Patent Application
20060131806
The present disclosure is directed to board games, and more particularly to checkers type board games in which players move game pieces, each of which includes game action indicia, on a checkers type board. In some embodiments, the game action indicia indicate a game action to be performed, such as moving a game piece in a manner other than that as provided by the rules according to which a traditional game of checkers is played. In some embodiments, the game pieces include a base portion and a pivotable portion that may be folded into a generally perpendicular orientation relative to the base portion, to selectively display the game action indicia to one or both players. Some methods of game play may provide that a player may choose to perform the game action indicated by a game piece displaying game action indicia.
The traditional game of checkers is played on a game board consisting of 64 squares arranged in eight vertical and horizontal rows by two players each controlling a set of twelve game pieces (or “checkers”), each set colored differently from the other and placed initially on alternating squares in the first three rows on opposite sides of the board. Alternating diagonal rows across the board are open for play whereas the intervening rows are not. The game pieces may be moved only diagonally from square to square, although each player's game pieces may “jump” one of the other player's game pieces located on an adjacent diagonal square beyond which there is an open square. Although game pieces may only be moved one square per turn towards the far side of the game board, a game piece may make multiple jumps in such direction, if possible. Game pieces that have been jumped are removed from the game.
If a game piece reaches the farthest row on the side of the game board opposite from where it was placed initially, i.e. the first row of the opponent's side of the board (also called the “king row”), the game piece becomes a “king.” This change in status is signified by placing a second game piece of the same color on the king game piece, thus “crowning” the king game piece. A king game piece may move and/or jump in any direction on the diagonal rows.
Examples of games based on a variation of checkers can be found in the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,700,016, 3,048,404, 4,032,152, and 4,226,419. Examples of games including game pieces including selectively displayable indicia and/or vertically foldable portions can be found in the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 567,218, 4,125,262, 4,343,476, and 5,312,110.
The disclosures of the aforementioned references are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
The present disclosure provides game pieces and methods for playing checkers type board games in which the game pieces include game action indicia adapted to indicate a game action to be performed. The game actions indicated may include manners of movement of game pieces, which may differ from those provided by the rules according to which a traditional game of checkers is played. Throughout this disclosure, the terms “traditional” and “conventional” are used to refer to the rules and game pieces of a standard game of checkers, as briefly summarized above; for example, a “traditional” move is one in which a game piece is moved one square in a diagonal direction, generally toward the “king row.”
Thus, one exemplary game action according to the present disclosure may be to move the game piece including the game action indicia three traditional moves in a row, in a single turn. Another exemplary game action may be to move the game piece including the game action indicia an unlimited number of squares in a straight diagonal line. Yet another game action may be to move an opponent's game piece, such as to a square where it may be jumped by the game piece that includes the game action indicia indicating such a game action. Optionally, a game action may be simply to move a game piece as per the traditional rules of checkers.
In some embodiments of games including a plurality of the aforementioned game pieces, the game action indicia of several different game pieces may indicate different game actions. Such games may include a set of game pieces for each player, the game pieces of each set also including player affiliation indicia, such as a color. Each set may include several game pieces each including different game action indicia, and may also include several game pieces each with the same game action indicia. Further, some embodiments may include sets of game pieces such that each set collectively includes the same, or different, game action indicia relative to the other set. Methods of game play suitable for such embodiments may provide that game play generally follows the traditional rules of checkers, but that a player may choose to perform the game action that is indicated on a game piece the player controls.
In some embodiments, the game pieces may be configured to selectively display the game action indicia. For example, a game piece may include a base portion and a pivotable portion bearing or otherwise including the game action indicia, such that the pivotable portion is foldably coupled to the base portion. The game piece thus may be adapted to be folded between a “closed” configuration, in which the pivotable portion is folded against the base portion, and an “open” configuration, in which the pivotable portion is folded away from the base portion.
