probability short mode being set at the end of the big win game, and the chance background image is displayed from the first performance symbol game. If a total of 100 special figure 1 lotteries and special figure 2 lotteries are conducted without being determined as a big win in this state, the normal game mode is set, and the normal background image is displayed from the 101st performance symbol game in response to the normal mode being set in response to the setting of the normal game mode.

[0091] Figure 12(c) shows the behavior of the production mode when the big win symbol 1 or the big win symbol 3 is selected in response to being determined as a big win. In this case, when the high-probability short-time mode is set at the end of the big win game, the chance mode is set, and the chance background image is displayed from the first production symbol game. If it is determined that there is a fall before a total of 100 special figure 1 draws and special figure 2 draws are performed in this state, although the low-probability short-time mode is set as the game mode, as shown in the upper part of Figure 12(c), the chance background image continues to be displayed in response to the chance mode continuing as the production mode. Then, when the normal mode is set from the 101st production symbol game, the normal background image is displayed.

[0092] The lower part of Figure 12(c) shows the behavior of the production mode when a total of 100 or more special figure 1 draws and special figure 2 draws are performed without being determined as having a fall in the state where the chance mode is set according to the high-probability short-time mode. In this case, since the speed background image is displayed when the speed mode is set from the 101st production symbol game, it gives the impression to the player's line of sight that it has been upgraded to the high-probability short-time mode. If it is determined that there is a fall in this set state of the speed mode, the normal mode is set according to the setting of the normal game mode, and the normal background image is displayed from the next time.

[0093] 6-2. Production Symbol Game The image of the production symbol game starts in time synchronization with the start of the special figure 1 variable display or the special figure 2 variable display by the sub-control circuit 60, and ends in time synchronization with the end of the special figure 1 variable display or the special figure 2 variable display. This image of the production symbol game is displayed superimposed in front of the background image according to the production mode, and in the normal mode, it is displayed superimposed in front of the normal background image. This image of the production symbol game is displayed superimposed in front of the chance background image in the chance mode, and in the speed mode, it is displayed superimposed in front of the speed background image.

[0094] The image of the performance symbol game displays performance symbols consisting of the numbers "1" to "9" in three horizontal columns on the left, middle, and right columns in a scrolling state and a scroll stop state in order. The scrolling display of each column is performed in ascending order from "1" → "2" ··· "9", and then returns from "9" to "1" and repeats. The scrolling display of each of these columns stops at any one of "1" to "9". The odd numbers "1, 3, 5, 7, 9" in each column are set to a red color, and the even numbers "2, 4, 6, 8" in each column are set to a blue color. Each of the performance symbols in the left column, the middle column, and the right column corresponds to a symbol element, the performance symbols in the three columns correspond to an identification symbol, the scrolling state corresponds to a variable state, the scroll stop state corresponds to a variable stop state, and the performance symbol game corresponds to a symbol game.

[0095] For the combinations in the stop state of the three-column scrolling display, three types are set: "big win combination", "missed reach combination", and "complete miss combination". The missed reach combination is a combination where the left column and the right column are the same as each other and the middle column is different. It is set by the sub-control circuit 60 when the main control circuit 40 transmits a special figure variation pattern for misses (PH01~PH05, PH08). The complete miss combination is a combination where the left column and the right column are different. It is set by the sub-control circuit 60 when the main control circuit 40 transmits a special figure variation pattern for misses (PH06~PH07). The big win combination is a combination where the three columns are the same as each other. It is set by the sub-control circuit 60 when the main control circuit 40 transmits a special figure variation pattern for big wins (PO00~PO05, PO08). When this sub-control circuit 60 receives the big win types "big win symbol 1" and "big win symbol 3" from the main control circuit 40, it sets the performance symbols in the three columns to an odd big win combination. When it receives the big win type "big win symbol 2" from the main control circuit 40, it sets the performance symbols in the three columns to an even big win combination. That is, the odd big win combination suggests that a high-probability power support mode is set for the player, and the even big win combination suggests that a low-probability power support mode is set for the player.

[0096] FIG. 13(d) is a list of effects of the effect symbol game, and five types of effects are set for the effect of the effect symbol game: "Normal effect", "All figures simultaneous stop effect", "Normal reach effect", "Special reach effect", and "Pseudo variation effect". The normal effect starts with "start of 3-column scroll display", and the "stop of scroll display" is set in the order of "left column", "right column", and "middle column". This normal effect is set by the sub-control circuit 60 when the main control circuit 40 transmits the special figure variation pattern PH06 for disconnection. As shown in FIGS. 14(a), (b), (c), and (d), in the normal effect, as the 3-column scroll display stops in the order of "left column", "right column", and "middle column", a "complete disconnection combination" is completed.

[0097] The all figures simultaneous stop effect starts with "start of 3-column scroll display" as shown in FIG. 13(d), and the "stop of scroll display" is set for all 3 columns simultaneously. This "all figures simultaneous stop effect" is set by the sub-control circuit 60 when the main control circuit 40 transmits the special figure variation pattern PH07 for disconnection. In the "all figures simultaneous stop effect", as shown in FIGS. 14(a) and (d), a "complete disconnection combination" is completed as the 3-column scroll displays stop simultaneously with each other. This all figures simultaneous stop effect ends in the shortest time (4000 msec) among all the special figure variation display times, and in the low probability short mode and the high probability short mode, the variation display time is shortened in response to the high probability selection of the "special figure variation pattern PH07".

[0098] As shown in Fig. 13(d), the normal reach performance is started by "start of three-column scroll display", and "decrease in scroll speed" is set for the "middle column" before "stop of scroll display". This normal reach performance is set by the sub-control circuit 60 when the main control circuit 40 transmits the special chart change pattern PH05 for miss and the special chart change pattern PO05 for big win, and as shown in Fig. 15(a)(b)(c), in the "normal reach performance", when "stop of scroll display" is performed in the order of the "left column" and "right column", the "left column" and the "right column" are in the same reach state, and the scroll display of the "middle column" is switched from normal speed to low speed in the reach state.

[0099] In the "normal reach presentation" for a miss, the scrolling display of the "middle row" stops with a different presentation pattern from the "left row" and "right row", and in the "normal reach presentation" for a miss, the miss-reach combination is completed when the scrolling display of the final "middle row" stops, as shown in Figure 15(e). In the "normal reach presentation" for a jackpot, the scrolling display of this "middle row" stops with the same presentation pattern as the "left row" and "right row", and in the "normal reach presentation" for a jackpot, the jackpot combination is completed when the scrolling display of the final "middle row" stops, as shown in Figure 15(d).

[0100] As shown in Fig. 13(d), the special reach performance is started by "start of three-column scroll display", and "decrease in scroll speed" is set for the "middle column" before "stop of scroll display". This special reach performance is set by the sub-control circuit 60 when the main control circuit 40 transmits the special chart change patterns PH01-PH04 for misses and the special chart change patterns PO01-PO04 for big wins, and in the "special reach performance", a reach state occurs when "stop of scroll display" is performed in the order of the "left column" and "right column", and the scroll display of the "middle column" is switched from the normal speed to a low speed in the reach state.

[0101] As shown in Fig. 13(d), the pseudo-variation performance is started by "start of three-column scroll display", and "temporary stop of scroll display" is set after "start of three-column scroll display". This pseudo-variation performance is set by the sub-control circuit 60 when the main control circuit 40 transmits the special chart variation pattern PO08 for a big win and when the main control circuit 40 transmits the special chart variation pattern PH08 for a miss (see Fig. 6). When the sub-control circuit 60 receives the special chart variation pattern PO08 for a big win, it sets two types of combinations of three-column performance patterns, a provisional combination of a miss reach and a combination of a big win, and when it receives the special chart variation pattern PH08 for a miss, it sets two types of combinations of three-column performance patterns, a provisional combination of a miss reach and a combination of a miss reach. This sub-control circuit 60 performs "provisional stopping of the scrolling display" in the order of "left column," "right column," and "middle column." As shown in Figures 16(a) to (c), the "provisional stopping of the scrolling display" is performed so that the three columns of performance symbols are missed, resulting in the setting of a provisional combination of a reach.

[0102] As shown in Fig. 13(d), the pseudo-variable performance is set to "restart of the three-column scroll display" after "temporary stop of the scroll display", and as shown in Fig. 16(d)(e), the sub-control circuit 60 resumes the scroll display of the three-column performance patterns after setting the three-column performance patterns as a temporary combination setting result of a miss-reach, and stops the scroll display of the left-column performance patterns and the right-column performance patterns in order. When the sub-control circuit 60 receives the special pattern variation pattern PO08 for a big win, it stops the scroll display of the left-column performance patterns and the scroll display of the right-column performance patterns with the setting result of the big win combination, and when the special pattern variation pattern PH08 for a miss is received, it stops the scroll display of the left-column performance patterns and the scroll display of the right-column performance patterns with the setting result of the miss-reach combination, and when the scroll display of the left-column performance patterns and the scroll display of the right-column performance patterns are stopped, the three-column performance patterns are in a reach state.

[0103] As shown in Fig. 13(d), the pseudo-variable performance is set to "restart of scroll display" in the order of the left and right columns, and then "reduction of scroll speed", and the sub-control circuit 60 starts a normal reach performance by reducing the scroll speed of the middle row performance pattern in the reach state of the three rows of performance patterns. After this "reduction of scroll speed", as shown in Fig. 13(d), the scroll display of the middle row performance pattern is set to stop, and when the sub-control circuit 60 receives a special pattern variation pattern PO08 for a big win, the sub-control circuit 60 sets the three rows of performance patterns as the setting result of a big win combination by changing the middle row performance pattern from the slow scroll state to the scroll stop state (see Fig. 16(f)), and when the sub-control circuit 60 receives a special pattern variation pattern PH08 for a loss, the sub-control circuit 60 sets the three rows of performance patterns as the setting result of a reach combination by changing the middle row performance pattern from the slow scroll state to the scroll stop state (see Fig. 16(g)).

[0104] As shown in FIG. 13(d), the special reach effect is set with "reduced scroll speed" for the "middle row" followed by "removal of three rows," and in the special reach effect, the three rows of effect symbols are removed in the reach state. This special reach effect is set with "removal of three rows" and "battle effect" after the normal reach effect. FIG. 17 shows battle images BL1 to BL4 that are displayed as battle effects. Each of these battle images BL1 to BL4 starts to be displayed with the three rows of effect symbols removed, and is set to show the silhouette of a woman wearing a karate uniform fighting an enemy dinosaur with her bare hands.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 17(a), the battle image BL1 is set to an enemy "dinosaur D1". This battle image BL1 is set to a dinosaur D1 fighting with a female silhouette W, and is displayed when the main control circuit 40 transmits a "special chart change pattern PO01" for a big win and when the main control circuit 40 transmits a "special chart change pattern PH01" for a miss. This battle image BL1 is called battle performance 1. As shown in FIG. 17(b), the battle image BL2 is set to an enemy "dinosaur D2", and is displayed when the main control circuit 40 transmits a "special chart change pattern PO02" for a big win and when the main control circuit 40 transmits a "special chart change pattern PH02" for a miss. This battle image BL2 is called battle performance 2. As shown in FIG. 17(c), the battle image BL3 is set to an enemy "dinosaur D3", and is displayed when the main control circuit 40 transmits a "special chart change pattern PO03" for a big win and when the main control circuit 40 transmits a "special chart change pattern PH03" for a miss. This battle image BL3 is called battle effect 3. As shown in FIG. 17(d), the enemy in the battle image BL4 is set to "dinosaur D4", and is displayed when the main control circuit 40 transmits "special chart variation pattern PO04" for a big win and when it transmits "special chart variation pattern PH04" for a miss. This battle image BL4 is called battle effect 4. The reliability of a big win for these battle images BL1 to BL4 is set in the order of "battle image BL4", "battle image BL3", "battle image BL2", and "battle image BL1" (see FIG. 6).

[0106] Each of the battle images BL1 to BL4 has two types of endings set: a winning ending and a losing ending. As shown in FIG. 17(e), a winning ending suggests that the female protagonist's silhouette W has won, and is displayed when the "special chart variation patterns PO01 to PO04" for a big win are transmitted. As shown in FIG. 17(f), a losing ending suggests that the female protagonist's silhouette W has lost, and is displayed when the "special chart variation patterns PH01 to PH04" for a losing reach are transmitted. This losing ending corresponds to a losing ending, and a winning ending corresponds to a winning ending.

