Gaming Machines

Abstract

To provide a game machine that can increase game interest.SOLUTION: In a slot machine 10, after performing betting operation, rotation of respective reels 32L, 32M, 32R is started on the basis of operation of a start lever 41. Then, reels corresponding to operation of stop switches 42 to 44 are stopped, and a stop spot according to the lottery result can be stopped. Furthermore, on the basis of the lottery result, a lottery to move to an advantageous section where a push order notification of a push order bell and a push order replay can be performed may be executed. The remaining number of games in the advantageous section is notified in a first specific state, but is not notified in a second specific state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gaming machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Known types of gaming machines include pachinko machines and slot machines, etc. In these gaming machines, an internal lottery is held when a predetermined lottery condition is met, and a bonus is awarded to a player according to the result of the internal lottery.

[0003] Specifically, in a slot machine, when a start lever is operated while medals as a gaming medium are bet, an internal lottery is conducted and the reels start to rotate, and when a stop switch is operated while the reels are rotating, the reels stop rotating. If the reels stop as a result of the internal lottery, a bonus according to the result is awarded (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-295707 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Here, in the gaming machines exemplified above, it is necessary to improve the entertainment value of the game, and in this regard, there is still room for improvement.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has as its object to provide a gaming machine that can increase the enjoyment of gaming. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to A plurality of rotating bodies having a plurality of patterns applied thereto in a circumferential direction; A display unit that allows some of the patterns on each of the rotating bodies to be viewed; A start operation means for starting rotation of each of the rotating bodies when the start operation means is operated; A stop operation means for stopping the rotation of each of the rotating bodies when the stop operation means is operated; a drive control means for starting rotation of each of the rotating bodies when the start operation means is operated and for stopping the rotation of each of the rotating bodies when the stop operation means is operated; a lottery means for holding a lottery to determine whether or not to award a special benefit to a player based on an operation of the start operation means; The result of the lottery by the lottery means is a predetermined result. R a reward awarding means for awarding a reward corresponding to the predetermined result in a case where the predetermined result is reached; A gaming machine comprising: When the lottery result by the lottery means is that each of the stop operation means is operated in a first stop operation mode. Second 1 result Can win prizes When each of the stop operation means is operated in a second stop operation mode different from the first stop operation mode, Different from the first result Second result There is a special result that can be won. , The stop operation means Notification of operation mode Realize A mode notifying means capable of carrying out the above-mentioned operation is provided, As the game state, a normal game state and a frequency of execution of the mode notification by the mode notification means of Higher than the normal gaming state It is possible to At least a specific gaming state is provided, In the normal gaming state, the result of the lottery by the lottery means is a predetermined specific result. In case A transition lottery means for executing a transition lottery to the specific game state; The result of the lottery by the transition lottery means corresponds to the transition to the specific gaming state. In case , and transition to the specific gaming state. Hand Step by step, A means for updating predetermined numerical information in accordance with the progress of the specific game state; a means for ending the specific game state when the numerical information becomes specific information; A means for executing a special notification regarding the numerical information; a means for executing a benefit notification corresponding to the benefit granted by the benefit granting means in the specific gaming state; a means for enabling the special notification in a first situation in which the mode notification can be executed if the lottery result by the lottery means in the specific game state is the special result, and restricting the execution of the special notification in a second situation different from the first situation in which the mode notification can be executed if the lottery result by the lottery means in the specific game state is the special result; A means for restricting execution of the benefit notification in the second situation; Equipped with The second situation is changed to the first situation according to the progress of the game in the specific game state. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the enjoyment of games. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a slot machine according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is an oblique view of the slot machine with the front door closed. [Diagram 3] 1 is an oblique view of the slot machine with the front door open. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement of symbols on each reel. [Figure 7] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the symbols visible through the display window and the pay lines. [Figure 8] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the symbols visible through the display window and the pay lines. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between winning modes and the benefits provided. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between winning modes and the benefits provided. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between winning modes and the benefits provided. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the main control device. [Figure 13] 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the display control device; [Figure 14] 13 is a flowchart showing timer interrupt processing by the main control device. [Figure 15] 4 is a flowchart showing normal processing by the main control device. [Figure 16] 13 is a flowchart showing a lottery process. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a lottery table for a normal gaming state in a two-bet game. [Figure 18] 13 is a flowchart showing a reel control process. [Figure 19] 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the operation sequence of the stop buttons and the winning patterns that are achieved. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining reel stop control. [Figure 21] 13 is a flowchart showing bonus state processing. [Figure 22] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a lottery table for the BB state. [Figure 23] 13 is a flowchart showing a lottery result handling process. [Figure 24] 13 is a flowchart showing the first specific role processing. [Diagram 25] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating examples of various tables for a navigation mode. [Figure 26] 13 is a flowchart showing the second specific role processing. [Figure 27] 13 is a flowchart showing a mode change notification process. [Figure 28] An explanatory diagram showing an overview of the push order notification. [Figure 29] A flowchart showing the push order processing. [Diagram 30] 13 is a flowchart showing a winning result response process. [Diagram 31] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an overview of an indication monitor and a section display. [Diagram 32] 13 is a flowchart showing a first section display process. [Diagram 33] 13 is a flowchart showing a second section display process. [Diagram 34] 13 is a flowchart showing remaining game number management processing. [Diagram 35] A diagram to explain the relationship between the start game and end game of the advantageous zone and the display of the zone indicator. [Diagram 36] 13 is a flowchart showing a performance setting process by a sub-side display control device. [Figure 37] 13 is a flowchart showing a bet time effect setting process. [Figure 38] 13 is a flowchart showing a start-up performance setting process. [Figure 39] 13 is a flowchart showing a stop time performance setting process. [Diagram 40] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a lottery table for a normal gaming state in a 3-bet game. [Diagram 41] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a lottery table for the RT state in a 2-bet game. [Diagram 42] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a lottery table for the RT state in a 3-bet game. [Diagram 43] 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the difference between the lottery tables in both bet games. FIG. [Diagram 44] 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the difference in expected medal acquisition value between the two bet games. FIG. [Diagram 45] 1 is a timing chart for explaining an overview of a game. [Figure 46] 1 is a timing chart for explaining an overview of a game. [Figure 47] 1 is a timing chart for explaining an overview of a game. [Figure 48] 13 is a flowchart showing a bet number navigation process. [Figure 49] 13 is a flowchart showing a bet number navigation notification process. [Figure 50] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 51] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 52] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Diagram 53]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an overview of the progress of a game. [Figure 54] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a difference between lottery tables in both betting games in the first modified example. [Figure 55] This is a flowchart showing the push order processing in variant example 2. [Figure 56] 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the difference in expected medal acquisition value between the two bet games. FIG. [Figure 57] 13 is a diagram for explaining lottery results, lottery tables, winning modes, etc. in Modification 3. FIG. [Figure 58] 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the difference between the lottery tables in both bet games. FIG. [Figure 59] 1A is a flowchart showing the push order processing, and FIG. 1B is a flowchart showing the RT transition processing. [Figure 60] 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the difference in expected medal acquisition value between the two bet games. FIG. [Figure 61] 13 is a flowchart showing a navigation mode start performance setting process in the second embodiment. [Figure 62] A flowchart showing the setting process for the added effects. [Figure 63] 13 is a flowchart showing the process for setting a stop effect in navigation mode. [Figure 64] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 65] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 66] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 67] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 68] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 69] 13 is a flowchart showing the processing for setting a performance when a navigation mode is started in the first modified example. [Figure 70]13 is a flowchart showing the process for setting a stop effect in navigation mode. [Figure 71] FIG. 13A is a diagram showing an example of a start-time performance table, and FIG. 13B is a diagram showing an example of a display performance by the auxiliary display unit. [Figure 72] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 73] 13 is a flowchart showing a part of the stop time performance setting process for navigation mode in the second modified example. [Figure 74] 13 is a flowchart showing the processing when a BB win is performed in the third embodiment. [Figure 75] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 76] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display presentation by an auxiliary display unit. [Figure 77] A flowchart showing the processing when a BB wins in a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] <First embodiment> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which the present invention is applied to a reel type gaming machine, which is one type of gaming machine, specifically, a slot machine. Fig. 1 is a front view of a slot machine 10, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the slot machine 10 with the front door 12 closed, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the slot machine 10 with the front door 12 open, Fig. 4 is a rear view of the front door 12, and Fig. 5 is a front view of a cabinet 11.

[0011] 1 to 5, the slot machine 10 includes a housing 11 that forms the outer shell of the slot machine 10. The housing 11 is generally formed in a box shape with an open front, and is attached to so-called island equipment by nailing it when it is installed in a game hall.

[0012] A front door 12 is attached to the front side of the housing 11 so as to be openable and closable. That is, a pair of upper and lower support shafts 13a, 13b are provided on the left side of the housing 11 when viewed from the front, and bearings 14a, 14b are provided on the front door 12 at positions corresponding to the support shafts 13a, 13b. When the support shafts 13a, 13b are inserted into the bearings 14a, 14b, the front door 12 is supported rotatably around an opening and closing axis extending in the vertical direction connecting the support shafts 13a, 13b with respect to the housing 11, and the front open side of the housing 11 can be opened or closed by rotating the front door 12. The front door 12 is locked so as not to be opened by a locking device 20 provided on the back side. A key cylinder 21 integrated with the locking device 20 is provided on the upper right end side of the front door 12, and the locked state is released by a predetermined key operation on the key cylinder 21.

[0013] A game panel 25 that notifies the player of the game status is provided at the upper center of the front door 12. The game panel 25 has three vertically long display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R arranged side by side, and the inside of the slot machine 10 can be seen through each of the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R. The display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R may be combined into one common display window.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 3, the inside of the housing 11 is divided into two parts, an upper part and a lower part, by a partition plate 30, and a reel unit 31 constituting a variable display means is attached to the upper part of the partition plate 30. The reel unit 31 includes a left reel 32L, a center reel 32M, and a right reel 32R each formed in a cylindrical (annular) shape. Each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R is supported rotatably so that its central axis is the axis of rotation of the reel. The axes of rotation of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R are arranged on the same axis extending in a substantially horizontal direction, and each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R corresponds one-to-one to each of the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R. Therefore, a part of the surface of each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R is visible through the corresponding display window 26L, 26M, and 26R. Furthermore, when the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R rotate forward, the surfaces of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R are displayed through the respective display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R as if they were moving from top to bottom.

[0015] Here, the structure of the reel unit 31 will be briefly described.

[0016] Each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R is connected to a stepping motor, and each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R can be rotated individually, i.e., independently, by driving each stepping motor. The stepping motor is set to rotate once by giving a drive signal (hereinafter also referred to as excitation pulse) of, for example, 504 pulses, and the rotational position of the stepping motor, i.e., the rotational position of the reel, is controlled by this excitation pulse. In addition, the reel unit 31 is provided with a reel index sensor for each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R for detecting that the reel has rotated once. Whenever the reel index sensor detects that the reel has rotated once, it outputs a detection signal to the main control device 101, which will be described later. Therefore, the main control unit 101 can check and correct the angular position of each reel 32L, 32M, and 32R for each rotation based on the detection signal of the reel index sensor and the number of excitation pulses output before the detection signal is input.

[0017] On the outer circumferential surface of each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R, a plurality of symbols are drawn in the long side direction (rotation direction) as identification information. More specifically, 21 symbols are drawn at equal intervals. Therefore, in order to switch a symbol to the next symbol at a predetermined position, it is necessary to output 24 excitation pulses (=504 pulses÷21 symbols). Furthermore, the main control device 101 can control the recognition of the symbols that are visible from the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R, and the stopping of a predetermined symbol at a position that is visible from the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R, based on the number of excitation pulses output after the detection signal of the reel index sensor is input.

[0018] Next, the symbols displayed on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R will be described.

[0019] FIG. 6 shows the arrangement of symbols on the left reel 32L, the center reel 32M, and the right reel 32R. As shown in FIG. 6, 21 symbols are arranged in a row on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R. Numbers from 0 to 20 are assigned to the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R, but these numbers are numbers used by the main control device 101 to identify the symbols that are visible through the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R, and are not actually assigned to the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R. However, the following description will use these numbers.

[0020] There are ten types of symbols: "red bell" symbol (e.g., 20th on the left reel 32L), "first replay" symbol (e.g., 19th on the left reel 32L), "red 7" symbol (e.g., 18th on the left reel 32L), "watermelon" symbol (e.g., 17th on the left reel 32L), "white bell" symbol (e.g., 12th on the left reel 32L), "second replay" symbol (e.g., 11th on the left reel 32L), "white 7" symbol (e.g., 10th on the left reel 32L), "cherry" symbol (e.g., 9th on the left reel 32L), "BAR" symbol (e.g., 5th on the left reel 32L), and "youth" symbol (e.g., 0th on the left reel 32L). As shown in FIG. 6, the number and arrangement order of the various symbols are completely different on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R.

[0021] Each of the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R is formed so that only three of the 21 symbols on the corresponding reel are visible in their entirety. Therefore, when each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R is in a stopped state, 3×3=9 symbols are visible through the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R.

[0022] In the slot machine 10, the game result of each game is notified by using a combination of three symbols, one for each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R, among the symbols that can be seen. As described above, 3×3=9 symbols can be seen, and as the combination of these three symbols, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, there are combinations of symbols that stop on the upper line L1 connecting the upper symbols of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R, combinations of symbols that stop on the middle line L2 connecting the middle symbols of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R, and combinations of symbols that stop on the lower line L3 connecting the lower symbols of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R. There are also combinations of symbols that stop on a right-downward line L4 that connects the upper pattern of the left reel 32L, the middle pattern of the middle reel 32M, and the lower pattern of the right reel 32R, and combinations of symbols that stop on a right-upward line L5 that connects the lower pattern of the left reel 32L, the middle pattern of the middle reel 32M, and the upper pattern of the right reel 32R. There are also combinations of symbols that stop on a bent line L6 that connects the upper pattern of the left reel 32L, the middle pattern of the middle reel 32M, and the middle pattern of the right reel 32R. The above lines L1 to L5 are lines that become a straight line when the symbols are lined up, and the bent line L6 is a line that bends when the symbols are lined up. There are other combinations of symbols that stop on a bent line besides the bent line L6, but we will not explain them here.

[0023] Among these lines L1 to L6, some are activated and some are not activated depending on the number of medals bet, and when symbols stop in a predetermined combination on an activated line, i.e., an activated line, a prize is awarded in which a predetermined number of medals, which are game media, are paid out, or a prize is awarded in which the game state is changed. On the other hand, when symbols stop in a predetermined combination on an inactivated line, a prize is not awarded and the above-mentioned prize is not awarded.

[0024] In the slot machine 10, there are cases where only the right-downward line L4 is the active line as shown in FIG. 8(a), and cases where two combination lines, the lower line L3 and the right-downward line L4, are the active lines as shown in FIG. 8(b). More specifically, when two medals are bet and the game is started, only the right-downward line L4 is the active line, and when three medals are bet and the game is started, the lower line L3 and the right-downward line L4 are the active lines. The upper line L1, the middle line L2, the right-upward line L5, and the bent line L6 are not the active lines. Hereinafter, a game started with three medals bet is also called a 3-bet game, a game started with two medals bet is also called a 2-bet game, and a game started with one medal bet is also called a 1-bet game.

[0025] 9 to 11 are diagrams showing the correspondence between winning symbol combinations and the benefits awarded when the winning symbol combinations are obtained.

[0026] The small prize (payout result) winnings for which medals are paid out include the 1st small prize winning to the 32nd small prize winning.

[0027] When the "Red Bell" or "White Bell" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "Red Bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "Red Bell" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on an active line, the first small win is won. When the first small win is won, 5 medals are paid out in a 2-bet game, and 9 medals are paid out in a 3-bet game.

[0028] Although the winning combinations of the symbols for the 2nd to 17th small prizes are different, in a 2-bet game, the "red bell" or "white bell" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "red bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "red bell" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on the upper line L1, that is, the "bell" symbols on each reel 32L, 32M, and 32R stop on the upper line L1. For example, if the "red bell" or "white bell" symbol on the left reel 32L stops on the upper row, the "cherry" symbol on the middle reel 32M stops on the middle row, and the "2nd replay" symbol on the right reel 32R stops on the lower row, the 5th small prize is won. As shown in FIG. 6, the middle reel 32M has the "red bell" symbols arranged at adjacent positions (12th and 15th) upstream of the "cherry" symbols (11th and 14th), and the right reel 32R has the "red bell" symbols arranged at positions (2nd and 5th) one symbol away from the "second replay" symbols (0th and 3rd). Therefore, when the 5th small win is established on the right-downward line L4, the "red bell" or "white bell" symbols on the left reel 32L, the "red bell" symbols on the middle reel 32M, and the "red bell" symbols on the right reel 32R will stop on the upper line L1. When the 2nd to 17th small wins are established, one medal is paid out in a 2-bet game, and three medals are paid out in a 3-bet game.

[0029] The 18th minor prize is a prize pattern in which the "cherry" symbol on the left reel 32L stops at the top or bottom. When the 18th minor prize is won, 2 medals are paid out in a 2-bet game, and 3 medals are paid out in a 3-bet game.

[0030] When the "Red 7", "BAR" and "Watermelon" symbols on the left reel 32L, the "Red Bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M and the "Red Bell" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on an active line, the 19th small win is achieved. When the 19th small win is achieved, 5 medals are paid out in a 2-bet game and 9 medals are paid out in a 3-bet game.

[0031] For the 20th to 24th small prize wins, if they are achieved in a 2-bet game, 2 medals will be paid out, and if they are achieved in a 3-bet game, 3 medals will be paid out.

[0032] The 25th small prize is a winning pattern in which the "cherry" symbol on the left reel 32L stops in the upper or lower row, similar to the 18th small prize. In the case of the 18th small prize, the "red 7" symbol or the "white 7" symbol on the right reel 32R can stop in the middle row only if the BB is won (the combination of the "2nd replay" symbol, the "BAR" symbol, and the "BAR" symbol), but in the case of the 25th small prize, the "red 7" symbol or the "white 7" symbol on the right reel 32R can stop in the middle row regardless of whether the BB is won or not. When the 25th small prize is won, two medals are paid out in a 2-bet game, and three medals are paid out in a 3-bet game.

[0033] When the "watermelon" or "BAR" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "watermelon" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "watermelon" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on an active line, the 26th small prize is awarded. When the 26th small prize is awarded, 4 medals are paid out in a 2-bet game, and 5 medals are paid out in a 3-bet game.

[0034] The 27th minor winning is a winning mode in which, for example, when a player operates the stop switches 42-44 aiming for the "watermelon" symbols on each reel 32L, 32M, 32R, the "watermelon" symbols on the left reel 32L and the center reel 32M, or the left reel 32L and the right reel 32R, stop on an active line, while the "watermelon" symbols on the remaining reels do not stop on an active line, resulting in a so-called "watermelon tenpai miss" winning outcome. When the 27th minor winning is achieved, four medals are paid out in a two-bet game, and five medals are paid out in a three-bet game.

[0035] When the "Red Bell" or "White Bell" symbols on the left reel 32L, the "Red 7", "BAR", "White Bell", "Cherry" and "Youth" symbols on the middle reel 32M and the "Red Bell" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on an active line, the 28th small win is achieved. As shown in FIG. 6, on the left reel 32L, the "1st Replay" symbols are arranged in the "Red Bell" symbols (No. 3, 7, 15, 20) and adjacent positions on the downstream side (No. 2, 6, 14, 19), and the "2nd Replay" symbol is arranged in the "White Bell" symbol (No. 12) and adjacent position on the downstream side (No. 11). On the right reel 32R, the "red bell" symbols (2, 5, 10, 15, 20) and the "1st replay" or "2nd replay" symbols are arranged in adjacent positions on the upstream side (3, 6, 16, 0). Therefore, when the 28th small winning combination is achieved on the right-downward line L4, the "bell" and "replay" symbols are in tenpai on the left reel 32L and the right reel 32R, but the "bell" and "replay" symbols on the middle reel 32M do not stop, resulting in a so-called double tenpai miss, except when the "white bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M stops in the middle row. When the 28th small winning combination is achieved, 5 medals are paid out in a 2-bet game, and 9 medals are paid out in a 3-bet game.

[0036] When the "watermelon" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "red bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "watermelon" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on the active line, the 29th small win is awarded. In a 2-bet game or 3-bet game, if the player operates the left stop switch at the timing when the number 9 "cherry" symbol on the left reel 32L reaches the top or middle row, the "white bell" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "red bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "red bell" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on the middle line L2. When the 29th small win is awarded, 2 medals are paid out in a 2-bet game, and 3 medals are paid out in a 3-bet game.

[0037] When the "red bell" or "white bell" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "red bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "red 7" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on an active line, the 30th small win is won. Details will be described later, but the 30th small win is a winning mode that can only be achieved in 3-bet games. When the 30th small win is achieved, 9 medals are paid out.

[0038] When the "red bell" or "white bell" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "red bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "BAR" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on an active line, the 31st small win is won. Details will be described later, but the 31st small win is a winning mode that can only be achieved in 3-bet games. When the 31st small win is achieved, 9 medals are paid out.

[0039] When the "watermelon" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "white 7" symbol or the "cherry" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "watermelon" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on an active line, the 32nd minor prize is awarded. When the 32nd minor prize is awarded, 4 medals are paid out in a 2-bet game, and 5 medals are paid out in a 3-bet game.

[0040] The winning combinations that provide a replay privilege, which allows a player to play the next game without inserting a medal, include the first replay winning combination, the third replay winning combination, and the like.

[0041] The state transition winnings which only result in a transition of the game state include the 1st BB winning and the 2nd BB winning.

[0042] When the "Red 7" symbols on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R stop on an active line, the first BB win is made, and when the "BAR" symbols on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R stop on an active line, the second BB win is made. When either of these BB wins is made, the game state transitions to the BB state.

[0043] A start lever 41 is provided on the lower left side of the game panel 25 to start the rotation of each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R. The start lever 41 constitutes a start operation means or a start operation means that is operated to start the rotation of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R, that is, to start the variable display of the patterns. When the start lever 41 is operated with a predetermined number of medals inserted, each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R starts to rotate.

[0044] Button-like stop switches 42-44 that are operated to individually stop each of the spinning reels 32L, 32M, 32R are provided on the right side of the start lever 41. Each of the stop switches 42-44 is disposed directly below the display windows 26L, 26M, 26R that correspond to the reels 32L, 32M, 32R to be stopped.

[0045] The stop switches 42-44 are connected to stop detection sensors 42a-44a (FIG. 12), respectively, and the stop detection sensors 42a-44a are connected to a main control device 101, which will be described later. The main control device 101 determines that the stop switches 42-44 have been operated based on the detection signals from the stop detection sensors 42a-44a. Specifically, when the stop switches 42-44 are not operated, the stop detection sensors 42a-44a output a detection signal of a LOW signal, and when the stop switches 42-44 are operated, the detection signal switches from a LOW signal to a HI signal. The main control device 101 determines that the stop switches 42-44 have been operated by determining the switching of the signal. When the main control device 101 determines that the stop switches 42-44 have been operated, it controls the reel corresponding to the operated switch to stop spinning.

[0046] That is, when the left stop switch 42 is operated, the left reel 32L stops spinning, when the center stop switch 43 is operated, the center reel 32M stops spinning, and when the right stop switch 44 is operated, the right reel 32R stops spinning. The stop switches 42 to 44 constitute a stop operation means that is operated to stop the variable display of symbols based on the rotation of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R.

[0047] A medal insertion slot 45 for inserting medals is provided on the lower right side of the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R. The medal insertion slot 45 constitutes an input means for inputting game media (constitutes a receiving means for receiving game media).

[0048] A medal inserted from the medal insertion port 45 is guided to either a storage passage 47 or a discharge passage 48 by a selector 46 as a passage switching means provided on the back surface of the front door 12. More specifically, a medal passage switching solenoid 46a is provided in the selector 46, and when the medal passage switching solenoid 46a is not excited, the medal is guided to the discharge passage 48 side, and when the medal passage switching solenoid 46a is excited, the medal is guided to the storage passage 47 side. The medal guided to the storage passage 47 is guided to a hopper device 51 stored inside the housing 11. On the other hand, the medal guided to the discharge passage 48 is guided to a medal tray 50 from a medal discharge port 49 provided on the lower front surface of the front door 12, and is returned to the player.

[0049] The hopper device 51 is composed of a storage tank 52 for storing medals and a payout device 53 for paying out medals to a player. The payout device 53 rotates a medal payout rotating plate (not shown) to discharge medals to an opening 48a provided in the discharge passage 48, and pays out the medals to a medal tray 50 through the discharge passage 48. A spare tank 54 is provided on the right side of the hopper device 51 to prevent medals from being stored in the storage tank 52 by more than a predetermined amount. Inside the storage tank 52 of the hopper device 51, a guide plate 52a is provided to discharge medals from the storage tank 52 to the spare tank 54. Therefore, if medals are stored above the height at which the guide plate 52a is provided, the medals will be stored in the spare tank 54.

[0050] A button-shaped return switch 55 is provided below the medal insertion slot 45. When the return switch 55 is operated when a medal inserted into the medal insertion slot 45 is jammed in the selector 46, the selector 46 is mechanically linked and operated, so that the medal jammed in the selector 46 is returned from the medal discharge port 49.

[0051] A first credit insertion switch 56 for inserting three credited virtual medals as game media at a time is provided on the lower left side of the display windows 26L, 26M, 26R. A second credit insertion switch 57 is provided to the right of the first credit insertion switch 56, and a third credit insertion switch 58 is provided to the left of the first credit insertion switch 56. The second credit insertion switch 57 is for inserting two virtual medals at a time, and the third credit insertion switch 58 is for inserting one virtual medal. The credit insertion switches 56 to 58, together with the medal insertion slot 45, constitute input means for inputting game media (constitute receiving means for receiving game media).

[0052] An effect switch 66 that is operated when an effect occurs is provided between the first credit input switch 56 and the second credit input switch 57. That is, the first credit input switch 56 and the third credit input switch 58 are provided to the left of the effect switch 66, and the second credit input switch 57 is provided to the right of the effect switch 66.

[0053] A settlement switch 59 is provided to the left of the start lever 41. That is, the slot machine 10 has a credit function for storing and storing, as virtual medals, surplus inserted medals up to a predetermined maximum value (equivalent to 50 medals) and medals paid out at the time of winning, and when the settlement switch 59 is operated in a situation where virtual medals are stored and stored, the virtual medals are paid out as real medals from the medal discharge port 49. In this case, when attention is paid to the function of paying out credited virtual medals as real medals, the settlement switch 59 can also be said to constitute a settlement operation means for actually paying out the stored and stored game media.

[0054] Below the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R of the game panel 25, there are provided a credit display section 60 that displays the number of credited virtual medals, a remaining payout number display section 61 that displays the number of medals remaining to be paid out until the BB state ends, and a payout number display section 62 that displays the number of medals paid out at the time of winning. These display sections 60 to 62 are configured with 7-segment displays, but can of course be replaced with liquid crystal displays or the like.

