CARD GAME WITH AUGMENTATION CARDS

FIELD

A card game with a set of playing cards having a series of cards with various numbers, values, pictures, and characters, including augmentation cards.

BACKGROUND

Various card games have been played by humans for many centuries. Traditional decks of cards in western countries often include fifty-two playing cards with four suits: clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds. These cards also include face cards Jack, Queen and King. In the past few decades a number of other types of card games have also evolved that include the use of specialized decks with varying methods of play. These can utilize rules that range from simplistic for children's games to very complex for hardcore gamers and hobbyists.

The following references were considered related:

U.S. Pat. No. 9,345,949 relates to a trading card game with different types of card classes and abilities
U.S. Pat. No. 10,926,163 relates to playing-cards, a card game with scoring elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,169 relates to a mathematical card game played for tricks.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,664,925 relates to a trick-taking card game with two decks of cards.
U.S. App. Publication No. 2003/0062679 entitled relates to a card game with a map.

The need has been felt for providing new and improved card games for family and friendly enjoyment.

SUMMARY

The present innovation relates generally to a card game. The cards have two sides: front side A and back side B. The present invention discloses a new set of one-hundred and twenty playing cards wherein some of the cards are beast cards or base value cards and other cards are phenomena or augmentation cards with numerical modifiers for specific elements.

Each numbered card is associated with one or two elements (e.g. fire, air, earth, water, or others) Dual element cards are different than cards in typical card decks. Elements determine which augmentation cards are operable to act on a card. Augmentation cards have no inherent value, but rather change the value of the numbered cards they are associated with. Augmentation cards can be played at any time. All augmentation cards can act on both elements of dual element number cards. Augmentation cards can add or subtract value and, in some embodiments, can multiply or divide value. Other mathematical functions of augmentation cards are possible as well.

Additional features and advantages of the embodiments disclosed herein will be set forth in the detailed description that follows, and in part will be clear to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.

Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present embodiments intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the embodiments disclosed herein. The accompanying drawings are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure, and together with the description explain the principles and operations thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more fully described in, or rendered obvious by, the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which are to be considered together with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers refer to like parts and further, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a face of a beast card, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIGS. 2A-2C show diagrams of a face of a phenomena card, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIG. 3 shows a diagram of element rankings, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIG. 4 shows a diagram of ties and non-ties, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIG. 5 shows a diagram of game play during a round, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIG. 6A shows a diagram of different beast card names, gem values, number values, and element types, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIG. 6B shows a diagram of different phenomena card names (enhancements), element types that it can modify and plus/minus modification, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIGS. 7A-7B show diagrams of point value, value base cards, augmentation element cards, and total cards, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIG. 8 shows a diagram of point value, value beast cards, augmentation element cards, and total cards, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIG. 9 shows a diagram of game play during a round, in accordance with some embodiments described herein; and

FIG. 10 shows an example embodiment diagram 1000 of a face of a base value card or a rock, paper, or scissors card.

FIG. 11 shows an example embodiment diagram of a face of an augmentation card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s), examples of which is/are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

It should be understood that in addition to physical cards, the game can be played on various media, including, but not limited to, electronic game consoles, computers, and interactive and social media networks accessed using computers, cellular devices, tablets, or others.

In various embodiments the object of the game may be different. In some embodiments, the object of the game is to play beast and phenomena cards in turn to win gems. Gems are won by playing high-ranking beast cards that cannot be defeated by another player's cards or by playing the same value beast card as that which another player has played in order to trigger a war. The first player to earn a particular quantity of gems is the winner of the game.

In some embodiments there are seventy-two unique beast cards, of which six unique beast cards of the same value have varying single or double elements. There are also forty-eight phenomena cards that include an assigned value of either +1 or −1 modifiers for two, three, or four elements of a card they are played with.

FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment diagram 100 of a face of a base value card or a beast card. In various embodiments, “beast” can be interchangeable with “base,” where different suits, genres, types, or other groups could be used in place of “beast.” As shown in the example embodiment, a beast card image 102 can be a picture, drawing, or other visual representation of a beast that the card represents. The beast card image 102 can be displayed or located in the center of the card or other locations. A beast name 104 can include a noun and, optionally, at least one adjective describing the noun and/or at least one verb describing what the noun is doing. Here, the beast is a flying elephant and the beast name 104 is located generally in the top area of the card face. A beast value 106 can be displayed in one or more locations on the beast card. Here, it is shown in the top left corner and bottom right corner. At least one beast element 108 can be displayed on the card face in at least one location (e.g., top and bottom of card face). Here, the beast has two elements, earth and air. Graphics (e.g., a mountain for earth, wavy wind for air, or others), colors (e.g. yellow for air, green for earth, or others), and/or other signifiers can indicate the beast's associated elements. Gem(s) 110 can be displayed in one or more locations (e.g. near the periphery of beast value 106 and within the beast card image 102). A beast description 112 can include flavorful text that may be descriptive, comical or otherwise interesting and may enrich the playing experience of players when read (e.g., for the flying elephant card the text may say “Go ahead and say dumbo.”).