[0107] As shown in Figure 13(d), the special reach performance is a "battle performance" followed by a "three-row still display." As shown in Figure 17(e), in the special reach performance for a jackpot, after the protagonist wins a fight in each of the battle images BL1 to BL4, a victory ending image is displayed, followed by three rows of performance symbols in a jackpot combination. As shown in Figure 17(f), in the special reach performance for a miss, after the protagonist loses a fight in each of the battle images BL1 to BL4, a defeat ending image is displayed, followed by three rows of performance symbols in a miss reach combination.

[0108] 6-3. Big Win Game Performance The jackpot game presentation displays a background image for the jackpot game presentation within the display area E of the presentation symbol display 28, and begins when the jackpot game starts and ends when the jackpot game ends. Fig. 18(a) shows an image of the jackpot game presentation. The image of this jackpot game presentation consists of an image of two dancing female silhouettes, and in front of the image of the jackpot game presentation, an image of "Right Hit" encouraging the player to hit right and an image of "X (X is the number of rounds) R" informing the player of the current round number are superimposed.

[0109] 6-4. Prize ball winning performance During the big win game performance, a prize ball acquisition performance is performed. As shown in Fig. 18(a), this prize ball acquisition performance displays prize ball acquisition information superimposed on the image of the big win game performance, and the prize ball acquisition information counts up the number of prize balls that the player can acquire in the currently ongoing big win game from the initial value "0" to the end value by "80" per round, and in the big win game of 16 rounds of big win game pattern L, the end value of the prize ball acquisition information is set to "1280", and in the big win game of 8 rounds of big win game pattern S, the end value of the prize ball acquisition information is set to "640".

[0110] 6-5. Read-ahead function As shown in Fig. 18(b), the RAM of the sub-control circuit 60 has special drawing 1 pre-reading receiving areas 1 to 4 set, and the sub-control circuit 60 stores the reception result of the special drawing 1 pre-reading data in one of the special drawing 1 pre-reading receiving areas 1 to 4 every time it receives the special drawing 1 pre-reading data from the main control circuit 40. The special drawing 1 pre-reading receiving areas 1 to 4 are set with a higher storage priority in the order of "special drawing 1 pre-reading receiving area 1", "special drawing 1 pre-reading receiving area 2", "special drawing 1 pre-reading receiving area 3", and "special drawing 1 pre-reading receiving area 4", and the storage process of the special drawing 1 pre-reading data is performed in the blank special drawing 1 pre-reading receiving areas 1 to 4 with the highest priority, which has the highest number.

[0111] When the sub-control circuit 60 starts displaying the image of the performance pattern game in response to receiving the special figure 1 game data, it organizes the "special figure 1 pre-reading receiving area 1-4". This process erases the special figure 1 pre-reading data from the "special figure 1 pre-reading receiving area 4". If the special figure 1 pre-reading data is stored in the "special figure 1 pre-reading receiving area 3", the special figure 1 pre-reading data is shifted to the "special figure 1 pre-reading receiving area 4", if the special figure 1 pre-reading data is stored in the "special figure 1 pre-reading receiving area 2", the special figure 1 pre-reading data is shifted to the "special figure 1 pre-reading receiving area 3", if the special figure 1 pre-reading data is stored in the "special figure 1 pre-reading receiving area 1", the special figure 1 pre-reading data is shifted to the "special figure 1 pre-reading receiving area 2". In other words, the special figure 1 pre-reading receiving areas 1-4 of the sub-control circuit 60 always store the same special figure 1 pre-reading data as the special figure 1 pre-reading areas 1-4 of the main control circuit 40 in the same order.

[0112] As shown in Fig. 18(c), the RAM of the sub-control circuit 60 has special drawing 2 pre-reading receiving areas 1 to 4 set, and the sub-control circuit 60 stores the reception result of the special drawing 2 pre-reading data in one of the special drawing 2 pre-reading receiving areas 1 to 4 every time it receives the special drawing 2 pre-reading data from the main control circuit 40. The special drawing 2 pre-reading receiving areas 1 to 4 are set with a higher storage priority in the order of "special drawing 2 pre-reading receiving area 1", "special drawing 2 pre-reading receiving area 2", "special drawing 2 pre-reading receiving area 3", and "special drawing 2 pre-reading receiving area 4", and the storage process of the special drawing 2 pre-reading data is performed in the blank special drawing 2 pre-reading receiving areas 1 to 4 with the highest priority, which has the highest number.

[0113] When the sub-control circuit 60 starts displaying the image of the performance pattern game in response to receiving the special pattern 2 game data, it organizes the "special pattern 2 pre-reading receiving areas 1-4". This process is executed in the same procedure as the special pattern 1 pre-reading receiving areas 1-4, and the special pattern 2 pre-reading receiving areas 1-4 of the sub-control circuit 60 always store the same special pattern 2 pre-reading data as the special pattern 2 pre-reading areas 1-4 of the main control circuit 40 in the same order.

[0114] 6-6.Hold performance As shown in Fig. 18(d), a reserved display area H0 is set within the display area E of the performance symbol display 28, and the sub-control circuit 60 starts displaying one cloud image C within the reserved display area H0 in response to starting to display the image of the current performance symbol game in each of the normal mode, chance mode, and speed mode. This sub-control circuit 60 erases the cloud image C from the reserved display area H0 in response to stopping the display of the image of the current performance symbol game, and while the image of the performance symbol game is being displayed, the cloud image C is continuously displayed within the reserved display area H0.

[0115] As shown in Fig. 18(d), reserved display areas H1 to H4 are set in the display area E of the performance pattern display 28. These reserved display areas H1 to H4 are arranged in a horizontal row, and in the normal mode, the sub-control circuit 60 displays one cloud image C in the reserved display area H1 when special chart 1 pre-reading data is stored in the special chart 1 pre-reading receiving area 4, displays one cloud image C in the reserved display area H2 when special chart 1 pre-reading data is stored in the special chart 1 pre-reading receiving area 3, displays one cloud image C in the reserved display area H3 when special chart 1 pre-reading data is stored in the special chart 1 pre-reading receiving area 2, and displays one cloud image C in the reserved display area H4 when special chart 1 pre-reading data is stored in the special chart 1 pre-reading receiving area 1.

[0116] In the chance mode and the speed mode, the sub-control circuit 60 displays one cloud image C in the reserved display area H1 when the special chart 2 pre-reading data is stored in the special chart 2 pre-reading receiving area 4, displays one cloud image C in the reserved display area H2 when the special chart 2 pre-reading data is stored in the special chart 2 pre-reading receiving area 3, displays one cloud image C in the reserved display area H3 when the special chart 2 pre-reading data is stored in the special chart 2 pre-reading receiving area 2, and displays one cloud image C in the reserved display area H4 when the special chart 2 pre-reading data is stored in the special chart 2 pre-reading receiving area 1. That is, the reserved performance is a performance in which the number of cloud images C corresponding to the number of reserved special charts 1 is displayed in the normal mode, and a performance in which the number of cloud images C corresponding to the number of reserved special charts 2 is displayed in the chance mode and the speed mode.

[0117] 6-7. Pattern change performance 1 FIG. 19 explains the pattern change performance 1. This pattern change performance 1 is executed when the performance mode is set to normal mode, and starts by scrolling three columns of performance symbols at normal speed (see a). The scrolling display of these three columns of performance symbols is performed overlaid on a normal background image for normal mode, and in pattern change performance 1, the left column performance symbol scroll display stops at any of the four even number symbols "2 4 6 8" first, and the right column performance symbol scroll display stops at the same even number symbol as the left column second, resulting in an even number symbol reach state (see b). When this reach state occurs, the scroll speed of the middle column performance symbol is reduced from the normal speed to a low speed for normal reach performance, and the middle column performance symbol scroll display at a low speed stops at an odd number symbol different from both the left column performance symbol and the right column performance symbol, resulting in a miss reach combination on the normal background (see c).

[0118] The symbol change effect 1 changes the normal background image to a cosmic background image with a combination of off-reach of the three-column effect symbols (see d). This cosmic background image imitates the cosmic space. When the normal background image is changed to the cosmic background image, the effect symbols in the left column and the right column are each simultaneously switched from the scroll stop state to the scroll display state (see e). The scroll display of these effect symbols in the left column and the right column is performed at a low speed slower than the normal speed, and each of the effect symbols in the left column and the right column is simultaneously switched from the low-speed scroll state to the scroll stop state. The scroll stop of these effect symbols in the left column and the right column is performed on the cosmic background image, and when it is determined as off, it is performed with an even symbol different from the effect symbol in the middle column (see g). The scroll stop of these effect symbols in the left column and the right column is performed with the same odd symbol as the effect symbol in the middle column when it is determined as a big win (see f). When the scroll display of the effect symbols in the left column and the right column stops with the same odd symbol as the effect symbol in the middle column, the player is notified that the sure change power support state is set after the big win game is executed in the big win game pattern L of 16R according to the combination of the three-column effect symbols being an odd big win combination.

[0119] 6-8. Symbol change effect 2 Figure 20 illustrates the symbol change effect 2. This symbol change effect 2 is executed in a state where the effect mode is set to the normal mode and is started by scrolling and displaying the three-column effect symbols at the normal speed (see a). The scroll display of these three-column effect symbols is performed superimposed on the normal background image. In the symbol change effect 2, first, the scroll display of the effect symbols in the left column stops with any one of the four even symbols of "2 4 6 8", and second, when the scroll display of the effect symbols in the right column stops with the same even symbol as the left column, a reach state of the even symbol occurs on the normal background (see b). When this reach state occurs, the scroll speed of the effect symbols in the middle column decreases from the normal speed to the low speed for the normal reach effect.

[0120] The pattern change effect 2 changes the normal background image to a space background image in a reach state with even numbered patterns of the three rows of performance patterns (see c), and when the normal background image is changed to the space background image, a swinging effect is started in which the performance patterns of the left column and the performance patterns of the right column swing left and right (see d). This swinging effect is performed on the space background image, and when the swinging effect is started, the performance patterns of the left column and the performance patterns of the right column are simultaneously switched from a swinging state to a stationary state (see e). The static display of each of these performance patterns of the left column and the right column is performed with one of the same five odd number patterns of "1 3 5 7 9", and when the performance patterns of the left column and the right column are statically displayed as odd numbered patterns, a reach state with odd numbered patterns occurs on the space background image.

[0121] The pattern change effect 2 is a state where the middle row performance pattern is switched from a slow scroll state to a scroll stop state in a reach state with an odd number of the performance patterns in the three rows, and the scroll stop of the middle row performance pattern is performed with an even number different from the performance patterns in the left row and the right row when it is determined that there is a miss (see g). The scroll stop of this middle row performance pattern is performed with an odd number of the performance patterns in the left row and the right row when it is determined that there is a jackpot (see f), and when the scroll stop of the middle row performance pattern is performed with an odd number of the performance patterns in the left row and the right row, the player is notified that the jackpot game will be set after the jackpot game is executed with the 16R jackpot game pattern L in response to the jackpot combination of the three rows being odd numbers.

[0122] 21(a) shows the pattern change performance process. This pattern change performance process is started every time the sub-control circuit 60 receives special pattern 1 game data from the main control circuit 40, and the sub-control circuit 60 selects one of pattern change performance 1, pattern change performance 2, and normal reach performance in the pattern change performance process, and when pattern change performance 1 is selected, pattern change performance 1 is executed in the current performance pattern game, when pattern change performance 2 is selected, pattern change performance 2 is executed in the current performance pattern game, and when normal reach performance is selected, normal reach performance is executed in the current performance pattern game.

[0123] When the sub-control circuit 60 starts the pattern change performance process, it judges whether the current performance mode is normal mode or not in S201. If it judges that it is normal mode, it moves to S202 and judges whether the special pattern variation pattern "PO05" or "PH05" for normal reach performance is present in the reception result of the special pattern 1 game data. If it judges that there is a special pattern variation pattern for normal reach performance, it moves to S203 and judges whether the reception result of the special pattern 1 game data has a judgment result of "jackpot pattern 1" for the sure-change electric support. If it judges that there is a judgment result of "jackpot pattern 1", it moves to S204 and detects the pattern change performance table 1 from the ROM.

[0124] If the sub-control circuit 60 determines in S203 that the reception result of the special chart 1 game data does not include the judgment result of "jackpot pattern 1" for the sure-change electric support, it proceeds to S206 and judges whether the reception result of the special chart 1 game data includes a miss judgment result. If there is either a jackpot judgment result for "jackpot pattern 2" or a jackpot judgment result for "jackpot pattern 3", it proceeds to S208 and judges that a normal reach performance will be executed in this performance pattern game. If the sub-control circuit 60 determines that there is a miss judgment result in S206, it proceeds to S207 and detects the pattern change performance table 2 from the ROM.