[0055] Below the display windows 26L, 26M, and 26R in the game panel 25 and to the right of the payout number display unit 62, there is provided an instruction monitor 68 having a push order indicator that notifies the operation order of the stop switches 42 to 44, and an area indicator that indicates an advantageous area that is an area in which the game can be played in an advantageous situation for the player by changing the winning rate of the minor role by notifying the operation order. The instruction monitor 68 will be described in detail later.

[0056] At the top of the front door 12, there are provided an upper lamp 63 that lights up or flashes as the game progresses, a pair of left and right speakers 64 that play various sound effects as the game progresses and notify the player of the game status, and an auxiliary display unit 65 that gives the player various information. The auxiliary display unit 65 is for executing various display effects as the game progresses, and since the game using each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R can be considered to be performed by the main display unit, it is referred to as the auxiliary display unit 65 in this embodiment. At the back of the auxiliary display unit 65, there is provided a display control device 81 for driving the upper lamp 63, the speaker 64, and the auxiliary display unit 65.

[0057] A power supply box 70 is provided on the left side of the hopper device 51 inside the housing 11. The power supply box 70 houses the power supply device 91 therein and is equipped with a power switch 71, a reset switch 72, a setting key insertion hole 73, and the like. The power switch 71 is a start switch for supplying power to each part including the main control device 101. The reset switch 72 is a switch for resetting an error state of the slot machine 10. The setting key insertion hole 73 is for a hall manager or the like to adjust the medal output. That is, the hall manager or the like can set the winning probability (setting value) of the slot machine 10 by inserting the setting key into the setting key insertion hole 73 and turning it ON. The reset switch 72 is operated not only when resetting an error state but also when changing the winning probability of the slot machine 10.

[0058] A main control device 101 for controlling the overall game is attached to the cabinet 11 above the reel unit 31 .

[0059] Next, the electrical configuration of the slot machine 10 will be described with reference to the block diagrams of FIG. 12 and FIG.

[0060] The main control device 101 is equipped with a microcomputer centered on the CPU 102, which is a calculation means. In addition to the power supply device 91, the CPU 102 is connected to a clock circuit 103 that outputs a rectangular wave of a predetermined frequency, an input / output port 104, and the like via an internal bus. The main control device 101 functions as a main board built into the slot machine 10.

[0061] The input side of the main control device 101 includes the reel unit 31 (more specifically, a reel index sensor that detects when each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R has made one rotation), a start detection sensor 41a that detects the operation of the start lever 41, stop detection sensors 42a to 44a that detect the operation of each of the stop switches 42 to 44, an inserted medal detection sensor 45a that detects medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 45, a payout detection sensor 51a that detects medals paid out from the hopper device 51, and a first credit insertion detection sensor that detects the operation of the first credit insertion switch 56. Various sensors are connected to the input / output port 104, such as a second credit insertion detection sensor 57a which individually detects the operation of the second credit insertion switch 57, a third credit insertion detection sensor 58a which individually detects the operation of the third credit insertion switch 58, a settlement detection sensor 59a which detects the operation of the settlement switch 59, a reset detection sensor 72a which detects the operation of the reset switch 72, and a setting key detection sensor 73a which detects that a setting key is inserted into the setting key insertion hole 73 and turned ON, and signals from these various sensors are output to the CPU 102 via the input / output port 104.

[0062] A power supply unit 91 is connected to the input side of the main control unit 101 via an input / output port 104. The power supply unit 91 is equipped with a power supply unit 91a that supplies driving power to the main control unit 101 and other electronic devices of the slot machine 10, a power failure monitoring circuit 91b, and the like.

[0063] The power failure monitoring circuit 91b monitors the power supply cut-off state and generates a power failure signal not only during a power failure but also when the power supply is cut off by the power switch 71. For this reason, the power failure monitoring circuit 91b is configured to monitor the stabilized drive voltage of 12 volts DC in this example output from the power supply unit 91a, and when this drive voltage drops to less than 10 volts, for example, it determines that the power supply has been cut off and outputs a power failure signal. The power failure signal is supplied to the CPU 102 and the input / output port 104, and the CPU 102 recognizes this power failure signal and executes a power failure process described later. The power failure signal is also supplied to the display control device 81.

[0064] The power supply unit 91a is configured to output a stabilized voltage of 5 volts, which is used as a drive voltage in a control system such as the main control device 101, even if the output voltage drops below 10 volts. The time for which this stabilized voltage is output is ensured to be long enough for the main control device 101 to execute power outage processing.

[0065] The output side of the main control device 101 is connected via an input / output port 104 to the reel unit 31 (more specifically, the stepping motor for rotating each of the reels 32L, 32M, 32R), the medal passage switching solenoid 46a provided in the selector 46, the hopper device 51, the credit display unit 60, the remaining number of coins to be paid out display unit 61, the number of coins paid out display unit 62, the instruction monitor 68, the display control device 81, and an external centralized terminal board 121 capable of transmitting information to a hall management device (not shown), etc.

[0066] The above-mentioned CPU 102 includes a ROM 105 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the CPU 102, a RAM 106 for securing a working area for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 105, and, although not shown, various processing circuits required for the slot machine 10, such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, a data transmission / reception circuit, and various counters, such as a credit counter for counting the number of credits, as are well known. The ROM 105 and the RAM 106 form a main memory as a storage means, and the programs for executing various processes are stored in the above-mentioned ROM 105 as part of the control programs.

[0067] The RAM 106 is configured to be able to hold (back up) data by receiving backup voltage from the power supply device 91 even after the power supply of the slot machine 10 is cut off. The RAM 106 is provided with a backup area in addition to a memory for temporarily storing various data, a winning flag storage area 106a for storing the lottery results of winning combinations, a stop information storage area 106b for storing stop information used when controlling the stop of each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R, and a state information storage area 106c for storing game states such as the BB state.

[0068] The backup area is an area for storing the value of the stack pointer at the time of power cut (including power cut by operating the power switch 71; the same applies below) when the power is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage is resolved (including power on by operating the power switch 71; the same applies below), the state of the slot machine 10 can be restored to the state before the power was cut off based on the information in the backup area. Writing to the backup area is performed by the power outage processing (see FIG. 14) when the power is cut off, and the restoration of each value written in the backup area is performed in the main processing when the power is turned on.

[0069] Furthermore, a power failure signal is input from a power failure monitoring circuit 91b to an NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of the CPU 102 when the power is cut off due to a power failure or the like. When the power is cut off, an NMI interrupt process is immediately executed as a power failure flag generation process.

[0070] 13, the display control device 81 is equipped with a microcomputer centered around a CPU 181, which is a calculation means. The CPU 181 incorporates a ROM 182 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the CPU 181, and a RAM 183 for securing a working area for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 182.

[0071] The display control device 81 is provided with an input / output port (not shown), with the main control device 101 connected to the input side and the upper lamp 63, speaker 64, and auxiliary display unit 65 connected to the output side. The display control device 81 drives and controls the upper lamp 63, speaker 64, and auxiliary display unit 65 based on various commands input from the main control device 101. In other words, the display control device 81 is a sub-board that performs auxiliary control in relation to the main control device 101, which is the main board that manages the overall game. In other words, by providing a sub-board for sounds, lamps, and displays indirectly related to the game, the burden on the main board is reduced.

[0072] The display control device 81 is connected to an input side of the display control device 81. The display control device 81 may also be configured to drive and control the various display units 60 to 62, 68.

[0073] Next, each control process executed by the CPU 102 of the main control device 101 will be described. The processes of the CPU 102 are roughly classified into main process which is started when the power is turned on, timer interrupt process which is started periodically (in this embodiment, at 1.49 msec intervals), and NMI interrupt process which is started when a power failure signal is input to the NMI terminal. Below, among these processes, processes related to the progress of the game, i.e., timer interrupt process, and normal process performed in the main process will be described.

[0074] FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a timer interrupt process that is periodically executed by the main control device 101. A timer interrupt is generated by the CPU 102 of the main control device 101, for example, every 1.49 msec.

[0075] First, in the register save process shown in step S101, the values ​​of all registers in the CPU 102 used in the normal process described later are saved to a backup area in the RAM 106. In step S102, it is confirmed whether or not the power outage flag is set, and if the power outage flag is set, the process proceeds to step S103, where the power outage process is executed.

[0076] Here, the power outage process will be outlined.

[0077] When the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, a power outage signal is output from the power outage monitoring circuit 91b of the power supply device 91, and the power outage signal is input to the main control device 101 via the NMI terminal. When the power outage signal is input, the main control device 101 immediately executes an NMI interrupt process and sets a power outage flag in a power outage flag storage area provided in the RAM 106.

[0078] In the power failure process, first, it is determined whether the transmission of the command has been completed, and if the transmission has not been completed, this process is terminated and the process is returned to the timer interrupt process to terminate the transmission of the command. If the transmission of the command has been completed, the value of the stack pointer of the CPU 102 is stored in the backup area of ​​the RAM 106. After that, the output state of the output port in the input / output port 104 is cleared, and all actuators (not shown) are turned off. Then, a RAM judgment value for judging whether the data in the RAM 106 is normal or not when the power failure is resolved is calculated and stored in the backup area, thereby prohibiting subsequent access to the RAM. After the above process is performed, an infinite loop is entered in preparation for the power being completely cut off and processing being unable to be executed. Note that, in consideration of the case where the power failure flag is erroneously set due to, for example, noise, etc., whether a power failure signal is being output or not is confirmed until the infinite loop is entered. If the power failure signal is not being output, it means that the power failure state has been recovered, so writing to the RAM 106 is permitted, the power failure flag is reset, and the process is returned to the timer interrupt process. If the power failure signal continues to be output, the infinite loop is entered as it is. Incidentally, even under an infinite loop, a check is made to see whether a power outage signal is being output, and if the power outage signal is no longer being output, the process transitions to the main process.

[0079] Returning to the explanation of the timer interrupt process, if the power outage flag is not set in step S102, various processes from step S104 onwards are carried out.

[0080] That is, in step S104, a watchdog timer clear process is performed to initialize the value of the watchdog timer for monitoring the occurrence of a malfunction. In step S105, an interrupt end declaration process is performed to enable the CPU 102 itself to set the next timer interrupt. In step S106, a stepping motor control process is performed to drive the stepping motors that are reel drive motors for spinning each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R. In step S107, a sensor monitoring process is performed to read the states of various sensors (see FIG. 12) such as the stop detection sensors 42a to 44a, the inserted medal detection sensor 45a, and the payout detection sensor 51a connected to the input / output port 104, and to monitor whether the read results are normal or not. In step S108, a timer calculation process is performed to subtract the values ​​of each counter and timer. In step S109, a counter process is performed to output the results of counting the number of medals bet and the number of medals paid out to the external centralized terminal board 121.

[0081] In step S110, a command output process is performed to transmit various commands such as a lottery result command to the display control device 81. In step S111, a segment data setting process is performed to set segment data to be displayed on the credit display unit 60, the remaining number of coins to be paid display unit 61, the number of coins to be paid display unit 62, and the instruction monitor 68. In step S112, a segment data display process is performed to supply the segment data set in the segment data setting process to each display unit 60 to 62, 68 and display corresponding numbers, symbols, etc. In step S113, a port output process is performed to output data corresponding to the I / O device from the input / output port 104. In step S114, the values ​​of each register saved in the backup area in the previous step S101 are restored to the corresponding register in the CPU 102. Thereafter, in step S115, an interrupt permission process is performed to permit the next timer interrupt, and this series of timer interrupt processes is terminated.

[0082] Next, the normal processing for carrying out main control relating to the game will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0083] First, in step S201, an interrupt permission process is performed to permit the next timer interrupt. In step S202, a pre-start process is performed to enable a game. In the pre-start process, the game waits until the display control device 81 and the like finish initialization. When the initialization of the display control device 81 and the like finishes, a game management process shown in steps S203 to S214 is performed.

[0084] As part of the game management process, in step S203, data such as various game information (for example, random numbers used in the previous game) stored in the RAM 106 is cleared. After that, in step S204, a start waiting process is performed.

[0085] In the start waiting process, it is determined whether any replay winning was achieved in the previous game. If any replay winning was achieved, an automatic insertion process is performed to automatically insert virtual medals in the same number as the previous bet number, and the start waiting process is terminated. Specifically, for example, if a replay winning is achieved in a 3-bet game, a process to automatically insert 3 virtual medals is performed, and if a replay winning is achieved in a 2-bet game, a process to automatically insert 2 virtual medals is performed.

[0086] In the automatic insertion process, the virtual medals are inserted without reducing the number of virtual medals displayed on the credit display unit 60. In other words, if any replay winning was achieved in the previous game, the player can play the current game without reducing the number of medals owned and without inserting medals. If no replay winning was achieved, a sensor abnormality confirmation process is performed to check whether or not there is an abnormality in the sensor reading result performed in the sensor monitoring process step S107 of the timer interrupt process. If an abnormality is detected, the slot machine 10 is put into an error state and an abnormality occurrence process is performed to notify the occurrence of the error. Such an error state is maintained until the reset switch 72 is operated. If the sensor reading result is normal, it is determined whether or not the settlement switch 59 has been operated, and if the settlement switch 59 has been operated, a medal return process is performed to pay out the same number of medals as the credited virtual medals.

[0087] After the medal return process is completed or if the settlement switch 59 has not been operated, it is determined whether medals have been inserted or the credit insertion switches 56-58 have been operated between the previous start waiting process and the current start waiting process, and if either has been done, a medal insertion process is carried out to change the number of bets, etc., and the start waiting process is terminated. Also, if neither medals have been inserted nor the credit insertion switches 56-58 have been operated between the previous start waiting process and the current start waiting process, the start waiting process is terminated as is.

[0088] After the start waiting process is completed, in step S205, it is determined whether the number of medals bet has reached a specified number. In this slot machine 10, the specified numbers are set to "2" and "3". In other words, if the number of medals bet is "2" or "3", a positive determination is made in step S205. In other words, if no medals have been bet, or if the number of medals bet is "1" even if medals have been bet, a negative determination is made in step S205.

[0089] Here, in the present slot machine 10, a player can select either a 2-bet game with a bet number of "2" or a 3-bet game with a bet number of "3", and basically (in normal times) playing a 2-bet game is more advantageous for the player than playing a 3-bet game. Therefore, in the following explanation, a 2-bet game will be assumed, and an explanation of a 3-bet game will be added as necessary.

[0090] If it is determined in step S205 that the number of bets has not reached the specified number, the process returns to the start waiting process in step S204, and the process following the sensor abnormality confirmation process is performed.

[0091] If the number of bets has reached the specified number, a mode change notification process is executed in step S206, which will be described in detail later.

[0092] After the process of step S206 is performed, a bet command including information on the processing result of step S206 and information on the number of bets that was determined to be positive in step S205 is set as an output target to the display control device 81 serving as a sub-control device. The command set here is output to the display control device 81 in step S110 in the timer interrupt process. The process of the display control device 81 that has received the bet command will be described in detail later.

[0093] After executing the process of step S207, it is determined in step S208 whether or not the start lever 41 has been operated. If the start lever 41 has not been operated, the process returns to the start waiting process of step S204, and the process from the sensor abnormality confirmation process onward is performed.

[0094] On the other hand, when the start lever 41 is operated, it means that a start command has been issued to start the game, since the game can be started when the start lever 41 is operated under the condition that a prescribed number of medals have been bet. In such a case, in step S209, an effective line setting process is performed to set a combination line corresponding to the number of bets as an effective line. That is, in a 2-bet game, only the right-downward line L4 is set as an effective line, and in a 3-bet game, the lower line L3 and the right-downward line L4 are set as effective lines. In step S210, the medal passage switching solenoid 46a is switched to a non-excited state to prohibit bet acceptance. After that, the lottery process in step S211, the reel control process in step S212, the medal payout process in step S213, and the bonus state process in step S214 are executed in order, and the process returns to step S203.

[0095] Next, the lottery process in step S211 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

[0096] In step S301, a random number used to determine whether a winning combination has been achieved is obtained. In this slot machine 10, when the start lever 41 is operated, the hardware circuitry latches the value of the free-run counter at that time. The free-run counter generates random numbers from 0 to 65535, and the CPU 102 stores the value latched by the hardware circuitry in the RAM 106 after confirming the operation of the start lever 41. With this configuration, it is possible to quickly obtain a random number at the timing when the start lever 41 is operated, and it is possible to avoid problems such as synchronization. The hardware circuitry of this slot machine 10 is configured to latch the value of the free-run counter each time the start lever 41 is operated.

[0097] After obtaining the random number, in step S302, a lottery table for determining whether or not a winning combination has been achieved is selected. In this slot machine 10, the game states are roughly classified into three types: a normal game state, an RT state, and a BB state, and the lottery table is set for each of the number of bets, the set value, and each game state.

[0098] That is, in step S302, the current game state of the slot machine 10 is determined based on the number of bets and the setting flag set in the state information storage area 106c, and a lottery table corresponding to the number of bets and the game state is selected. For example, if the number of bets is "2" and the setting flag is not set in the state information storage area 106c, it is determined that the current game state is a normal game state, and a lottery table for the normal game state for a two-bet game is selected. In addition, in this slot machine 10, six stages of winning probability from "setting 1" to "setting 6" are prepared in advance, and it is possible to set which winning probability is used to execute the internal processing by inserting the setting key into the setting key insertion hole and turning it ON and performing a predetermined operation. In step S302, when the setting state is "setting 1", a lottery table with the lowest expected value of medal payout is selected, and when the setting state is "setting 6", a lottery table with the highest expected value of medal payout is selected.

[0099] Here, a supplementary explanation will be given regarding the process for setting the winning probability.

[0100] The winning probability setting process is executed in the main process started by the main control device 101 when the power is turned on. More specifically, the winning probability setting process is started after the initialization process when the power is turned on in a state where the setting key detection sensor 73a detects that the setting key is inserted into the setting key insertion hole and is turned ON. In the winning probability setting process, the setting value is updated by one each time the start lever 41 is operated as a predetermined operation, and for example, the setting value is updated so that "setting 1" → "setting 2" → "setting 3" → "setting 4" → "setting 5" → "setting 6" → "setting 1" each time the start lever 41 is operated once. Note that each setting value is displayed, for example, on the credit display unit 60, and the display is updated each time the setting value is updated. Then, based on the setting key detection sensor 73a being turned OFF, the setting value at that time is set as the current setting value, and the winning probability setting process is terminated. Based on the termination of the winning probability setting process, the display on the credit display unit 60 is also terminated. The set value set in the process of setting the winning probability is stored in the RAM 106 until the next process of setting the winning probability is started. In step S302, a process of selecting a lottery table is performed based on the stored set value.

[0101] The lottery table will be briefly explained. Fig. 17 is a lottery table for a normal game state selected in a normal game state of "setting 3" in a 2-bet game. The lottery table has index values ​​IV set, and each index value IV is uniquely associated with a winning combination and has a point value PV set.

[0102] After the lottery table is selected, in step S303, the index value IV is set to 1, and in the following step S304, a judgment value DV used when judging the winning or losing of a hand is set. In this judgment value setting process, a point value PV corresponding to the current index value IV is added to the current judgment value DV to set a new judgment value DV. Note that in the initial judgment value setting process, the random number value acquired in step S301 is set as the current judgment value DV, and the point value PV corresponding to the current index value IV (1) is added to this random number value to set a new judgment value DV.

[0103] After that, in step S305, the winning combination corresponding to the index value IV is judged. In the winning combination judgment, it is judged whether the judgment value DV exceeds 65535 or not. If it exceeds 65535, it is judged whether either the first BB or the second BB is won in step S306. Specifically, it is judged whether the positive judgment is made in step S305 with the index value IV (IV=22 to 37) including either the first BB or the second BB. If the positive judgment is made in step S306, a process is performed in which the corresponding bonus winning flag (first BB winning flag, second BB winning flag) is set in the winning flag storage area 106a in step S307. If the negative judgment is made in step S306 or after the process of step S307 is performed, a process is performed in step S308 to set the winning flag of each minor winning combination corresponding to the index value IV judged positive in step S305 in the winning flag storage area 106a. For example, when the judgment value DV exceeds 65535 when IV=22, the 1st BB winning flag is set in step S307, and the 18th small win flag, the 21st small win flag, and the 25th small win flag are set in step S308. Also, when the judgment value DV exceeds 65535 when IV=6, the winning flags indicating that the 26th small win and the 32nd small win have been won are set in the winning flag storage area 106a in step S308.

[0104] Incidentally, if the set winning flag is not a winning flag indicating that the first BB has been won (first BB winning flag) or a winning flag indicating that the second BB has been won (second BB winning flag), the winning flag set in the winning flag storage area 106a is reset after the game in which the corresponding winning flag is set ends (see S203 in the normal processing). On the other hand, if the winning flag is the first BB winning flag or the second BB winning flag, these winning flags are reset under the condition that the corresponding winning is achieved. In other words, the first BB winning flag and the second BB winning flag may be valid over multiple games.

[0105] If the judgment value DV does not exceed 65535 in step S305, it means that the hand corresponding to the index value IV has not been obtained. In this case, the index value IV is incremented by 1 in step S309, and in the following step S310, it is determined whether or not there is a hand corresponding to the index value IV, that is, whether or not there is a target for which a win / loss judgment should be made. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the index value IV incremented by 1 exceeds the maximum value of the index value IV set in the lottery table. If there is a target for which a win / loss judgment should be made, the process returns to step S304, and the judgment of the hand is continued. At this time, in step S304, the point value PV corresponding to the current index value IV is added to the judgment value DV used for the judgment of the previous hand (i.e., the current judgment value DV) to obtain a new judgment value DV, and in step S305, the hand is judged to be a win / loss based on the judgment value DV. Incidentally, when the winning combination is judged using the lottery table shown in FIG. 17, the probability of winning a normal replay (probability of winning when IV=1) is about 1 in 8.21, the probability of winning a chance replay (probability of winning when IV=2) is about 1 in 109, the probability of winning a strong cherry (probability of winning when IV=4) is about 1 in 263, and the probability of winning a weak cherry (probability of winning when IV=5) is about 1 in 183. The probability of winning a watermelon (probability of winning when IV=6) is about 1 in 154, the probability of winning Chance A (probability of winning when IV=7) is about 1 in 252, and the probability of winning Chance B (probability of winning when IV=8) is about 1 in 252. The probability of winning a middle bell (probability of winning when IV=9) is about 1 in 32,800, and the probability of winning a no-question bell (probability of winning when IV=10) is about 1 in 65,500. The probability of winning the forward push bell 1, forward push bell 2, pinch push bell 1, and pinch push bell 2 (probability of winning when IV = 11 to 14) is approximately 1 in 42.3, and the probability of winning the middle push bell 1, middle push bell 2, right push bell 1, and right push bell 2 (probability of winning when IV = 15 to 18) is approximately 1 in 21.1.The probability of winning Strong Cherry Duplicate 1 (probability of winning when IV=22) is approximately 1 in 1770, the probability of winning Strong Cherry Duplicate 2 (probability of winning when IV=23) is approximately 1 in 4680, the probability of winning Weak Cherry Duplicate 1 (probability of winning when IV=24) is approximately 1 in 3280, and the probability of winning Weak Cherry Duplicate 2 (probability of winning when IV=25) is approximately 1 in 6550. The probability of winning Watermelon Duplicate 1 (probability of winning when IV=26) is approximately 1 in 3280, and the probability of winning Watermelon Duplicate 2 (probability of winning when IV=27) is approximately 1 in 6550. The probability of winning Chance A Duplicate 1, Chance A Duplicate 2, Chance B Duplicate 1, and Chance B Duplicate 2 (probability of winning when IV=28-31) are each approximately 1 in 3280. The probability of winning Middle Bell Duplicate 1 and Middle Bell Duplicate 2 (probability of winning when IV = 32, 33) is approximately 1 in 2620. The probability of winning Chance Repeat Duplicate 1 (probability of winning when IV = 34) is approximately 1 in 328, and the probability of winning Chance Repeat Duplicate 2 (probability of winning when IV = 35) is approximately 1 in 328. The probability of winning the 1st BB and 2nd BB alone (probability of winning when IV = 36, 37) is approximately 1 in 65,500. Also, the probability of not winning any of the roles is approximately 1 in 1.81.

[0106] In addition, in the lottery table for the normal gaming state, 0 is set for the point values ​​PV of IV=3, 19 to 21. Therefore, in the normal gaming state, these index values ​​IV do not result in a win.

[0107] By the way, although detailed explanation with figures is omitted, the point value PV of IV=1-21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 37 in the lottery table is set to the same value regardless of the set value, and the probability of winning at these index values ​​IV is the same regardless of the set value. On the other hand, the point value PV of IV=23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35 may be set to a different value depending on the set value, and the probability of winning at these index values ​​IV is different depending on the set value. In particular, the so-called rare small role that wins at IV=4-9, such as strong cherry and watermelon, and the overlapping role of the 1st BB and rare small role at IV=22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34 have the same probability of winning regardless of the set value, and the overlapping role of the 2nd BB and rare small role at IV=23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35 have different probability of winning depending on the set value.

[0108] After the winning flag is set in step S308, or when it is determined in step S310 that there is no target to be determined, it means that the judgment of the winning or losing of the role is completed. In such a case, the process proceeds to step S311, and a freeze lottery process is performed to determine whether or not to execute a freeze effect that disables the operation of the stop switches 42 to 44 for a predetermined period of time.

[0109] In the following step S312, a lottery result response process is performed. In the lottery result response process, a process of whether or not to shift the game state depending on the lottery result in steps S301 to S311, a process for notifying the push order combination, etc. are performed. The lottery result response process will be described in detail later.

[0110] After executing the process of step S312, a lottery result command is set in step S313. Here, the lottery result command is a command sent to the display control device 81 to let the user know the result of the winning / losing hand determination. However, in normal processing, various commands such as the lottery result command are simply set in the ring buffer, and no command is sent to the display control device 81. The command is sent to the display control device 81 in the command output process (step S110) of the timer interrupt process described above.

[0111] Then, in step S314, a stop information setting process is executed to set symbols that can be stopped on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R based on the lottery result of the current game. In the stop information setting process, stop symbol information corresponding to a winning combination is set based on the winning flag set in steps S306 to S308. For example, when a strong cherry is won (won when IV=4) and the strong cherry winning flag is set, the stop symbol information is set so that symbols corresponding to the 18th small combination, the 20th small combination to the 23rd small combination, and the 25th small combination winning can be stopped on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R. In addition, when a strong cherry overlap 1 is won (won when IV=22) and the strong cherry winning flag and the 1st BB winning flag are set, the stop symbol information is set so that symbols corresponding to the 18th small combination, the 21st small combination, the 25th small combination, and the 1st BB winning can be stopped on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R.

[0112] In the next step S315, when multiple stoppable symbol information are set in step S314, a priority setting process is executed to set the priority order. For example, when multiple roles among the small role, replay, and bonus roles are won, the following priority order is set. When a small role and a bonus are won, the priority order is set so that the small role win is given priority, and when the small role win cannot be won, the bonus win is won. When a replay and a bonus are won, the priority order is set so that the replay win is given priority.