Beast cards include one to four gems (bottom right-hand and top left-hand side) that will be tallied to determine the winner of the game. Every beast is associated with one or two elements (fire, water, earth, or air). The elements determine which phenomena can act on the card.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C each show an example embodiment diagram 200a, 200b, 200c, respectively, of a face of a phenomena card. As shown in the example embodiments, a phenomena card image 202 can be a picture, drawing, or other visual representation of a phenomena that the card represents. The phenomena card image 202 can be displayed or located in the center of the card or other locations. A phenomena name 204 can include a noun and, optionally, at least one adjective describing the noun and/or at least one verb describing what the noun is doing. Here, the phenomena in FIG. 2A is a blizzard (without other descriptor) and the phenomena name 204 is located generally in the top area of the card face. At least one phenomena augmentation value (e.g. +1, −1, ×2, /3 or others) and associated element(s) 206 can be displayed in one or more locations on the phenomena card. Here, they are shown in the top left corner and bottom right corner. Associated element(s) generally adjacent to the phenomena augmentation value. Here, there are four phenomena augmentation values and associated elements, fire, earth, air, and water. Graphics (e.g., a flame for fire, a mountain for earth, wavy wind for air, a droplet for water, or others), colors (e.g. red for fire, yellow for air, green for earth, blue for water, or others), and/or other signifiers can indicate the phenomena's associated elements. A phenomena description 212 can include flavorful text that may be descriptive, comical or otherwise interesting and may enrich the playing experience of players when read (e.g., in FIG. 2A for the blizzard card the text may say “Frozen wonderland.”).

As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, elements 214 can include a −1 and +1 value on the same phenomena card. Elements 216 can also be all +1 value for a card. All −1 elements on a card are also contemplated.

Phenomena cards have no value at the end of the game. Phenomena can change the value of the beasts and can be played at any time. The phenomena card can affect the current beast card, the played beast card, or can be acted on both the current and played beast cards (discussed in more detail below). All phenomena cards augment the beast card value by +1 or −1 (or others in various embodiments). If a beast card is dual element, then the phenomena card can act on both elements if it is able.

FIG. 3 shows an example embodiment diagram 300 of element rankings. In the event of a tie, element analysis can be used to determine a tiebreaker. As shown in row 302, fire beats earth. As shown in row 304, earth beats air. As shown in row 306, air beats water. As shown in row 308, water beats fire. As shown in row 310, water ties earth and air ties fire.

FIG. 4 shows an example embodiment diagram 400 of ties and non-ties. As shown in row 402, the fire of the phoenix card beats the earth of the crocodile card, while the air of the phoenix card beats the water of the crocodile card. However, the earth of the crocodile card beats the air of the phoenix card, while the water of the crocodile card beats the fire of the phoenix card. As such, all elements cancel, and the result is a tie. As shown in row 404, the water of the dolphin card beats the fire of the phoenix card, while the air of the phoenix card beats the water of the dolphin card. As such, all elements cancel, and the result is a tie. As shown in row 406, the water of the dolphin card ties the water of the crocodile card, while the water of the dolphin card also ties the earth of the crocodile card. As such, all elements cancel, and the result is a tie.

As shown in row 408, the water of the octopus card beats the fire of the fox card, while the water of the octopus card ties the earth of the fox card. Water beating fire breaks the tie. As shown in row 410, the earth of the fox card beats the air of the phoenix card, while the fire of the fox card ties the fire of the phoenix card. Earth beating air breaks the tie. As shown in row 412, the earth of the cheetah card beats the air of the elephant card, while the earth of the cheetah card ties the earth of the elephant card. Earth beating air breaks the tie.

In various embodiments, two, three, or four players can play with a single deck. In some embodiments, a dealer will setup a round for play by shuffling the entire deck and dealing seven cards to each player. The remaining card deck is placed in the middle or other convenient location so that all players can draw cards therefrom. Players keep their hand of cards to themselves without revealing them to others until they play a card during their turn.