[0125] Fig. 21(b) is a pattern change performance table 1, which is set by allocating a high selection probability to the pattern change performance 2, an intermediate selection probability to the pattern change performance 1, and a low selection probability to the normal reach performance. Fig. 21(c) is a pattern change performance table 2, which is set by allocating a high selection probability to the normal reach performance, and a low selection probability to each of the pattern change performance 1 and the pattern change performance 2.

[0126] When the sub-control circuit 60 finishes S204 or S207, it moves to S205 and selects one of the symbol change performance 1, the symbol change performance 2, and the normal reach performance from the selection result of the symbol change performance table with a probability according to the selection probability. That is, the symbol change performance 2 is set to have the highest probability of winning with an odd number symbol among the symbol change performance 1, the symbol change performance 2, and the normal reach performance, the symbol change performance 1 is set to have the same probability in the middle, and the normal reach performance is set to have the same probability at the lowest.

[0127] Figure 22 shows the flow of the effect pattern game when the special pattern variation pattern for normal reach effect is selected in normal mode. In this case, the effect pattern game starts with an image in which three rows of effect patterns are scrolled on a normal background image (P1), and the three rows of effect patterns are in a reach state. [1] When the reach state of the three-row performance symbols occurs with an odd number of symbols (P2), the normal background image is not changed to a space background image, and the scrolling display of the performance symbols in the middle row stops on the normal background image, so that the three-row performance symbols become either an odd-numbered jackpot combination or an odd-numbered miss reach combination (P3), and the combination of the performance symbols in the three rows is determined (P11).

[0128] [2]When the reach state of the three-column performance symbols occurs with an even symbol (P4), and in response to the scroll display of the middle-column performance symbols stopping on the normal background image without the normal background image being changed to the cosmic background image, when the combination of the three-column performance symbols becomes an even big win combination (P5), the combination of the three-column performance symbols is determined (P11). [3]When the reach state of the three-column performance symbols occurs with an even symbol (P4), and in response to the scroll display of the middle-column performance symbols stopping on the normal background image without the normal background image being changed to the cosmic background image, when the combination of the three-column performance symbols becomes an even non-win reach combination (P6), symbol change effect 1 is started in response to the normal background image being changed to the cosmic background image (P7). In this case, with the middle column in the scroll stop state, the scroll display of the left-column performance symbols and the right-column performance symbols resumes on the cosmic background image (P8), and when the scroll displays of the left-column performance symbols and the right-column performance symbols stop simultaneously on the cosmic background image, the combination of the three-column performance symbols becomes either an odd big win combination or an odd non-win reach combination on the cosmic background image (P9), and the combination of the three-column performance symbols is determined (P11). [4]When the reach state of the three-column performance symbols occurs with an even symbol (P4), and when the normal background image is changed to the cosmic background image in the reach state (P10), each of the left-column performance symbols and the right-column performance symbols is changed from an even symbol to an odd symbol, and symbol change effect 2 is started in response to the occurrence of a reach state with odd symbols (P12). In this case, when the scroll display of the middle-column performance symbols stops on the cosmic background image, the combination of the three-column performance symbols becomes either an odd big win combination or an odd non-win reach combination on the cosmic background image (P9), and the combination of the three-column performance symbols is determined (P11).

[0129] 7-1. Main Processing Upon power-on, the sub-control circuit 60 detects the main processing program in FIG. 23(a) from the ROM, sets access permission to the RAM at S101, and sets interrupt prohibition at S102. Then, it updates the values of a plurality of random numbers in the RAM in the random number update process at S103, and after permitting interrupts at S104, repeats S102 to S104. During this interrupt permission, the activation of the reception interrupt process at S105 and the timer interrupt process at S106 is permitted. 7-2. Reception Interrupt Process Each time the STB signal from the main control circuit 40 is input to the INT terminal, the sub-control circuit 60 activates the reception interrupt process at S105. This reception interrupt process is executed with priority over the timer interrupt process at S106. The sub-control circuit 60 stores commands and the like transmitted by the main control circuit 40 in the output process of S11 in FIG. 8 in the reception buffer of the RAM in the reception interrupt process.

[0130] 7-3. Timer Interrupt Process Each time a timer interrupt signal is input at a fixed period, the sub-control circuit 60 activates the timer interrupt process at S106. FIG. 23(b) shows the timer interrupt process at S106. The sub-control circuit 60 performs the received command analysis process at S111 and the winning ball acquisition effect process at S112 in the timer interrupt process. In response to performing the winning ball acquisition effect process at S112, the sub-control circuit 60 displays an image of the winning ball acquisition effect on the effect symbol display 28.

[0131] 7-3―1. Received Command Analysis Process Figure 24(a) shows the reception command analysis process of S111. The sub-control circuit 60 determines at S121 whether the special figure 1 pre-read data or the special figure 2 pre-read data from the main control circuit 40 is stored in the reception buffer. If it is determined that the special figure 1 pre-read data or the special figure 2 pre-read data is stored, the process proceeds to S122, and the special figure 1 pre-read data or the special figure 2 pre-read data in the reception buffer is shifted to the special figure pre-read area of the RAM. In this special figure pre-read area, special figure 1 pre-read reception areas 1 to 4 and special figure 2 pre-read reception areas 1 to 4 are set. The sub-control circuit 60 shifts the special figure 1 pre-read data to any one of the special figure 1 pre-read reception areas 1 to 4 in the same procedure as the main control circuit 40, and shifts the special figure 2 pre-read data to any one of the special figure 2 pre-read reception areas 1 to 4 in the same procedure as the main control circuit 40. That is, the same special figure 1 pre-read data and special figure 2 pre-read data as those of the main control circuit 40 are stored in the RAM of the sub-control circuit 60.

[0132] The sub-control circuit 60 determines at S123 in Figure 24(a) whether the special figure 1 game data or the special figure 2 game data from the main control circuit 40 is stored in the reception buffer. If it is determined that the special figure 1 game data or the special figure 2 game data is stored, the symbol game effect start process of S124 is executed. Figure 24(b) shows the symbol game effect start process of S124. The sub-control circuit 60 detects at S141 the reception result of the special figure 1 game data (the determination result of success or failure, the determination result of the jackpot type, the determination result of the special figure variation pattern, and the determination result of the presence or absence of a fall) or the reception result of the special figure 2 game data (the determination result of success or failure, the determination result of the jackpot type, the determination result of the special figure variation pattern, and the determination result of the presence or absence of a fall) from the reception buffer. The symbol change effect process in Figure 21(a) is executed in the symbol game effect start process of S124.

[0133] When the sub-control circuit 60 finishes S141 in FIG. 24(b), it sets the combination of the three-column effect symbols at S142. These three-column effect symbols are set to an odd-numbered "big win combination" when the win / loss detection result is "big win" and the big win type detection result is "big win symbol 1" or "big win symbol 3", and are set to an even-numbered "big win combination" when the win / loss detection result is "big win" and the big win type detection result is "big win symbol 2". These effect symbols are set to a "miss reach combination" when the win / loss detection result is "miss" and the variation pattern detection result is "PH01 - PH05 for miss", are set to a "complete miss combination" when the variation pattern detection result is "PH06 - PH07 for complete miss", and a "temporary miss reach combination" is additionally set when the variation pattern detection result is "PH08, PO08 for pseudo-variation effect". When the sub-control circuit 60 finishes S142, at S143 it detects video data corresponding to the variation pattern detection result from the CGROM, and when the detection result of the video data starts to be played back, it starts displaying the image of the effect symbol game on the effect symbol display 28.

[0134] The sub-control circuit 60 determines at S125 in FIG. 24(a) whether the variation stop command 1 or the variation stop command 2 from the main control circuit 40 is stored in the reception buffer. If it determines that the variation stop command 1 or the variation stop command 2 is stored, it definitely displays the three-column effect symbols according to the setting result of the combination at S124 in the symbol game effect stop process at S126.

[0135] The sub-control circuit 60 determines, at S127 in FIG. 24(a), whether or not the jackpot game start command from the main control circuit 40 is stored in the reception buffer. When it is determined that the jackpot game start command is stored, in response to starting the reproduction of the video data for the jackpot game performance in the jackpot game performance start process at S128, the background image for the jackpot game performance is started to be displayed on the performance symbol display 28. When the round upgrade performance is set, the image of the round upgrade performance is displayed at the 8th round. This sub-control circuit 60 determines, at S129, whether or not the jackpot game stop command from the main control circuit 40 is stored in the reception buffer. When it is determined that the jackpot game stop command is stored, in response to stopping the reproduction of the video data for the jackpot game performance in the jackpot game performance stop process at S130, the background image for the jackpot game performance is erased.

[0136] According to the above-described first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. When "the 16R jackpot game L in which the V winning port of the big winning port 19 is opened so that the game ball can win" is executed, the image of the performance symbol game is performed by either the symbol change performance 1 or the symbol change performance 2. The symbol change performance 1 is to change the three-column performance symbols from the reach state to a non-reach combination and then change from the non-reach combination to an odd jackpot combination. After the three-column performance symbols are set to the non-reach combination, the normal background image is changed to the cosmic background image, and the image in which the three-column performance symbols are changed from the non-reach combination to the odd jackpot combination is displayed on the cosmic background image. The symbol change performance 2 is to set the three-column performance symbols to the reach state and then change from the reach state to an odd jackpot combination. After the three-column performance symbols are set to the reach state, the normal background image is changed to the cosmic background image, and the image in which the three-column performance symbols are changed from the reach state to the odd jackpot combination is displayed on the cosmic background image. Therefore, it becomes possible to show the player the content that the three-column performance symbols become an odd jackpot combination in an interesting manner, and it also becomes possible to suggest to the player in advance that "the 16R jackpot game L in which the V winning port of the big winning port 19 is opened so that the game ball can win" is being executed from the process in which the three-column performance symbols become an odd jackpot combination.

[0137] In the above-described Example 1, in addition to the invention described in the claims, the following [Reference Invention 1-1] to [Reference Invention 1-6] are described. There is a gaming machine configured to determine success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied and notify the player of the determination result of success or failure with an image of a symbol game. The image of this symbol game changes a plurality of identification elements from a variable state to a variable stop state, and when the plurality of identification elements are in a winning combination in the variable stop state, a special game for opening a special ball entry port is started (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-17425). This conventional gaming machine only makes the plurality of identification elements into a winning combination through a state in which some of the plurality of identification elements have stopped fluctuating and the rest are fluctuating and partially stopped, and can only give the player a monotonous interest of showing that the plurality of identification elements are approaching a winning combination.