In both configurations, the base portion may remain generally horizontal, so that the game piece may be placed on a flat surface such as game board, with the pivotable portion foldable between a first, horizontal position and a second, vertical position. In the horizontal position, the pivotable portion is folded against the base portion and the game piece is “closed.”In this configuration, the game action indicia may be concealed by being hidden underneath the game piece as it rests on a game board with the game action indicia facing down, or it may be displayed by turning the closed game piece so that the game action indicia is facing up. In the vertical position, the pivotable portion is folded away from the base portion and the game piece is “open.” In this configuration, the game action indicia may thus be viewable from a direction facing the vertically displayed game action indicia.
Thus, in the exemplary configuration briefly described above and discussed in more detail below, a game piece may be placed in one of three ways on a game board that is positioned generally between two players: so that the game action indicia is not visible to either player (i.e., closed, with the game action indicia facing down), visible to both players (i.e., closed, with the game action indicia facing up), or visible to only one player (i.e., open, with the game action indicia displayed on a vertical surface so that only a player facing the vertical portion may see it).
Exemplary sets of rules suitable for use with such game pieces may provide that a player may perform the game action indicated on a game piece only when the game action indicia is displayed to one or both players. For example, in one method of game play, the game pieces may be initially placed so that the game action indicia is not visible by either player until a game piece is successfully moved to the “king row,” at which point the game action indicia may be displayed to both players (such as by turning over the game piece or by folding the pivotable portion to the second, vertical position), and the player controlling the game piece may subsequently choose to perform the game action indicated.
An exemplary game piece configured to selectively display game action indicia as discussed above is presented in
The exemplary game piece is shown in
Base portion 12 includes a top side 20 (which can be seen in
Some embodiments of games, such as those presented herein, may incorporate a theme or backstory based to some extent on characters, events, and/or locations portrayed in a particular popular culture phenomenon, i.e. in a book, comic book, movie, TV show, or the like. Game components and features may be configured to reflect such a theme, for example by means of decorative indicia on the various game pieces. The exemplary embodiment incorporates the theme of the popular DC Comics superhero team known as the “Justice League.” Thus, game theme indicia 34 is shown to be an embossed design that resembles a star, one of the symbols of the Justice League. However, the illustrated embossed design is merely exemplary, and the central surface may include game theme indicia as desired to reflect a different theme, or no theme. Optionally, the central surface may be configured to include instructional indicia or other nondecorative indicia relevant to game play, such as player affiliation indicia.
Also, although the depicted game piece is shown to include color as player affiliation indicia, other suitable indicia adapted to differentiate between game pieces that are controlled by, or otherwise affiliated with, each player, may be used. Examples include one or more symbols, icons, or other markings, colors, or any combinations thereof. Moreover, such player affiliation indicia may appear on any suitable part of game piece 10, in addition to, or instead of, base portion 12.
Foldably attached to base portion 12 is pivotable portion 14, which is shown in
Flat surface 60 of pivotable portion 14 is shown to include game action indicia 64, which is adapted to indicate a game action. As illustrated, game action indicia 64 is shown to be in the form of a graphic illustration of a superhero, as consistent with the “Justice League” theme of the exemplary embodiment. Specifically, game action indicia 64 is a graphic illustration of the superhero “The Flash.” However, such game action indicia may be any symbol, icon, image, text, other marking, or any suitable combination thereof that is adapted to indicate a game action to be performed. Moreover, the game action indicia of several game pieces may differ, and accordingly may represent different game actions to be performed. As described in more detail below, a set of rules suitable for use with the exemplary embodiment may provide that game action indicia that represents a specific superhero indicates a specific game action to be performed.
As best seen in
Thus, with reference to
Exemplary methods of game play utilizing the concepts and components discussed above are outlined in the paragraphs below. The games are based on the game of checkers, and thus may be played by two players on a checker board, each player controlling a set of twelve game pieces, which are initially arranged on alternating spaces in the first three rows of opposite sides of the board (the “starting configuration”). Unlike a traditional set of checkers, the game pieces include game action indicia. Moreover, in the embodiments presented herein, some of the game pieces include distinguishable game action indicia.