For an initial round, and only in the initial round, each player announces the numerical value of their lowest value beast card. The player with the lowest numerical value beast card in a round or hand starts the game. They are the starting player for the hand. If two players have equivalent lowest value beast cards in their hand, the next lowest numerical value beast card will determine which player will begin play. Gameplay occurs clockwise by each player playing in turn beginning with the starting player. For subsequent rounds, the player who lost or came in last place in the previous round will be the starting player. In a three or four player game the first player who loses or the player who forfeits first will begin the next round as the starting player. Once a round begins, a player may play any card they like. As such, the player does not need to play the lowest card in their hand.

If at any time a player has no beast cards in their hand, that player may show their hand to the other players and discard as many phenomena cards as they desire before drawing the same quantity of cards from the deck as those they discarded. This process may be repeated until the player draws a beast card. The player is not required to show the beast card(s) when they eventually draw one or more from the deck.

Gameplay: The first beast card played can be numbered with any value on its face and is called the current beast card. Play proceeds clockwise to the next player, who attempts to beat the current beast card. The current player, the challenger, must play only one beast card that is of equal or higher value than the current beast card (see game play example below for a detailed example). Phenomena cards can only be played during a player's turn. Phenomena cards are played face up and can act on any individual beast card. As many phenomena cards may be played by a player during their turn as they wish. Since there is only one active beast card at a time, once the active beast card is beaten it is discarded along with all the phenomena cards that are currently attached to it. The round will continue until no player is able to beat or defeat the current beast card (see below for further explanation of end of round rules) or, alternatively, if a war occurs (see below for additional information about ties and war).

Once one beast card and any phenomena cards are played by a player, that player may draw up to seven cards.

FIG. 5 shows an example embodiment diagram 500 of game play during a round. As shown, a first player may play a Mutant Crocodile card 502 with a numerical value of six that becomes a current beast. The first player draws a card and ends their turn. A second player may play a Kindling Phoenix with a numerical value of six (the played beast card), along with a Health Elixir phenomena card. The second player may announce that the phenomena card will only act on the Kindling Phoenix they have played. This can change the value of the six Kindling Phoenix to a seven. As such, the second player's beast card becomes the current beast card to beat, and the value six Mutant Crocodile originally played by the first player is placed into a discard pile. The second player may than draws two cards and end their turn. As the current beast card, the seven Kindling Phoenix is the current beast card that the next player must beat.

End of Round: A round ends when no players can beat the current beast or card there is a tie between two beast cards. If the beast card cannot be beaten, then the player who played the current beast card wins that beast card and places it in a win pile (e.g., if player one played the current beast then they would place it in player one's win pile). A win pile should only include beast cards. At any time during a round, a player can decide that their hand is not worth playing in that round and forfeit the round. Once a player forfeits a round, they are out of the round unless a war occurs. If a war occurs, the player who forfeited the round can jump in for a tie.

Ties result in a War: All ties result in a war and occur if the values of the beast cards match (i.e., current beast and active beast). If there is a tie, each player involved in the tie draws from the top of the draw deck until a beast card is revealed. If one or more phenomena card is drawn before the first beast card, that/those phenomena card(s) will act on the beast card when it is eventually drawn. Whoever has the highest value beast card wins the war and that player claims the beast card that initially began the war. If there is another tie during the card drawing phase of the initial war, then only players that tied again will have a second war. The second war beast card will also be won. This continues if there is a tie that causes an additional war. Beast cards that are won in war are placed in the winning player's win pile.

In a multiplayer game, after a war is initiated any player can join the war by creating a beast number that is equivalent to those in the current war. The player joining the war can only augment the value of their beast card joining the war.

To decide which player plays first after a war, the losing player during the war will play first. If more than two players are involved in a war, the player to the right of the war winner will go next. If there is a player who does not participate in a war, that player will start the next round. If two players do not participate in the war, the first player clockwise that did not participate from the winner of the war will begin.

In some embodiments additional game play can include a “War changer.” In this game play, after a war has been concluded players who did not win the war, starting with the player with the lowest beast card in the war, have the option to play the phenomena cards in their hand to change the outcome of the war. After all the phenomena cards have been played, the player is allowed to draw cards. Turns for phenomena additions will be taken by each player in the game in turn.