[0138] [Reference Invention 1-1] Determination means for determining success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied, A display on which an image of a symbol game is displayed, the image changing a plurality of identification elements from a variable state to a variable stop state according to the determination result of success or failure, Special game means for executing, in any of a plurality of game patterns, a special game for opening a special ball entry port when a plurality of identification elements are displayed in a winning combination on the display, A symbol game means for displaying an image of a symbol game on the display, and changing some of the plurality of identification elements to a "state in which some of the plurality of identification elements have stopped fluctuating and the rest are fluctuating and partially stopped" before making the plurality of identification elements into a winning combination with the image of the symbol game, Background display means for displaying a background image of the symbol game on the display, When the special game is executed in one of the plurality of game patterns, the symbol game means displays an image of the symbol game in either a "first effect pattern in which all the identification elements are changed from a partially stopped state to a losing combination in which all the identification elements have stopped fluctuating and then changed from the losing combination to a winning combination" or a "second effect pattern in which the plurality of identification elements are made into a partially stopped state and then changed from the partially stopped state to a winning combination", When the background display means changes the background image to another background image after a plurality of identification elements are set in a non-winning combination when the symbol game image is displayed in the first effect pattern, it displays an image in which the plurality of identification elements are changed from a non-winning combination to a winning combination on the said another background image. When the symbol game image is displayed in the second effect pattern, it displays an image in which the plurality of identification elements are changed from a partially stopped state to a winning combination on the said another background image after changing the background image to another background image after the plurality of identification elements are set in a partially stopped state. The gaming machine is characterized by this. According to the above means, when the special game is executed in one game pattern, the symbol game image is displayed in either the first effect pattern or the second effect pattern. The first effect pattern changes a plurality of identification elements from a partially stopped state to a non-winning combination and then changes from the non-winning combination to a winning combination. After the plurality of identification elements are set in a non-winning combination, the background image is changed to another background image, and an image in which the plurality of identification elements are changed from a non-winning combination to a winning combination is displayed on the another background image. The second effect pattern changes a plurality of identification elements from a partially stopped state to a winning combination after setting the plurality of identification elements in a partially stopped state. After the plurality of identification elements are set in a partially stopped state, the background image is changed to another background image, and an image in which the plurality of identification elements are changed from a partially stopped state to a winning combination is displayed on the another background image. Therefore, it becomes possible to show the player the fact that the plurality of identification elements become a winning combination in an interesting content, and it also becomes possible to suggest to the player in advance that the special game is executed in one game pattern from the process in which the plurality of identification elements become a winning combination. This corresponds to the start condition of "all of the special figure 1 game, the special figure 2 game, the small win game, and the big win game stopping" in the embodiment. The "main control circuit 40" corresponds to a determination means and a special game means. Each of the "left column effect symbols", the "middle column effect symbols", and the "right column effect symbols" corresponds to an identification element. The "scroll state" corresponds to a variable state. The "scroll stop state" corresponds to a variable stop state. The "effect symbol game" corresponds to a symbol game. The "effect symbol display 28" corresponds to a display. The "big winning opening 19" corresponds to a special ball entry opening. Each of the "big win game pattern L in which the V winning opening of the big winning opening 19 is opened to allow a game ball to win", the "big win game pattern S in which the V winning opening of the big winning opening 19 is opened to allow a game ball to win", and the "big win game pattern S in which the V winning opening of the big winning opening 19 is not opened" corresponds to a game pattern. The "big win game pattern L in which the V winning opening of the big winning opening 19 is opened to allow a game ball to win" corresponds to one game pattern. The "sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to a symbol game means and a background display means. The "big win combination of the three-column effect symbols" corresponds to a winning combination. The "reach state of the three-column effect symbols" corresponds to a partially stopped state. The "symbol change effect 1" corresponds to a first effect pattern. The "symbol change effect 2" corresponds to a second effect pattern. The "normal background image" corresponds to a background image. The "cosmic background image" corresponds to another background image. The "off-reach combination of the three-column effect symbols" corresponds to an off combination.

[0139] [Reference Invention 1-2] The game machine according to [Reference Invention 1-1], wherein the background display means displays the same type of background image in each case where a plurality of identification elements are in an intermediate stop state in the first effect pattern and where a plurality of identification elements are in an intermediate stop state in the second effect pattern. The "normal background image" in the embodiment corresponds to the same type of background image. [Reference Invention 1-3] The background display means is the gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 1-1], characterized in that when a plurality of identification elements are changed from a non-winning combination to a winning combination in the first effect pattern and when a plurality of identification elements are changed from a partially stopped state to a winning combination in the second effect pattern, different background images of the same type are displayed respectively. The "cosmic background image" in the embodiment corresponds to another background image.

[0140] [Reference Invention 1-4] When the special game is executed in a game pattern different from the one game pattern, the symbol game means displays an image of the symbol game in a "third effect pattern in which a plurality of identification elements are made to be in a partially stopped state and then changed from the partially stopped state to a winning combination". When the image of the symbol game is displayed in the third effect pattern, the background display means is characterized in that a plurality of identification elements are made to be in a partially stopped state on the same background image as each of the first effect pattern and the second effect pattern, and then changed from the partially stopped state to a winning combination on the background image. This is the gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 1-1]. The "normal reach effect" in the embodiment corresponds to the third effect pattern, and the "big win game pattern S in which the V winning opening of the big winning opening 19 for non-probability variable electric support is not opened" corresponds to another game pattern. [Reference Invention 1-5] The symbol game means is the gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 1-4], characterized in that in the third effect pattern, a plurality of identification elements are made to be in a partially stopped state of a type different from both the first effect pattern and the second effect pattern. The "reach state with odd symbols" in the embodiment corresponds to a partially stopped state in each of the first effect pattern and the second effect pattern, and the "reach state with even symbols" corresponds to a partially stopped state of a type different from both the first effect pattern and the second effect pattern.

[0141] [Reference Invention 1-6] Judgment means for judging whether it is a success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied; A display on which an image of a symbol game is displayed, where a plurality of identification elements are changed from a variable state to a variable-stop state in a combination according to a pass / fail determination result. A symbol game means that displays an image of a symbol game on the display, and before making a combination of a plurality of identification elements a winning combination in the image of the symbol game, sets "a state in which some of the plurality of identification elements have stopped changing and the rest are in a partially stopped state where they are changing". It includes background display means for displaying a background image of the symbol game on the display. When a high-probability state in which a win is determined with a high probability is set, the symbol game means displays either "a first effect pattern in which after changing a plurality of identification elements from a partially stopped state to a combination of misses where all identification elements have stopped changing, changing from the combination of misses to a combination of an odd number of wins" or "a second effect pattern in which after setting a plurality of identification elements in a partially stopped state, changing from the partially stopped state to a combination of an odd number of wins". When the image of the symbol game is displayed in the first effect pattern, the background display means displays, on the other background image, an image in which a plurality of identification elements are changed from a combination of misses to a combination of an odd number of wins in response to changing the background image to another background image after the plurality of identification elements have been set in a combination of misses. A gaming machine characterized in that when the image of the symbol game is displayed in the second effect pattern, the background display means displays, on the other background image, an image in which a plurality of identification elements are changed from a partially stopped state to a combination of an odd number of wins in response to changing the background image to another background image after the plurality of identification elements have been set in a partially stopped state. According to the above means, when a high-probability state is set, the image of the symbol game is displayed in either the first effect pattern or the second effect pattern. The first effect pattern is to change a combination of a plurality of identification elements from a partially stopped state to a non-winning combination and then to an odd-win combination from the non-winning combination. After the plurality of identification elements are set to the non-winning combination, the background image is changed to another background image, and an image in which the plurality of identification elements are changed from the non-winning combination to an odd-win combination is displayed on another background image. The second effect pattern is to set a plurality of identification elements in a partially stopped state and then change them to an odd-win combination from the partially stopped state. After the plurality of identification elements are set to the partially stopped state, the background image is changed to another background image, and an image in which the plurality of identification elements are changed from the partially stopped state to an odd-win combination is displayed on another background image. Therefore, it is possible to show the player the content that the plurality of identification elements become an odd-win combination in an interesting way, and it is also possible to suggest to the player in advance that a high-probability state is set from the process in which the plurality of identification elements become an odd-win combination. This corresponds to the start condition of "all of the 'Special Figure 1 Game', 'Special Figure 2 Game','small win game', and 'big win game' in the embodiment stopping". The "main control circuit 40" corresponds to the determination means. Each of the "left column effect symbols", "middle column effect symbols", and "right column effect symbols" corresponds to an identification element. The "scroll state" corresponds to the variable state. The "scroll stop state" corresponds to the variable stop state. The "effect symbol game" corresponds to the symbol game. The "effect symbol display 28" corresponds to the display. The "certain change power supply support state" corresponds to the high-probability state. The "sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to the symbol game means and the background display means. The "odd big win combination of the three-column effect symbols" corresponds to the odd-win combination. The "reach state of the three-column effect symbols" corresponds to the partially stopped state. The "symbol change effect 1" corresponds to the first effect pattern. The "symbol change effect 2" corresponds to the second effect pattern. The "normal background image" corresponds to the background image. The "cosmic background image" corresponds to another background image. The "non-winning reach combination of the three-column effect symbols" corresponds to the non-winning combination.

[0142] [Embodiment 2] Figs. 25 to 27 illustrate the symbol cover effect. This symbol cover effect is executed when the sub-control circuit 60 receives any one of the winning special symbol variation pattern "PO05" for normal reach effect, the losing special symbol variation pattern "PH05" for normal reach effect, and the losing special symbol variation pattern "PH07" for all symbols simultaneous stop effect in a state where the effect mode is set to the chance mode. As shown in Fig. 25, it starts by displaying the female symbol W1 on the symbol display device 28 in the scroll state of the three-column effect symbols (see a→b). This female symbol W1 imitates a sitting woman pointing her finger to the sky, and the character symbol L1 of "Something might happen" is attached to the female symbol W1 (see b).

[0143] When the female symbol W1 and the character symbol L1 are displayed on the symbol display device 28 by the symbol cover effect, as shown in Fig. 25, after the character symbol L1 is erased, the window symbol G1 is displayed in the initial state (see b→c). This window symbol G1 in the initial state is set to a colored opaque color, and it covers the middle-column effect symbols so that the player cannot visually recognize the existence of the middle-column effect symbols from the front. This window symbol G1 in the initial state is set to a size that cannot cover the left-column effect symbols and the right-column effect symbols, and each of the left-column effect symbols and the right-column effect symbols is made visible to the player in the initial state of the window symbol G1. This window symbol G1 in the initial state is displayed with the reduced female symbol W1 superimposed, and the player is notified that the symbol cover effect is continuing from the existence of the female symbol W1.

[0144] When the window symbol G1 is displayed in the initial state with the symbol cover effect on the performance symbol display 28, as shown in FIG. 25, the color of the window symbol G1 is changed from colored opaque to colored translucent (see d). This colored translucent color of the window symbol G1 enables the player to visually recognize that the performance symbols in the middle column exist in a scrolled state backward, and makes it impossible for the player to visually recognize the types of the performance symbols in the middle column (see the dashed line). After the window symbol G1 is changed from the colored opaque color to the colored translucent color, it is enlarged and displayed (see d→e). The enlarged display of this window symbol G1 is performed in the colored translucent color, and the endings of non - achievement and achievement are set for the enlarged display of the window symbol G1.

[0145] As shown in FIG. 25, the ending of non - achievement of the enlarged display of the window symbol G1 ends when the enlarged display of the window symbol G1 reaches a size that covers both the performance symbols in the left column and the performance symbols in the right column from the front (see e). This window symbol G1 at the ending of non - achievement enables the player to visually recognize the existence of the performance symbols in the left column and the performance symbols in the right column respectively, and makes it impossible for the player to visually recognize the types of the performance symbols in the left column and the performance symbols in the right column respectively (see the dashed line). When the enlarged display of this window symbol G1 ends at the ending of non - achievement, as shown in FIG. 26, after the female symbol W1 is erased, the female symbol W2 is displayed overlapping in front of the window symbol G1 (see a). This female symbol W2 is displayed in the internal area of the window symbol G1 and is set to a moving image of walking from right to left. This female symbol W2 is erased in a state of stepping out from the left end of the window symbol G1 to the external area of the window symbol G1 (see b). When the female symbol W2 is erased, the female symbol W3 is displayed overlapping in front of the window symbol G1 (see c). This female symbol W3 imitates a woman in a squatting posture facing downwards, and the character symbol L3 of "Maybe it's a pity" is attached to the female symbol W3. These female symbol W3 and character symbol L3 are erased together with the window symbol G1. When the window symbol G1 to the character symbol L3 are erased, the performance symbols in the three columns are displayed in a completely off - combination so as to be visible to the player (see d).

[0146] As shown in Fig. 27, the end of the enlarged display of the window handle G1 ends with a larger size compared to the end of the non-reached state (see a), and is displayed for a longer required time compared to the non-reached state. When the enlarged display of this window handle G1 ends with the reached end, after the female pattern W1 is erased, a female pattern W2 that walks from right to left overlapping in front of the window handle G1 is displayed. This female pattern W2 is erased in a state where a part of it steps out of the external area of the window handle G1 from the left end of the window handle G1 (see b). When the female pattern W2 is erased, a female pattern W4 is displayed overlapping in front of the window handle G1 (see c). This female pattern W4 imitates a female in a cheering pose, and a character pattern L4 of "Look forward to it" is attached to the female pattern W4. These female pattern W4 and character pattern L4 are erased together with the window handle G1. When the window handle G1 to the character pattern L4 are erased, three columns of effect patterns are displayed so as to be visible to the player (see d).

[0147] As shown in Fig. 27, among the three columns of effect patterns, the effect pattern in the middle column is displayed so as to be visible in a state of being scrolled at a low speed for a normal reach effect that is slower than the normal speed (see d). Each of the effect patterns in the left column and the right column is displayed so as to be visible in a state where the same number pattern has stopped scrolling. That is, when the enlarged display of the window handle G1 ends with the reached end, the three columns of effect patterns become visible in the reach state. When it is determined to be a big win, the three columns of effect patterns form a big win combination according to the fact that the low-speed scroll display of the effect pattern in the middle column stops with the same number pattern as each of the effect patterns in the left column and the right column (see e1). When it is determined to be a miss, the three columns of effect patterns form a miss reach combination according to the fact that the low-speed scroll display of the effect pattern in the middle column stops with a number pattern different from any of the effect patterns in the left column and the right column (see e2).