[0113] For example, when Strong Cherry overlap 1 is won and the stop symbol information corresponding to the 18th, 21st, and 25th small symbols and the 1st BB win is set, the priority order is set so that the 18th, 21st, and 25th small symbols win takes precedence over the 1st BB win. Also, when Chance Replay overlap 1 is won and the stop symbol information corresponding to the 1st replay, the 3rd replay, and the 1st BB win is set, the priority order is set so that the 1st replay or the 3rd replay win takes precedence over the 1st BB win. And, for example, when the 1st BB win is carried over, when the normal replay is won and the stop symbol information corresponding to the 1st BB win and the 1st replay win is set, the priority order is set so that the 1st replay win takes precedence over the 1st BB win.

[0114] Here, when the replay is won, the winning symbol combination is set so that one of the winning replays will always win. In other words, when the replay is won, the replay win is always established and there is no missed opportunity. Therefore, when the stop symbol information for the replay and the bonus is set, one of the set replays will always win, and the bonus will never win.

[0115] After executing the process of step S315, a first section display process is executed in step S316, and then the lottery process is terminated. The first section display process is a process related to the display control of the indication monitor 68, and this process will be described in detail later.

[0116] Next, the reel control process in step S212 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

[0117] In the reel control process, first, in step S401, a spin effect process is performed. The spin effect process is a process for performing an effect using reel control during an invalid period based on the result of the freeze lottery process performed in step S311. In the following step S402, a spin start process is performed to start the spinning of each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R.

[0118] In the spin start process, it is confirmed whether a predetermined wait time (for example, 4.1 seconds) has elapsed since the reels started spinning in the previous game, and if not, the process waits until the wait time has elapsed. If the wait time has elapsed, the process resets the wait time for the next game and performs a motor control initialization process to set spin start information in a motor control storage area provided in the RAM 106. By performing this process, the stepping motor acceleration process is started in the stepping motor control process (step S106) of the timer interrupt process, and each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R starts spinning. For this reason, even if the player bets a specified number of medals and operates the start lever 41, each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R may not start spinning immediately. After that, the process waits until each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R spins at a constant speed at a predetermined speed, and the spin start process ends. In addition, when the rotation speed of each reel 32L, 32M, 32R becomes constant, the CPU 102 notifies the player, etc. that it is possible to issue a stop command by lighting up the lamps (not shown) of each stop switch 42 to 44.

[0119] Following the spin start process, in step S403, it is determined whether any of the stop switches 42 to 44 has been operated. If none of the stop switches 42 to 44 has been operated, the process waits until any of the stop switches 42 to 44 has been operated. If it is determined that any of the stop switches 42 to 44 has been operated, the process proceeds to step S404, where it is determined whether or not the stop switch corresponding to the spinning reel has been operated, i.e., whether or not a stop command has been generated. If a stop command has not been generated, the process returns to step S403, where it waits until any of the stop switches 42 to 44 has been operated. If a stop command has been generated, a stop command command is set in step S405. Here, the stop command command is a command transmitted to the display control device 81 to allow the display control device 81 to know which stop switch has been operated to generate the stop command. If the stop command command has been set, the stop control process shown in steps S406 to S412 is performed to stop the spinning reel.

[0120] In step S406, the symbol number of the reaching symbol that has reached the base position (lower in this embodiment) at the timing when the stop switch is operated is confirmed. Specifically, the symbol number of the reaching symbol that has reached the base position is confirmed by the number of excitation pulses output from the time when the detection signal of the reel index sensor is input. In the following step S407, the number of slips of the reel to be stopped this time is calculated based on the stop information stored in the stop information storage area 106b. In this slot machine 10, five stop modes are prepared as stop modes for stopping each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R when the stop switches 42 to 44 are operated: a stop mode in which the reaching symbol that has reached the base position is stopped as it is, a stop mode in which the corresponding reel is stopped after sliding for one symbol, a stop mode in which the corresponding reel is stopped after sliding for two symbols, a stop mode in which the corresponding reel is stopped after sliding for three symbols, and a stop mode in which the corresponding reel is stopped after sliding for four symbols. Therefore, in step S407, a value of 0 to 4 is calculated as the number of slips based on the stop information stored in the stop information storage area 106b. After that, in step S408, the calculated number of slips is added to the symbol number of the reached symbol to determine the symbol number of the stop symbol to be actually stopped at the base position. In step S409, it is determined whether the symbol number of the reached symbol of the reel to be stopped this time and the symbol number of the stopped symbol are equal, and if they are equal, a reel stop process is performed to stop the rotation of the reel in step S410. After that, in step S411, it is determined whether all the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R have stopped. If all the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R have not stopped, a second stop information setting process is performed in step S412, and the process returns to step S403.

[0121] Here, the second stop information setting process is a process for changing the stop information stored in the stop information storage area 106b of the RAM 106 after the reels have stopped. In the second stop information setting process, the stop information is changed based on the set winning flag and the stop results of the stopped reels. In the slot machine 10, for example, when a win occurs when IV=11 to 18, that is, when a win occurs on the forward push bell 1, the forward push bell 2, the pinch push bell 1, the pinch push bell 2, the center push bell 1, the center push bell 2, the right push bell 1, and the right push bell 2 (hereinafter, these are also collectively referred to as "push order bells") (see FIG. 17), the second stop information setting process is performed to change the winning mode established by the operation order of the stop switches 42 to 44 that generated the stop command.

[0122] 19 is an explanatory diagram showing the correspondence between the winning combination, the operation sequence of the stop switches 42-44, and the winning mode that is established. For example, when the center push bell 1 is won, the stop information is set so that the second small win or the fifth small win is established when the left stop switch 42 is operated first, the stop information is set so that the first small win is established when the center stop switch 43 is operated first, and the stop information is set so that the second small win or the fifth small win is established when the right stop switch 44 is operated first. However, even if the stop information is set in this way, the corresponding winning may not be established depending on the operation timing of the stop switches 42-44.

[0123] The arrangement of symbols on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R will be briefly described. In the slot machine 10, the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R can be stopped after sliding a maximum of four symbols from the timing of the operation of the stop switches 42 to 44, and in a normal two-bet game, only the right-downward line L4 is set as an active line. Therefore, when the same symbols are arranged on each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R with an interval of four symbols or less, the winning symbol can be stopped on the active line when it becomes a winning symbol regardless of the timing of the operation of the stop switch 43. On the other hand, for symbols arranged so as to form an interval of five symbols or more, the player needs to operate the stop switches 42 to 44 while aiming at the symbol in order to stop it on the active line.

[0124] An example will be described in which the center push bell 1 is selected and the left stop switch 42, the center stop switch 43, and the right stop switch 44 are operated in that order. In such a case, the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R are stopped to achieve the second or fifth small win.

[0125] The second small win symbols on the left reel 32L are the "red bell" symbol and the "white bell" symbol. The "red bell" symbol and the "white bell" symbol also function as the fifth small win symbols. The second small win symbols (fifth small win symbols) are arranged on the left reel 32L so that the interval between them is four symbols or less. Therefore, when the left stop switch 42 is operated first, the "red bell" symbol or the "white bell" symbol stops on the upper row regardless of the operation timing. For example, when the left stop switch 42 is operated at the timing when the "watermelon" symbol number 8 on the left reel 32L has reached the lower row, the "white bell" symbol number 12 stops on the upper row as shown in FIG. 20(a). As a result, there is a room for the second small win or the fifth small win to be established on the right-downward line L4.

[0126] The second minor win symbol on the middle reel 32M is a "red 7" symbol. On the middle reel 32M, the "red 7" symbol is located only at the 18th position. Also, the fifth minor win symbol on the middle reel 32M is a "cherry" symbol. On the middle reel 32M, the "cherry" symbols are located at the 11th and 14th positions. Therefore, depending on the operation timing of the middle stop switch 43, the second minor win symbol or the fifth minor win symbol may stop on an active line, or neither the second minor win symbol nor the fifth minor win symbol may stop on an active line.

[0127] Specifically, if the middle stop switch 43 is operated when any one of the "white bell" symbol (6) to the "first replay" symbol (13) has reached the bottom row, the "cherry" symbol, which is the fifth small win symbol, stops in the middle row. As a result, there is a room for the fifth small win symbol to be established on the right-downward line L4. If the middle stop switch 43 is operated when any one of the "cherry" symbol (14) to the "first replay" symbol (17) has reached the bottom row, the "red 7" symbol, which is the second small win symbol, stops in the middle row, as shown in FIG. 20(b). As a result, there is a room for the second small win symbol to be established on the right-downward line L4. If the middle stop switch 43 is operated at another timing, the second small win symbol and the fifth small win symbol cannot be stopped in the middle row even if the middle reel 32M is stopped after sliding for four symbols. If the middle stop switch 43 is operated at this timing, the No. 2 "BAR" symbol or the No. 6 "white bell" symbol will stop in the middle row.

[0128] When the second small winning symbol of the center reel 32M stops in the middle row, the stop information second setting process changes the stop information so that the second small winning symbol can be achieved.

[0129] The second small winning symbol on the right reel 32R is a "red 7" symbol. On the right reel 32R, the "red 7" symbol is arranged only at the 18th position. Therefore, depending on the operation timing of the right stop switch 44, the second small winning symbol may or may not stop on the active line. Specifically, if the right stop switch 44 is operated at the timing when any of the "watermelon" symbol at the 14th position to the "red 7" symbol at the 18th position has reached the lower tier, the "red 7" symbol as the second small winning symbol stops at the lower tier as shown in FIG. 20(c). As a result, the second small winning symbol is established on the right downward line L4. If the right stop switch 44 is operated at another timing, the "watermelon" symbol stops at the lower tier. For example, if the right stop switch 44 is operated at the timing when the "cherry" symbol at the 13th position has reached the lower tier, the "watermelon" symbol at the 14th position stops at the lower tier as shown in FIG. 20(d).

[0130] When the 5th minor winning symbol of the center reel 32M stops in the middle row, the second stop information setting process changes the stop information so that the 5th minor winning symbol can be achieved.

[0131] The fifth minor winning symbol on the right reel 32R is the "second replay" symbol. The "second replay" symbols are arranged at the 0th and 3rd positions on the right reel 32R. Therefore, depending on the operation timing of the right stop switch 44, the fifth minor winning symbol may or may not stop on the active line. Specifically, if the right stop switch 44 is operated at the timing when any of the "BAR" symbol at 17th to the "second replay" symbol at 3rd has reached the bottom row, the "second replay" symbol as the fifth minor winning symbol stops at the bottom row. As a result, the fifth minor winning symbol is established on the right downward line L4. If the right stop switch 44 is operated at any other timing, the "watermelon" symbol stops at the bottom row.

[0132] If the second and fifth small win symbols on the middle reel 32M do not stop in the middle row, i.e., if the "BAR" symbol or the "white bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M stops in the middle row, the second stop information setting process changes the stop information so that the "watermelon" symbol stops in the lower row.

[0133] On the right reel 32R, the watermelon symbols are arranged so that the interval between each watermelon symbol is 4 symbols or less. Therefore, when the right stop switch 44 is operated, the watermelon symbols stop on the lower row regardless of the operation timing.

[0134] In this way, if the middle push bell 1 is won and the left stop switch 42 → middle stop switch 43 → right stop switch 44 are operated in that order, the second small prize will be won, the fifth small prize will be won, or none of the small prizes will be won.

[0135] Next, a case will be described as an example in which the center push bell 1 is won and the center stop switch 43, the left stop switch 42, and the right stop switch 44 are operated in that order. In such a case, the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R are stopped to establish the first small win.

[0136] On the center reel 32M, the "red bell" symbols, which are the first minor symbol, are arranged so that the interval between the "red bell" symbols is 4 symbols or less. Therefore, when the center stop switch 43 is operated first, the "red bell" symbols stop in the middle row regardless of the operation timing.

[0137] On the left reel 32L, the first minor winning symbols, the "red bell" symbol and the "white bell" symbol, are arranged so that the interval between the first minor winning symbols is 4 symbols or less. Therefore, when the left stop switch 42 is operated second, the "red bell" symbol or the "white bell" symbol stops on the top row regardless of the operation timing.

[0138] On the right reel 32R, the "red bell" symbols, which are the first minor symbol, are arranged so that the interval between the "red bell" symbols is 4 symbols or less. Therefore, when the right stop switch 44 is operated third, the "red bell" symbols stop on the lower row regardless of the timing of the operation.

[0139] As described above, if the middle push bell 1 is won and the middle stop switch 43 → left stop switch 42 → right stop switch 44 are operated in that order, the first small prize will be won regardless of the timing of the operation.

[0140] When the push order bell is won, if the stop switches 42-44 are operated in one or two predetermined operation sequences, the first small prize is won regardless of the operation timing, and when the stop switches 42-44 are operated in another operation sequence, the small prize is won or the result that results in a small prize being missed is stopped depending on the operation timing. Incidentally, when the middle bell is won, the 29th small prize is won regardless of the operation sequence and operation timing, and when the no-question bell is won, the first small prize is won regardless of the operation sequence and operation timing.

[0141] Returning to the description of the reel control process, if it is determined in step S411 that all the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R are stopped, a payout determination process is performed in step S413. The payout determination process is a process for setting the number of medals to be paid out, with one of the conditions being that a combination of winning symbols is lined up on an active line. In the payout determination process, a combination of symbols formed on an active line is derived from the symbol numbers of the symbols stopped on the lower rows of each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R, and it is determined whether or not a winning combination is established on the active line. If a winning combination is established, it is further determined whether or not the winning combination corresponds to the winning flag set in the winning flag storage area 106a. If the winning combination corresponds to the winning flag, the winning combination and the payout number corresponding to the winning combination are set in the payout information storage area provided in the RAM 106. On the other hand, if the winning combination does not correspond to the winning flag, the slot machine 10 is put into an error state and an error occurrence notification process is performed. This error state is maintained until the reset switch 72 is operated.

[0142] After the payout determination process, a winning result process is performed in step S414. In the winning result process, a process for shifting the gaming state based on the winning result is performed. The winning result process will be described in detail later.

[0143] After the winning result corresponding process, the section display second process is executed in step S415. The section display second process is a process related to the display control of the instruction monitor 68, and this process will be described in detail later. After that, in step S416, a winning result command is set so that the display control device 81 knows the winning combination in the current game, and the reel control process is terminated.

[0144] Next, the medal payout process in step S213 will be outlined.

[0145] In the medal payout process, it is determined whether the payout number set in the payout information storage area is 0 or not. If the payout number is 0, it means that it has been determined in the previous payout determination process that a small winning combination has not been established. In such a case, it is determined whether any of the first re-play winning combination to the third re-play winning combination has been established based on the winning combination set in the payout determination process. If none of the re-play winning combinations has been established, the medal payout process is terminated as it is, and if any of the re-play winning combinations has been established, a re-play setting process is performed to set the game state to a re-play state, and the medal payout process is terminated. In the start waiting process (step S204) described above, when it is determined that the current game state is a re-play state, an automatic insertion process is performed.

[0146] On the other hand, if the payout number set in the payout information storage area is not 0, medals equal to the payout number are paid out, and the medal payout process is terminated. Specifically, when the credit counter count value has not reached the upper limit (the number of medals stored is 50), the payout number is added to the credit counter count value, and the value after the addition is displayed on the credit display unit 60. When the credit counter count value has reached the upper limit, or when the count value reaches the upper limit during the addition of the payout number, the medal payout rotating plate is driven, and medals are paid out from the hopper device 51 to the medal receiving tray 50 via the medal discharge port 49. In addition, in the medal payout process, a process of changing the payout number displayed on the payout number display unit 62 according to the payout of medals is also performed. In addition, when the current game state is the BB state, the payout number is subtracted from the value of the remaining payout number counter described later, and the remaining payout number displayed on the remaining payout number display unit 61 is subtracted.

[0147] Next, the bonus state process in step S214 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0148] First, in step S501, it is determined whether or not the current gaming state is a bonus state (BB state). If it is not a bonus state, the bonus determination process shown in steps S502 to S508 is performed.

[0149] In the bonus determination process, in step S502, it is determined whether or not either the first BB winning flag or the second BB winning flag is set. If either winning flag is set, the process proceeds to step S503, and it is determined whether or not the first BB winning or the second BB winning has been achieved. If neither of the BB winnings has been achieved, in step S504, a process of setting an RT setting flag is executed in the state information storage area 106c of the RAM 106, and the game state is shifted to the RT state. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S503 that either of the BB winnings has been achieved, in step S505, a process of clearing the RT setting flag is executed. That is, if the first BB or the second BB is won, and it is missed, the state shifts to the RT state, and if the first BB or the second BB is won, the RT state ends. Although the details will be described later, by shifting to the RT state, the winning probability of each small role (IV=4 to 33) does not change, but the winning probability of the RT replay for IV=3 increases.

[0150] Here, in a game played in a carryover state where the 1st BB win or the 2nd BB win is carried over, it is set so that other bonuses are not won. More specifically, in the lottery table for the RT state (see FIG. 40), when an index value IV corresponding to an overlapping role with a bonus (1st BB, 2nd BB) of IV=22 to 35 is won, the win flags corresponding to these bonuses are not set. Therefore, when an index value IV corresponding to an overlapping role with each small role or replay is won, the win flags of these small roles and replay are set, but the win flags corresponding to the bonuses are not set, and only the small role win and replay win are valid. In other words, the RT state where the 1st BB win or the 2nd BB win is carried over can be said to be a state in which the lottery for bonuses is restricted.

[0151] In the case where the first BB win or the second BB win has been achieved, after executing the process of step S505, in step S506, the BB win flag set in the win flag storage area 106a of the RAM 106 is cleared, and in step S507, the BB setting flag is set in the state information storage area 106c. After that, in step S508, the remaining payout number counter is set to 216, and a process is performed to display 216 in the remaining payout number display unit 61. The value set in step S508 is a value corresponding to the upper limit payout number in the BB state, and the BB state is ended on the condition that medals equal to or more than the value have been paid out in the BB state.

[0152] By performing the processes of steps S505 to S508, the game state is shifted to the BB state. Then, in step S302 of the lottery process, it is determined that the current game state is the BB state based on the fact that the BB setting flag is set in the state information storage area 106c, and a corresponding lottery table for the BB state is selected.

[0153] FIG. 22 is a lottery table for the BB state selected in the BB state to which the first BB or second BB transition occurs. In the lottery table for the BB state, "0" is set as the point value PV for IV=1-18, 22-37, and "21845" is set as the point value for IV=19-21. Therefore, in the BB state, the probability of winning the BB small / medium combination 1 (probability of winning when IV=19) is about 1 in 3.00, the probability of winning the BB medium red 7 combination (probability of winning when IV=20) is about 1 in 3.00, and the probability of winning the BB medium BAR combination (probability of winning when IV=21) is about 1 in 3.00. The probability of not winning any combination is about 1 in 65,500.

[0154] As described above, the first small win is a winning mode that can be achieved regardless of the operation timing of the stop switches 42 to 44. Therefore, regardless of the operation sequence and operation timing of the stop switches 42 to 44, whether the BB small win 1, the BB red win 7, or the BB BAR win is won, the first small win, the 30th small win, or the 31st small win will always be achieved. The bet number in the BB state is set to "3", and when the first small win, the 30th small win, or the 31st small win is achieved, nine medals are paid out. Since the probability of a miss in the BB state is about 1 in 65,500, it can be said that the BB state is a game state in which nine medals are paid out with a very high probability. When the game transitions to the BB state, the player can expect an increase of about 144 (=9×24-3×24) medals until the BB state ends.

[0155] By the way, in some cases when you win the red 7 combination during the BB during the bonus state, or when you win the BAR combination during the BB, a lottery for transition to the Navi mode or an additional lottery for the Navi mode, which will be described later, may occur.

[0156] When the game state has shifted to the BB state, an affirmative determination is made in step S501, and an end determination process is performed in step S509. In the end determination process, it is determined whether the value of the remaining payout counter has become 0, and if it has become 0, a process of clearing the BB setting flag is performed. Also, in the end determination process, if the BB setting flag is cleared, an end flag is set which indicates that the BB state has ended in this game.

[0157] When neither the first BB winning flag nor the second BB winning flag is set (when step S502 is NO), when neither the first BB winning nor the second BB winning is established and the RT setting flag is set (when the process of step S504 is executed), when a predetermined value is set in the remaining payout counter in step S508, and when the end determination process is performed in step S509, the process proceeds to step S510 and a state command is set. Here, the state command is a command sent to the display control device 81 to allow the player to grasp the game state at the time of the end of the game (i.e., the game state of the next game), and in step S510, a state command corresponding to the setting flag set in the state information storage area 106c is set. After setting the state command, in step S511, an external signal setting process is performed to set an external signal to be output from the external centralized terminal board 121 to the outside of the slot machine 10. Then, this process ends.

[0158] As described above, in the slot machine 10, by winning the first or second BB as a result of the lottery in each game, a transition to the BB state is permitted in which the number of medals held can be increased. Furthermore, in the slot machine 10, a navigation mode (AT state) is provided as an opportunity to expect an increase in the number of medals held.

[0159] As already explained, when the push order bell is won, the operation order of the stop switches 42-44 corresponds to the small prize that can be won. When the stop switches 42-44 are operated in the operation order corresponding to the first small prize, the first small prize is won regardless of the operation timing, while when the stop switches 42-44 are operated in the operation order not corresponding to the first small prize, depending on the operation timing, either the second small prize to the 17th small prize is won, or none of the small prizes are won and the player misses out. Moreover, the number of medals paid out as a privilege when the first small prize is won is set to be greater than the number of medals paid out when the second small prize to the 17th small prize are won (FIG. 9). Thus, when the push order bell is won, the result of the game varies greatly depending on the operation order of the stop switches 42-44.

[0160] The above-mentioned navigation mode is a mode in which the operation sequence of the stop switches 42 to 44 can be notified when the result of the lottery for each game is a push order bell win. More specifically, it is a mode in which the operation sequence associated with the first minor role is notified when the push order bell wins. The navigation mode is transitioned to when a transition lottery is won, which is performed based on the establishment of a predetermined condition. Specifically, in this slot machine 10, when a so-called rare minor role such as a strong cherry, a weak cherry, or a watermelon is won, the transition lottery to the navigation mode is performed assuming that the above-mentioned predetermined condition is established. When the transition lottery is won, the number of continued games in the navigation mode is set, for example, as an initial number of 50 games, and the navigation mode is performed for the set number of continued games. During the navigation mode, a lottery for adding the number of continued games in the navigation mode may be performed, and when the lottery for adding the number of continued games in the navigation mode is won, the number of continued games in the navigation mode is increased by a predetermined number of games. And, when the push order bell is won in each game in the navigation mode, as described above, the push order notification corresponding to the first small win is made, and an increase in medals based on the first small win can be expected. Moreover, there is a possibility that the first BB or second BB may be won in the lottery in each game in the navigation mode, and the combination of the BB state and the navigation mode realizes a gameplay that may enable a large amount of medals to be won.

[0161] The following mainly describes the processing for the navigation mode.

[0162] <Lottery result processing> Among the processes for the navigation mode, the process for the lottery for switching to the navigation mode and the process for the additional lottery during the navigation mode will be described. These switching lotteries and additional lotteries are carried out in the lottery result response process in the lottery process (FIG. 16).

[0163] As shown in Fig. 23, in step S601, whether or not the lottery result of this game is a specific role win that can trigger a transition lottery or an additional lottery is determined by referring to the winning flag storage area 106a. In this embodiment, as specific roles that can trigger a transition lottery or an additional lottery, various rare small roles such as strong cherry (IV = 4), weak cherry (IV = 5), watermelon (IV = 6), chance A (IV = 7), chance B (IV = 8), and middle bell (IV = 9) and overlap roles of the first BB and rare small roles such as strong cherry overlap 1 (IV = 22), weak cherry overlap 1 (IV = 24), watermelon overlap 1 (IV = 26), chance A overlap 1 (IV = 28), chance B overlap 1 (IV = 30), middle bell overlap 1 (IV = 32), and chance repeat overlap 1 (IV = 34) are set. In contrast, overlapping roles between the 2nd BB and rare small roles, such as 2 strong cherry overlaps (IV = 23), 2 weak cherry overlaps (IV = 25), 2 watermelon overlaps (IV = 27), 2 chance A overlaps (IV = 29), 2 chance B overlaps (IV = 31), 2 middle bell overlaps (IV = 33), and 2 chance repeat overlaps (IV = 35), do not trigger a lottery for switching to navigation mode or an additional lottery for navigation mode.

[0164] As already explained, the overlapping role of the second BB and the rare minor role is set so that the winning probability may differ depending on the setting value, while the rare minor role that is not the overlapping role of the first BB or the second BB, and the overlapping role of the first BB and the rare minor role are set so that the winning probability does not differ depending on the setting value. In other words, the specific roles that trigger the above-mentioned navigation mode transition lottery and the additional lottery are set so that the winning probability does not differ depending on the setting value. Furthermore, the winning probability of the navigation mode transition lottery, the winning probability of the additional lottery, the number of additional games, etc. are also set so that there is no difference depending on the setting value. In this way, the advantage in the navigation mode is set so that there is no difference depending on the setting value.

[0165] If it is determined in step S601 that a specific role has been won, it is determined in step S602 whether or not the navigation mode winning flag or the navigation mode flag is set in the various flag storage area 106d. The navigation mode winning flag is set when the transition lottery to the navigation mode is won, and is cleared when transitioning to the navigation mode. The navigation mode flag is set when transitioning to the navigation mode, and is cleared when the navigation mode is terminated. If it is determined in step S602 that neither the navigation mode winning flag nor the navigation mode flag is set, the navigation mode has not been won, and the navigation mode is not in progress, the first specific role processing is executed in step S603. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S602 that the navigation mode winning flag or the navigation mode flag is set, the second specific role processing is executed in step S604.

[0166] If it is determined in step S601 that the specific role is not a win, or after the process of either step S603 or step S604 is executed, it is determined in step S605 whether or not the current game result is a win of the push order bell as the push order role. If it is a win of the push order bell, a push order role process is executed in step S606 to notify the push order. If a negative determination is made in step S605, or after the process of step S606 is executed, a bet number navigation process is executed in step S607, and then the lottery result corresponding process is terminated. The bet number navigation process is a process for switching the bet number. The push order role process and the bet number navigation process will be explained in detail later.

[0167] <First specific role processing> The first specific role processing in step S603 is a processing for mainly conducting a lottery for transition to the navigation mode.

[0168] As shown in FIG. 24, in the first specific combination process, in step S701, whether or not the bonus is being carried over is determined based on the presence or absence of the RT setting flag. If the bonus is being carried over, the first specific combination process is terminated as it is. That is, if the first BB or the second BB has already been won, and in the carry-over state before winning, even if the specific combination is won, the execution of the transition lottery to the navigation mode is restricted. The first BB or the second BB is configured to be won by aiming and stopping the corresponding symbols on each reel 32L, 32M, and 32R, and by adjusting the timing of the stop operation, it is possible to win the corresponding BB or not to win it. Therefore, by uniformly restricting the transition lottery to the navigation mode during the carry-over state as described above, it is possible to intentionally prevent the bonus winning after the bonus is won, thereby ensuring fairness between players who can perform an action to increase the chance of the transition lottery and players who cannot.