For example,
In the exemplary embodiments, seven game pieces of each set are “superhero game pieces,” each of which include game action indicia indicating a different superhero member of the Justice League, such as The Flash and the other superheroes illustrated in game action indicia 641-647); the remaining five game pieces of each set are “regular game pieces” that include indistinguishable, or generic, game action indicia (such as game action indicia 648).
To further the superhero theme of the exemplary embodiment, the game action indicated by the game action indicia may be related in some manner to the powers possessed by the superhero depicted. For example, in
In the exemplary games disclosed herein, seven game pieces of each set are superhero game pieces bearing distinguishable superhero game action indicia on the flat face of the pivotable portion, each superhero game action indicia corresponding to a “special power” or game action to be performed such as those presented in the table above or otherwise as provided by a set of rules. The remaining five game pieces are regular game pieces, and may be moved in the manner of a conventional checker.
As described in greater detail below, one way in which described methods differ from each other is in the initial placement of the game pieces in the starting configuration on the game board, since only seven of each set of twelve game pieces are superhero game pieces. Thus, a first method involves initially placing the game pieces randomly in the starting configuration and concealing the game action indicia from both players; a second method involves initially placing the game pieces strategically in the starting configuration and concealing the identities and positions of the superhero game pieces and regular game pieces of each player from the other player; and a third method involves initially placing the game pieces strategically in the starting configuration but revealing the game action indicia of the game pieces to both players. Play then proceeds according to the conventional game of checkers, with modifications to accommodate displaying the game action indicia and performing the game actions indicated.
In a first method, the twelve game pieces of each set are each folded into a closed configuration, arranged top side up, mixed randomly, and placed randomly in the starting configuration.
Play proceeds according to the conventional game of checkers. However, if a game piece is moved to the “king row,” as shown in
In a second method, the twelve game pieces of each set are each folded into a closed configuration and placed according to each player's preference in the starting configuration, top side down. In other words, the flat surface of the pivotable portion of each player's game piece is visible to each player, so the relative positions and identities of each player's superhero game pieces and regular game pieces is apparent to both players.
When a player decides to use the “special power” of one of the superheroes indicated on one of the superhero game pieces, the game action corresponding to the superhero on a game piece is performed. Once the corresponding game action has been performed, the game piece is turned over to display the top side of the base portion, and is moved thereafter as a conventional checker.
In a third method, the twelve game pieces of each set are each folded into an open configuration and placed according to each player's preference in the starting configuration, such that the “JL” logo on each player's game piece is facing the other player. In other words, the flat surface of the pivotable portion of each player's game piece is visible to the player but concealed from the other player, so neither player can determine which of the other player's game pieces are superhero game pieces and which are regular game pieces.
When a player decides to perform the game action indicated by the game action indicia indicated on one of the superhero game pieces, the game action indicia is shown to the other player and the game action is performed according to the superhero indicated on the game piece. Once the game action indicated on a game piece has been performed, it is folded into a closed configuration and moved thereafter as a conventional checker.
The disclosed methods are indicated to be exemplary methods of game play utilizing the game components and concepts as described above, as other methods are certainly possible and within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the exemplary game pieces as described and illustrated herein may be used to play a game according to the conventional rules of checkers, with no modifications. Also, in each of the exemplary methods of game play, the “special power” of each superhero game piece may only be used once; in other embodiments, the “special powers” may be used multiple times, or in combination, and so forth. Further, the table above presents seven exemplary game actions, but the variety and number of game actions indicated by game action indicia may be configured as desired.
Aspects of one or more of these exemplary methods of game play may be reflected in a set of rules to accompany a game. Such rules may thus be adapted to provide a game with a desired degree of complexity or difficulty, for example to adapt the game to players of a predetermined age range. The rules may include additional methods of game play consistent with the components and concepts of the game as described above, and may vary from those as indicated herein.
It is believed that the disclosure set forth herein encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Similarly, where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element of the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
It is believed that the following claims particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties that may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure.
This application is based upon and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/622,746, entitled “Checkers Type Board Games and Apparatus for Playing the Same” and filed on Oct. 27, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60622746 | Oct 2004 | US |