[0148] Figure 28(a) shows the symbol cover effect process. This symbol cover effect process is activated every time the sub-control circuit 60 receives the special figure 2 game data from the main control circuit 40. The sub-control circuit 60 determines which of the symbol cover effect, normal reach effect, and all-figure simultaneous stop effect to execute in the symbol cover effect process. If it is determined to execute the symbol cover effect, the symbol cover effect is executed in the current effect symbol game. If it is determined to execute the normal reach effect, the normal reach effect is executed in the current effect symbol game. If it is determined to execute the all-figure simultaneous stop effect, the all-figure simultaneous stop effect is executed in the current effect symbol game.

[0149] When the sub-control circuit 60 activates the symbol cover effect process, it determines in S301 whether the current effect mode is the chance mode. If it is determined to be the chance mode here, it proceeds to S302 and determines whether there is either of the special figure variation patterns "PO05" and "PH05" for the normal reach effect in the reception result of the special figure 2 game data. If it is determined that there is a special figure variation pattern for the normal reach effect here, it proceeds to S303 and determines whether there is a jackpot determination result in the reception result of the special figure 2 game data. If it is determined that there is a jackpot determination result here, it detects the symbol cover effect table 1 from the ROM in S304, and if there is a non-winning determination result, it detects the symbol cover effect table 2 from the ROM in S305. Figure 28(b) is the symbol cover effect table 1, and the symbol cover effect table 1 is set by assigning a high selection probability to the symbol cover effect at the end of reaching and a low selection probability to the normal reach effect. Figure 28(c) is the symbol cover effect table 2, and the symbol cover effect table 2 is set by assigning a high selection probability to the normal reach effect and a low selection probability to the symbol cover effect at the end of reaching.

[0150] When the sub-control circuit 60 finishes S304 or S305, it proceeds to S306 and selects either the symbol cover effect for the ending of the reach or the normal reach effect from the selection result of the symbol cover effect table with a probability corresponding to the selection probability. That is, a higher jackpot probability is set for the symbol cover effect for the ending of the reach compared to the normal reach effect. When the symbol cover effect progresses to the ending of the reach, the three-column effect symbols have a high probability of forming a jackpot combination.

[0151] When the sub-control circuit 60 determines in S302 that there is no special symbol variation pattern for the normal reach effect in the reception result of the special symbol 2 game data, it proceeds to S307 and determines whether there is a special symbol variation pattern "PH07" for the all-symbols simultaneous stop effect in the reception result of the special symbol 2 game data. If it is determined that there is a special symbol variation pattern for the all-symbols simultaneous stop effect, it proceeds to S308 and detects the symbol cover effect table 3 from the ROM. This symbol cover effect table 3 is set by assigning a low selection probability to the symbol cover effect for the ending that has not been reached and a high selection probability to the all-symbols simultaneous stop effect (see d). When the sub-control circuit 60 finishes S308, it proceeds to S306 and selects either the symbol cover effect for the ending that has not been reached or the all-symbols simultaneous stop effect from the symbol cover effect table 3 with a probability corresponding to the selection probability. That is, the symbol cover effect for the ending that has not been reached has a jackpot probability set to "0%".

[0152] According to the above Embodiment 2, the following effects are achieved. An image of the pattern cover effect was displayed before all of the three columns of performance patterns in the image of the performance pattern game came to a scroll stop. This image of the pattern cover effect makes all of the three columns of performance patterns invisible to the player in a scrolling state, and is quickly erased with an unsatisfactory ending when the determination result of success or failure is off. When this image of the pattern cover effect is erased with an unsatisfactory ending, the three columns of performance patterns become visible in a definitely completely off combination. Therefore, when the image of the pattern cover effect is quickly erased with an unsatisfactory ending from the player's line of sight, it is determined that the three columns of performance patterns will be in a completely off combination. So, when the three columns of performance patterns are in a completely off combination, it becomes possible to quickly end the player's expectation for a big win. On the other hand, when the image of the pattern cover effect progresses to a reaching ending and is then erased at the reaching ending, the performance pattern in the middle column among the three columns of performance patterns becomes visible in a scrolling state, and the performance patterns in the left column and the right column become visible in a scroll stop state. Therefore, when the pattern cover effect progresses to a reaching ending from the player's line of sight, there is a possibility of a big win combination as the three columns of performance patterns become visible in a reach state. So, it becomes possible to continuously maintain the player's expectation for a big win for a long time.

[0153] [Example 3] Figures 29 to 30 illustrate a symbol cover effect that the sub-control circuit 60 executes in place of the symbol cover effect of the second embodiment. This symbol cover effect is executed when the sub-control circuit 60 receives either the jackpot special symbol variation pattern "PO05" for the normal reach effect or the losing special symbol variation pattern "PH05" for the normal reach effect in a state where the effect mode is set to the chance mode. As shown in FIG. 29, it is started by displaying the female symbol W1 and the character symbol L1 on the symbol display 28 in the scroll state of the three columns of effect symbols (see a→b). When these female symbol W1 and character symbol L1 are displayed, the three columns of effect symbols reach the reach state in response to the left column and right column of effect symbols being scrolled and stopped in order. When the three columns of effect symbols reach the reach state, the presence of the middle column of effect symbols becomes invisible to the player in response to the window symbol G1 being displayed in a colored opaque color (see b→c).

[0154] An incomplete ending and a reached ending are set for the symbol cover effect. The incomplete ending is to erase the window symbol G1 while keeping it in a colored opaque color. When the symbol cover effect ends with an incomplete ending, the middle column of effect symbols becomes visible (see d). The middle column of effect symbols is made visible in a scrolled and stopped state and consists of numeric symbols different from both the left column and right column of effect symbols. That is, when the symbol cover effect ends with an incomplete ending, the three columns of effect symbols are visibly displayed to the player in a losing reach combination.

[0155] The outcome of the symbol cover effect reaching its conclusion is, as shown in Fig. 30, that the window symbol G1 is changed from a colored opaque color to a colored translucent color (see a), and the window symbol G1 is erased with the colored translucent color, and it is displayed with a longer required time compared to the outcome of not reaching the conclusion. This colored translucent color of the window symbol G1 enables the visual recognition that the effect symbols in the middle column exist in a scrolling state backward, and makes the types of the effect symbols in the middle column unrecognizable (see the dashed line). When this symbol cover effect ends at the reaching conclusion, the effect symbols in the middle column become visible. These effect symbols in the middle column are made visible in a state where they are scrolled and displayed at a low speed for the normal reach effect (see b). When it is determined as a big win, the low-speed scroll display of the effect symbols in the middle column stops with the same numeric symbols as those of the effect symbols in the left column and the right column respectively, and accordingly, the three columns of effect symbols form a big win combination (see c1). When it is determined as a loss, the low-speed scroll display of the effect symbols in the middle column stops with a numeric symbol different from any of the effect symbols in the left column and the right column, and accordingly, the three columns of effect symbols form a non-winning reach combination (see c2).

[0156] Fig. 31(a) shows the symbol cover effect process. This symbol cover effect process is executed by the sub-control circuit 60 instead of the symbol cover effect process in Fig. 28(a). The sub-control circuit 60 determines whether to execute either the symbol cover effect or the normal reach effect in the symbol cover effect process in Fig. 31(a). When it is determined to execute the symbol cover effect, the symbol cover effect is executed in the current effect symbol game. When it is determined to execute the normal reach effect, the normal reach effect is executed in the current effect symbol game.

[0157] When the sub-control circuit 60 activates the symbol cover effect process in Fig. 31(a), it determines at S311 whether the current effect mode is the chance mode. If it is determined that it is the chance mode here, the process proceeds to S312, and it is determined whether there is either of the special symbol variation patterns "PO05" and "PH05" for the normal reach effect in the reception result of the special game data in Fig. 2. If it is determined that there is a special symbol variation pattern for the normal reach effect here, the process proceeds to S313, and it is determined whether there is a jackpot determination result in the reception result of the special game data in Fig. 2. If it is determined that there is a jackpot determination result here, the symbol cover effect table 11 is detected from the ROM at S314, and if there is a miss determination result, the symbol cover effect table 12 is detected from the ROM at S315. Fig. 31(b) shows the symbol cover effect table 11, and the symbol cover effect table 11 is set by assigning a high selection probability to the symbol cover effect at the end of reaching and a low selection probability to the normal reach effect. Fig. 31(c) shows the symbol cover effect table 12, and the symbol cover effect table 12 is set by assigning a high selection probability to the normal reach effect and a low selection probability to each of the symbol cover effects at the end of reaching and the symbol cover effects at the end of non-reaching.

[0158] When the sub-control circuit 60 finishes S314, it proceeds to S316 and selects either the reaching ending symbol cover effect or the normal reach effect from the symbol cover effect table 11 with a probability corresponding to the selection probability. When the sub-control circuit 60 finishes S315, it proceeds to S316 and selects either the reaching ending symbol cover effect, the non-reaching ending symbol cover effect, or the normal reach effect from the symbol cover effect table 12 with a probability corresponding to the selection probability. That is, the non-reaching ending symbol cover effect has a jackpot probability set to "0%", and when the symbol cover effect ends at a non-reaching ending without progressing to the reaching ending, the three-column effect symbols will always be visible in a combination of off-reach. The reaching ending symbol cover effect has a higher jackpot probability set compared to the normal reach effect, and when the symbol cover effect progresses from a non-reaching ending to a reaching ending, after the three-column effect symbols become visible in a reach state, they will become a jackpot combination with a high probability of less than "100%".

[0159] In addition to the inventions described in the claims, the following [Reference Invention 2-1] to [Reference Invention 2-6] are described in the above-described Second to Third Embodiments. There is a gaming machine configured to determine success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied and display an image of a symbol game every time the success or failure is determined. This image of the symbol game changes the identification symbol from an uncertain state to a definite state, and the player is notified of the determination result of success or failure according to the type of the definite state of the identification symbol (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-17425). This conventional gaming machine changes the identification symbol from an uncertain state to a definite state through a reach state in which a part of the identification symbol is determined and the rest is not determined, and can only give the player a monotonous interest of showing that the identification symbol is approaching a definite winning state.

[0160] [Reference Invention 2-1] Determination means for determining success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied, A display for displaying an image of a symbol game that changes the identification symbol from an uncertain state to a definite state according to the determination result of success or failure, Symbol game means for displaying an image of a symbol game on the display, The display device displays an image of a covering effect that makes part or all of the indeterminate portion of the identification symbol invisible to the player before the identification symbol is in a definite state in the image of the symbol game, and includes a covering effect means for erasing the image of the covering effect after advancing it to either the ending of success or the ending of failure. The covering effect means erases the image of the covering effect at the ending of failure when the determination result of success or failure is incorrect. The symbol game means When the image of the covering effect is erased at the ending of failure, at least a part of the portion of the identification symbol that was made invisible by the image of the covering effect is displayed in a definite state that constitutes a losing aspect. When the image of the covering effect is erased at the ending of success, at least a part of the portion of the identification symbol that was made invisible by the image of the covering effect is displayed in an indeterminate state and then the identification symbol is displayed in a definite state. A gaming machine characterized by this. According to the above means, an image of a covering effect is displayed before the identification symbol is in a definite state in the image of the symbol game. This image of the covering effect hides part or all of the indeterminate portion of the identification symbol from the player's view and is erased at the ending of failure when the determination result of success or failure is incorrect. When this image of the covering effect is erased at the ending of failure, at least a part of the portion of the identification symbol that was made invisible by the image of the covering effect is displayed in a definite state that constitutes a losing aspect. Therefore, when the image of the covering effect is erased at the ending of failure from the player's line of sight, it is certain that the identification symbol will be in a losing aspect, so it becomes possible to quickly end the player's expectation of winning when the aspect of the identification symbol is determined to be a loss. On the other hand, when the image of the covering effect is erased after advancing to the ending of success, at least a part of the portion of the identification symbol that was made invisible by the image of the covering effect is displayed in an indeterminate state and then the identification symbol is displayed in a definite state. Therefore, when the image of the covering effect advances to the ending of success, there is a possibility that the identification symbol will be in a definite winning aspect from the player's line of sight, so it becomes possible to continue the player's expectation of winning for a long time. In the embodiment, "all of the special figure 1 game, the special figure 2 game, the small win game, and the big win game stop" corresponds to the fulfillment of the start condition, "main control circuit 40" corresponds to the determination means, "the three-column effect symbols" correspond to the identification symbols, "a state in which at least one column of the three-column effect symbols is in a scrolling display state" corresponds to an uncertain mode of the identification symbols, "a state in which all of the three-column effect symbols have stopped scrolling" corresponds to a definite mode of the identification symbols, "the image of the effect symbol game" corresponds to the image of the symbol game, "effect symbol display 28" corresponds to the display, "sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to the symbol game means and the cover effect means, "the image of the symbol cover effect" corresponds to the image of the cover effect, "the result of the arrival of the image of the symbol cover effect" corresponds to the result of the arrival of the image of the cover effect, "the result of the non-arrival of the image of the symbol cover effect" corresponds to the result of the non-arrival of the image of the cover effect, "the combination of complete misses of the three-column effect symbols", "the combination of near misses of the three-column effect symbols", and "the combination of big wins of the three-column effect symbols" correspond to definite winning modes of the identification symbols, and each of "the combination of complete misses of the three-column effect symbols" and "the combination of near misses of the three-column effect symbols" corresponds to a definite mode of miss of the identification symbols.