[0169] If it is determined in step S701 that the bonus is not being carried over, a process of acquiring a navigation mode transition lottery table from the various table storage area 105a is executed in step S702, and a navigation mode transition lottery is executed in step S703. In the navigation mode transition lottery table, as shown in Fig. 25, the winning probability of the transition lottery is set to be different depending on the type of specific role, and for example, it is set so that the transition lottery triggered by a strong cherry as a specific role is easier to win than the transition lottery triggered by a weak cherry.

[0170] In particular, in the navigation mode transition lottery table in this embodiment, the winning probability is set so that the lottery for transition to the navigation mode triggered by a combination of strong cherry overlap 1, watermelon overlap 1, and chance repeat overlap 1, which are combinations of the first BB, is more likely (always) to win the lottery for transition to the navigation mode than by other triggers. Therefore, when a combination of the first BB and the first BB is won, transition to the navigation mode occurs with a high probability (always).

[0171] In this embodiment, the navigation mode transition lottery triggered by the overlapping role with the above-mentioned 1st BB is set to have a 100% probability of winning, but it is also possible to have some non-wins, or it is possible for some lottery triggers to result in some wins and some non-wins, and the probability of winning may differ depending on the winning trigger.

[0172] In step S704, it is determined whether or not the transition lottery to the navigation mode has been won based on the processing result in step S703. If the transition lottery has been won, the process proceeds to step S705, and a process of setting a navigation mode winning flag is executed. After executing the process in step S705, the process for the premonition mode is executed in steps S706 to S709. The premonition mode is a mode in which a winning suggestion effect that suggests that the navigation mode has been won is likely to occur, and after each game in the premonition mode, a winning notification that the navigation mode has been won is made. The premonition mode continues for 0 to 32 games, and the number of games that the premonition mode continues is set to be different depending on the game result (type of specific combination) that triggered the winning and whether or not a bonus has been won at the same time. Note that if the number of premonition games is set to 0 games, a winning notification is made in the next game without going through the premonition mode.

[0173] Specifically, in step S706, first, a process is performed to obtain the premonition game number table from the various table storage area 105a of the ROM 105. As described above, the premonition game number table is set so that the number of continued games in the premonition mode differs depending on the game result (type of specific combination) that triggered the winning and whether or not the bonus is won at the same time. For example, when the navigation mode is won by a strong cherry, a shorter number of games is more likely to be selected than when the navigation mode is won by a weak cherry. In general, the more likely the winning trigger is to win the navigation mode, the more likely the number of games is to be selected. In addition, with regard to whether or not the bonus is won at the same time, the table is set so that a longer number of continued games is more likely to be selected in the case of winning the bonus at the same time (winning the navigation mode by a combination of the first BB) than in the case of not winning the bonus at the same time.

[0174] In the next step S707, a process is performed to select the number of games to be played in the premonition mode this time based on the premonition game number table obtained in step S706 and the counter for selection obtained from the various counter area 106e of the RAM 106. Then, in step S708, a process is performed to input the premonition game number to the premonition counter ZC provided in the various counter area 106e of the RAM 106. The premonition counter ZC is a counter that is decremented by 1 for each game, and when the premonition counter ZC reaches 0, the premonition mode ends, and a winning notification is made that the player has won the selection to switch to the navigation mode.

[0175] In step S709, a process is executed to set the premonition command as an output target to the display control device 81, which is a sub-side control device. The premonition command includes information on the lottery result and the number of premonition games that triggered the premonition mode. The display control device 81, which has received the premonition command, controls the auxiliary display unit 65, the speaker 64, etc. to generate a winning indication effect in the navigation mode with a high probability for the number of games included in the premonition command, and to generate a continuous effect that can be executed over multiple games depending on the number of remaining games (for example, from 4 games to 0 games remaining). After executing the process of step S709, the first specific role process is terminated.

[0176] If it is determined in step S704 that the navigation mode transition lottery has not been won, a pseudo premonition mode setting process is executed in step S710. The pseudo premonition mode is a mode in which a winning suggestion effect that suggests that the navigation mode has been won is likely to occur, similar to the premonition mode, while in the pseudo premonition mode, after each game in the pseudo premonition mode, a non-winning notification that the navigation mode has not been won is made, or the pseudo premonition mode ends as it is. The pseudo premonition mode continues for 0 to 16 games, and the number of games that the pseudo premonition mode continues is set to be different depending on the game result (type of specific combination) that triggered the transition lottery and whether or not a bonus has been won at the same time. In other words, if a mode in which a winning suggestion effect is likely to occur in relation to the premonition mode continues for 17 games or more, it is determined that the current mode is the premonition mode and not the pseudo premonition mode. In the pseudo premonition mode setting process in step S710, substantially similar to the processes in steps S706 to S709, a lottery is performed to determine the number of games to continue in the pseudo premonition mode, and a process is executed to input a value corresponding to the premonition counter ZC according to the lottery result, and a process is executed to set the premonition command as an output target to the display control device 81. After the pseudo premonition mode setting process is executed, the first specific role process is terminated.

[0177] <Second specific role processing> The second specific role processing in step S604 is a process for mainly performing a lottery for adding the navigation mode. As described above, the second specific role processing is performed when the navigation mode is won or when a specific role is won during the navigation mode.

[0178] That is, as shown in Fig. 26, first, in step S801, it is determined whether or not the bonus is being carried over. If the bonus is being carried over, the second specific combination process is terminated as it is. This is for the same purpose as the purpose of restricting the execution of the navigation mode transition lottery in the bonus carryover state.

[0179] If the bonus is not being carried over in step S801, a process of acquiring a navigation mode add-on lottery table from the various table storage area 105a is executed in step S802, and a navigation mode add-on lottery is executed in step S803. In the navigation mode add-on lottery table, as shown in Fig. 25, the probability of winning the add-on lottery is set to be different depending on the type of specific role, and for example, it is set so that the add-on lottery triggered by a strong cherry as a specific role is easier to win than the add-on lottery triggered by a weak cherry.

[0180] In particular, in the navigation mode add-on lottery table in this embodiment, the winning probability is set so that the navigation mode add-on lottery triggered by the overlapping role with the 1st BB, such as strong cherry overlap 1, watermelon overlap 1, and chance repeat overlap 1, is more likely (always) to win than other triggers. Therefore, when the overlapping role with the 1st BB is won, the number of games in the navigation mode is increased with a high probability (always).

[0181] In this embodiment, the navigation mode add-on lottery triggered by the overlapping role with the above-mentioned 1st BB is set to have a 100% probability of winning, but it is also possible to have some non-wins, or it is possible for some lottery triggers to result in some wins and some non-wins, and the probability of winning may differ depending on the winning trigger.

[0182] In step S804, it is determined whether or not the additional lottery has been won based on the processing result in step S803. If the additional lottery has not been won, the second specific combination processing is terminated as it is. If the additional lottery has been won, the process proceeds to step S805, and the lottery processing for the current number of additional games is executed. As shown in FIG. 25, the number of additional games is set so that the number of games selected varies depending on the type of specific combination that triggered the additional win. For example, the number of games that can be selected for both strong cherries and weak cherries is common, ranging from 50 to 300 games, but the average number of games is set so that strong cherries are greater than weak cherries.

[0183] In the next step S806, a process of adding the number of games to the navigation mode is executed based on the processing result of step S805. Specifically, a process of adding a value corresponding to the current added number of games to the navigation mode counter NC provided in the various counter area 106e of the RAM 106 is executed. The navigation mode counter NC is a counter that allows the CPU 102 to grasp the number of games to be continued in the navigation mode, and an initial value (e.g., 50) is input when the navigation mode is switched to. The navigation mode ends when the navigation mode counter NC becomes 0.

[0184] In step S807, a process is executed to set an add-on command for notifying the occurrence of an add-on to the number of games in the navigation mode as an output target to the display control device 81, and then the second specific role process is terminated. The display control device 81, which has received the add-on command, controls the auxiliary display unit 65 and the speaker 64 to generate an add-on notification effect for the corresponding number of games. Specifically, for example, if the number of added games is 10, the auxiliary display unit 65 displays "+10" and the speaker 64 outputs a sound effect for the add-on notification effect.

[0185] <Mode transition notification process> Next, the mode transition notification process will be described as a process for notifying that the transition lottery to the navigation mode has been won. The mode transition notification process is performed in step S206 in the normal process (FIG. 15). The mode transition notification process is performed when a predetermined betting operation is performed (when it is determined that the number of bets in step S205 is the specified number). The mode transition notification process will be described below with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 27.

[0186] In step S901, it is determined whether the premonition counter ZC is 0, thereby determining whether the game is in the premonition mode or pseudo premonition mode. The premonition counter ZC is counted in the winning result corresponding process described later, and is decremented by 1 each time one game is played. If the premonition counter ZC is not 0, the mode transition notification process is terminated.

[0187] If the premonition counter ZC is 0, it is determined in step S902 whether or not the navigation mode winning flag is set. If the navigation mode winning flag is not set, this indicates that the premonition mode this time was a pseudo premonition mode (pseudo premonition mode) based on not winning the navigation mode, or that the premonition mode was not in any premonition mode, and in this case, the mode transition notification process is terminated.

[0188] If the navigation mode winning flag is set, a process of clearing the navigation mode winning flag is executed in step S903. Then, in step S904, a navigation mode flag is set in the various flag storage area 106d. By setting the navigation mode flag, the current mode becomes the navigation mode, and a push order notification can be generated when the push order bell is won.

[0189] After the navigation mode flag is set in step S904, a process is executed in step S905 to set the navigation mode selection notification command as an output target to the display control device 81. In the following step S906, a process is executed to start counting the number of times the navigation mode continues. Specifically, a process is executed to input an initial value (e.g., 50) into the navigation mode counter NC. After the process of step S906 is executed, the mode transition notification process is terminated.

[0190] The initial value at the start of the navigation mode (the value input to the navigation mode counter NC in step S906) may not be a uniform value, but may be a value randomly determined by lottery or the like. Also, the value may be different depending on the winning trigger of the navigation mode transition lottery. More specifically, for example, when a strong cherry or a weak cherry is triggered to transition to the navigation mode, one of the number of games out of 50 games to 300 games may be set as the initial value, when a watermelon is triggered to transition to the navigation mode, one of the number of games out of 10 games to 150 games may be set as the initial value, when a chance replay is triggered to transition to the navigation mode, one of the number of games out of 20 games to 200 games may be set as the initial value, and when a chance replay overlap 1 is triggered to transition to the navigation mode, one of the number of games out of 50 games to 300 games may be set as the initial value.

[0191] <Push order processing> Next, the push order role processing performed in the push order role processing (step S606) in the lottery result corresponding processing (Fig. 23) will be explained. In the push order role processing, when the push order bell as the push order role is won during the navigation mode, a process is set to notify the operation sequence for realizing the first minor role winning. Therefore, prior to the explanation of the push order role processing, an overview of the case where the operation sequence of the stop switches 42 to 44 is notified will be explained with reference to Fig. 28.

[0192] Notification of the operation sequence when a push order role is won (push order notification, push order notification performance, sequence notification, mode notification) is mainly performed by the auxiliary display unit 65 and the instruction monitor 68. Here, the push order notification performance on the auxiliary display unit 65 will be explained using as an example a case where a push order role is won when the operation sequence to be notified this time is center → right → left. The push order notification on the instruction monitor 68 will be explained in detail later.

[0193] As shown in FIG. 28(a), in the auxiliary display unit 65, among the three parallel button displays corresponding to the stop switches 42 to 44, the button display corresponding to the stop switch to be operated first (the middle button display corresponding to the middle stop switch 43 in the figure) is marked with the number 1 and displayed larger than the other button displays. Also, each button display is displayed in a color corresponding to the winning combination (yellow for bell, blue for a configuration informing the pressing order for replay, etc.). This allows the player to recognize the winning combination in this game and that the stop switch to be operated first is the middle stop switch 43. Also, in the auxiliary display unit 65, the right button display is displayed with the number 2 and the left button display is displayed with the number 3 to indicate that the stop switch to be operated next is the right stop switch 44 and the stop switch to be operated last is the left stop switch 42.

[0194] 28(b), when the player operates the middle stop switch 43, the center button display corresponding to the middle stop switch 43 disappears and the right button display corresponding to the right stop switch 44 is enlarged in the auxiliary display unit 65. This enables the player to confirm that the operation of the middle stop switch 43 has been completed and that the next stop switch to be operated is the right stop switch 44.

[0195] 28(c), when the player operates the right stop switch 44, the right button display corresponding to the right stop switch 44 disappears and the left button display corresponding to the left stop switch 42 is enlarged in the auxiliary display unit 65. This enables the player to confirm that the operation of the right stop switch 44 has been completed and that the next stop switch to be operated is the left stop switch 42.

[0196] To explain the timing of the push order notification, it is set to be executed during the ineffective period of the stop switches 42-44 from when the rotation of each reel 32L, 32M, 32R starts, through the acceleration period, until the constant speed rotation. By configuring the push order notification to be executed at a timing before the operation of the stop switches 42-44 becomes effective, it becomes possible to operate the stop switches 42-44 after recognizing the operation order of the stop switches 42-44, and to progress the game at a good tempo.

[0197] Next, the push order processing will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 29.

[0198] In step S1001, it is determined whether the result of this lottery is a push order bell win. If the push order bell win is determined, in step S1002, it is determined whether the navigation mode is in progress by grasping the presence or absence of the navigation mode flag. If the navigation mode is in progress, control is performed so that the instruction monitor 68 is notified of the operation sequence (FIG. 19) corresponding to the first small win. Then, in step S1004, a process is executed to set the push order notification command as an output target to the display control device 81, and then this push order role processing is terminated. The display control device 81 that has received the push order notification command controls the auxiliary display unit 65, etc. so that a push order notification performance of the operation sequence corresponding to the first small win is generated (FIG. 28). If a negative judgment is made in step S1001 or step S1002, the push order role processing is terminated without generating a push order notification.

[0199] <Winning Result Processing> Next, a process for managing the number of games played in the navigation mode will be described. The number of games played in the navigation mode is mainly managed by the winning result process in the reel control process (FIG. 18). As already described, the winning result process is a process that is performed after the rotation of each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R stops in a game that is started based on the operation of the start lever 41 after the bet process.

[0200] As shown in the flowchart of Fig. 30, in step S1101, it is determined whether or not the premonition counter ZC is 0 and the number of premonition games is 0. If it is not 0, processing is executed in step S1102 to subtract 1 from the premonition counter ZC. When the premonition counter ZC becomes 0 in the processing of step S1102, a positive determination is made in the above step S901, and the navigation mode winning notification performance can be generated.

[0201] If it is determined in step S1101 that the counter is 0, or after the process of step S1102 is executed, in step S1103, the presence or absence of the navigation mode flag is grasped to determine whether or not the game is currently in navigation mode. If the game is not in navigation mode, the process for handling the winning result is terminated. If the game is in navigation mode, in step S1104, the process for decrementing the navigation mode counter NC by 1 is executed. Then, in step S1105, it is determined whether the navigation mode counter NC has become 0. If the navigation mode counter NC is not 0, the process for handling the winning result is terminated. If the navigation mode counter NC has become 0, in step S1106, the process for clearing the navigation mode flag is executed, and in step S1107, the process for setting the navigation mode end command as an output target to the display control device 81 is executed, and then the process for handling the winning result is terminated. The display control device 81 that has received the navigation mode end command controls the auxiliary display unit 65 and the speaker 64 to generate a navigation mode end performance.

[0202] <Configuration of Indication Monitor 68> When the push order bell is won, if the push order notification effect is performed by the auxiliary display unit 65 (push order notification effect by the display control device 81), in addition to the push order notification effect, the push order notification is also performed by the instruction monitor 68 connected to the main control device 101 (step S1003). The configuration of this instruction monitor 68 will be described with reference to Fig. 31. Fig. 31(a) is a front view of the instruction monitor 68, and Fig. 31(b) is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the display mode of the instruction monitor 68 and the display content.

[0203] As shown in FIG. 31(a), the indication monitor 68 is provided with eight display segments N1 to N8. Each of the display segments N1 to N8 has an individual light source made of an LED, and by controlling the on / off of each of the individual light sources, it is possible to light up any one of the display segments, or to light up any combination of the display segments. This allows the indication monitor 68 to display a specific symbol (including letters and numbers) individually. Note that each of the individual light sources emits light of the same color, so that the same color is displayed on each of the display segments N1 to N8.

[0204] More specifically, the first display segment N1 to the seventh display segment N7 are all linear display segments, and are arranged so that they can at least display the numbers "1" to "6." The eighth display segment N8 is a circular display segment, and is arranged to the side of the lower right part of the area in which the first display segment N1 to the seventh display segment N7 are arranged. Therefore, the indication monitor 68 can at least display "1" to "6," "1." to "6.", and ".".

[0205] In addition, as long as the indication monitor 68 can display symbols of multiple patterns individually, the shape and arrangement of each of the display segments N1 to N8 may be arbitrary, and a configuration using seven segments, nine segments, or the like instead of eight segments may be used. In addition, it is not essential that the colors displayed in each of the display segments N1 to N8 are the same, and a configuration in which the colors displayed in each of the display segments N1 to N8 can be changed as appropriate may be used. In addition, a configuration in which the light source is turned on and off to control the lighting or extinguishing of each of the display segments N1 to N8 is not essential, and as long as the display control can be performed individually for each of the display segments N1 to N8, a segment display may be formed by a single backlight and a liquid crystal display. Furthermore, instead of applying a segment display to each display area, symbols may be displayed by other types of display devices such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, a CRT, a dot matrix, etc.

[0206] The first display segment N1 to the seventh display segment N7 are display segments used to notify the operation sequence of the push order combination. For example, as shown in FIG. 31(b), when the operation sequence of the stop switches 42-44 is "left" → "middle" → "right" to provide a winning mode advantageous to the player, the sixth display segment N6 and the seventh display segment N7 are lit to display "1". Also, when the operation sequence of the stop switches 42-44 is "right" → "left" → "middle" to provide a winning mode advantageous to the player, the first display segment N1, the second display segment N2, the third display segment N3, the fifth display segment N5, and the sixth display segment N6 are lit to display "5". In other words, the numbers (symbols) displayed on each display segment N1 to N7 correspond one-to-one to the operation sequence of the stop switches 42 to 44, and by operating the stop switches 42 to 44 to stop based on the numbers (symbols) displayed on the display segments N1 to N7, the player can win in an advantageous manner.

[0207] The eighth display segment N8 is lit when the lottery for switching to the navigation mode is won, and is turned off when the navigation mode is ended.

[0208] In other words, the advantageous zone (specific gaming state) is defined as a zone including the navigation mode, in which the operation sequence of the push order bells is more easily notified, making it easier for the player to win in an advantageous manner, and the premonition mode, in which the player has won the lottery to transition to the navigation mode but has not transitioned to the navigation mode, and the eighth display segment N8 lights up during the advantageous zone and turns off during the normal zone, which is not an advantageous zone, thereby forming a zone indicator (specific notification means) that clearly indicates whether or not the zone is advantageous.

[0209] The eighth display segment N8 starts to light up as a notification that the advantageous zone will be established before the player is allowed to play in the game following the start game, when the game result (such as a specific combination of strong cherries) that triggered the advantageous zone in the navigation mode or the premonition mode is won as the starting game. More specifically, in this embodiment, regardless of whether the game result winning that triggered the advantageous zone is established or not, that is, regardless of whether a miss occurs or not, the game in which the game result is won is set as the starting game, and the eighth display segment N8 is turned on before the player is allowed to play in the next game as a betting operation. In other words, the eighth display segment N8 starts to light up before the start of the game following the game in which the lottery for moving to the advantageous zone was won.

[0210] As already explained, the instruction monitor 68 having the first display segment N1 to the seventh display segment N7 as the push order indicator and the eighth display segment N8 as the section indicator is disposed near the side of the payout number display unit 62 on the gaming panel 25. That is, the instruction monitor 68 is disposed above the stop switches 42 to 44 operated by the player, in other words, it is not disposed on the decorative panel, which is the front part of the gaming machine, below the position where the stop switches 42 to 44 are provided. Therefore, it can be said that the eighth display segment N8 is prevented from being hidden by the hand operating the stop switches 42 to 44, and is disposed in a position where it is easily visible to the player. In addition, it can be said that the overlooking by the player is prevented from being caused by the fact that it is disposed near the payout number display unit 62, which is easily observed by the player who is playing the game to acquire medals.

[0211] Furthermore, in the instruction monitor 68, the brightness of the corresponding LED is determined so that the eighth display segment N8 in particular is brighter than the brightness of the surrounding display sections (for example, the payout number display section 62 and the backlight of the gaming panel 25) (more specifically, twice as bright as the surrounding display sections). Therefore, even when the eighth display segment N8 and the surrounding display sections are both controlled to emit light (when they are in a lit state), the eighth display segment N8 stands out. The illuminance of the corresponding LED is also determined so that the illuminance of the eighth display segment N8 toward the front of the gaming machine is higher than that of the surrounding display sections (more specifically, twice as bright as the surrounding display sections). This configuration also improves the visibility of the eighth display segment N8, and prevents the eighth display segment N8 from being overlooked when it is in a lit state.

[0212] Hereinafter, a first section display process and a second section display process will be described as processes relating to turning on / off the eighth display segment N8.

[0213] <Segment display 1st process> First, the first section display process will be described with reference to Fig. 32. The first section display process is a process carried out in step S316 in the lottery process (Fig. 16), and is carried out after the lottery result of the game is determined based on the operation of the start lever 41, and a lottery for switching the display mode, etc. (lottery result corresponding process) is carried out based on the lottery result.

[0214] In step S1201, it is determined whether the eighth display segment N8 as a zone indicator is being displayed, more specifically, whether the eighth display segment N8 is being lit. As described above, when the eighth display segment N8 is being lit, this indicates that the advantageous zone has been selected in a lottery to transition to navigation mode, or the navigation mode is in progress. If a negative determination is made in step S1201 and it is determined that the eighth display segment N8 is being turned off, the process proceeds to step S1202.

[0215] In step S1202, it is determined whether or not the navigation mode winning flag is set. When the eighth display segment N8 is off and the navigation mode winning flag is set, this is the case when the transition lottery to navigation mode is won in this lottery process. As already explained, in the first specific role process (Figure 25), the navigation mode winning flag is set if the transition lottery to navigation mode is won. If the navigation mode winning flag is not set in step S1202, the first section display process is terminated as is.

[0216] If the navigation mode winning flag is set, the process proceeds to step S1203, where the display of the section indicator is started by lighting the eighth display segment N8. In addition, when the main control device 101 starts displaying the eighth display segment N8 as the section indicator with the lighting state, it outputs a command for sound output to the display control device 81 so that a predetermined sound effect (for example, a mechanical sound such as "Gagot!") is output from the speaker 64. The display control device 81 controls the speaker 64 so that the predetermined sound effect is generated based on the command for sound output. Note that, when the display of the eighth display segment N8 starts, a configuration may be adopted in which a performance is generated in the auxiliary display unit 65 or another display unit. In this case, a corresponding command may be output to the display control device 81, and the display control device 81 may control the auxiliary display unit 65, etc. so that a corresponding performance is performed.

[0217] After executing the process of step S1203, in step S1204, a process is executed to start measuring the number of games continued in the advantageous zone, and then the first zone display process is terminated. The number of games continued in the advantageous zone is measured by measuring the advantageous zone game number AG provided in various counter areas 106e of RAM 106, and in step S1204, a process is executed to set the advantageous zone game number AG to an initial value of 0. The advantageous zone game number AG is incremented by 1 for each game in the advantageous zone.

[0218] If it is determined in step S1201 that the eighth display segment N8 is being displayed as a section indicator, then in step S1205, processing is performed to continue the display during the favorable section, and then this section display first processing is terminated. Specifically, in step S1205, processing is performed to continue the situation in which the eighth display segment N8 is lit. In other words, processing to end the display of the section indicator is not performed in this section display first processing.

[0219] <Second section display process> Next, the second section display process will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 33. As already described, the second section display process is a process that is performed in step S415 of the reel control process, and is performed after the process for paying out medals (payout determination process) and the transition of the game state based on the winning result (winning result response process) are performed at the end of one game.

[0220] In step S1301, it is determined whether or not the eighth display segment N8 is being lit as a zone indicator. If it is off (not lit, not displayed), the second zone display process is terminated. If it is being lit, the process proceeds to step S1302. In step S1302, a process is executed to count the number of games in the advantageous zone. Specifically, a process is executed to increment the advantageous zone game number AG by 1. The advantageous zone game number AG is a counter for the CPU 102 to grasp the number of games in the advantageous zone, and the number of games played in a situation in which the eighth display segment N8 is lit is measured. After executing the process of step S1302, in step S1303, a remaining game number management process is executed. The remaining game number management process is a process for managing whether or not the advantageous zone is in a situation in which the current remaining number of games will reach the upper limit number of games, based on the remaining number of games in the navigation mode, etc.

[0221] Specifically, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 34, first, in step S1401, the number of premonition games is determined based on the premonition counter ZC. In step S1402, the number of navigation modes is determined based on the navigation mode counter NC. Then, in step S1403, a process is executed to calculate the number of games remaining in the advantageous zone ZG. More specifically, the number of games remaining in the advantageous zone is calculated by adding the premonition counter ZC and the navigation mode counter NC. In the following step S1404, a process is executed to calculate the total number of games in the advantageous zone SG, which is the sum of the number of games in the advantageous zone that has been executed and the number of games in the advantageous zone that has not been executed. Specifically, the total number of games in the advantageous zone SG is calculated by adding the number of games in the advantageous zone AG and the number of games remaining in the advantageous zone ZG.

[0222] In the next step S1405, a process is executed to calculate the number of free games FG that can be added. In this embodiment, the upper limit number of games that can be continued in the advantageous zone is set, and the number of free games (the number of free games that can be added, the number of remaining games) FG is calculated by subtracting the total number of games in the advantageous zone SG from the upper limit number of games that can be continued (1500G).

[0223] After the processing of step S1405, in step S1406, it is determined whether the number of available games FG is greater than 0, i.e., whether there is an available number of games and it is possible to add more. If the number of available games FG is greater than 0, the remaining game number management processing is terminated. On the other hand, if the number of available games FG is 0 or less, in step S1407, a processing is executed to set an excess flag in the various flag storage area 106d, and then the remaining game number management processing is terminated. The excess flag is a flag that allows the CPU 102 to grasp a situation in which the number of continued games in the advantageous zone cannot be added, more specifically, a situation in which even if the number of continued games is added, the added number of games will not be played due to a forced termination at 1500 games.

[0224] In this embodiment, by setting the excess flag, even if a specific role is won during the advantageous zone, the implementation of the game number addition lottery and the like during the navigation mode is restricted. More specifically, for example, in the game number addition lottery process of the navigation mode such as step S803, if the excess flag is set, the implementation of such lottery process is restricted, and the addition is not won (or even if it is won, an addition of 0 games occurs). This makes it possible to prevent the misunderstanding that the advantageous zone continues beyond the upper limit number of games by adding more than the limit.

