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A method of gaming in a gaming system comprise selecting a plurality of symbols for display on a display of the gaming system at a plurality of display positions, each display position comprising a plurality of borders, each display position having a least one common border with at least two other d

A method of gaming in a gaming system comprise selecting a plurality of symbols for display on a display of the gaming system at a plurality of display positions, each display position comprising a plurality of borders, each display position having a least one common border with at least two other display positions. The method involves determining with the gaming system, whether there are one or more groups of at least three symbols corresponding to a designated winning symbol combination displayed at respective ones of a plurality of display positions linked in a contiguous group, the determination being based on the display positions sharing a common border. An award corresponding to a determined group is made.

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1. A method of gaming in a gaming machine having a credit input mechanism configured to receive physical item representing a monetary value to established a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity, a credit meter configured to monitor

1. A method of gaming in a gaming machine having a credit input mechanism configured to receive physical item representing a monetary value to established a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity, a credit meter configured to monitor the credit balance, a game play mechanism configured to receive a game play instruction including a wagering activity, a display having a plurality of display positions, each display position comprising a plurality of borders, at least one of the borders being a common border between two display positions, a display controller configured to control the display, a game controller, and an payout mechanism configured to cause a payout associated with the credit balance, the method comprising: establishing a credit balance including receiving the physical item via said credit accepting mechanism;in response to having received the wagering activity, decreasing the credit balance, and selecting, via the game controller, a plurality of symbols for display on at the plurality of display positions;causing via the display controller the display to display the selected symbols at the display positions;determining, via the game controller, whether a first display position displays a designated symbol;determining, via the game controller, in response to determining that the first display position displays a designated symbol, whether each of a plurality of second display positions surrounding the first display position and sharing common borders with the first display position also displays the designated symbol;in response to determining that both the first display position and at least one of the second display positions surrounding the first display position and sharing common borders with the first display position display the designated symbols, further determining, via the game controller, whether each of a plurality of third display positions surrounding the first display position and the least one of the second display positions and sharing common borders with at least one of the first display position and the least one of the second display positions also displays the designated symbol;in response to determining that a group formed from the first display position, the second display positions, and the third display positions displays at least three designated symbols, increasing via the game controller the credit balance; andmaking a payout via the payout mechanism in accord with the credit balance. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of different designated symbols correspond to winning symbol combinations. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising awarding an award comprising an additional game play from which an additional award is provided. 4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein for at least one designated symbol there are winning combinations for between 3 and 3+N symbols, wherein 3+N corresponds to a maximum number of designated symbols in a winning combination. 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one display position has at least three common borders with respective ones of at least three other display positions and wherein a group of designated symbols is at least partly formed by symbols disposed at the at least one display position and the at least three other display positions with which the at least one display position shares a common border. 6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one display position has at least four common borders with respective ones of at least four other display positions wherein a group of designated symbols is at least partly formed by symbols disposed at the at least one display position and the at least four other display positions with which the at least one display position shares a common border. 7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein symbols are selected independently for each display position. 8. A gaming machine comprising: a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item representing a monetary value to established a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity;a credit meter configured to monitor the credit balance;a game play mechanism operable by a player and configured to receive a game instruction including a wagering activity, in response to having established the credit balance;a display having a plurality of display positions, each display position comprising a plurality of borders, at least one of the borders being a common border between two display positions;a symbol selector responsive to having received the wagering activity and configured to select a plurality of symbols for display at the plurality of display positions;a display controller configured to cause the display to display the selected symbols at the display positions;a symbol group determiner configured to determine whether a first display position displays a designated winning symbol, determine, via the controller, in response to determining that the first display position displays a designated winning symbol, whether each of a plurality of second display positions surrounding the first display position and sharing common borders with the first display position also displays the designated winning symbol, and in response to determining that both the first display position and at least one of the second display positions surrounding the first display position and sharing common borders with the first display position display the designated winning symbols, further determining, via the controller, whether each of a plurality of third display positions surrounding the first display position and the least one of the second display positions and sharing common borders with at least one of the first display position and the least one of the second display positions also displays the designated winning symbol; anda prize awarder configured to, in response to determining that a group formed from the first display position, the second display positions, and the third display positions displays at least three designated winning symbols, increase the credit balance, and to make in accord with the credit balance. 9. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein a plurality of different designated symbols correspond to winning symbol combinations. 10. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the prize awarder is further configured to award an award comprising an additional game play from which an additional award is provided. 11. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein for at least one designated symbol there are winning combinations for between 3 and 3+N symbols, wherein 3+N corresponds to a maximum number of designated symbols in a winning combination. 12. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one display position that has at least three common borders with respective ones of at least three other display positions and wherein a group of designated symbols is at least partly formed by symbols disposed at the at least one display position and the at least three other display positions with which the at least one display position shares a common border. 13. A gaming system as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one display position that has at least four common borders with respective ones of at least four other display positions and wherein a group of designated symbols is at least partly formed by symbols disposed at the at least one display position and the at least four other display positions with which the at least one display position shares a common border. 14. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein symbols are selected independently for each display position. 15. An electronic gaming machine comprising: a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item representing a monetary value to established a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity;a credit meter configured to monitor the credit balance;a game play mechanism operable by a player and configured to receive a game instruction including a wagering activity, in response to having established the credit balance;a display mounted within a cabinet and having a plurality of display positions, each display position comprising a plurality of borders, at least one of the borders being a common border between two display positions; anda game controller mounted within the cabinet having a processor for executing game program code in response to the wagering activity, to implement the game in which the game controller selects a plurality of symbols for display on a display at the plurality of display positions, causes the display to display the selected symbols at the display positions, determines whether a first display position displays a designated winning symbol, determines, in response to determining that the first display position displays a designated winning symbol, whether each of a plurality of second display positions surrounding the first display position and sharing common borders with the first display position also displays the designated winning symbol, and in response to determining that both the first display position and at least one of the second display positions surrounding the first display position and sharing common borders with the first display position display the designated winning symbols, further determining, via the controller, whether each of a plurality of third display positions surrounding the first display position and the least one of the second display positions and sharing common borders with at least one of the first display position and the least one of the second display positions also displays the designated winning symbol, in response to determining that a group formed from the first display position, the second display positions, and the third display positions displays at least three designated winning symbols, increase the credit balance, and makes a payout in accord with the credit balance. 16. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein a plurality of different designated symbols correspond to winning symbol combinations. 17. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the game controller is further configured to award an award comprising an additional game play from which an additional award is provided. 18. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein for at least one designated symbol there are winning combinations for between 3 and 3+N symbols, wherein 3+N corresponds to a maximum number of designated symbols in a winning combination. 19. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one display position that has at least three common borders with respective ones of at least three other display positions and wherein a group of designated symbols is at least partly formed by symbols disposed at the at least one display position and the at least three other display positions with which the at least one display position shares a common border. 20. An electronic gaming machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one display position that has at least four common borders with respective ones of at least four other display positions and wherein a group of designated symbols is at least partly formed by symbols disposed at the at least one display position and the at least four other display positions with which the at least one display position shares a common border.