[0161] [Reference Invention 2-2] The gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 2-1], characterized in that it is provided with a suggestion effect means for displaying, on the display, an image of a suggestion effect that pre-suggests to the player that the image of the cover effect will start to be displayed. In the embodiment, "female symbol W1 and character symbol L1" correspond to the image of the suggestion effect, and "sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to the suggestion effect means. [Reference Invention 2-3] The gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 2-1], characterized in that the cover effect means displays the result of the arrival of the image of the cover effect in a required time longer than that of the result of the non-arrival. [Reference Invention 2-4] The gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 2-1], characterized in that when the image of the cover effect is erased at the result of the non-arrival, the symbol gaming means displays all of the identification symbols including the part where the image of the cover effect has made unviewable in a definite mode of miss. [Reference Invention 2-5] When the image of the cover effect is erased at the end of the reach, the gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 2-1] is characterized in that all of the identification symbols including the part where the image of the cover effect was made invisible are displayed in an uncertain reach mode and then displayed in either a definite winning mode or a definite losing mode.

[0162] [Reference Invention 2-6] Judgment means for judging success or failure every time the start condition is satisfied, A display on which an image of a symbol game for changing an identification symbol from an uncertain mode to a definite mode according to the judgment result of success or failure is displayed, Symbol game means for displaying an image of a symbol game on the display, An image of a cover effect for making part or all of the identification symbol invisible to the player before the identification symbol is made definite in the image of the symbol game is displayed on the display, and cover effect means for erasing the image of the cover effect after advancing it to either the end of the reach or the end of the non-reach is provided, The symbol game means, When the image of the cover effect is erased at the end of the reach, the identification symbol is displayed in a definite mode via an uncertain mode, and when the image of the cover effect is erased at the end of the non-reach, the identification symbol is displayed in a definite mode without going through an uncertain mode. A gaming machine characterized by this. According to the above means, an image of a cover effect is displayed before the identification symbol is made definite in the image of the symbol game. This image of the cover effect makes part or all of the identification symbol invisible to the player and is erased at either the end of the non-reach or the end of the reach. When this image of the cover effect is erased at the end of the non-reach, the identification symbol becomes visible in a definite mode, and when it is erased after progressing to the end of the reach, it becomes visible in an uncertain mode and then becomes definite. Therefore, depending on whether the image of the cover effect is erased at the end of the non-reach or the end of the reach, the image of the symbol game progresses in different processes, so the attractiveness of the image of the symbol game is improved. In the embodiment, "all of the special figure 1 game, the special figure 2 game, the small winning game, and the big winning game stop" corresponds to the satisfaction of the start condition. "The main control circuit 40" corresponds to the determination means. "The three columns of effect symbols" correspond to the identification symbols. "A state in which at least one of the three columns of effect symbols is in a scrolling display state" corresponds to an indeterminate mode of the identification symbols. "A state in which all of the three columns of effect symbols have stopped scrolling" corresponds to a definite mode of the identification symbols. "The image of the effect symbol game" corresponds to the image of the symbol game. "The effect symbol display 28" corresponds to the display. "The sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to the symbol game means and the cover effect means. "The image of the symbol cover effect" corresponds to the image of the cover effect. "The result of the arrival of the image of the symbol cover effect" corresponds to the result of the arrival of the image of the cover effect. "The result of the non-arrival of the image of the symbol cover effect" corresponds to the result of the non-arrival of the image of the cover effect.

[0163] [Example 4] As shown in FIG. 32, for each of the nine types of effect symbols from "1" to "9", two types are set: a normal symbol Nc (see the upper part) and a special symbol Sc (see the lower part). Each of the special symbols Sc from "1" to "9" is set to have the same hue and brightness as the normal symbol Nc of the same number, and is set to have a lower chroma than the normal symbol Nc of the same number. That is, the normal symbol Nc and the special symbol Sc have different display colors from each other.

[0164] FIG. 33 illustrates the image flow when any one of the battle images BL1 to BL4 is displayed in the current effect symbol game. In this case, the scroll display of the effect symbols in each of the left column, the middle column, and the right column at their respective normal speeds starts with the normal symbol Nc (see a), and after the scroll display of the effect symbols in the left column stops with the normal symbol Nc, the scroll display of the effect symbols in the right column stops with the normal symbol Nc (see b). In the reach state of the effect symbols in these three columns, the scroll display of the effect symbols in the middle column at the normal speed continues with the normal symbol Nc, and when a certain period of time has elapsed based on the occurrence of the reach state, the normal reach effect starts in response to the scroll speed of the effect symbols in the middle column decreasing from the normal speed to the low speed. During this normal reach effect, the scroll display of the effect symbols in the middle column at the low speed continues with the normal symbol Nc.

[0165] When a certain period of time has elapsed since the start of the normal reach effect, as shown in FIG. 33, the effect symbols in the left column, the middle column, and the right column are erased from the display area E of the effect symbol display 28, and when the effect symbols in the left column to the right column are erased, any one of the battle images BL1 to BL4 starts to be displayed (see c1). In this case, a mini symbol area Es is set at the upper right corner in the display area E, and an image of a saturation change effect and an image of a saturation return effect are displayed in the mini symbol area Es.

[0166] As shown in FIG. 33, the image of the saturation change effect starts by scrolling and displaying the effect symbols in three horizontal rows of the left column, the middle column, and the right column in the mini symbol area Es (see c1 / c2). This mini symbol area Es is smaller in size than the display area E, and in the mini symbol area Es, a special symbol Sc composed of the same type of numerical symbols as the effect symbols in the left column that were scrolled and stopped in the previous normal reach effect is statically displayed as the effect symbol in the left column, a special symbol Sc composed of the same type of numerical symbols as the effect symbols in the right column that were scrolled and stopped in the previous normal reach effect is statically displayed as the effect symbol in the right column, and special symbols Sc of "1" to "9" are scrolled and displayed at a low speed as the effect symbols in the middle column.

[0167] When any of the battle images BL1 to BL4 ends in a victory, as shown in FIG. 34, the production symbols in the middle column in the mini-symbol area Es stop scrolling with the same numerical symbols as those in the left column and the right column of production symbols, and three columns of production symbols in the mini-symbol area Es are statically displayed in a winning combination (see a1 / a2). The scrolling stop of the production symbols in this middle column is performed by the special symbol Sc. When any of the battle images BL1 to BL4 ends in a victory, the special symbol Sc is displayed in the mini-symbol area Es as a winning combination as the three columns of production symbols.

[0168] When any of the battle images BL1 to BL4 ends in a defeat, as shown in FIG. 34, the production symbols in the middle column in the mini-symbol area Es stop scrolling with numerical symbols different from those in either the left column or the right column of production symbols, and three columns of production symbols in the mini-symbol area Es are statically displayed in a non-winning reach combination (see b1 / b2). The scrolling stop of the production symbols in this middle column is performed by the special symbol Sc. When any of the battle images BL1 to BL4 ends in a defeat, the special symbol Sc is displayed in the mini-symbol area Es as a non-winning reach combination as the three columns of production symbols.

[0169] The image of the saturation restoration effect is executed when the special symbol Sc is displayed in the mini-symbol area Es in a non-winning reach combination. This image of the saturation restoration effect changes the special symbol Sc in each column to a normal symbol Nc with the same number (see b2 / b4). When the three columns of production symbols in the mini-symbol area Es are changed from the special symbol Sc to the normal symbol Nc, three columns of production symbols are also statically displayed in a non-winning reach combination in the display area E (see b3). This image of the saturation restoration effect is not executed when the special symbol Sc is displayed in the mini-symbol area Es in a winning combination. In this case, three columns of production symbols are statically displayed in a winning combination in the display area E (see). The three columns of production symbols in this display area E consist of the special symbol Sc with the same number as the three columns of production symbols in the mini-symbol area Es.

[0170] According to the above-described Example 4, the following effects are obtained. During the performance symbol game, an image of the saturation change performance was displayed. This image of the saturation change performance is displayed before all of the three columns of identification symbols come to a stop scroll state, and changes the appearance of the performance symbols from the normal saturation to a dark saturation for all of the three columns of performance symbols. Therefore, it is possible to give the player an expectation that something will happen during the performance symbol game in response to the display of the image of the saturation change performance. Moreover, when the image of the saturation change performance was displayed in this performance symbol game, an image of the saturation restoration performance was displayed, and the saturation of the three columns of performance symbols was restored from the dark saturation to the normal saturation with the image of the saturation restoration performance. For this reason, the performance symbols will not be displayed in the dark saturation for an unnecessarily long time, and the player will not be given a misunderstanding that something will happen. In the above-described Example 4, when it is determined as a big win, after setting the three columns of performance symbols in the mini symbol area Es as a big win combination with the special symbol Sc at the end of victory of each of the battle images BL1 to BL4, it may be returned to the normal symbol Nc, and the three columns of performance symbols may also be statically displayed as a big win combination with the normal symbol Nc in the display area E.

[0171] [Example 5] Two types, a normal symbol and a special symbol, are set for each of the nine types of performance symbols from "1" to "9". Each of the special symbols from "1" to "9" is set to a golden color, and among the normal symbols from "1" to "9", each of the odd numbers "1, 3, 5, 7, 9" is set to a red color, and each of the even numbers "2, 4, 6, 8" is set to a blue color.

[0172] FIG. 35 illustrates images of a color change effect and an image of a color return effect. The image of the color change effect is displayed when the sub-control circuit 60 receives the special symbol variation pattern "PO05" for a normal reach effect and the off special symbol variation pattern "PH05" while setting the effect mode to the normal mode, and is started by scrolling and displaying each of the effect symbols in the left column, the effect symbols in the middle column, and the effect symbols in the right column at a normal speed (see (a)). The scrolling display for each of these columns is performed with normal symbols. When the display of the image of the color change effect is started, the scrolling display of the effect symbols in the left column stops with normal symbols of the normal size, and then the scrolling display of the effect symbols in the right column stops with normal symbols of the normal size, and accordingly, the effect symbols in the three columns enter the reach state (see (b)). In the reach state of the effect symbols in the three columns, the scrolling display of the effect symbols in the middle column at the normal speed continues with normal symbols.

[0173] When a certain period of time has elapsed based on the occurrence of the reach state in the image of the color change effect, as shown in FIG. 35, the effect symbols in the left column are moved and displayed at the upper left corner within the display area E of the effect symbol display 28, and the effect symbols in the right column are moved and displayed at the upper right corner within the display area E of the effect symbol display 28 (see (c)). Each of the effect symbols in the left column and the effect symbols in the right column consists of a special symbol in gold color and is stationary and displayed in a reduced size smaller than the normal size.

[0174] When a reduced-size special symbol is statically displayed as each of the effect symbols in the left column and the effect symbols in the right column, as shown in FIG. 35, the scroll speed of the effect symbols in the middle column is changed from the normal speed to the low speed (see c), and the normal reach effect is started. During this normal reach effect, the scroll display of the effect symbols in the middle column at the low speed continues with the normal symbols, and when a certain time has elapsed since the start of the normal reach effect, the scroll display of the effect symbols in the middle column stops at the center within the display area E. This scroll stop of the effect symbols in the middle column is performed with the normal symbols of the same number as each of the effect symbols in the left column and the effect symbols in the right column when it is determined to be a big win (see d1), and is performed with the normal symbols of a number different from any of the effect symbols in the left column and the effect symbols in the right column when it is determined to be a miss (see e1).