[0225] In addition, once the excess flag is set, the remaining game number management process may not be performed during the current advantageous period.

[0226] Returning to the explanation of the second interval display process (FIG. 33), after executing the process of step S1303, in step S1304 it is determined whether the number of advantageous interval games AG in the current game has reached the upper limit of "1500". If it has reached "1500", in step S1305 the number of advantageous interval games AG is cleared to 0, and then in step S1306 a process is performed to turn off the eighth display segment N8 as a process to end the display of the interval display. Then, in step S1307 a data initialization process is performed, and then the second interval display process is ended.

[0227] The data initialization process is a process that resets the flags and counters set at the time of the transition to the current favorable zone, and the flags and counters set during the current favorable zone, to their initial values. For example, when transitioning to the favorable zone, all counters for the number of games continued, such as the navigation mode winning flag, navigation mode flag, premonition counter ZC, and navigation mode counter NC, are reset to 0. In other words, the initialization process initializes all variables or parameters that affect the performance of the push order notification with respect to the favorable zone as a favorable state using the push order notification, and is a process that clears the RAM for such variables or parameters.

[0228] If it is determined in step S1304 that the number of games in the advantageous zone AG has not reached the upper limit, the process proceeds to step S1308, where it is determined whether or not the advantageous zone has ended. That is, in step S1308, it is determined whether or not the navigation mode winning flag is not set, and in step S1309, it is determined whether or not the navigation mode flag is not set. If both steps S1308 and S1309 are determined to be positive, it means that the advantageous zone has ended before reaching the upper limit number of games in the advantageous zone. In this case, the process proceeds to step S1305, where the number of games in the advantageous zone AG is cleared to 0, and in step S1306, the display of the zone indicator is terminated, and in step S1307, data initialization is performed, and the zone display second process is terminated. If either step S1308 or step S1309 is determined to be negative, it is determined that the advantageous zone is still in the advantageous zone, and the zone display second process is terminated as it is. In this case, the zone indicator (the eighth display segment N8) continues to be lit.

[0229] <About the push order indicator and section indicator and game progress> The relationship between the start and end of the advantageous zone and the display of the eighth display segment N8 as a zone indicator will be explained with reference to FIG.

[0230] In the slot machine 10, as shown in FIG. 35, in the normal zone, which is not the advantageous zone, the eighth display segment N8 as the zone indicator is turned off (not lit). In this normal zone, the push order notification performance is not performed. In other words, the advantageous zone has a function related to the instruction function such as push order notification, whereas the normal zone does not have the instruction function.

[0231] In the normal zone, for example, if a player wins the lottery to move to the advantageous zone in the navigation mode by winning a specific role such as a watermelon win, the game in which the game result that triggered the win is realized will be set as the starting game, and before the player is allowed to place a bet in the game following the starting game, the eighth display segment N8, which serves as a zone indicator, will light up and notification of the advantageous zone will begin.

[0232] In this case, in the game in which the watermelon win has been achieved as described above, the game is in a state before the transition to the advantageous zone, and is included in the normal zone. If the notification of the advantageous zone by the eighth display segment N8 as a zone indicator showing the advantageous zone is considered to be made at the timing when a bet operation for the game following the start game in which the watermelon win has been achieved is permitted, that is, at the timing when the game in which the advantageous zone starts becomes playable, then the notification of the eighth display segment N8 being turned on in the watermelon winning game (start game) as described above can be said to be a prior notification made before the notification of the advantageous zone (state notification, mode notification).

[0233] After that, when it is notified that the advantageous zone is in effect, a push order notification is generated using the first display segment N1 to the seventh display segment N7. In this case, the push order information ("1" to "6") is displayed by the first display segment N1 to the seventh display segment N7 as described above, and the player can understand the push order based on the push order information. In the push order notification, the push order information starts to be displayed when the start lever 41 is operated in the game, and ends when the third reel stop ON operation is performed in the game. If the game is not the final game of the advantageous zone, only the display of the push order information by the first display segment N1 to the seventh display segment N7 ends when the third reel stop ON operation is performed, and the display of the advantageous zone by the eighth display segment N8 continues. Then, when a push order role is won again in the next game or later, the push order information corresponding to that push order role is displayed by the first display segment N1 to the seventh display segment N7.

[0234] When the number of continuing games in the advantageous zone reaches the upper limit, etc., and it is the final game of the advantageous zone, the eighth display segment N8 also goes out and the notification of the advantageous zone ends. The number of games in the advantageous zone is counted in the games in which the eighth display segment N8 is lit, and specifically, the game following the starting game is counted as the first game, and the number of games in the advantageous zone is counted up to the final game in which the eighth display segment N8 goes out.

[0235] In this embodiment, in the final game of the advantageous zone, the eighth display segment N8 goes out when the medal payout is completed (by the second zone display process, which is the process after the payout determination process). If the medal payout is not performed in the final game, the eighth display segment N8 goes out when the third reel stop OFF operation is performed. This allows the player to clearly understand that the game was the final game of the advantageous zone.

[0236] In this way, the eighth display segment N8 lights up when the advantageous zone is reached, and turns off when the advantageous zone ends. The eighth display segment N8 not only starts to light up based on the transition to navigation mode, but also starts to light up based on winning the lottery to transition to navigation mode. In other words, even if the game in which the lottery to transition to navigation mode is won is notified, it is possible to clearly understand whether or not the lottery to transition to navigation mode has been won by checking whether or not the eighth display segment N8 is lit. In this way, it is possible to prevent a difference in the degree of advantage between a player who has won the lottery to transition to navigation mode but quits the game without knowing it and a successor player who sits down after him.

[0237] In addition, the slot machine 10 is configured so that there is no difference in the degree of advantage due to the setting value with respect to the playability that changes the degree of advantage due to the push order notification in the navigation mode. Therefore, by making the playability due to the push order notification a uniform degree of advantage for each game machine (setting value) and each game (situation), it is possible to eliminate advantages / disadvantages between players, and to fully enjoy the original playability of the slot machine 10, which is to aim for a picture to obtain a bonus, while making it possible to make a well-balanced gaming machine in relation to the playability due to the accompanying push order notification.

[0238] <Processing related to notification on the sub side> Next, various notification processes performed by the sub-side display control device 81 will be described. As various notification processes, a performance setting process is provided which is executed at a predetermined cycle (1.49 msec cycle) by the display control device 81. The performance setting process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0239] In the performance setting process, first, in step S1501, it is determined whether or not a new command has been received from main control device 101. If a new command has been received, in step S1502, a process is executed to store the received command in RAM 183. A command storage area is provided in RAM 183, and the command storage area is configured as a ring buffer capable of individually storing a plurality of commands and capable of reading out commands stored earlier.

[0240] If a negative determination is made in step S1501, or after the process of step S1502 is executed, in step S1503, it is determined whether or not the newly received command is a betting command. A betting command is a command output from the main control device 101 based on a betting operation being performed, and includes the betting command set in step S207 of the normal process, as well as the navigation mode winning notification command in the mode transition notification process (FIG. 27). If it is one of these betting commands, in step S1504, a betting performance setting process is executed.

[0241] If a negative judgment is made in step S1503, or after the process of step S1504 is executed, in step S1505, it is judged whether or not the newly received command was a start command. A start command is a command output from the main control device 101 based on the operation of the start lever 41, and includes a lottery result command set in step S313 of the lottery process, a premonition command set in the first specific role process, an added command set in the second specific role process, a push order notification command set in the push order role process, and the like. If it is one of these start commands, a start performance setting process is executed in step S1506.

[0242] If a negative decision is made in step S1505, or after the process of step S1506 is executed, in step S1507, it is determined whether or not the newly received command is a stop command. A stop command is a command output from the main control device 101 based on the stop operation of each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R, and includes a stop command set in step S405 of the reel control process (FIG. 18), a winning result command set in step S411 of the reel control process (FIG. 18), a navigation mode end command set in the winning result response process (FIG. 30), and the like. If it is such a stop command, a stop performance setting process is executed in step S1508.

[0243] If a negative decision is made in step S1507, or after the processing of step S1508 has been executed, other processing is executed in step S1509, and then the effect setting processing is terminated. In step S1509, settings are made for effects based on commands from main control device 101 other than when betting, starting, or stopping (for example, effects based on operation of settlement switch 59), effects based on signals from sensors connected without going through main control device 101 (such as effect switch detection sensor), settings for error notification, etc.

[0244] The bet time effect setting process, the start time effect setting process, and the stop time effect setting process will be described below.

[0245] <Bet time performance setting process> The bet time effect setting process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0246] In step S1601, it is determined whether or not the currently received betting command includes a navigation mode winning notification command. If the navigation mode winning notification command is included, in step S1602, a process for setting a navigation mode winning notification effect is performed. Specifically, for example, the auxiliary display unit 65 displays the text "Navi mode confirmed," and the speaker 64 is controlled to emit a corresponding sound effect (for example, a high-pitched female voice saying "I'm so happy!"). As already explained, the navigation mode is implemented with the game in which the navigation mode winning notification command is output as the starting game. In other words, the navigation mode winning notification effect can also be called a navigation mode start effect.

[0247] In addition, in a configuration in which a transition to the navigation mode occurs when a transition condition such as a transition result winning is achieved after the navigation mode is won, the game in which the navigation mode winning notification performance can be performed and the game in which the navigation mode start performance can be performed may be different. In such a configuration, it is preferable to perform the winning notification performance based on the reception of the winning notification command (in a game in which the premonition counter ZC becomes 0), and to perform the start performance in a game in which the transition result winning is achieved.

[0248] If a negative decision is made in step S1601, or after the process of step S1602 is executed, other bet time effects are set in step S1603, and then the bet time effect setting process is terminated. For example, in response to the reception of a bet command, the process may include turning off the lamps around (or inside) the credit insertion switches 56-58 for the corresponding bet number to notify that the operation has been accepted, or returning from a demo mode in which a certain condition is entered when no play has been performed for a predetermined period of time, or turning on the lamp around the start lever 41 to notify that the operation has been validated.

[0249] <Start-up performance setting process> Next, the start-time performance setting process will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

[0250] In step S1701, a display mode setting process is performed. In this process, it is determined whether the display mode currently set on the main control device 101 side is normal mode, premonition mode, navigation mode, or bonus mode, and the display effect of the auxiliary display unit 65 is set in the corresponding display mode. Although detailed explanation using figures is omitted, in the display control device 81, when a premonition command is received from the main control device 101, the premonition mode effect flag is set, and when a navigation mode start command is received, the premonition effect flag is cleared and the navigation mode effect flag is set. In addition, when a navigation mode end command is received, the navigation mode effect flag is cleared. Furthermore, when a state command (including information on the normal game state, BB state, and RT state, see bonus state process) is received from the main control device 101, the corresponding state effect flag (normal game state effect flag, BB state effect flag, and RT state effect flag) is set, and the previous state effect flag is cleared. In step S1701, the current display mode is identified by grasping these various flags, and the auxiliary display unit 65, speaker 64, upper lamp 63, etc. are controlled so that a corresponding effect is performed.

[0251] In the next step S1702, it is determined whether or not the lottery result of the game to be started this time is a push order role win (push order bell win) based on the lottery result command from the received start command. If the push order role wins, it is determined in step S1703 whether or not a push order notification command is included in the received start command. In other words, it is determined whether or not the push order role this time was a win during navigation mode. If the push order notification command is included, in step S1704, a push order notification process is executed. In the push order notification process, the auxiliary display unit 65 and the like are controlled to perform a push order notification in which a bell win is achieved as the first minor role (see FIG. 28).

[0252] If it is determined in step S1702 that the push order role is not a winning combination, then in step S1705, it is determined whether or not the lottery result of the game to be started this time is a winning combination for a specific role, based on the lottery result command among the start commands received. If the specific role is a winning combination, then in step S1706, processing for notifying the specific role is performed. In the processing for notifying the specific role, a chance presentation suggesting that a specific role has been won (for example, a presentation in which the word "chance" or an exclamation mark is displayed on the auxiliary display unit 65, or a sound effect such as "queen" is generated from the speaker 64) is performed.

[0253] After executing the process of either step S1704 or step S1706, or after a negative judgment is made in step S1705, the process proceeds to step S1707. In step S1707, it is judged whether or not the received start command includes an add-on command. If an add-on command is included, in step S1708, a process for setting an add-on notification effect is executed. In this case, the add-on notification effect may be set to occur as a start-time effect, or may be set to occur as a subsequent stop-time effect. The timing of the occurrence of the add-on notification effect is determined by lottery based on the game result that triggered the addition, the number of games to be added, etc.

[0254] If a negative decision is made in step S1707, or after the process of step S1708 is executed, a bonus notification process is executed in step S1709. The bonus notification process is a process for setting effects in a bonus winning game, a bonus starting game, and each game during the bonus.

[0255] After executing the process of step S1709, a bet number navigation notification process is executed in step S1710, and other start-up effects are set in step S1711, after which this start-up effect setting process ends. In step S1711, processes such as setting effects suggesting lottery results in response to the start of the game and turning off the lamps around start lever 41 to notify that the operation has been accepted are performed. The bet number navigation notification process of step S1710 will be described in detail later.

[0256] <Stop performance setting process> Next, the stop time effect setting process will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

[0257] In step S1801, it is determined whether or not the currently received stop command includes a navigation mode end command. If the navigation mode end command is included, in step S1802, settings are made so that a navigation mode end effect is executed on the auxiliary display unit 65 and the speaker 64. Specifically, for example, the auxiliary display unit 65 displays "NAVIGATION MODE END", as well as the number of games to be continued in the current navigation mode and the number of medals paid out in the current navigation mode. Also, the speaker 64 is controlled so that a sound effect of a female voice saying "See you later!" is output from the speaker 64.

[0258] If a negative decision is made in step S1801, or after the process of step S1802 is executed, the process for additional notification is executed in step S1803. The process of step S1803 is executed when the timing for the additional notification effect to occur is set to when the reels stop in the process of step S1708 in the start-time effect setting process described above, and in step S1803, the auxiliary display unit 65, speaker 64, etc. are controlled so that the already-set additional notification effect is executed.

[0259] Then, in step S1804, other stop time effects are set, and the stop time effect setting process is terminated. In step S1804, for example, the upper lamp 63 is controlled to light up in a color corresponding to the winning combination, a sound effect corresponding to the payout amount of the winning combination is controlled to be emitted from the speaker 64, and a sound effect corresponding to an automatic bet during replay is controlled to be emitted from the speaker 64.

[0260] As described above, in this slot machine 10, the lottery process is executed by operating the start lever 41, and the rotation of each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R begins. By operating the stop switches 42 to 44, each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R stops to a stopping result according to the result of the lottery process. In this game, it is possible to win medals in the bonus states of 1st BB and 2nd BB, and in the navigation mode, and the combination of these bonus states and the navigation mode allows the player to expect to win a large number of medals, thereby improving the excitement of the game.

[0261] Moreover, in this embodiment, in the game characteristics having the bonus state and the navigation mode as described above, a device is implemented to further increase the interest. The configuration will be described below.

[0262] <Comparison between 2-bet games and 3-bet games> Fig. 40 shows a lottery table for the normal game state in the 3-bet game in this embodiment. As already explained, the lottery process (Fig. 16) is performed based on the operation of the start lever 41, and at that time, a lottery table acquisition process according to the current number of bets and game state is performed (step S302). Fig. 40 shows a lottery table acquired in step S302 when the current game state is the normal game state and the current number of bets is 3, and is acquired instead of the lottery table of Fig. 17 acquired when the normal game state has 2 bets.

[0263] As shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 40, the point value PV set for each index value IV is approximately the same in the 2-bet game and the 3-bet game, and the probability of winning is the same for index values ​​IV=1 to 35 whether the number of bets is 2 or 3. However, as shown in FIG. 40, in the 3-bet game, unlike the 2-bet game, the 1st BB and the 2nd BB are not set as winning combinations for index values ​​IV=22 to 35. Instead of the 1st BB, the control combination A is set, and instead of the 2nd BB, the control combination B is set. The control combination A and the control combination B are combinations for different combinations for each index value IV. For example, the control role A wins when the "Youth" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "White 7" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "BAR" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on the winning line, and the control role B wins when the "BAR" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "Youth" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "Cherry" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on the winning line. Basically, the winning modes are set so that unless the player intentionally aims for it, the player will not win or will be difficult to win. When the control role A wins or the control role B wins, one medal is paid out as a bonus. In other words, the bonus when the control role A or the control role B wins is less than when other overlapping roles win, and from that point of view, the control roles A and B wins are set to be difficult to aim for.

[0264] Furthermore, in the 3-bet game, the point value PV is set to 0 for index values ​​IV=36, 37. In other words, when a win occurs for index values ​​IV=22 to 35, neither the 1st BB win flag nor the 2nd BB win flag is set, and only the win flags for the small role and replay are set. Specifically, for example, when a win occurs for index value IV=22, the 18th small role win flag, the 21st small role win flag, the 25th small role win flag, and the control role A win flag are set, and the 1st BB win flag is not set. Also, in the 3-bet game, no win occurs for index values ​​IV=36, 37.

[0265] In addition, the same point value (both 1) as the point value PV in the 2 bet game may be set to the index values ​​IV=36, 37 in the 3 bet game, and the 1st BB winning flag and the 2nd BB winning flag may not be set when the index value IV=36, 37 is won in the 3 bet game. Also, the control role A winning flag may be set when the index value IV=36 is won, and the control role B winning flag may be set when the index value IV=37 is won.

[0266] In this way, in the 3-bet game of this embodiment, it is set so that the 1st BB or the 2nd BB is not won. Therefore, in terms of whether or not the 1st BB or the 2nd BB can be won in the normal gaming state, the 2-bet game is more advantageous for the player than the 3-bet game. Therefore, in the normal gaming state, playing the 2-bet game is recommended.

[0267] As already explained, when either the 1st BB hit flag or the 2nd BB hit flag is set and the state is carried over from the 1st BB or 2nd BB winning, the RT setting flag is set and the state transitions to the RT state (Fig. 21). Fig. 41 and Fig. 42 show the lottery tables used in the lottery process during the RT state, Fig. 41 shows the lottery table for a 2-bet game, and Fig. 42 shows the lottery table for a 3-bet game.

[0268] When the RT state is implemented in a 2-bet game, as shown in Fig. 41, the winning probability of the RT replay with index value IV=3 is higher than that in the normal gaming state, specifically, it is set to not win in the normal gaming state, but to win at about 1 in 65.5 in the RT state. And, as a combined value with the normal replay with index value IV=1, the replay probability in the 2-bet game becomes slightly higher from about 1 in 8.21 to about 1 in 7.30 by shifting from the normal gaming state to the RT state (excluding IV=2, 33, 34).

[0269] On the other hand, when the RT state is implemented in a 3-bet game, as shown in Fig. 42, the winning probability of the RT replay with index value IV=3 is higher than that in the normal game state, as in the 2-bet game, specifically, it is set not to be won in the normal game state, but is set to be won with about 1 in 1.78 in the RT state. And, as a combined value with the normal replay with index value IV=1, the replay probability in the 3-bet game increases from about 1 in 8.21 to about 1 in 1.46 by shifting from the normal game state to the RT state (excluding IV=2, 33, 34), and is set to be won with an overwhelmingly higher probability than that of the 2-bet game.

[0270] Fig. 43 shows a comparison of the probability of winning and losing when using the lottery table used in the 2-bet game and the lottery table used in the 3-bet game in the normal game state and the RT state. Also, Fig. 44 shows an overview of the number of medals that can be expected to be paid out per 1G in the normal mode and the navigation mode (net increase, expected number of medals won, expected increase), whether or not a bonus is won, whether or not there is a lottery to switch to the navigation mode or an additional lottery, in the 2-bet game and the 3-bet game.

[0271] As mentioned above, if you play the normal game state in a 3-bet game, you will not win the 1st or 2nd BB, and basically, the 2-bet game is more advantageous for the player than the 3-bet game. However, the navigation mode transition lottery and the navigation mode top-up lottery are held regardless of the number of bets, and the winning probability of the various specific roles that trigger the lottery is the same for 2-bet games and 3-bet games. The number of medals paid out when the push order bell is won, which is the trigger for increasing medals in the navigation mode, differs depending on the number of bets. In a 2-bet game, when the 1st small role is won, 5 medals are paid out, and when the 2nd to 17th small roles are won, 1 medal is paid out, whereas in a 3-bet game, when the 1st small role is won, 9 medals are paid out, and when the 2nd to 17th small roles are won, 3 medals are paid out.

[0272] As a result, in normal mode before a bonus is won and before switching to navigation mode, if the game is played as a 2-bet game, a decrease of about 1.35 medals per game can be expected (a net increase of about minus 1.35 medals), whereas if the game is played as a 3-bet game, a decrease of about 1.74 medals per game can be expected (a net increase of about minus 1.74 medals).And, in navigation mode before a bonus is won and a game is played as a 2-bet game, a decrease of about 0.04 medals per game can be expected (a net increase of about minus 0.04 medals), whereas if the game is played as a 3-bet game, an increase of about 0.41 medals per game can be expected (a net increase of about plus 0.41 medals). In other words, before a bonus is won, in normal mode, a 2-bet game, which reduces the number of medals per game less, is slightly more advantageous than a 3-bet game, and in navigation mode, a 3-bet game, which can increase the number of medals per game, is slightly more advantageous than a 2-bet game, but regardless of the number of bets, there is no big difference in the degree of advantage (net increase) before a bonus is won. Therefore, a 2-bet game, which can be expected to win a bonus, is more advantageous than a 3-bet game.

[0273] In the carryover state after the bonus win, as described above, the winning probability of the RT replay with index value = 3 increases, and the rate of improvement is overwhelmingly higher in the 3-bet game than in the 2-bet game. More specifically, in the RT state, as a result of the higher winning probability of the RT replay, the probability of a non-winning result and a losing result for any index value IV is about 1 in 2.00 in the 2-bet game and 0 in the 3-bet game, so the probability of a losing result is lower in the 3-bet game than in the 2-bet game, and the 3-bet game is set so that a losing result does not occur during the RT state.

[0274] As a result, in the carryover state after the bonus win and in the normal mode, if the game is played as a 2-bet game, a decrease of about 1.32 medals per game can be expected (a net increase of about minus 1.32 medals), whereas if the game is played as a 3-bet game, a decrease of about 0.20 medals per game can be expected (a net increase of about minus 0.20 medals). And, in the navigation mode after the bonus win and in the 2-bet game, a decrease of about 0.01 medals per game can be expected (a net increase of about minus 0.01 medals), whereas if the game is played as a 3-bet game, an increase of about 1.96 medals per game can be expected (a net increase of about plus 1.96 medals). In other words, after the bonus win, in the normal mode, a 3-bet game, which has fewer medals per game, is more advantageous than a 2-bet game, whereas in the navigation mode, a 3-bet game, which has an increase in medals per game, is overwhelmingly more advantageous than a 2-bet game. However, after a bonus is won, the implementation of the navigation mode shift lottery and the navigation mode additional lottery is restricted (see FIG. 24 and FIG. 26). Therefore, especially in the normal mode before the shift to the navigation mode, it is more beneficial for the player to win the bonus as soon as possible after the bonus is won.

[0275] <Overview of game progress> The game characteristics of this embodiment set as above will be described with reference to Figs. 45 to 47 along with the expected increase in the number of coins for each game.

[0276] As already explained, when the game state is the normal game state and not the navigation mode, if you play a 3-bet game, you can take the lottery to switch to the navigation mode, but you cannot take the lottery to switch to the BB state of the first BB or the second BB. In a 3-bet game started at the timing of t1, if you win the lottery to switch to the navigation mode at the timing of t2 and switch to the navigation mode at the same timing, the expected increase in coins from t1 to t2 is about minus 1.74 coins, while in the navigation mode from t2 to t3, it is about plus 0.41 coins. Therefore, in a 3-bet game, you can expect a slight increase in medals by switching to the navigation mode. However, since you cannot take the lottery to switch to the first BB or the second BB, you cannot expect to win many medals.

[0277] When the game state is the normal game state and not the navigation mode, if you play a 2-bet game, you can enter a lottery to switch to the navigation mode, and you can also enter a lottery to switch to the BB state of the first BB or the second BB. In a 2-bet game started at t4, if you win the lottery to switch to the navigation mode at t5 and switch to the navigation mode at the same time, the expected increase in coins from t4 to t5 is about minus 1.35 coins, while in the navigation mode from t5 to t6, it is about minus 0.04 coins. Therefore, the navigation mode in a 2-bet game can be said to be a mode that maintains the status quo with almost no medal reduction. As mentioned above, in a 2 bet game, it is possible to win either the 1st BB or the 2nd BB. For example, if the 2nd BB is won at t7 and the 2nd BB is won in the winning game (at t7), the BB state is implemented in a 3 bet game, and 9 medals are paid out almost every game in the BB state, so the expected increase from t7 to t8 will be about +6.0 medals.

[0278] If the first or second BB is won, the game will transition to the RT state unless the winning game is completed. For example, in a 2-bet game that starts at t9, if the first BB is won at t10, the game will be in the RT state until the first BB is completed at t11. In this case, in the RT state of the 2-bet game, the probability of winning the RT replay with index value IV=3 is slightly higher, but the expected increase in coins does not change much from the normal game state, and the expected increase in coins is about minus 1.35 coins from t9 to t10, while the expected increase in coins is about minus 1.32 coins from t10 to t11. If the first BB is won and the game transitions to the BB state, the expected increase in coins is about plus 6.0 coins in the BB state from t11 to t12, as described above.

[0279] In a 2-bet game, the first BB and the navigation mode may be won simultaneously. For example, in a 2-bet game that starts at t13, if the first BB and the navigation mode are won simultaneously at t14, and the navigation mode is played in the 2-bet game as an RT state until t15 when the first BB is won, the expected increase in medals from t14 to t15 will be minus about 0.01 medals, and the mode will be one in which medals are almost maintained. However, from t14 to t15, no new first BB or second BB will be won, and no additional drawing for the navigation mode will be performed. Therefore, if the 2-bet game is to be continued, it is recommended that the first BB be won as soon as possible and the BB state (t15 to t16) will be played.

[0280] Here, the expected increase in coins from t14 to t16, that is, the average value of the expected increase in coins in the navigation mode and RT state in the 2-bet game and the BB state thereafter, is calculated as about 2.0 coins. In other words, the expected increase in coins in each game when the navigation mode and RT state are consumed in the 2-bet game and then the BB state are consumed is about the same as the expected increase in coins in each game in the navigation mode and RT state (ART state) in the 3-bet game. In this way, when the BB is won during the navigation mode (when the RT state is set), it is possible to prevent a difference in the degree of advantage from occurring regardless of whether the 2-bet game or the 3-bet game is selected. Also, in these situations, the expected increase in coins is a predetermined number (2.0 coins) or less in both bet games. In this way, it is possible to prevent the degree of advantage from being outstanding when one of the bet games is selected compared to the other.