In some embodiments additional game play can include an “Elemental tie break.” This game play will only occur if there is a tie of the beast cards. Element ranking of the beast cards can break a tie. Ties can still occur if the available elements cannot break the tie. If there are two dual elements, matching elements will cancel, and the remaining element will break the tie (see examples with respect to FIG. 5). During wars where additional players are engaged, element rankings are ignored by the additional players when joining a war.

In some embodiments, when playing with younger players, novice players, or to otherwise simplify the rules, the deck can be used to play war games with all phenomena as +1. In order to add an element of difficulty in other embodiments, phenomena can be played with −1 and +1.

End of Game—If at any time during the game the draw pile has been exhausted, a dealer can re-shuffle the discard pile. The game ends once one player acquires a minimum number of gems, as displayed on the beast cards in their win pile. For a two-player game, the winner must acquire ten or more gems. For a three-player game, the winner must acquire nine or more gems. For a four-player game, the winner must acquire eight or more gems. For a five-player game, the winner must acquire seven or more gems. For a six-player game, the winner must acquire six or more gems.

FIGS. 6A-6B show example embodiment diagrams 600a, 600b respectively of different beast card names, gem values, number values, and element types.

FIGS. 7A-7B show example embodiment diagrams 700a, 700b respectively of point values, value base cards, augmentation element cards, and total cards that embodies a variant of the game that contains only 3 elements (rocks, paper, scissors) and has 50 to 60 cards.

FIG. 8 shows a diagram 800 of an example embodiment of a classic playing card deck of 52 cards game with 34 augmentation cards added to the deck to allow game play with augmentations and play other embodiments.

In various embodiments three base card (e.g., rock, paper, scissors, or others) type versions of a card game with augmentation cards can be played. Such games may include, for example, thirty-six unique rock, scissors, and paper cards (i.e., suits). Each suit may include cards with values numbered individually from 1 through 12. There may also be fourteen augmentation cards that are either +1 or −1 modifier values for each rock, paper and scissors base card or suit, with some augmentation cards being applicable to multiple (e.g., two or three) of rocks, paper, and scissors suits.

The object of the three base card type or suit game is to play rock, paper, and scissors cards and associated positive and/or negative augmentation cards matching the played base cards in turn to win points. Points may be won by playing high numbered cards that cannot be defeated by another player's base card plays or by playing the same value base card as one already played by another player to trigger a scissor/rock/paper comparison (i.e., war). The winning player will be the first player to earn the minimum points required to win the game.

To begin, a dealer (e.g., dealer player) will shuffle the entire deck of combined base cards and augmentation cards and deal seven cards to each player (one at a time, in multiples, or all at once). The dealer may then place the rest of the deck face down in the middle or in another convenient location so that all players can draw cards therefrom. Players keep the card faces to themselves and do not otherwise reveal their hands to each other.

For a first/initial round, and only such round, each and every player announces the lowest value base card of all of their rock, paper, and scissors cards. The player with the lowest rock, paper, or scissor card in each and every hand begins play for the round. If two players have identical numerical value for their lowest value rock, paper, or scissors card in their hand, the next lowest numerical value base card of rock, paper, or scissors will determine who will begin play. In other words, if two players tie at numerical value one and the next lowest numerical value that any player has is three, that will be the lowest card and initial player for the round. Gameplay takes place in a clockwise fashion beginning with the starting player. For subsequent rounds (i.e. all rounds after the initial round), the player who lost the previous round will begin play for the current round. In a three-player game, the first person who loses or forfeits a round will begin play in the next round. Once a round begins, upon their turn, a player may play any base card they desire; it does not need to be the lowest in their hand.

If at any time a player has no base cards in their hand (i.e., no rock, paper, or scissors cards), that player may show their hand to the other players, discard as many augmentation cards as they desire, and draw an equivalent number of cards from the deck as the number of cards they discarded. Such player may repeat this process until a base card rock, paper, or scissors is drawn. The player does not need to show the other players the base card rock, paper, scissors that they have drawn.