[0175] The image of the color return effect is executed when the three columns of effect symbols are combined into a miss reach when the effect symbols in the middle column are scrolled and stopped with the normal symbols of the normal size. In this case, as shown in FIG. 35, the effect symbol in the left column is moved and displayed from the upper left corner within the display area E to the left side of the effect symbol in the middle column, and the effect symbol in the right column is moved and displayed from the upper right corner within the display area E to the right side of the effect symbol in the middle column, and accordingly, the three columns of effect symbols are statically displayed in a miss reach combination in a horizontal row (see e2). Each of these effect symbols in the left column and the effect symbols in the right column is changed from the special symbol to the normal symbol when it is moved and displayed, and when it is changed from the special symbol to the normal symbol, it is changed from the reduced size to the normal size.

[0176] When the image of the color restoration effect is such that the winning combination is made for the three columns of the performance symbols when the performance symbol in the middle column stops scrolling with the normal symbol of the normal size, it is not executed. In this case, as shown in Fig. 35, when the performance symbol in the left column is moved and displayed from the upper left corner within the display area E to the left side of the performance symbol in the middle column, and the performance symbol in the right column is moved and displayed from the upper right corner within the display area E to the right side of the performance symbol in the middle column, the three columns of performance symbols are statically displayed in a winning combination in a horizontal row (see d2). Each of these performance symbols in the left column and the right column is continuously displayed as a special symbol when it is moved and displayed, and is changed from the reduced size to the normal size.

[0177] According to the above Embodiment 5, the following effects are obtained. During the performance symbol game, an image of the color change effect was displayed. This image of the color change effect is displayed before all three columns of the performance symbols come to a scroll stop state, and changes the color of the performance symbol from the normal color to the golden color for each of the performance symbols in the left column and the right column. Therefore, it is possible to give the player a sense of expectation that something will happen during the performance symbol game in response to the display of the image of the color change effect. Moreover, when the image of the color change effect is displayed in this performance symbol game, an image of the color restoration effect is displayed, and the color of each of the performance symbols in the left column and the right column is returned from the golden color to the normal color with the image of the color restoration effect. For this reason, each of the performance symbols in the left column and the right column will not be displayed unnecessarily long in the golden color, so that the player will not be given a misunderstanding that something will happen. In the above Embodiment 5, when it is determined as a big win, each of the performance symbols in the left column and the right column may be set to a winning combination with a special symbol and then returned from the special symbol to the normal symbol.

[0178] In the above-described Examples 4 to 5, in addition to the invention described in the claims, the following [Reference Invention 3-1] to [Reference Invention 3-6] are described. There is a gaming machine configured to determine success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied, and to display an image of a symbol game every time the success or failure is determined. This image of the symbol game displays a plurality of identification elements in a variable state and then in a variable stop state, and the player is notified of the determination result of success or failure according to the combination of the plurality of identification elements in the variable stop state (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-17425). This conventional gaming machine sets a plurality of identification elements to be either out of the reach state and a combination of reach or a combination of a big win, and can only give the player a monotonous interest of showing that the plurality of identification elements are approaching the combination of a big win.

[0179] [Reference Invention 3-1] Determination means for determining success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied, A display for displaying an image of a symbol game in which a plurality of identification elements are changed from a variable state to a variable stop state in a combination according to the determination result of success or failure, An apparatus that displays an image of a symbol game on the display, and includes symbol game means for displaying an image of a change effect for changing the appearance of at least one of the plurality of identification elements from a first type to a second type different from the first type before displaying all of the plurality of identification elements in a variable stop state in the image of the symbol game, The symbol game means, A gaming machine characterized in that when an image of a change effect is displayed in the current symbol game, an image of a return effect for returning the appearance of the identification element whose appearance has been changed to the first type from the second type is displayed for the identification element whose appearance has been changed. According to the above means, an image of a change effect is displayed during the symbol game. This image of the change effect is displayed before all of the plurality of identification elements reach a stationary state of variation, and changes the appearance of at least one of the plurality of identification elements from a first type to a second type. Therefore, it is possible to give the player an expectation that something will happen during the symbol game in response to the display of the image of the change effect. Moreover, when an image of a change effect is displayed in the current symbol game, an image of a return effect is displayed, and the appearance of the identification element is returned from the second type to the first type in the image of the return effect. For this reason, the identification element will not be displayed for an unnecessarily long time in the second type, and the player will not be given a misunderstanding about something happening. "All of the special figure 1 game, the special figure 2 game, the small winning game, and the big winning game stop" in the embodiment corresponds to the establishment of the start condition, "the main control circuit 40" corresponds to the determination means, each of "the effect symbols in the left column, the effect symbols in the middle column, and the effect symbols in the right column" corresponds to the identification element, "the scroll state" corresponds to the variable state, "the scroll stop state" corresponds to the stationary state of variation, "the effect symbol game" corresponds to the symbol game, "the effect symbol display 28" corresponds to the display, "the sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to the symbol game means, "the normal symbol Nc" corresponds to the identification element of the first type, "the special symbol Sc" corresponds to the identification element of the second type, "the chroma change effect" corresponds to the change effect, and "the chroma return effect" corresponds to the return effect.

[0180] [Reference Invention 3-2] The gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 3-1], wherein the symbol game means displays each of an image of a change effect and an image of a return effect when making a combination of a plurality of identification elements in a non-winning combination in a stationary state of variation. "The non-winning reach combination" in the embodiment corresponds to the non-winning combination. [Reference Invention 3-3] The gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 3-1], wherein the symbol game means displays an image that changes the display color of the identification element from a first type to a second type as an image of a change effect, and displays an image that returns the display color of the identification element from the second type to the first type as an image of a return effect.

[0181] [Reference Invention 3-4] The display shows a first identification element, a second identification element, and a third identification element as a plurality of identification elements, and an image of a reach effect in which the third identification element is changed from a variable state to a variable stop state through a reach state in which each of the first identification element and the second identification element is in a variable stop state in the same manner is displayed. The gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 3-1], wherein the symbol gaming means displays an image of a change effect in a reach state for each of the first identification element and the second identification element. The "production drawing of the left column" in the embodiment corresponds to the first identification element, the "production drawing of the right column" corresponds to the second identification element, and the "production drawing of the middle column" corresponds to the third identification element. [Reference Invention 3-5] The gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 3-4], further comprising a suggestion effect means for displaying an effect image for suggesting to the player in advance that an image of a change effect is to be displayed in a reach state. The "image of the normal reach effect" in the embodiment corresponds to the effect image, and the "sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to the suggestion effect means.

[0182] [Reference Invention 3-6] Determination means for determining whether or not each time a start condition is satisfied; A display on which an image of a symbol game in which the first identification element, the second identification element, and the third identification element are changed from a variable state to a variable stop state in a combination according to the determination result of the success or failure is displayed; A symbol gaming means for displaying an image of a symbol game on the display, and displaying an image of a reach effect in which the third identification element is changed from a variable state to a variable stop state through a reach state in which each of the first identification element and the second identification element is in a variable stop state in the same manner as an image of the symbol game; The symbol gaming means displays an image of a change effect for changing the appearance of the identification element from a first type to a second type different from the first type for each of the first identification element and the second identification element in a reach state. A gaming machine characterized in that when an image of a change effect is displayed in the present symbol game, an image of a return effect for returning the appearance of each of the first identification element and the second identification element from the second type to the first type is displayed. According to the above means, an image of a change effect is displayed in the reach state of the first identification element to the third identification element. This image of the change effect changes the appearance of each of the first identification element and the second identification element from the first type to the second type, and can give the player a sense of expectation for something to happen during the symbol game in response to the display of the image of the change effect. Moreover, when an image of a change effect is displayed in the present symbol game, an image of a return effect is displayed, and the appearance of each of the first identification element and the second identification element is returned from the second type to the first type in the image of the return effect. Therefore, the first identification element and the second identification element will not be displayed unnecessarily long in the second type, so that the player will not be given a misunderstanding about something happening. "All of the 'Special Drawing 1 Game', 'Special Drawing 2 Game','small hit game', and 'big hit game' in the embodiment stopping" corresponds to the establishment of the start condition, "main control circuit 40" corresponds to the determination means, "the production symbol in the left column" corresponds to the first identification element, "the production symbol in the right column" corresponds to the second identification element, "the production symbol in the middle column" corresponds to the third identification element, "scroll state" corresponds to the fluctuation state, "scroll stop state" corresponds to the fluctuation stop state, "the image of the production symbol game" corresponds to the image of the symbol game, "production symbol display 28" corresponds to the display, "sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to the symbol game means, "Normal Symbol Nc" corresponds to the first type of identification element, "Special Symbol Sc" corresponds to the second type of identification element, "the image of the saturation change effect" corresponds to the image of the change effect, and "the image of the saturation return effect" corresponds to the image of the return effect.

[0183] [Embodiment 6] For each of the nine types of performance symbols from "1" to "9", as shown in Fig. 36, two types are set: a chance symbol (see the upper part) and a speed symbol (see the lower part). Each of the chance symbols from "1" to "9" consists of a filled-in number. When the performance mode is set to the normal mode for low-probability non-electric support, the chance symbol is used as the performance symbol regardless of whether normal performance, all-figure simultaneous stop performance, normal reach performance, special reach performance, or pseudo-variation performance is executed. Even when the performance mode is set to the chance mode for low-probability electric support, the chance symbol is used as the performance symbol regardless of which of the above performances is executed. Among these chance symbols from "1" to "9", each of "1, 3, 5, 7, 9" is filled with a red color, and each of "2, 4, 6, 8" is filled with a blue color.

[0184] Each of the speed symbols from "1" to "9" consists of an outlined number, as shown in Fig. 36. When the performance mode is set to the speed mode for high-probability electric support, the speed symbol is used as the performance symbol regardless of whether normal performance, all-figure simultaneous stop performance, normal reach performance, special reach performance, or pseudo-variation performance is executed. Among these speed symbols from "1" to "9", each of "1, 3, 5, 7, 9" for high-probability electric support has a heart symbol attached, and each of "2, 4, 6, 8" for low-probability electric support does not have a heart symbol attached.

[0185] Figure 37 illustrates the flow of the game when the symbol change jackpot preview performance is executed in this performance symbol game. This symbol change jackpot preview performance notifies the player that the low probability electric support mode will be set starting from the next performance symbol game when the three columns of performance symbols in this performance symbol game form an even jackpot combination. When the sub-control circuit 60 sets the performance mode to the speed mode for high probability electric support, it displays one of the special losing special symbol variation patterns "PH01~04" for the special reach performance, the special winning special symbol variation patterns "PO01~04" for the special reach performance, the special winning special symbol variation pattern "PO05" for the normal reach performance, and the special losing special symbol variation pattern "PH05" for the normal reach performance when received.

[0186] When the sub-control circuit 60 executes the symbol change jackpot preview performance, as shown in Figure 37, it starts displaying the image of the performance symbol game in response to the scroll display of the speed symbols of the three columns of performance symbols at the normal speed (see a). When the sub-control circuit 60 starts displaying the image of the performance symbol game, it stops the scroll display of the speed symbols in the left column with one of the even numbers "2, 4, 6, 8" (see b). When the scroll display of the speed symbols in the left column stops, it generates a reach state by stopping the scroll display of the speed symbols in the right column with the same even number as the speed symbols in the left column (see c). In the reach state, the sub-control circuit 60 continuously scrolls and displays the speed symbols in the middle column at the normal speed.

[0187] When the sub-control circuit 60 generates an even-numbered reach state in the speed symbol, as shown in FIG. 37, it starts a normal reach effect in response to reducing the scroll speed of the speed symbol in the middle column from the normal speed to the low speed, and starts a symbol change big win preview effect when a certain period of time has elapsed based on starting the normal reach effect. This sub-control circuit 60 changes each of the effect symbols in the scroll stop state of the left column and the effect symbols in the scroll stop state of the right column from the speed symbol to an even-numbered chance symbol identical to the speed symbol, and changes the effect symbol during the low-speed scroll in the middle column from the speed symbol to the chance symbol, and starts the symbol change big win preview effect accordingly (see c→d).

[0188] FIG. 38 is an image of the end of the symbol change big win preview effect displayed when the sub-control circuit 60 receives a special symbol variation pattern for the normal reach effect. When the sub-control circuit 60 receives the big win special symbol variation pattern "PO05" for the normal reach effect, it stops the low-speed scroll display in the middle column with an even-numbered chance symbol identical to each of the left column and the right column, and ends the current effect symbol game in response to making the three columns an even-numbered chance symbol combination for a big win (see a→b). After the end of the current effect symbol game, this sub-control circuit 60 starts displaying an image of the big win game effect (see b→c), and uses the chance symbol as the effect symbol for the three columns from the next effect symbol game. When the sub-control circuit 60 receives the off special symbol variation pattern "PH05" for the normal reach effect, it stops the low-speed scroll display in the middle column with a chance symbol different from both the left column and the right column, and makes the three columns a combination for an off reach with the chance symbol (see a→d). When the sub-control circuit 60 makes the three columns a combination for an off reach with the chance symbol, it ends the current effect symbol game in response to changing the effect symbol of each column from the chance symbol to the speed symbol identical to the chance symbol (see d→e), and uses the speed symbol as the effect symbol for the three columns in the next effect symbol game.