[0281] On the other hand, in a 2-bet game that starts at t17, if the first BB and navigation mode are simultaneously won at t18, and the navigation mode is consumed in a 3-bet game as an RT state until t19 when the first BB is won, that is, if the 2-bet game is switched to a 3-bet game in the navigation mode and RT state, the expected increase in medals from t18 to t19 will be about +1.96 medals, and a large increase in medals can be expected. Since the navigation mode is not added from t18 to t19, after the initial number of games in the navigation mode is consumed, the game is switched to a 2-bet game, the first BB is won, and the BB state is consumed. In other words, by switching to the navigation mode and RT state in a 2-bet game, and then switching to a 3-bet game and consuming the navigation mode and RT state, it is possible to expect to win more medals than the expected increase in medals in a 2-bet game.

[0282] For example, in a 2-bet game that started at t21, if you win or switch to Navi mode at t22, playing the same Navi mode in a 2-bet game will allow you to receive the additional draw and the 1st and 2nd BB draws while maintaining the current state. Then, based on winning the 1st and 2nd BB at t23, you can play in a 3-bet game until t24, which is the number of games remaining in Navi mode, and you can play in a high winning state of about 1.96 coins. If the number of remaining games in Navi mode becomes 0 at t24, you will switch to the BB state, and you can expect to win even more medals in the BB state until t25.

[0283] In this manner, in this embodiment, the BB winning probability and the replay probability in the RT state are made different between the 2-bet game and the 3-bet game, thereby realizing novel gameplay utilizing bet switching.

[0284] In particular, in a 2-bet game, since the number of medals held can decrease (the expected increase is negative) even in a situation where the RT state and the navigation mode overlap (hereinafter also referred to as the ART state), the combined expected increase in the BB state and the ART state in a 2-bet game is less than a specific number (2.0 coins), and is less than the expected increase in the ART state in a 3-bet game, more specifically, is approximately the same as the expected increase in the ART state in a 3-bet game. Also, since the 1st BB and 2nd BB are not won in a 3-bet game, the expected increase in the ART state excluding the BB state in a 3-bet game is also less than the specific number (2.0 coins), and is less than the combined expected increase in the 2-bet game, more specifically, is approximately the same as the combined expected increase in the 2-bet game.

[0285] In other words, when the 2-bet game and the 3-bet game are considered separately, the expected increase in both games is below a specific number. In games with the same expected increase in coins, it is possible to achieve an expected increase in coins that exceeds the specific number by switching the bet depending on the situation.

[0286] <Bet switching configuration> The configuration for instructing the switching of the bet number will be described below. Fig. 48 is a flowchart showing the bet number navigation process. The bet number navigation process is a process performed in the lottery result corresponding process (Fig. 23) in the main control device 101, and is a process performed based on the operation of the start lever 41.

[0287] In step S1901, it is determined whether or not the bonus winning flag of the 1st BB winning flag or the 2nd BB winning flag is set. As already explained, the 1st BB winning flag or the 2nd BB winning flag is set by winning the 1st BB or the 2nd BB, and is cleared by winning the 1st BB or the 2nd BB. If neither of the bonus winning flags is set, it is determined whether or not the bonus state is in a step S1902. If the bonus state is in a bonus state, the bet number navigation process is terminated as it is. If the current game is not in a bonus state, it is determined whether or not the current game is a 3-bet game in a step S1903. If the current game is a 3-bet game, a process is executed to set a 2-bet switching instruction command as an output target to the display control device 81 in a step S1904, and then the bet number navigation process is terminated. The 2-bet switching instruction command is a command for making the auxiliary display unit 65, the speaker 64, etc. perform a switching instruction notification to instruct to switch from a 3-bet game to a 2-bet game. If it is determined in step S1903 that the current game is a 2-bet game, the bet number navigation process is terminated as it is.

[0288] If it is determined in step S1901 that any of the bonus win flags is set, it is determined in step S1905 whether or not the navigation mode flag is set. If it is determined that the navigation mode flag is not set, the process proceeds to step S1902, where, provided that the bonus state is not present, a process is performed to set a 2 bet switching instruction command if the game is a 3 bet game.

[0289] If the navigation mode flag is set in step S1905, whether or not the current game is a bonus winning game is determined based on the result of the lottery process of the current game in step S1906. Whether or not the current game is a bonus winning game can also be determined based on the presence or absence of the RT setting flag. If the bonus winning flag is set and the RT setting flag is not set, the current game is a bonus winning game, and if the bonus winning flag is set and the RT setting flag is set, the current game is not a bonus winning game. If the current game is not a bonus winning game, that is, if the RT state has already been set, in step S1907, it is determined whether or not the current game was a 2-bet game. If the current game is a 2-bet game, in step S1908, a process is executed to set a 3-bet switching instruction command as an output target to the display control device 81, and then the bet number navigation process is terminated. The 3-bet switching instruction command is a command for causing the auxiliary display unit 65, the speaker 64, etc. to perform a switching instruction notification instructing to switch from a 2-bet game to a 3-bet game.

[0290] If it is determined in step S1907 that it is a 3-bet game, in step S1909, it is determined whether or not there is one game left in the navigation mode based on the value of the navigation mode counter NC. If there is one game left, that is, if the navigation mode ends in this game, in step S1910, a process is executed to set the next game switching instruction command as an output target to the display control device 81, and then the bet number navigation process ends. The next game switching instruction command is a command to notify the auxiliary display unit 65, speaker 64, etc. that the ART state by the 3-bet game should end in this game. If there is not one game left in step S1910, the bet number navigation process ends as it is.

[0291] When it is determined in step S1906 that the game is a bonus winning game, it means that the current game is a two-bet game, and in this case, in step S1911, a process is executed to set the winning game notification command as an output target to the display control device 81, and then the bet number navigation process is terminated. The winning game notification command is a command for causing the auxiliary display unit 65, speaker 64, etc. to notify the player that it would be more advantageous for him or her not to win a bonus in the winning game.

[0292] Next, the bet number navigation notification process performed by the display control device 81 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 49. The bet number navigation notification process is a process performed in the start performance setting process (Fig. 38) when the start lever 41 is operated to start, and is a process for notifying the number of bets in the game to be started and for notifying the user if the situation requires the number of bets to be switched. In addition, in describing the game mode switching process, the schematic diagrams of the display performance in Figs. 50 to 52 will be referred to as appropriate.

[0293] In step S2001, it is determined whether or not the game is in a bonus state. If the game is in a bonus state, the bet number navigation notification process is terminated. In other words, during the bonus state, notification of the bet number and notification of instructions for switching the bet number are not performed.

[0294] If it is not in the bonus state, in step S2002, it is determined whether or not the game to be started this time is a 2-bet game. If it is a 2-bet game, in step S2003, the auxiliary display unit 65 and the like are controlled to perform a 2-bet notification effect indicating that the game to be started this time is a 2-bet game. The 2-bet notification effect is, for example, an effect in which a 2-bet notification image BP2 saying "2 BET" is displayed in a predetermined area (for example, the upper left part of the screen) in the auxiliary display unit 65, as shown in Figs. 50(a), 50(c), 51(a), and 51(c). If it is determined in step S2002 that the game to be started this time is not a 2-bet game and is a 3-bet game, in step S2004, the auxiliary display unit 65 is controlled to perform a 3-bet notification effect indicating that the game to be started this time is a 3-bet game. 50(b), 50(d), 51(b), and 51(d), the 3 bet notification effect is an effect in which a 3 bet notification image BP3 saying "3 BET" is displayed in a predetermined area (e.g., the upper right part of the screen) in the auxiliary display unit 65. Note that it is preferable that the predetermined area in which the 3 bet notification image BP3 is displayed is different from the predetermined area in which the 2 bet notification image BP2 is displayed.

[0295] These 2-bet notification images BP2 and 3-bet notification images BP3 should be displayed so as not to overlap with other information displays in the game. For example, as shown in FIG. 50(c), when the RT state and normal mode are played in a 2-bet game, an information display such as "Aim for 7!" may be displayed to encourage a bonus win, and the 2-bet notification image BP2 should be displayed in a position that does not overlap with such information display. Also, as shown in FIG. 51(a), FIG. 51(c), and FIG. 51(d), in the navigation mode, information display of the stop order that results in the first small win may be displayed as a push order notification performance, and the 2-bet notification image BP2 and 3-bet notification image BP3 should be displayed in a position that does not overlap with such information display. The relationship with other information displays is the same for the image display related to the number of bets described below.

[0296] After executing the process of step S2003 or step S2004, it is determined in step S2005 whether or not a 3-bet switching instruction command has been received. If a 3-bet switching instruction command has been received, in step S2006, the auxiliary display unit 65 and the like are controlled to perform a 3-bet switching notification effect, and then this bet number navigation notification process is terminated. The 3-bet switching notification effect is, for example, an effect in which a 3-bet recommendation image BSP3 saying "Please play with 3 BET" is displayed in a predetermined area (for example, the upper right part of the screen) in the auxiliary display unit 65, as shown in FIG. 51(c).

[0297] The 3-bet switching notification effect is executed when a player plays a 2-bet game in a situation where playing a 3-bet game is more advantageous for the player (RT state and navigation mode). In this case, as described above, the 2-bet notification image BP2 is displayed as the 2-bet notification effect, and it is preferable to display the 3-bet recommendation image BSP3 in a different area from the 2-bet notification image BP2 so as not to overlap with it. For example, it is preferable to display it in a specified area (the upper right part of the screen) when displaying the 3-bet notification image BP3.

[0298] If a 3-bet switching command has not been received in step S2005, it is determined in step S2007 whether or not a 2-bet switching command has been received. If a 2-bet switching command has been received, in step S2008, the auxiliary display unit 65 and the like are controlled to perform a 2-bet switching notification effect, and then this bet number navigation notification process is terminated. The 2-bet switching notification effect is, for example, an effect in which a 2-bet recommendation image BSP2 saying "Please play with 2 BET" is displayed in a predetermined area (for example, the upper left part of the screen) in the auxiliary display unit 65, as shown in Figures 50(b), 50(d) and 51(b).

[0299] The 2-bet switching notification effect is executed when a 3-bet game is played in a situation where playing a 2-bet game is more advantageous for the player (normal game state and normal mode, RT state and normal mode, normal game state and navigation mode). In this case, as described above, the 3-bet notification image BP3 is displayed as the 3-bet notification effect, and it is preferable to display the 2-bet recommendation image BSP2 in a different area from the 3-bet notification image BP3 so as not to overlap with it. For example, it is preferable to display it in a specified area (upper left part of the screen) when displaying the 2-bet notification image BP2.

[0300] If the 2-bet switching command has not been received in step S2007, it is determined in step S2009 whether or not a next-game switching command has been received. If the next-game switching command has been received, in step S2010, the auxiliary display unit 65 and the like are controlled to perform a next-game switching notification effect, and then this bet number navigation notification process is terminated. The next-game switching notification effect is, for example, an effect in which the auxiliary display unit 65 displays a message saying "Please play the next game with 2 bets" as shown in FIG. 52(a).

[0301] If the next game switching notification command is not received in step S2009, it is determined in step S2011 whether or not a winning game notification command is received. If the winning game notification command is received, in step S2012, the auxiliary display unit 65 and the like are controlled to perform a winning avoidance notification effect, and then the bet number navigation notification process is terminated. The winning avoidance notification effect is, for example, an effect in which a display of "Aim for the white 7!!" is displayed on the auxiliary display unit 65 as shown in FIG. 52(b). Note that the "white 7", "red 7", and "BAR" symbols are arranged so that the "red 7" symbol corresponding to the first BB winning and the "BAR" symbol corresponding to the second BB winning do not stop at the valid position when the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R are stopped with the aim of aiming for the "white 7" symbol.

[0302] The gameplay recommended in this embodiment will be supplementarily explained with reference to FIG. 53 in addition to FIG. 50 to FIG.

[0303] First, in the normal gaming state and normal mode, a 2-bet game is more advantageous to the player than a 3-bet game, so the player plays in the normal gaming state and normal mode with a 2-bet game. In this case, the auxiliary display unit 65 displays a 2-bet notification effect (FIG. 50(a)), and the current number of bets can also be ascertained from the auxiliary display unit 65. Note that, as already explained, when a 3-bet game is played in the normal gaming state and normal mode, the auxiliary display unit 65 displays a 3-bet notification effect and a 2-bet switching notification effect (FIG. 50(b)).

[0304] In the normal game state and in the normal mode, when a specific role is won and the lottery for switching to the navigation mode is won, a push order notification based on the push order bell win may occur. Even in this case, since the 2-bet game is more advantageous to the player than the 3-bet game, the player plays in the normal game state and in the navigation mode in the 2-bet game. In this case, the auxiliary display unit 65 performs a 2-bet notification effect (FIG. 51(a)), and the current number of bets can also be grasped from the auxiliary display unit 65. Note that, as already explained, when a 3-bet game is played in the normal game state and in the navigation mode, the auxiliary display unit 65 performs a 3-bet notification effect and a 2-bet switching notification effect (FIG. 51(b)).

[0305] In normal game mode, the difference between 2-bet games and 3-bet games is mainly whether or not there is a BB win, and while the 1st and 2nd BB can be won in a 2-bet game, there is no BB win in a 3-bet game. Therefore, by completing the navigation mode in a 2-bet game, it is possible to receive the benefits of the navigation mode (reducing medal loss, maintaining the status quo) while waiting for a BB win, but if the navigation mode is completed in a 3-bet game, only the benefits of the navigation mode will be received.

[0306] When the navigation mode is played in a 2-bet game, if a BB win occurs, the RT state is set until the BB win is achieved. In this case, a win avoidance notification effect is generated in the BB winning game (FIG. 52(b)), and the BB win is unintentionally achieved, making it difficult for the event of not being set to the RT state to occur.

[0307] In the RT state and navigation mode, a 3-bet game is more advantageous to the player than a 2-bet game, so the player plays in the RT state and navigation mode in a 3-bet game. In this case, the auxiliary display unit 65 displays a 3-bet notification effect (FIG. 51(d)), and the current number of bets can also be ascertained from the auxiliary display unit 65. As already explained, when a 2-bet game is played in the RT state and navigation mode, the auxiliary display unit 65 displays a 2-bet notification effect and a 3-bet switching notification effect (FIG. 51(c)).

[0308] In Navi mode, the number of games to continue is set, and when the number of remaining games reaches 0, Navi mode ends and switches to normal mode. The number of games to continue is the initial number of games set when switching to Navi mode, and may be increased by winning specific roles during Navi mode. During Navi mode, when the push order bell is won, a push order announcement corresponding to the first small role that wins the most medals is generated, and by playing it in a 3-bet game in particular, you can expect to increase the number of medals you have.

[0309] In the RT state and normal mode, the 2-bet game is more advantageous for the player than the 3-bet game, so when the navigation mode ends in the RT state, the BB winning should be established early in the 2-bet game. Therefore, in the final game of the navigation mode, the next game switching notification effect occurs (FIG. 51(a)). When the RT state and normal mode are consumed in the 2-bet game, the 2-bet notification effect is implemented on the auxiliary display unit 65 (FIG. 50(c)), and the current number of bets can also be grasped from the auxiliary display unit 65. In this case, a notification encouraging the BB winning (for example, a display saying "Aim for the red 7!!") is also implemented. In addition, when a 3-bet game is played in the RT state and normal mode, as already explained, the auxiliary display unit 65 implements the 3-bet notification effect and the 2-bet switching notification effect (FIG. 50(d)).

[0310] In this way, by allowing the player to switch the number of bets for each game as they play, the gameplay becomes more advantageous. The current number of bets is notified (2 bet notification effect or 3 bet notification effect), and when it is time to switch, a notification for that purpose is made (2 bet switch notification effect, 3 bet switch notification effect).Furthermore, by making notifications that supplement the gameplay resulting from the switch (next game switch notification effect, winning avoidance notification effect), the player's understanding is improved, making it possible to play at an advantage.

[0311] On the other hand, the player can choose which bet to play in each game. That is, even if a 3-bet game is recommended in the RT state and the navigation mode, for example, when the time to finish playing is approaching, such as when the store is about to close, it may be better to play the bonus state rather than playing the navigation mode in a 3-bet game. In this respect, since the player can select the number of bets as described above, it is possible to flexibly respond to various situations.

[0312] According to the present embodiment described above in detail, the following excellent effects are obtained.

[0313] In the navigation mode, which is an advantageous zone that can be consumed in both 2-bet games and 3-bet games, it is more advantageous for the player to consume it in 2-bet games in the normal game state before the bonus is won, but it is more advantageous for the player to consume it in 3-bet games in the RT state after the bonus is won. In this way, in the navigation mode, where the degree of advantage is improved by the notification of the operation order of the stop switches 42 to 44, a game of waiting for the bonus to be won is added, and the benefit of the bonus winning is brought not only in the bonus state but also in the RT state before the transition to the bonus state, making it possible to provide a novel game. In this way, the interest of the game is improved.

[0314] In particular, in the gameplay where a player waits for a bonus win during navigation mode, the navigation mode can be added until the bonus is won, but it is set up so that no additional addition occurs after the bonus is won. This makes it possible to provide gameplay that can provide an intense sense of excitement by taking advantage of the conflicting desire to win a bonus as quickly as possible and the desire to have the navigation mode added as much as possible before the bonus is won.

[0315] In this case, the average expected increase in the number of coins in the ART state and the bonus state combined in a 2-bet game and the expected increase in the number of coins in the ART state in a 3-bet game are both about 2.0 coins or less, so whichever bet you choose, there is basically no big difference in the degree of advantage, and it is possible to prevent the degree of advantage from being too high for any bet. On top of that, by appropriately switching the number of bets, it is possible to realize a game with an expected increase in coins exceeding the above-mentioned approximately 2.0 coins, and new gameplay can be created by switching the number of bets.

[0316] Here, in the 2-bet game, in addition to the transition to the first advantageous state such as the navigation mode, it is also possible to transition to the second advantageous state such as the bonus state, while in the 3-bet game, since only the transition to the first advantageous state occurs, a game is added in which the player selects which game to play by using a parameter selectable by the player, such as the number of bets. In this case, on the premise that the more the number of bets, the greater the payoff, it is considered that the 3-bet game may have a greater payoff than the 2-bet game, but from the viewpoint of the types of advantageous states that can be transitioned to, it is also considered that the 2-bet game is more advantageous than the 3-bet game. In this way, it is possible to cover the 2-bet game, which is likely to have a smaller payoff, with the abundance of types of advantageous states that can be transitioned to, and the balance between the two bet games can be maintained.

[0317] In addition, in a game that allows the player to select between a 2-bet game and a 3-bet game, it is possible to transition to and consume the other number of bets when a navigation mode is won or transitioned to with either number of bets, which makes it possible to ideally realize a game that allows the number of bets to be switched during navigation mode.

[0318] On the other hand, a bonus won in a 2-bet game can be won in a 2-bet game, but cannot be won in a 3-bet game. By doing this, if you want to win a bonus, you need to play a 2-bet game, and it is possible to avoid the situation where a bonus is unintentionally won during the ART state in a 3-bet game.

[0319] In the lottery table for RT state in the 3-bet game, the replay probability for RT is significantly increased so that a losing result does not occur. By doing so, when the 1st BB hit flag or the 2nd BB hit flag is set, if a 3-bet game is played, a replay or a small win will always be achieved, and it is possible to prevent a bonus win from being achieved by winning a replay or a small win. Therefore, it is possible to realize the above-mentioned novel gameplay by using the existing priority stop configuration without using a special lottery table or complicated control.

[0320] <Variation 1> The winning opportunity of the 1st BB or the 2nd BB may be changed. Fig. 54 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the lottery table for each betting game in this modified example.

[0321] In the first embodiment, as a winning opportunity for the 1st BB or the 2nd BB, in addition to the overlapping role with the Chance Replay (IV=34, 35), the overlapping role with the specific role (IV=22-33) was set, but in this modified example, the overlapping role with the specific role is not set. Also, in this modified example, the single role (IV=36, 37) of the 1st BB or the 2nd BB is not set. That is, in this modified example, the 1st BB or the 2nd BB wins with the overlapping role with the Chance Replay (IV=34, 35), and does not win with other opportunities.

[0322] As described above, after the game results of each game are derived in the lottery process (FIG. 16), the priority setting process (step S315) sets the stop priority control of overlapping roles. In this case, the stop control is set so that the replay is given the highest priority, followed by the small role and the bonus. In this modified example, the overlapping role in the bonus winning game is only the chance replay, and the chance replay is set so that it is not missed, so that the chance replay (first replay or second replay) is always won in the bonus winning game.

[0323] By doing this, when a bonus is won during navigation mode, it is possible to prevent an inconvenience such as unintentionally establishing a bonus win in the bonus winning game and not being able to enjoy the benefit of using up the navigation mode and RT state in a 3-bet game.

[0324] That is, when the overlapping combination of the small role (specific role) and the bonus in the first embodiment is won, the stop control is performed so that the small role is preferentially established, and when the small role cannot be established, the stop control is performed so that the bonus is established. Therefore, when the bonus is won in the overlapping combination with the small role, if the small role cannot be established in the bonus winning game and the stop operation is performed at a timing when the bonus can be established, the bonus is established in the game. In this case, although the bonus winning opportunity can be diversified, it may be disadvantageous that the benefit of the navigation mode and the RT state cannot be obtained as described above. In addition, it is possible to prevent the bonus winning from occurring in the bonus winning game by setting the small role overlapping with the bonus as a winning mode that does not cause a miss, more specifically, by setting the winning mode so that the winning is established regardless of the timing of the stop operation of the stop switches 42 to 44.

[0325] Furthermore, in the RT state after the bonus win, especially in the 3-bet game, the winning mode may be set so that the winning result is not lost, but the winning mode may also be set so that the winning result is not missed. More specifically, the winning mode may be set so that the winning result is not missed for small roles such as strong cherries, weak cherries, and watermelons. In this way, when playing the navigation mode and the RT state in a 3-bet game, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an event in which the bonus win is established due to the missing of small roles. In other words, in this case, if the navigation mode and the RT state are consumed in 3 bet games, the bonus win is not established, and the bonus win is not established unless it is consumed in 2 bet games. In addition, the winning mode may also be set so that the winning result is not missed regardless of the stop order of the push order bell. In this case, it is preferable to set the payout amount to be large or small depending on the stop order.

[0326] <Variation 2> In the first embodiment, the push order notification occurs when the push order bell is won by switching to the navigation mode, but in this modified example, the trigger for the push order notification is different. Figure 55 is a flowchart showing the push order role processing in this modified example. The push order role processing is one process in the lottery result corresponding process (Figure 23) that is executed based on the operation of the start lever 41.

[0327] In step S2101, it is determined whether or not the lottery result of this game is a push order bell win. If the push order bell win is determined, in step S2102, it is determined whether or not the navigation mode flag is set. If the navigation mode flag is set, it is determined whether or not the RT setting flag is set in step S2103. If the RT setting flag is set, in step S2104, it is set to execute a push order notification corresponding to the first small role win, and in step S2105, a push order notification command is set as an output target to the display control device 81, and then the push order role processing is terminated. If a negative determination is made in any of steps S2101 to S2103, the push order role processing is terminated as is.

[0328] In other words, in this modified example, even if the navigation mode is won, the push order notification when the push order bell is won will not be generated until the first BB or second BB is won and the RT state is entered.

[0329] In this case, as shown in FIG. 56, the expected increase in number of coins per game in each game state is about 1.35 coins minus in the navigation mode and normal game state in the 2-bet game, and about 1.74 coins minus in the 3-bet game, so that the expected increase in number of coins is the same as before the transition to the navigation mode. In this case, in the normal mode and normal game state, the game should be played in the 2-bet game, as in the first embodiment, but in this modified example, even if the player wins the lottery to transition to the navigation mode, the advantage of the player does not increase, and the player is in the navigation mode and RT state, which is advantageous for the player. In other words, the expected increase in number of coins in each game does not change regardless of whether the game is in the navigation mode or not, but the number of games remaining in the navigation mode when a bonus is won affects the benefit of playing the navigation mode and RT state (ART state) in a 3-bet game, so that it is possible to realize new playability by the navigation mode while not making the advantage of the navigation mode too high.

[0330] <Variation 3> In this modified example, the configuration of the navigation mode is changed. Figure 57 shows the configuration of the winning combination added in this modified example, Figure 57(a) shows the winning mode of the added combination, Figure 57(b) shows the lottery table for the added combination, and Figure 57(c) is an explanatory diagram showing the correspondence between the operation sequence of the stop switches 42 to 44 of the added combination and the winning mode that is achieved.

[0331] That is, in this modified example, the fourth replay, the fifth replay, and the sixth replay are added as winning combinations. In the fourth replay, a win is achieved when the "first replay" or "second replay" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "red bell" or "white bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "red bell" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on an active line. In the fifth replay, a win is achieved when the "first replay" or "second replay" symbol on the left reel 32L, the "red bell" or "white bell" symbol on the middle reel 32M, and the "first replay" or "second replay" symbol on the right reel 32R stop on an active line. The sixth replay is won when the "first replay" or "second replay" symbols on the left reel 32L, the "first replay" or "second replay" symbols on the middle reel 32M, and the "first replay" or "second replay" symbols on the right reel 32R stop on an active line. The fourth to sixth replays are all awarded as a prize for winning.

[0332] In this modified example, in addition to the RT state set during the bonus carryover state, an RT state to which a player enters upon winning a predetermined transition result is also set. In order to distinguish between these RT states, in the following description, the RT state to which a player enters upon winning a predetermined transition result is called the first RT state, and the RT state set during the bonus carryover state is called the second RT state. When the fourth replay win is achieved, the game state transitions to the first RT state, and when the fifth replay win is achieved, the game state transitions to the normal game state. When the first RT state is reached, the probability of winning the sixth replay increases.

[0333] In the lottery table used for the lottery process of each game, index values ​​IV=38 to 40 are added, and when an index value IV=38 is won, the fourth re-play, the fifth re-play, and the sixth re-play are won. When an index value IV=39 is won, the first re-play, the fourth re-play, and the fifth re-play are won. When an index value IV=40 is won, the first re-play and the sixth re-play are won. Of these, for index values ​​IV=38 and 39, the operation order of the stop switches 42 to 44 and the winning mode that is established are determined, and the winning re-play may differ depending on the operation order of the stop switches 42 to 44.

[0334] For example, when the transition replay 1 with index value IV=38 is won, the stop information is set so that the fifth replay win is established if the operation sequence of the stop switches 42-44 is left → center → right, left → right → center, center → right → left, or right → left → center, the fourth replay win is established if the operation sequence is center → left → right, and the sixth replay win is established if the operation sequence is right → center → left. On the other hand, when the transition replay 2 with index value IV=39 is won, the stop information is set so that the first replay win is established if the operation sequence of the stop switches 42-44 is left → center → right, the fifth replay win is established if the operation sequence is left → right → center, center → left → right, right → left → center, or right → center → left, and the fourth replay win is established if the operation sequence is center → right → left. That is, when the transition replays 1 and 2 with the index values ​​IV=38 and 39 are won, the state transitions to the first RT state or the normal gaming state depending on the operation order of the stop switches 42 to 44.

[0335] FIG. 58 shows a comparison of lottery tables by bet number and state in this modified example.