After the initial round, gameplay follows the following process: the first rock, paper, or scissor card played may be any value and is called the current base number card (rock, paper, or scissors). Play proceeds clockwise to the next player, who attempts to beat the current rock, paper, scissor card by playing a higher valued card. The current player must play only one rock, paper, or scissors card that is of equal or higher value to the current rock, paper, or scissors card (e.g., see game play example below). Augmentation cards (+/− matching the rock, paper, or scissors base card) can only be played on a current player's turn and can act on any individual rock, paper, or scissors base card. A current player can play as many augmentation cards as they desire during their turn. There is only one active rock, paper, or scissors base card at a time. Once a rock, paper, or scissors card is beaten it is discarded, along with all the augmentation cards attached to it. A current round will continue until no player can play a base card with augmentations that defeats the current rock, paper, or scissors card or if a war occurs. End of round rules are covered below, as are rules for ties and wars. Only one base card can be played at a time, along with as many augmentation cards as desired by the player on their turn. Once a base card and any augmentation card have been played by a player, that player can draw up to seven cards from the deck.

FIG. 9 shows a diagram 900 of game play during a round, in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As shown, A first player may play a rock card with six value that becomes a current rock, paper, scissor base card. Player one may then draw one card and end their turn. Player two may next play a six value scissor card (the played rock, paper, scissor base card) with a +scissor, +rock augmentation card, which they announce will only act on the value six scissor card they played, thereby changing the value of the six value scissor card to a seven value scissor card. The seven value scissor card becomes a new top current top value card to beat, and the value six rock card is placed into the discard pile. Player two then draws two cards and ends their turn. Subsequent players must beat the current value seven scissor base card.

A round ends when no players can beat a current rock, paper, scissors base card, or there is a tie. If the rock, paper, scissors base card cannot be beaten, then the player who played the current rock, paper, scissors base card wins that rock, paper, scissors base card and places it in their win pile. The win pile should only consist of rock, paper, scissors base cards. At any time in a round, a player can decide that their hand is not worth playing in that round and forfeit the round. Once a player forfeits a round, they are out of the round they forfeited until a new round starts.

Ties result in a rock, paper, scissor duel or war: All ties result in a war and occur if the values of the current rock, paper, scissors base card and played base card are equivalent or match. If there is a tie, the rock, paper or scissors base card will win the card and points pending on which card is the winner for the actual rocks, paper, scissor game (i.e., rocks beats scissors, paper beats rock and scissors beats paper). If there is a tie with the same rock, paper, scissor caused by augmentation (i.e., both players played a value six paper card), then an actual roshambo is played for one round (i.e. rock, paper, scissors hand game for one turn). The winner of the roshambo wins the card they played that caused the tie. Rock, paper, scissors base cards that are won in war are placed in the winning player's win pile.

To decide who goes first after a war, the player who lost the war will go first. If more than two people are in a war, the person to the right of the winner will play next. If there is a player who does not participate in a war, they will start the next round.

End of Game—If at any time during the game the draw pile has been exhausted, the dealer can re-shuffle the discard pile. The game ends once one player reaches ten or more points for a two player game or nine or more points for a three-player game.

WAR—If playing with younger players, less experienced, or otherwise, the deck can be used to play classic war with all augmentation values as +1. Add the rock, paper scissor for ties and play with −1 and +1 to change the difficulty.

FIG. 10 shows an example embodiment diagram 1000 of a face of a base value card or a rock, paper, or scissors card. In various embodiments, “base” can be interchangeable where different suits, genres, types, or other groups could be used in place of “base.” As shown in the example embodiment, a base card image 1002 can be a picture, drawing, or other visual representation of a base that the card represents (e.g., scissors). The base card image 1002 can be displayed or located in the center of the card or other locations. A base card name 1004 can include a noun and, optionally, at least one adjective describing the noun and/or at least one verb describing what the noun is doing. Here, the base is a scissors and the base name 1004 is located generally in the top area of the card face and mirrored at the bottom. A base value 1006 can be displayed in one or more locations on the base card. Here, it is shown in the top left corner and bottom right corner. At least one base element 1008 can be displayed on the card face in at least one location (e.g., top and bottom of card face). The base element can be the same as the base name. Points 1010 can be displayed in one or more locations (e.g., near the periphery of base value 106 and within the base card image 1002 area).

FIG. 11 shows an example embodiment diagram 1100 of a face of an augmentation card. As shown in the example embodiments, an augmentation card image 1102 can be a picture, drawing, or other visual representation of an augmenter that the card affects. The augmentation card image 1102 can be displayed or located in the center of the card or other locations. At least one augmentation value (e.g., +1, −1, ×2, /3 or others) and associated element(s) 1106 can be displayed in one or more locations on the augmentation card. Here, they are shown in the top left corner and bottom right corner.

The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of this disclosure. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of this disclosure.

Although the subject matter has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments, which may be made by those skilled in the art.

CARD GAME WITH AUGMENTATION CARDS

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