[0189] FIG. 39 illustrates the final image of a symbol change big win preview effect displayed when the sub-control circuit 60 receives a special reach effect (battle images BL1 to BL4) specific pattern variation. When the sub-control circuit 60 receives a special reach effect specific pattern variation, it erases the three-column chance symbols during normal reach effect and starts displaying any one of the battle images BL1 to BL4 (see a→b). When this sub-control circuit 60 receives the big win specific pattern variation “PO01 to 04” for the special reach effect, it ends the battle image with a victory ending. When the battle image ends with a victory ending, in response to the chance symbols being statically displayed in an even big win combination as the three-column effect symbols, the current effect symbol game ends (see b→c). After the end of the current effect symbol game, this sub-control circuit 60 starts displaying the image of the big win game effect (see c→d) and uses the chance symbols as the three-column effect symbols starting from the next effect symbol game. When this sub-control circuit 60 receives the miss specific pattern variation “PH01 to 04” for the special reach effect, it ends the battle image with a defeat ending. When the battle image ends with a defeat ending, the chance symbols are statically displayed in an even miss reach combination as the three-column effect symbols (see b→e). When this sub-control circuit 60 statically displays the three columns in an even miss reach combination, in response to changing the effect symbol of each column from a chance symbol to a speed symbol identical to the chance symbol, the current effect symbol game ends (see e→f), and speed symbols are used as the three-column effect symbols starting from the next effect symbol game.

[0190] The symbol change big win preview effect process in Fig. 40(a) is activated every time the sub-control circuit 60 receives the special figure 2 game data from the main control circuit 40. The sub-control circuit 60 determines whether to execute the symbol change big win preview effect in the symbol change big win preview effect process. If it is determined to execute the symbol change big win preview effect, the symbol change big win preview effect is executed in the current effect symbol game. When the sub-control circuit 60 activates the symbol change big win preview effect process, it determines in S401 whether the current effect mode is the speed mode. If it is determined here that it is the speed mode, the process proceeds to S402, and it is determined whether any of the 10 types of special figure variation patterns, namely the big win special figure variation patterns "PO01~04" for the special reach effect, the non-big win special figure variation patterns "PH01~04" for the special reach effect, the big win special figure variation pattern "PO05" for the normal reach effect, and the non-big win special figure variation pattern "PH05" for the normal reach effect, exist in the reception result of the special figure 2 game data.

[0191] If the sub-control circuit 60 determines in S402 that any of the 10 types of special figure variation patterns exist, the process proceeds to S403, and it is determined whether there is a big win determination result in the reception result of the special figure 2 game data. If it is determined here that there is a big win determination result, the symbol change big win preview effect table 1 is detected from the ROM in S404. If there is a non-big win determination result, the symbol change big win preview effect table 2 is detected from the ROM in S405. Fig. 40(b) is the symbol change big win preview effect table 1, and the symbol change big win preview effect table 1 is set by assigning a high selection probability to "with symbol change big win preview effect" and a low selection probability to "without symbol change big win preview effect". Fig. 40(c) is the symbol change big win preview effect table 2, and the symbol change big win preview effect table 2 is set by assigning a low selection probability to "with symbol change big win preview effect" and a high selection probability to "without symbol change big win preview effect".

[0192] When the sub-control circuit 60 detects the symbol change jackpot preview effect table 1 in S404, it selects either "with symbol change jackpot preview effect" or "without symbol change jackpot preview effect" from the symbol change jackpot preview effect table 1 with a probability corresponding to the selection probability in S406. When the symbol change jackpot preview effect table 2 is detected in S405, it selects either "with symbol change jackpot preview effect" or "without symbol change jackpot preview effect" from the symbol change jackpot preview effect table 2 with a probability corresponding to the selection probability in S406. That is, when the symbol change jackpot preview effect is executed in the current effect symbol game, the three-column effect symbols have a higher probability of being an even jackpot combination compared to when it is not executed, and the next effect symbol game is executed in the low-probability electric support mode.

[0193] According to the above-described Example 6, the following effects are obtained. Before all of the three-column effect symbols in the image of the current effect symbol game are displayed in the scroll stop state, the symbol change jackpot preview effect is performed. This symbol change jackpot preview effect changes the type of effect symbol from the speed symbol corresponding to the speed mode to the chance symbol for the chance mode, and is performed for all of the three-column effect symbols. Therefore, it is possible to give the player an expectation that something will happen in the current effect symbol game in response to the display of the image of the symbol change jackpot preview effect.

[0194] In addition to the invention described in the claims, the above-described Example 6 describes the following [Reference Invention 4-1] to [Reference Invention 4-6]. There is a gaming machine configured to determine success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied and to display an image of a symbol game every time success or failure is determined. This image of the symbol game displays a plurality of identification elements in a variable state and then in a variable stop state, and the player is notified of the determination result of success or failure according to the combination of the plurality of identification elements in the variable stop state (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-17425). This conventional gaming machine makes a plurality of identification elements deviate from the reach state and be either a reach combination or a jackpot combination, and can only give the player a monotonous interest of showing that the plurality of identification elements are approaching the jackpot combination.

[0195] [Reference Invention 4-1] Determination means for determining whether it is correct or incorrect every time a start condition is satisfied, A display on which an image of a symbol game in which a plurality of identification elements are changed from a variable state to a variable stop state in a combination according to the determination result of whether it is correct or incorrect is displayed, Symbol mode setting means for setting a symbol mode for designating the type of identification element, It is for displaying an image of a symbol game on the display, and includes symbol game means for displaying each of a plurality of identification elements in a type according to the setting result of the symbol mode in the image of the symbol game. The symbol game means, Before displaying all of the plurality of identification elements in the variable stop state in the image of the current symbol game, it is possible to perform a symbol type change effect in which the type of one or more of the plurality of identification elements is changed from the one corresponding to the setting result of the symbol mode to one different from the setting result of the symbol mode. A gaming machine characterized by this. According to the above means, a symbol type change effect is performed before all of the plurality of identification elements are displayed in the variable stop state in the image of the current symbol game. This symbol type change effect changes the type of the identification element from the one corresponding to the setting result of the symbol mode to one different from the setting result of the symbol mode, and is performed on one or more of the plurality of identification elements. Therefore, it is possible to give the player an expectation that something will happen in the current symbol game in response to the display of the image of the symbol type change effect. "All of the special figure 1 game, the special figure 2 game, the small winning game, and the big winning game stop" in the embodiment corresponds to the start condition being satisfied, "the main control circuit 40" corresponds to the determination means, and each of "the left column effect symbol", "the middle column effect symbol", and "the right column effect symbol" corresponds to the identification element, "the scroll state" corresponds to the variable state, "the scroll stop state" corresponds to the variable stop state, "the effect symbol game" corresponds to the symbol game, "the effect symbol display 28" corresponds to the display, "the sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to the symbol mode setting means and the symbol game means, each of "the chance mode" and "the speed mode" corresponds to the symbol mode, and "the first half of the symbol change big winning announcement effect" corresponds to the symbol type change effect.

[0196] [Reference Invention 4-2] The symbol mode setting means sets a symbol mode for designating the display color of the identification element as the type of identification element, The symbol gaming means is a gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 4-1], characterized in that each of a plurality of identification elements in the symbol gaming image is displayed in a display color according to the setting result of the symbol mode. The "saturation of the effect symbols" in the embodiment corresponds to the display color of the symbol elements. [Reference Invention 4-3] Background mode setting means for setting a background mode for designating the type of background image, Background display means for displaying a background image of a type according to the setting result of the background mode when a symbol gaming image is displayed on the symbol display, The symbol mode setting means is a gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 4-1], characterized in that it designates a symbol mode according to the setting result of the background mode. Each of the "Normal Mode", "Chance Mode", and "Speed Mode" in the embodiment corresponds to a background mode, and the "Sub-control Circuit 60" corresponds to the background mode setting means and the background display means. [Reference Invention 4-4] The display displays a first identification element, a second identification element, and a third identification element as a plurality of identification elements, and an image of a reach effect in which the third identification element is changed from a variable state to a variable stop state through a reach state in which each of the first identification element and the second identification element is in a variable stop state in the same manner, The symbol gaming means is a gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 4-1], characterized in that a symbol type change effect is executed in the reach state of the first identification element, the second identification element, and the third identification element. The "left column effect symbols" in the embodiment correspond to the first identification element, the "right column effect symbols" correspond to the second identification element, and the "middle column effect symbols" correspond to the third identification element. [Reference Invention 4-5] The symbol game means is capable of performing a symbol type return effect in which, after the symbol type change effect is finished with the image of the current symbol game, the type of identification element is returned from a type different from the setting result of the symbol mode to a type corresponding to the setting result of the symbol mode for the one or more identification elements. The gaming machine according to [Reference Invention 4-1]. The "latter half of the symbol change jackpot announcement effect" in the embodiment corresponds to the symbol type return effect.

[0197] [Reference Invention 4-6] Determination means for determining success or failure every time a start condition is satisfied, A display on which an image of a symbol game is displayed, in which the first identification element, the second identification element, and the third identification element are changed from a variable state to a variable stop state in a combination corresponding to the determination result of success or failure, Symbol mode setting means for setting a symbol mode for designating the display color of the identification element, The display is for displaying an image of a symbol game, and includes symbol game means for displaying each of the first identification element, the second identification element, and the third identification element in the image of the symbol game with a display color corresponding to the setting result of the symbol mode. The display is for displaying an image of a reach effect in which the third identification element is changed from a variable state to a variable stop state after passing through a reach state in which each of the first identification element and the second identification element is in a variable stop state in the same manner. The symbol game means is capable of performing a symbol type change effect in which, in the reach state of the first identification element, the second identification element, and the third identification element, the display color of at least the first identification element and the second identification element is changed from a color corresponding to the setting result of the symbol mode to a color different from the setting result of the symbol mode. The gaming machine is characterized by this. According to the above means, a symbol type change effect is performed in the reach states of the first identification element, the second identification element, and the third identification element. This symbol type change effect changes the display color of the identification element from one corresponding to the setting result of the symbol mode to one different from the setting result of the symbol mode, and is performed for at least each of the first identification element and the second identification element. Therefore, it is possible to give the player an expectation that something will happen in this symbol game in response to the display of the image of the symbol type change effect. "All of the 'Special Drawing 1 game', 'Special Drawing 2 game','small winning game', and 'big winning game' in the embodiment stop" corresponds to the establishment of the start condition. "Main control circuit 40" corresponds to the determination means. "The effect symbols in the left column" correspond to the first identification element. "The effect symbols in the right column" correspond to the second identification element. "The effect symbols in the middle column" correspond to the third identification element. "Scroll state" corresponds to the variable state. "Scroll stop state" corresponds to the variable stop state. "Effect symbol game" corresponds to the symbol game. "Effect symbol display 28" corresponds to the display. "Sub-control circuit 60" corresponds to the symbol mode setting means and the symbol game means. Each of "chance mode" and "speed mode" corresponds to the symbol mode. "The saturation of the effect symbols" corresponds to the display color of the identification element. "The first half of the symbol change big winning preview effect" corresponds to the symbol type change effect.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0198] 18 is the first start port, 19 is the big winning port, 23 is the second start port, 28 is the effect symbol display, 40 is the main control circuit, and 60 is the sub-control circuit.

Claims

Claim 1 Determination means for determining whether it is correct or incorrect each time a start condition is satisfied; A display on which an image of a symbol game is displayed, in which a plurality of identification elements are changed from a variable state to a variable stop state in a combination according to the determination result of whether it is correct or incorrect; It is for displaying an image of a symbol game on the display, and before displaying all of a plurality of identification elements in a variable stop state in the image of the symbol game, an image of a change effect for changing the appearance of at least one of the plurality of identification elements from a first type to a second type different from the first type is displayed. It is provided with symbol game means for displaying, The symbol game means, When an image of a change effect is displayed in the current symbol game, a game machine characterized by displaying an image of a return effect for returning the appearance of the identification element whose appearance has been changed to the first type from the second type for the identification element whose appearance has been changed.

Images