[0336] In this modified example, the winning probability of the transition replays 1 and 2 with index values ​​IV=38 and 39 is set to be the same regardless of the number of bets, and more specifically, regardless of the number of bets and the state, both have a winning probability of about 1 in 131. The RT1 replay with index value IV=40 does not win with any number of bets in the normal game state, but in the first RT state, in a 2-bet game, it wins with a probability of about 1 in 4.34, and the replay winning is established with a very high probability. However, even if the state transitions to the first RT state, the winning probability of the RT1 replay does not improve in a 3-bet game, and does not change from the replay probability in the normal game state. The winning probability of each role in the second RT state during the bonus carryover is generally the same as that of the first embodiment, except for the winning probability of the transition replays 1 and 2 and the winning probability of the corresponding normal replay.

[0337] Figure 59(a) is a flowchart showing the push order role processing in this modified example.

[0338] In step S2201, it is determined whether the lottery result of this game is a push order bell win or not, and if it is a push order bell win, in step S2202, on the condition that the navigation mode flag is set, in step S2203 and step S2204, processing for the push order notification corresponding to the first small prize win is performed. This processing is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0339] In this modified example, if a negative judgment is made in step S2201 or step S2202, the process proceeds to step S2205, where it is judged whether or not the lottery result of this game is a win for transition replay 1 or transition replay 2. If a win for transition replay 1 or transition replay 2 is made, it is judged in step S2206 whether or not the navigation mode flag is set, and if the navigation mode flag is set, the instruction monitor 68 is controlled so that a push order notification corresponding to the fourth replay win is performed. Then, in step S2208, in order to generate a push order notification performance corresponding to the fourth replay win, a push order notification command is set as an output target to the display control device 81, and the push order role processing is terminated. If a negative judgment is made in step S2205 or step S2206, the push order role processing is terminated as it is.

[0340] In other words, in this modified example, when the lottery for transitioning to the navigation mode is won and the navigation mode flag is set, a notification of the order in which to press the stop switches 42 to 44 to achieve the fourth re-play prize is generated, making it possible to transition to the first RT state.

[0341] The configuration regarding the transition between the first RT state and the normal gaming state will be explained with reference to the flowchart of the RT transition process shown in Fig. 59(b). The RT transition process is a process that is executed by the main control device 101 as one process of the winning result corresponding process, for example, when each of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R stops and a winning determination is made.

[0342] In step S2211, it is determined whether or not the fourth re-play win has been achieved in the current game. If the fourth re-play win has been achieved, in step S2212, a process of setting a first RT setting flag is executed in the various flag storage area 106d, and then this RT transition process is terminated. The first RT setting flag corresponds to the RT setting flag set in the carry-over state, and in this modified example, the first RT setting flag is set when the fourth re-play win has been achieved, and the second RT setting flag is set in the carry-over state so that the CPU 102 can distinguish between the carry-over state and the second RT state.

[0343] If a negative decision is made in step S2211, it is decided in step S2213 whether or not the fifth re-play winning has been achieved. If the fifth re-play winning has not been achieved, the RT transition processing is terminated as is, and if the fifth re-play winning has been achieved, the first RT setting flag is cleared in step S2214, and then the RT transition processing is terminated.

[0344] That is, by winning the lottery for switching to the navigation mode, a push order notification corresponding to the 4th re-play win occurs, making it possible to achieve the 4th re-play win, but even if the push order notification does not occur, if the 4th re-play win is achieved, the game will transition to the 1st RT state regardless of the presence or absence of the navigation mode flag. However, if the game is not in navigation mode or after the navigation mode ends, the game will transition to the normal game state on the condition that the 5th re-play win is achieved, so that even if the player happens to correctly answer the operation sequence corresponding to the 4th re-play win, the game will not be too advantageous to the player, and it is possible to quickly return to the normal game state when the navigation mode ends.

[0345] The expected increase in coins per game for each gaming status in this modified example will be described with reference to FIG.

[0346] In this modified example, when the transition lottery to the navigation mode is won in the normal game state, not only the push order notification when the push order bell is won, but also the push order notification when the transition replays 1 and 2 are won occurs. As a result, by winning the transition lottery to the navigation mode before the bonus is won, the game state can transition to the first RT state.

[0347] However, as mentioned above, in the first RT state, the probability of winning the RT1 replay (IV=40) increases in the two-bet game, but the probability of winning the RT1 replay does not change in the three-bet game. In this way, in the navigation mode (first RT state), the replay probability increases in the two-bet game and you can expect to win medals with the push order bell, but in the three-bet game, you can only expect to win medals with the push order bell.

[0348] On the other hand, the expected increase in medals due to the push order announcement, which is the first small prize when the push order bell is won, is 3 medals per game in 2 bet games (5 medals paid out - 2 medals bet), while in 3 bet games it is 6 medals per game (9 medals paid out - 3 medals bet), so the benefit of the push order announcement when the push order bell is won is greater in 3 bet games.

[0349] In other words, in the navigation mode, if we only look at the benefits when the push order bell is won, the 3 bet game is more advantageous than the 2 bet game. In this modified example, the probability of winning the RT1 replay in the 1st RT state in the 2 bet game is set so that the difference in benefits when the push order bell is won is compensated for by the improvement in the RT1 replay probability in the 1st RT state. As a result, in this modified example, the expected increase in coins per game in the navigation mode (1st RT state) is about 0.41 coins in the 2 bet game and about 0.41 coins in the 3 bet game, and the expected number of coins won is the same for both bet numbers.

[0350] In addition, in this modified example, as in the first embodiment, a bonus can be won in a 2-bet game, but a bonus cannot be won in a 3-bet game, so that the gameplay is more advantageous in a 2-bet game than in a 3-bet game in proportion to the possibility of winning a bonus. In other words, by making the expected number of coins won in the navigation mode common between a 2-bet game and a 3-bet game as described above, the difference between whether or not a bonus is won is prominent, and it becomes possible to make the gameplay of aiming to win a bonus during the navigation mode, which is the core of the gameplay of this gaming machine, easier to understand.

[0351] Incidentally, even if a bonus is won and the game enters the second RT state, the winning probability of the RT1 replay does not change in a 2-bet game, and the winning probability of the RT replay (RT2 replay) with index value IV=3 increases slightly as in the first embodiment. In a 3-bet game, the winning probability of the RT1 replay does not change in the second RT state, but the winning probability of the RT2 replay increases significantly, and as a result, the gameplay that can expect an increase in medals by playing the navigation mode and the second RT state in a 3-bet game is guaranteed.

[0352] <Second embodiment> In this embodiment, the content of the presentation in the navigation mode will be described in particular. In this embodiment, when the lottery for switching to the navigation mode is won, the number of games to be continued in the navigation mode is set to a number of games determined by lottery (for example, 30 games to 100 games) rather than a fixed number of games (input to the navigation mode counter NC).

[0353] 61 is a flowchart showing the navigation mode start effect setting process in this embodiment. The navigation mode start effect setting process is a process performed in step S1602 when the display control device 81 receives a navigation mode winning notification command in the bet time effect setting process (FIG. 37).

[0354] In step S2301, a process is executed to grasp the number of games to be continued in the navigation mode to be started this time. For example, the main control device 101 may be configured to set information about the number of games to be continued in the navigation mode in a winning notification command for the navigation mode, and then in step S2301, to grasp the number of games to be continued from the winning notification command.

[0355] In step S2302, a process for setting a remaining game number display is executed based on the processing result of step S2301. In the navigation mode, the remaining game number display ZP is displayed on the auxiliary display unit 65 or the like so that the player can grasp the remaining number of games in the navigation mode. The process of step S2302 is a process for setting an initial value of the remaining game number display ZP.

[0356] Then, in step S2303, the process for setting the start-up performance is performed, and the process for setting the navigation mode start-up performance is terminated. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 64(a), the text "Win the RUSH!!" is displayed as the start-up performance, suggesting that a bonus win during the navigation mode performed in a 2-bet game can lead to a more advantageous state (RT state and navigation mode, ART state, RUSH in a 3-bet game) and explaining the gameplay. Also, the remaining game number display ZP is displayed in the start-up performance, and the number of games to be continued in the current navigation mode is announced. The remaining game number display ZP is updated according to the progress of the game in the navigation mode, as shown in FIG. 64(b).

[0357] Next, the setting process of the added effect will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 62. The setting process of the added effect is a process performed in step S1708 when an added command is received in the start-time effect setting process (Fig. 38) of the display control device 81.

[0358] In step S2401, a process is performed to grasp the number of added games this time. Then, in step S2402, an added effect corresponding to the grasped number of added games is set. In the display control device 81, a plurality of added effects are pre-stored in the ROM 182 according to the number of added games, and in the above step S2402, an added effect corresponding to the number of added games this time is selected, and the selected added effect is controlled so as to be performed on the auxiliary display unit 65 and the speaker 64. In the added effect, for example, as a start effect this time (effect when the start lever 41 is operated), as shown in FIG. 65(a), a character with an exclamation mark is displayed to suggest that the current game is a game in which some kind of benefit can be enjoyed. Then, as an added notification at the time of stopping (step S1803) in the stop time effect setting process (FIG. 39), as shown in FIG. 65(b), a setting is performed so that an effect showing the number of added games is executed on the auxiliary display unit 65 and the speaker 64.

[0359] After that, in step S2403, the process for updating the number of remaining games is performed, and then the process for setting the additional effect is terminated. In the process for updating the number of remaining games, when updating the number of remaining games display ZP in the effect at the time of stopping the current game, the game number display ZP is updated in a state where the number of added games is reflected. For example, as shown in FIG. 65(a), if the number of remaining games in the navigation mode is 30 games and an additional 50 games is generated (FIG. 65(b)), at the end of the game in which the additional 50 games is generated, the display is updated to 79 games by subtracting 1 game from 30 games, as shown in FIG. 66(a). In addition, in the process for updating in step S2403, the remaining game number display ZP is highlighted with a concentrated line or the like to show that the additional number of games is reflected.

[0360] Other effects during navigation mode include winning game notification effects (Fig. 52(b), Fig. 66(b)) that are implemented in bonus winning games. The winning game notification effect is implemented on the condition that the bonus winning game is during a navigation game and the number of remaining games in that navigation game is one or more. The winning game notification effect is implemented as one of the start-up effects, and then, as a stop-up effect, a next game switch notification effect is executed, indicating that the navigation mode and RT state should be implemented in a 3-bet game from the next game, as shown in Fig. 67(a), on the condition that a bonus win has not been achieved in the current game.

[0361] Fig. 63 is a flowchart showing the stop time performance setting process for navigation mode. This process is executed as one process of step S1804 in the stop time performance setting process (Fig. 39) of the display control device 81, on the condition that it is the stop time performance setting process in the navigation mode.

[0362] In step S2501, the remaining number of games display ZP in the navigation mode is updated. That is, the number of games displayed in the number of games display ZP is updated by subtracting one game from the number of games displayed in the number of games display ZP in response to the end of the current game and the completion of one game in the navigation mode. If an additional game has been added in the game that is ending this time, the number of games displayed in the number of games display ZP is updated with the additional game number reflected as described above.

[0363] In the next step S2502, it is determined whether the current game was a 3-bet game. If it is a 2-bet game and not a 3-bet game, this process is terminated. If it is a 3-bet game, in step S2503, an update process of the acquisition number display GP is performed. In this embodiment, the value obtained by subtracting the bet number of the current game from the payout medal number of the current game is set as the acquisition number, and the total acquisition number during the navigation mode and RT state in the 3-bet game is displayed as the acquisition number display GP on the auxiliary display unit 65 (see FIG. 67(b)). In step S2503, for example, the current payout medal number is added to the acquisition number counter of the RAM 183 and the current bet number is subtracted, and the auxiliary display unit 65 is controlled so that a display corresponding to the acquisition number counter is performed. For example, when 9 medals are paid out in a 3-bet game, the acquisition number display GP on the auxiliary display unit 65 is updated by adding 6 medals.

[0364] After executing the process of step S2503, in step S2504, the number of games remaining in the navigation mode is ascertained to determine whether the game to be ended this time is the final game in the navigation mode. If it is not the final game, this stop time presentation setting process ends. If it is the final game, steps S2505 to S2507 are executed to perform a display for the final game, and then this stop time presentation setting process ends.

[0365] More specifically, in step S2505, a setting process for displaying the total number of wins is executed. In the setting process for displaying the total number of wins, the auxiliary display unit 65 is controlled so that a value corresponding to the final number of wins display GP (a value corresponding to the number of wins counter) is displayed (FIG. 68(a)). Then, in step S2506, a setting process for displaying the total number of continuations is executed. In the setting process for displaying the total number of continuations, the auxiliary display unit 65 is controlled so that the number of continuations (number of games in the advantageous zone AG) of the current navigation mode is displayed as the total number of continuations (FIG. 68(a)). In the following step S2507, a setting process for displaying the individual number of continuations is executed. In the setting process for displaying the individual number of continuations, the number of continuations of the current navigation mode is set so that the number of continuations consumed in the 2-bet game and the number of continuations consumed in the 3-bet game are displayed separately. In this case, in this embodiment, as the first stage display at the time of stopping for the final game, as shown in FIG. 68(a), the total number of wins and the total number of continuations are displayed, while the individual number of continuations of each bet game is not displayed. Then, when the first stage display is being performed, if the player operates the effect switch 66 by operating a specified operating unit, the number of continuations of each bet game is individually displayed as the second stage display at the time of stopping for the final game, as shown in Figure 68(b).

[0366] As described above, in the game of waiting for a bonus win by playing the navigation mode and normal game state in a 2-bet game, the remaining game number display ZP of the navigation mode is performed as a presentation during the navigation mode. By doing so, it is possible to enjoy the game of how many games left to win the bonus while feeling a sense of suspense from the ever-changing remaining game number display ZP. Moreover, when a bonus is won, the number of games displayed in the remaining game number display ZP is directly linked to the benefits of the navigation mode and RT state in the 3-bet game, so it is advantageous not only to win a bonus within the remaining number of games, but also to win a bonus when the number of remaining games is as large as possible, and the attention to the remaining game number display ZP is greatly increased.

[0367] In other words, the number of games displayed in the remaining game count display ZP not only represents the limit for which benefits can be received in the current navigation mode (benefits of implementing navigation mode and normal game state with 2 bet games, maintaining the status quo), but also represents the benefits of implementing navigation mode and RT state with 3 bet games, and can be said to be a display that attracts more interest from players than a simple display of the number of games in navigation mode.

[0368] Furthermore, if the player wins the additional lottery during the navigation mode, the number of games in the navigation mode is increased, and an additional notification effect is performed. In other words, the increase in the number of games displayed by the remaining number of games display ZP not only brings about the joy of the increased benefit of playing the navigation mode and the normal game state with two bet games, but also brings about the joy of the future benefit of playing the navigation mode and the RT state with three bet games, and the attention to the additional notification effect is suitably increased. Moreover, by updating the remaining number of games display ZP due to the additional number of games, the attention to the navigation mode in the two bet game is greatly increased compared to before, and the attention to the occurrence of the additional number of games in the navigation mode is increased, so that the attention to the lottery results of each game in the navigation mode is also suitably increased.

[0369] As described above, the remaining number of games displayed in the navigation mode is displayed from the navigation mode of a 2-bet game, while the acquisition number display GP is displayed only during the navigation mode of a 3-bet game, and the increase or decrease in medals during a 2-bet game is not reflected in the acquisition number display GP. This is because, in a 2-bet game, even during the navigation mode, the medal increase or decrease is basically not or is unlikely to occur, and even if the acquisition number display GP is displayed, the change is likely to be small, and medals may decrease, which may give the impression that the navigation mode in a 2-bet game is not advantageous. By not displaying the acquisition number display GP during a 2-bet game as described above, during the navigation mode in a 2-bet game, the player's attention can be focused on whether or not a bonus has been won and the number of games remaining in the navigation mode.

[0370] When the navigation mode and RT state by 3 bet games ends, the total number of medals acquired during this navigation mode is displayed, and the total number of continuations of the navigation mode is also displayed. In this way, the player can grasp the whole picture of the current navigation mode, that is, the total number of games of the navigation mode executed in 2 bet games and 3 bet games. However, since an increase in medals cannot be expected when the navigation mode is executed in 2 bet games as described above, when comparing the total number of continuations and the total number of medals acquired, the average value of the number of medals acquired per game may appear to be less by the amount of 2 bet games. Therefore, in this embodiment, the number of medals acquired for each bet game is displayed, and it is possible to recognize that the average number of medals acquired per game is close to the expected value (about 2 medals).

[0371] <Variation 1> In this modified example, in a two-bet game, the display of the remaining game number display ZP in the navigation mode is limited. Fig. 69 is a flowchart showing the navigation mode start effect setting process in this modified example.

[0372] In step S2601, as in step S2301, a process is performed to grasp the continuation number of the navigation mode to be started this time. Then, in step S2602, a process is performed to obtain a start-time effect table from ROM 182. As shown in FIG. 71(a), the start-time effect table is set so that the background color in the start-time effect differs depending on the continuation number of the navigation mode to be started. For example, if the navigation mode continuation number is 30 games or less, blue is selected as the background color 60%, and yellow is selected as the background color 40%. Also, if the navigation mode continuation number is 51 games or more, red is selected as the background color 60%, green is selected as the background color 30%, and yellow is selected as the background color 10%, and blue is not selected. Then, in step S2603, the background of the start-time effect is set based on the continuation number grasped in step S2601 and the start-time effect table acquired in step S2602, and the start-time effect of the current navigation mode is set.

[0373] In the next step S2604, it is determined whether the navigation mode to be started is a 2-bet game (whether the current game is a 2-bet game). If it is a 2-bet game, in step S2605, a process of setting a game count non-display flag in RAM 183 is performed, and then this start-up performance setting process is terminated. The game count non-display flag is a flag for preventing the remaining game count display ZP in the navigation mode from being displayed. If it is not a 2-bet game but a 3-bet game, this start-up performance setting process is terminated without setting the game count non-display flag.

[0374] In other words, in the start presentation of the navigation mode in this modified example, as shown in Figure 71 (b), the number of times the navigation mode will continue (number of games remaining) can be inferred to some extent from the background color, but the specific number of games cannot be grasped.

[0375] FIG. 70 is a flowchart showing the stop time performance setting process for the navigation mode in this modified example.

[0376] In step S2701, it is determined whether the game number non-display flag is set. If the game number non-display flag is not set, that is, if the navigation mode is started as a 3-bet game instead of a 2-bet game, the navigation mode remaining game number display ZP is updated in step S2702. This process is the same as the process in step S2501.

[0377] If the game number non-display flag is set in step S2701, in step S27023, the number of remaining games in the navigation mode is subtracted by one game, and the number of remaining games after subtraction is determined. Then, in step S2704, whether or not an addition has occurred in the current game is determined, and if so, the number of added games is determined and added to the number of remaining games. In the following step S2705, a background color update process is performed. The background color update process is a process for changing the background color of the effect in the auxiliary display unit 65 during the navigation mode in accordance with the decrease or increase in the number of remaining games in the above steps S2702 and S2703. The relationship between the background color and the number of remaining games may refer to the above start-time effect table (FIG. 71(a)), or a effect table (background color table) during execution of the navigation mode may be provided and such a table may be referenced.

[0378] For example, if an addition occurs in step S2703 and the number of remaining games becomes the number of games corresponding to a background color different from the previous background color (higher background color), in step S2704, the navigation mode is set to be executed from the next time onwards with the background color corresponding to the number of games after the addition, and as shown in Fig. 72(a), a presentation (mode up presentation) corresponding to the background color being changed to a higher color is set to be performed on the auxiliary display unit 65, etc. As a presentation corresponding to the change to a higher color, for example, a presentation in which a soldier character holding a weapon is displayed on the auxiliary display unit 65 is considered.

[0379] Also, for example, if no addition occurs in step S2703, and the result of the subtraction in step S2702 is that the number of remaining games corresponds to a background color different from the previous background color (a lower-level background color), then in step S2704, the navigation mode is set to be implemented from the next time onwards with the background color corresponding to the number of games after the subtraction, and as shown in Fig. 72(b), a presentation (mode down presentation) corresponding to the background color being changed to a lower-level color is set to be performed on the auxiliary display unit 65. As an example of a presentation corresponding to the change to a lower-level color, a presentation in which an enemy character is attacking is displayed on the auxiliary display unit 65.

[0380] After executing the processing of step S2702 or step S2705, the process proceeds to step S2706. In step S2706, it is determined whether or not a bonus has been won in the current game. If a bonus has been won, the game count non-display flag is cleared in step S2707. Then, in step S2708, a process is performed to start displaying the remaining game count display ZP in navigation mode. If a negative determination is made in step S2706, or after executing the processing of step S2708, the process proceeds to step S2504, where processing for the final game in navigation mode (similar to steps S2709 to S2712 and steps S2504 to S2507) is executed, and the stop-time performance setting processing for navigation mode is terminated.

[0381] That is, in the above modified example, in the navigation mode with two bet games and in the normal game state, the player cannot clearly grasp the number of games remaining in the navigation mode, and a game is added in which the number of games remaining is predicted from the background color of the presentation by the auxiliary display unit 65 during the navigation mode. That is, by deliberately not indicating the number of games remaining, which is the player's interest, during the navigation mode with two bet games, it is possible to take advantage of the player's desire to know and appropriately enhance the presentation effect during the navigation mode.

[0382] Also, when a bonus is won during the navigation mode with 2 bet games, the game number non-display flag is cleared and the remaining game number display ZP starts to be displayed. As a result, the player can enter the navigation mode with 3 bet games and the RT state (ART state) after understanding the remaining number of games. This makes it possible to provide a sense of excitement as to how long the current state will continue until the ART state is reached, while avoiding the inconvenience of not knowing when the advantageous ART state with 3 bet games will end.

[0383] That is, in a game in which there is a first advantageous state, such as a navigation mode with two bet games and a normal game state, and a second advantageous state, such as a navigation mode with three bet games and an RT state, and when a transition condition (a bonus win) is met during the first advantageous state, the game transitions to the second advantageous state, which is more advantageous than the first advantageous state, and the number of games remaining is made difficult to understand for the first advantageous state, while the number of games remaining is clearly indicated for the second advantageous state. In this way, in a game in which the key is whether or not the transition condition is met during the first advantageous state, by deliberately making it difficult to understand when the first advantageous state will end, it is possible to create a game that can provide a strong sense of excitement, such as a desire for the transition condition to be met quickly or a desire not for the first advantageous state to end.

[0384] <Variation 2> In this modified example, the processing when a bonus is won in the navigation mode by a 2-bet game is changed based on the configuration of the above modified example 1. Fig. 73 is a flowchart showing a part of the stop time presentation setting processing for the navigation mode in this modified example.

[0385] In this modified example, after executing the process of step S2702 or step S2705, the process proceeds to step S2801. In step S2801, it is determined whether or not a bonus has been won. If a bonus has been won, in step S2802, a process is performed to grasp the number of games remaining in the navigation mode, and in step S2803, it is determined whether or not the number of games remaining is less than a predetermined number of games (less than 10 games). The process of step S2803 can be said to be a process for determining whether or not a bonus has been won at a timing when the navigation mode will soon end. If the number of games is not less than the predetermined number, that is, if there are sufficient games remaining in the navigation mode, the process proceeds to step S2804, and a non-display lottery process is executed. In the non-display lottery process, it is a process for determining by lottery whether or not to start displaying the number of games remaining in the navigation mode in the ART state by 3 bet games, and for example, it is set so that the fewer the number of games remaining, the easier it is to win the non-display lottery.

[0386] In step S2805, it is determined whether or not the non-display lottery has been won. If the non-display lottery has not been won, the process proceeds to step S2806, where the game count non-display flag is set as in step S2707, and in step S2807, the process starts displaying the remaining game count display ZP as in step S2708.

[0387] If the negative judgment is made in step S2801, if the positive judgment is made in step S2803 or step S2805, or after the process of step S2807 is executed, the process proceeds to step S2808, and the process for the final game is performed, and then the process for setting the stop effect for the navigation mode is terminated. In other words, if a bonus is won when there are not enough games remaining in the navigation mode, the process of steps S2806 and S2807 is not performed, and the player does not know the number of games remaining. However, in a bonus winning game during the navigation mode with 2 bet games, a winning game notification effect occurs, so the player will benefit from the ART state with 3 bet games from the next game, and then the bonus state will be consumed.

[0388] In addition, not only when the number of remaining games in the navigation mode is small, but also when a non-display lottery is won, the player will not be able to grasp the number of remaining games in the ART state with 3 bet games. In this way, it is possible to prevent the player from feeling disappointed when the number of remaining games in the navigation mode is clearly displayed when switching from 2 bet games to 3 bet games based on a bonus win.

[0389] <Third embodiment> In this embodiment, the performance when the bonus is won will be described in more detail. Fig. 74 is a flow chart showing the process for the BB win by the main control device 101. The process for the BB win is a process that is executed when the first BB or second BB win is established when the process for the winning result (Fig. 30) is started.

[0390] In step S2901, it is determined whether or not a 3 bet navigation consumption flag is set in the various flags storage area 106d of the RAM 106. Although detailed explanation using figures is omitted, the 3 bet navigation consumption flag is a flag that is set in the various flags storage area 106d when a game in the navigation mode with a 3 bet game is played (for example, when a lottery is played for a 3 bet game in the navigation mode in the lottery process).

[0391] That is, when the 3 bet navigation consumption flag is set, it means that a bonus is won during the navigation mode by the 2 bet game, and the ART state is consumed after switching to the 3 bet game, and when the 3 bet navigation consumption flag is not set, it means that the bonus is won during the normal mode. When the 3 bet navigation consumption flag is not set, the process for setting the normal performance command as an output target to the display control device 81 is performed in step S2902, and then the process for the BB winning is terminated. The display control device 81 that has received the normal performance command controls the auxiliary display unit 65 and the speaker 64 to perform the normal performance (first performance) as the performance when the bonus is won this time. In the normal performance, for example, as shown in FIG. 75(a), the auxiliary display unit 65 displays a character indicating the winning BB (in the figure, a character corresponding to the "red 7" pattern is shown) and displays a display congratulating the winning (in the figure, the text display "Yay Bonus!!"). Additionally, in normal performances, the speaker 64 is controlled to emit a corresponding sound effect (for example, an electronic "queen queen" sound).

[0392] If it is determined in step S2901 that the 3-bet navigation consumption flag is set, the process proceeds to step S2903. In step S2903, it is determined whether the number of games in the advantageous zone AG is greater than a predetermined number of games (for example, 1450 games). The number of games determined in step S2903 is set as a number of games close to the upper limit number of games in the advantageous zone (1500 games) and does not reach the upper limit even if the number of games required to consume the bonus state (24 games) is added. If the number of games in the advantageous zone AG is equal to or less than the predetermined number of games (1450 games or less), in step S2904, a process is executed to set a command for the first special effect as an output target to the display control device 81. The display control device 81, which has received the first special effect command, controls the auxiliary display unit 65 and the speaker 64 to perform the first special effect (second effect) as an effect when the current bonus is won. In the first special performance, for example, as shown in Fig. 75(b), the auxiliary display unit 65 displays a character (in the figure, a character corresponding to the "red 7" symbol) indicating the winning BB, and also displays a display different from the normal performance (in the figure, the text "Super Lucky!!") as a display to congratulate the winning player. In addition, the speaker 64 is controlled so that a corresponding sound effect in the first special performance is generated different from that in the normal performance (for example, an electronic sound "Cue-Cue-In").

[0393] If the number of games in the advantageous zone AG is greater than the predetermined number of games in step S2903, the process proceeds to step S2905, where it is determined whether or not the upper limit of the advantageous zone will be reached in the current game. More specifically, it is determined whether or not the number of games in the advantageous zone AG is 1499 at the time of starting the current winning result corresponding process (processing for winning BB), and the number of games in the advantageous zone AG is set to 1500 in the next zone display second process of the winning result corresponding process (step S1302). If the negative determination is made in step S2905, that is, if the number of games in the advantageous zone AG is between 1450 and 1498 and a bonus is won, the process proceeds to step S2906, where a process is executed to set a command for the second special effect as an output target to the display control device 81. The display control device 81, which has received the second special effect command, controls the auxiliary display unit 65 and the speaker 64 to perform the second special effect (third effect) as the effect when the current bonus is won. The second special performance is a so-called ending performance, and for example, as shown in Fig. 76(a), the auxiliary display unit 65 displays a soldier character holding a weapon and roaring, and displays a display different from the normal performance and the first special performance (in the figure, the text display "The fierce battle of the men is over") as a performance to conclude a long continuous advantageous zone. In addition, the speaker 64 is controlled so that the second special performance emits a corresponding sound effect different from that of the normal performance and the first special performance (for example, an insert song for the ending).

[0394] If it is determined in step S2905 that the upper limit of the advantageous zone will be reached in the current game, the process proceeds to step S2907, and a process is executed to set a command for the third special effect as an output target to the display control device 81. The display control device 81, which has received the third special effect command, controls the auxiliary display unit 65 and the speaker 64 to perform a third special effect (fourth effect) as the effect when the current bonus is won.

[0395] As already explained, when the advantageous zone reaches the upper limit number of games, various parameters such as counters and flags related to the navigation mode are initialized in the second zone display process. In other words, the case where the positive determination is made in step S2905 is when the bonus is won in the current game and the advantageous zone is initialized. Although detailed explanation is omitted, in this slot machine 10, a lottery for shifting to the navigation mode and a lottery for adding extra during the navigation mode can be executed in part of the winning of the red 7 combination during the BB (IV=20) or the BAR combination during the BB (IV=21) during the bonus state. More specifically, in the bonus state triggered by a result with no set difference in the winning probability (the bonus state when the index value IV=22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 37 in FIG. 17), a lottery for shifting to the navigation mode and a lottery for adding extra during the navigation mode are executed in part of the winning of the red 7 combination during the BB or the BAR combination during the BB. In this case, for example, during the current bonus state, a new lottery for transition to the advantageous zone may be held, and if this transition lottery is won, the advantageous zone will start again from the beginning.

[0396] The third special effect is an effect for indicating such a bonus win. Specifically, for example, as shown in Fig. 76(b), the auxiliary display unit 65 displays a character of a soldier holding a weapon, and displays a display different from the normal effect and the first and second special effects (in the figure, the text display "No rest for warriors!!") as an effect indicating a chance to acquire a new advantageous zone. In addition, the speaker 64 is controlled so that the third special effect emits a corresponding sound effect different from that of the normal effect and the first and second special effects (for example, an insert song that can increase the sense of elation).

[0397] After executing any one of the processes in step S2904, step S2906, and step S2907, the 3-bet navigation consumption flag is cleared in step S2908, and then the process for winning the BB is terminated.

[0398] In this way, by configuring the presentation when a bonus is won to differ depending on the previous game situation, and by configuring the presentation to differ depending on whether or not the benefit of the ART state due to the 3 bet mode has been received, it is possible to effectively express the playability resulting from the combination of the ART state and the BB state through the presentation, and the playability resulting from the combination of these two states can be enhanced in terms of presentation.

[0399] In particular, since the game is such that the bonus state always occurs after the ART state by the 3-bet game as described above, if the configuration is such that the effects during the bonus state are used to express the amount of benefits received during the ART state (ending effects), it can be a novel effect that allows the player to grasp the benefits received during the ART state while receiving different benefits such as bonus states. Here, for example, if the ending effect is performed at the final stage of the ART state (during the ART state), it is not preferable from the viewpoint of maintaining the attention to the continuation of the ART state until the final stage, as the player who wants to expect the ART state to continue until the end will grasp the end of the ART state by the occurrence of the ending effect. On the other hand, even if the ending effect is performed after the ART state is completely ended and the game state is switched to the normal game state, the player who ends the game immediately after the ART state ends will not see it, and the interest in the ending effect may be greatly reduced. In this regard, by making the ending effect performed during the bonus state that always occurs after the end of the ART state as described above, the ending effect can be the effect after the ART state is completely ended, and the ending effect can be performed in a situation where an advantageous state continues.

[0400] <Modification> In this modified example, the performance when the bonus is won is set by taking into account not only the number of games in the advantageous zone AG but also the number of games played in the ART state by 3 bet games. Figure 77 is a flowchart showing the process for winning the BB in this modified example.

[0401] In step S3001, it is determined whether the 3-bet navigation consumption flag is set. If it is not set, in step S3002, the normal performance command is set as an output target to the display control device 81, and then the BB winning processing is terminated. This processing is the same as the processing in step S2901 and step S2902.

[0402] If it is determined in step S3001 that the 3-bet navigation consumption flag is set, the process proceeds to step S3003. In step S3003, it is determined whether the number of games consumed in the ART state by the 3-bet game is greater than a predetermined number of games (for example, 50 games). More specifically, a 3-bet navigation consumption counter is provided in the various counter area 106e, and the main control device 101 adds one to the consumption counter each time one game is consumed in the ART state by the 3-bet game. In step S3003, the number of games consumed in the ART state by the 3-bet game is determined by grasping the value of the consumption counter, and it is determined whether it is equal to or greater than the predetermined number of games. In this embodiment, the predetermined number of games is set to 50 games, and is set as a value that exceeds approximately 100 coins (three digits) when multiplied by the expected number of coins per game in the ART state by the 3-bet game. If the number of games consumed in the ART state by the 3-bet game is 50 games or less, the process proceeds to step S3002 after clearing the 3-bet navigation consumption flag in step S3004, and executes a process of setting a command for normal performance. In other words, even if the ART state is played using 3 bet games, if the number of games played is less than the specified number and the number of coins won does not reach three digits, the normal presentation will be played as the presentation when the bonus is won.

[0403] The processes of steps S3005 to S3010 in the case where the number of games played is greater than the predetermined number in step S3003 are the same as the processes of steps S2903 to S2908 described above.

[0404] In this way, in a configuration in which the number of games played before a bonus is won is determined using the advantageous zone game count AG, the extent to which the benefit of the 3-bet mode has been received is determined from the 3-bet navigation consumed counter, making it possible to create a configuration that provides a presentation that more closely matches the number of medals won during the current advantageous zone.

[0405] <Other embodiments> The above-mentioned embodiments and modifications are not limited to the described contents, and may be implemented, for example, as follows. Incidentally, each of the following configurations may be applied individually to each of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications, or may be applied in combination with part or all of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine all or part of the various configurations shown in each of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications. In this case, it is preferable that the technical significance (effects exerted) of each of the configurations to be combined is guaranteed. Each of the following configurations may be applied individually to a new configuration consisting of a combination of the embodiments and modifications, or may be applied in combination with part or all of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications.

[0406] (1) The above gameplay is realized by switching between a 2-bet game and a 3-bet game, but the number of bets is not limited to this, and a game with a 1-bet game may be added. Also, a gameplay opposite to the above gameplay may be realized, such as a game in which the navigation mode can be won in a 2-bet game but a bonus cannot be won, and a game in which both the navigation mode and the bonus can be won in a 3-bet game.

[0407] More specifically, if navigation mode is won in a 3-bet game, the number of medals lost will be reduced (the status quo will be maintained) due to the push order notification effect when the push order bell is won, and if a bonus is won during navigation mode in the 3-bet game and the RT state is set, the game will switch to a 2-bet game, and the gameplay will aim to increase medals by playing the 2-bet game through the ART state, which is navigation mode and RT state.

[0408] (2) In both the 2-bet game and the 3-bet game, a bonus may be won, and a bonus prize may be awarded. In this case, at least when the RT state in which the bonus win is carried over occurs during the navigation mode, a difference in the degree of advantage between the 2-bet game and the 3-bet game may occur, and more specifically, the number of bets on the side with a higher degree of advantage in the AT state, which is the navigation mode and the normal game state, may lower the degree of advantage during the ART state, and the number of bets on the side with a lower degree of advantage in the AT state may increase the degree of advantage during the ART state. In this way, the advantageous number of bets may be switched by the carryover of the bonus win.

[0409] (3) Although the configuration is such that the bonus win does not occur in a 3-bet game and the bonus win is also unlikely to occur in a 3-bet game, the configuration may be such that the bonus win occurs in a 3-bet game and the bonus win can also be realized. In this case, the configuration may be such that a notification is given to prevent the bonus win from being realized in games where the bonus win can occur (games where the replay win is not won or games where a small role that may cause a miss is won) with the number of bets on the side that is advantageous during the ART state.

[0410] (4) The configuration for making it difficult for a bonus win to occur during the RT state in a 3-bet game is not limited to a configuration for increasing the probability of winning a replay, and may be a configuration for increasing the probability of winning other payout small roles. In either case, as long as the stop control is performed so that a replay win or a payout small role win is established in priority over a bonus win, or the reel pattern arrangement is such that a replay win or a payout small role win is established in priority over a bonus win, any configuration may be provided. When increasing the probability of winning a payout small role, it is preferable to have a configuration that increases the probability of winning a payout small role that does not or is unlikely to be missed. In addition, by making the number of medals paid out when the payout small role wins the same as the number of bets, it is possible to achieve an effect equivalent to that achieved by increasing the probability of winning a replay.

[0411] (5) During the RT state of a 3-bet game, even if the result is a miss, the reels may be controlled to stop so that a bonus win is not achieved (even if the reels are stopped at a timing when a symbol that would result in a bonus win can be stopped in a valid position, the reels may be controlled to stop in a position other than the valid position).

[0412] (6) In the lottery table for the RT state of a 3-bet game, the point value PV of each index value IV is set so that no losing result occurs, but it may be configured so that some losing results occur. In this case, it is preferable to set the probability of a losing result to be lower than that of the lottery table for the RT state of a 2-bet game.

[0413] (7) Although the bet number switching notification display is configured to notify the player that switching the number of bets will change the degree of advantage, it may be configured to suggest this using other notification displays, or it may be configured not to notify the player that switching the number of bets will change the degree of advantage.

[0414] (8) The bet number switching notification effect may be configured to occur when a predetermined lottery is won. In this case, the probability of winning the predetermined lottery may be a uniform probability of winning regardless of the set value, or the probability of winning may vary depending on the set value. In the case of a configuration in which the probability of winning varies depending on the set value, it is preferable that the higher the set value is (setting 6 is higher than setting 1) the higher the probability of winning. In this way, even in a game in which the performance of the navigation mode is the same regardless of the set value, it is possible to draw attention to the set value that causes a change in the rate of increase / decrease or the increase / decrease pattern of medals. In addition, the bet number switching notification effect may be configured to suggest the set value.

[0415] (9) Although the normal gaming state, RT state, and bonus state are set as gaming states, the present invention can also be applied to configurations having other states. That is, the present invention may be applied to configurations having CB state (challenge bonus state), MB state (middle bonus state), REG state (regular bonus state), SB state (single bonus state), etc.

[0416] (10) The advantageous number of bets is changed when a carryover state in which the first BB or the second BB is carried over occurs during navigation mode. However, the above-mentioned CB state, MB state, REG state, SB state, etc. may be states that occur due to winning roles that can be carried over, and the advantageous number of bets may be changed when a carryover state of these winning roles occurs during navigation mode.

[0417] (11) In the normal mode, a lottery for switching to the navigation mode is performed, but there may be a mode in which the probability of winning the lottery for switching to the navigation mode is increased (chance mode, chance zone) or a mode in which the probability of winning is decreased (hell mode). In these cases, the state with the lowest probability of winning may be the normal mode, and the advantageous zone may be started by switching to a state with a higher probability.

[0418] (12) A bonus special zone that increases the bonus winning rate during the navigation mode may be provided. This can improve the gameplay of waiting for a bonus win while generating bonus wins during the navigation mode.

[0419] (13) The gameplay during the bonus state is not limited to the above. For example, the configuration is such that the index value IV=19 to 21 is a winning combination in almost every game, but a losing result may also occur, or other index values ​​such as a specific combination such as a strong cherry may also be winning combinations. In addition, the prescribed number of bets during the bonus state is set to 3, but it may be set to 2 or 1. Furthermore, the number of medals paid out when a payout small combination is won during the bonus state is not limited to the above, and the expected increase may be 6.0 (9 minus 3) or more or less. At least, the expected increase may be greater than the expected increase during the ART state in a 2-bet game, and more preferably, the average value of the expected increase in the ART state and the bonus state in the 2-bet game may be about the same as the expected increase in the ART state in a 3-bet game, and even more preferably, the expected increase in both bets may be less than a predetermined number (2.0).

[0420] (14) The performance of the navigation mode, such as the probability of winning a specific role that triggers the navigation mode transition lottery or the additional lottery, the winning probability in the navigation mode transition lottery when a specific role is won, the probability of winning an additional role, and the number of additional games, may be configured to differ depending on the number of bets. More specifically, the performance of the navigation mode may be configured to differ between a 2-bet game and a 3-bet game, and the performance of the navigation mode may be higher in a 2-bet game than in a 3-bet game. By configuring the navigation mode performance to be higher in a 2-bet game, the merit of having a 2-bet game play such as transitioning to the navigation mode during normal times and generating additional games during the navigation mode can be enhanced.

[0421] (15) The performance of the navigation mode may be different depending on whether the first BB winning flag or the second BB winning flag is carried over. For example, the performance of the navigation mode (the winning probability of the transition lottery, the winning probability of the additional winning, etc.) may be improved in the RT state (carry-over state) compared to the normal game state.

[0422] (16) The average expected increase in the number of coins in the ART state and the bonus state combined in a 2-bet game is set to be approximately the same as the expected increase in the number of coins in the ART state in a 3-bet game, but they may be exactly the same, and may not necessarily be exactly the same expected increase in the number of coins, as long as they are similar enough that the difference is difficult for the player to notice. More specifically, the difference in the expected increase in the number of coins should be within 10%, more preferably within 5%, and even more preferably within 1%.

[0423] (17) The average expected increase in coins in the ART state and the bonus state in a 2-bet game and the expected increase in coins in the ART state in a 3-bet game are both set to be equal to or less than a predetermined number (2.0 coins), but they may be different, one exceeding the predetermined number (2.0 coins) and the other being equal to or less than the predetermined number. In this case, it is preferable to average the expected increase in coins for both bet numbers at the rate at which games with both bet numbers are played, so that the average expected increase in coins for both bet numbers is equal to or less than a predetermined number.

[0424] (18) In the 2-bet game, the expected increase in the number of coins during the ART state is set to almost zero, creating a state of maintaining the status quo, but the expected increase in the number of coins during the ART state in the 2-bet game may be set to a negative number, allowing for a decrease in the number of medals, or may be set to a positive number, allowing for an increase in medals. If the expected increase in the number of coins is set to a negative number, it should be set to a number greater than the expected increase in the number of coins during the normal game state, and if the expected increase in the number of coins is set to a positive number, it should be set to a number less than the expected increase in the number of coins during the ART state in the 3-bet game.

[0425] (19) The bet number notification effect, bet number switching notification effect, next game switching notification effect, winning game notification effect, etc. are not limited to those described above, and may be configured to be performed by a notification means other than the auxiliary display unit 65. However, from the viewpoint that the push order notification effect during the navigation mode is executed by the auxiliary display unit 65, it is preferable to configure the effect that occurs especially during the navigation mode, such as the bet number switching notification effect, next game switching notification effect, winning game notification effect, etc., to be executed in the same place as or a nearby place where the push order notification effect is executed, from the viewpoint of preventing oversight.

[0426] (20) In the navigation mode, the winning game notification effect is performed to prevent the bonus winning from being achieved in the winning game, but from the viewpoint of making the bonus winning difficult to understand and enhancing the playability, it is better to have a configuration in which the winning game notification effect is not performed or the winning game notification effect can be generated in games other than the winning game. In this case, it is preferable to have a configuration (FIG. 54) in which the bonus winning is mainly achieved with a combination of a replay and a combination of a replay, so that the bonus winning is difficult to achieve in the winning game.

[0427] (21) Although a configuration in which the remaining game number display ZP in navigation mode in a two-bet game is displayed on the auxiliary display unit 65 and a configuration in which the remaining game number display ZP is not displayed have been shown, for example, a configuration in which the remaining game number display ZP is displayed but an equivalent notification is made by a notification means other than the auxiliary display unit 65. In this case, by making a notification equivalent to the remaining game number display ZP by a notification means smaller than the auxiliary display unit 65 or a notification means that is less noticeable (such as a notification means that can be blocked by a predetermined blocking part), it becomes possible for the manager of the game parlor to carry out confirmation work while obtaining the effect of a configuration in which the remaining game number display ZP is not displayed.

[0428] (22) Regarding the remaining game number display ZP, the slot machine 10 may be configured to output externally to a hall computer or external device in the gaming hall so that the content equivalent to the remaining game number display ZP (the number of remaining games) can be grasped.

[0429] (23) In the above embodiment, the remaining game number display ZP is not displayed in a 2-bet game, whereas the remaining game number display ZP is displayed in a 3-bet game. However, the remaining game number display ZP may not be displayed for any bet number. In this case, the background color of the auxiliary display unit 65 may be changed in a 2-bet game to indicate the remaining game number display ZP, and this may be applied to a 3-bet game.

[0430] In addition, although the configuration is such that whether or not to display the remaining game count display ZP is switched depending on the number of bets, the switching on or off of displaying the remaining game count display ZP may also occur depending on the gaming state or gaming situation. For example, the remaining game count display ZP may be displayed in the first gaming state, which is immediately after the start of the ART state, while the remaining game count display ZP is not displayed in the second gaming state, which is the end of the ART state, or the remaining game count display ZP may be displayed in the first gaming state, where there are many games remaining in the ART state, while not displayed in the second gaming state, where there are few games remaining.

[0431] (24) In the above embodiment, when the navigation mode is started in a 2-bet game, the game number non-display flag is set, and when the BB is won, the game number non-display flag is cleared. However, after the game number non-display flag is set, the flag may be cleared without winning the BB. For example, the game number non-display flag may be cleared when the navigation mode continuation count reaches a predetermined number (500 games) or more, or the game number non-display flag may be cleared by the player operating a predetermined operation unit, or the game number non-display flag may be cleared by switching to a 3-bet game without winning the BB.

[0432] (25) In the total continuation number display, the total of the navigation mode continuation number for a 2 bet game and the navigation mode continuation number for a 3 bet game are displayed, and then individual continuation number displays of the navigation mode continuation number for both bet numbers are displayed based on a specified operation by the player. However, it is also possible to display only the navigation mode continuation number for a 3 bet game, and then display the total of the navigation mode continuation number for both bet numbers or an individual continuation number display based on a specified operation by the player, or to display only the navigation mode continuation number for a 2 bet game, and then display the total of the navigation mode continuation number for both bet numbers or an individual continuation number display based on a specified operation by the player.

[0433] (26) The display of the number of consecutive games may be changed depending on the state of the game that has ended. For example, if the bonus winning flag is set, it is highly likely that the ART state of the 3-bet game has been consumed, and in that case, the number of consecutive games for the 3-bet game or the total number of consecutive games for both bet games may be displayed. If the bonus winning flag is not set, it is highly likely that the ART state of the 3-bet game has not been consumed, and in that case, the number of consecutive games for the 2-bet game may be displayed.

[0434] (27) The number of winnings is displayed only during the ART state with 3 bet games, but it may be displayed in the ART state with 2 bet games as well, or may be displayed only during the ART state with 2 bet games. In addition, the number of winnings may be displayed or not depending on the number of remaining games in the navigation mode (number of remaining games displayed ZP) or the number of games played (number of games in the advantageous zone AG). For example, the number of winnings may be displayed when the number of remaining games is less than a predetermined number, and the number of winnings may not be displayed when the number of remaining games is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, or vice versa. In addition, the number of winnings may be displayed when the number of games played is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, and the number of winnings may not be displayed when the number of games played is less than the predetermined number, or vice versa.

[0435] (28) The number of winnings is displayed only during the ART state of the 3-bet game, but the number of winnings may be displayed only when the bonus winning flag is set.

[0436] (29) In a configuration in which the remaining game number display ZP is not displayed, the remaining game number display ZP may be displayed only when an additional win is won, or the configuration may be such that only the number of additional games is announced.

[0437] (30) The presentation when a bonus is won is configured to differ depending on the game situation prior to the bonus being won. However, it is sufficient that the presentation is in the bonus state, and it may be the presentation for each game during the bonus state, or it may be the presentation at the end of the bonus.

[0438] (31) The performance when the bonus is won is different depending on whether or not the ART state is executed by the 3-bet game, but it may be different depending on whether or not the ART state is executed. Even in this way, it is possible to make the performance different depending on whether or not the bonus is won during the navigation mode.

[0439] (32) Although the second special effect (end effect) may be executed when the number of games in the advantageous zone AG exceeds 1450, the number of games in the advantageous zone AG that triggers the execution of the second special effect may be 1450 or less, and the value that triggers the execution may be variable in relation to the 3-bet consumption counter. For example, when the 3-bet consumption counter is high, the second special effect may be executed even if the number of games in the advantageous zone AG is less than a predetermined number, and when the 3-bet consumption counter is low, the second special effect may not be executed unless the number of games in the advantageous zone AG is equal to or greater than a predetermined number.

[0440] (33) In the first to third special effects, information useful to the player may be presented. Examples of information useful to the player include information about setting values ​​and rare images.

[0441] (34) When the push order bell or push order replay is won, the winning combination and the bonus awarded differ depending on the stopping order of the reels 32L, 32M, and 32R. The degree of advantage to the player differs depending on whether or not the stopping order is notified. However, any combination that differs in advantage to the player can be used as long as a notification regarding the stopping operation is made.

[0442] For example, on the left reel 32L as a specified reel, the first symbol (e.g., the "BAR" symbol) and the second symbol (e.g., the "red 7" symbol) are placed in a location where they cannot be aimed at simultaneously (at positions 5 symbols or more apart). The winning patterns of the first and second results are set so that a first result is won when a first pattern on the left reel 32L, a predetermined pattern on the middle reel 32M (e.g., a "first replay" pattern or a "second replay" pattern), and a predetermined pattern on the right reel 32R (e.g., a "first replay" pattern or a "second replay" pattern) stop on a winning line, and a second result is won when a second pattern on the left reel 32L, a predetermined pattern on the middle reel 32M (e.g., a "first replay" pattern or a "second replay" pattern), and a predetermined pattern on the right reel 32R (e.g., a "first replay" pattern or a "second replay" pattern) stop on a winning line. In this case, if the first result is won and the first symbol is targeted for a stop operation, the first result may be won, but if the second symbol is targeted for a stop operation instead of the first symbol, the first result will not be won and the corresponding benefit will not be awarded. Similarly, if the second result is won and the second symbol is targeted for a stop operation, the second result may be won, but if the first symbol is targeted for a stop operation instead of the second symbol, the second result will not be won and the corresponding benefit will not be awarded. In addition, a specific combination is provided in which either the first result or the second result will be won, and when the specific combination is won, it is possible to notify which of the first result or the second result has been won (whether the first symbol or the second symbol should be targeted for the stop operation of the left reel 32L). Even in this configuration, the winning result (either the first result or the second result) can be won by the notification, and the degree of advantage for the player changes depending on whether the notification is given or not. Furthermore, the advantageous zone may include a situation including at least one of the modes in which such notifications are more likely to be made, a mode in which the probability of transitioning to a mode in which such notifications are more likely to be made is high, and a mode in which a transition lottery has been won but which has not yet been made to these modes.Furthermore, the advantageous zone may include a situation including at least one of the above modes, including the above modes and modes based on the push order role.

[0443] In other words, even if the winning combination is the same, the stopping operation for changing the stopping outcome is not limited to the stopping order, but may be any stopping operation pattern including the timing of the stopping operation, and the notification for performing such a stopping operation pattern is not limited to a push order notification, but may be any pattern notification related to the operation pattern.

[0444] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, multiple winning combinations are set when a predetermined index value IV is won, and the combination that results in a winning combination is different depending on the stop operation mode such as the stop order and the stop operation timing, but the following may be done. That is, when a specific index value IV is won, a specific combination is won, and the stop operation mode corresponding to the specific combination is then determined by lottery, and if the player's ...

Claims

[Claim 1] A plurality of rotating bodies having a plurality of patterns applied thereto in a circumferential direction; A display unit that allows some of the patterns on each of the rotating bodies to be viewed; A start operation means for starting rotation of each of the rotating bodies when the start operation means is operated; A stop operation means for stopping the rotation of each of the rotating bodies when the stop operation means is operated; a drive control means for starting rotation of each of the rotating bodies when the start operation means is operated and for stopping the rotation of each of the rotating bodies when the stop operation means is operated; a lottery means for holding a lottery to determine whether or not to award a special benefit to a player based on an operation of the start operation means; a bonus awarding means for awarding a bonus corresponding to a predetermined result when a result of the lottery by the lottery means is a predetermined result; A gaming machine comprising: a first result can be won as a lottery result by the lottery means when each of the stop operation means is operated in a first stop operation mode, and a second result different from the first result can be won as a special result when each of the stop operation means is operated in a second stop operation mode different from the first stop operation mode; a mode notifying means capable of executing a mode notifying regarding an operation mode of the stop operation means, As game states, at least a normal game state and a specific game state in which the frequency of execution of the mode notification by the mode notification means can be made higher than that of the normal game state are provided; a transition lottery means for executing a lottery for transition to the specific gaming state when a lottery result by the lottery means in the normal gaming state is a predetermined specific result; a means for transitioning to the specific game state when a lottery result by the transition lottery means corresponds to a transition to the specific game state; A means for updating predetermined numerical information in accordance with the progress of the specific game state; a means for ending the specific game state when the numerical information becomes specific information; A means for executing a special notification regarding the numerical information; a means for executing a benefit notification corresponding to the benefit granted by the benefit granting means in the specific gaming state; a means for enabling the special notification in a first situation in which the mode notification can be executed if the lottery result by the lottery means in the specific game state is the special result, and restricting the execution of the special notification in a second situation different from the first situation in which the mode notification can be executed if the lottery result by the lottery means in the specific game state is the special result; A means for restricting execution of the benefit notification in the second situation; Equipped with A gaming machine characterized in that it is configured to change from the second state to the first state depending on the progress of the game in the specific game state.

Images