This invention generally relates to game assemblies and, more particularly, to multi-player word-forming game assemblies utilizing letters selected by a tossing a plurality of game piece onto a game target or a randomizer.
There are numerous word games and puzzles in the form of spoken or board games which are designed to challenge a player's ability for language and word formation. Word games provide a source of entertainment and an educational purpose for those developing important language skills, such as spelling and word recognition. Indeed, there are a variety of letter arrangement games, which are based on selecting and arranging letters on a board. One such example is Scrabble®, where users take turns arranging lettered tiles on a board to form interconnecting words.
Traditional word games have focused mainly on challenging a player's mental abilities. Games that challenge and coordinate both a player's mind and physical dexterity, however, are desirable as they engage more than just a player's mental abilities.
The game assemblies described herein challenge a player's mental agility and physical dexterity and coordination. Each player is provided with a predetermined and equal number of game pieces (e.g., 7-10 chips) and a game piece launcher. Players take turn aiming and launching a single game piece onto lettered sections on a game surface or a randomizer.
The game surface comprises a plurality of lettered and penalty sections and players may form words based on the letter sections covered by the chips. The randomizer includes a receiving portion disposed at a distance above the game surface and a player may select a desired letter when a chip lands in the receiving portion and use that letter in combination with the letters covered by the chips to form a word. The randomizer also includes a discharging portion. When a chip initially lands on the discharging portion, the chip will be discharged from the tower and randomly land onto one of a letter section or a penalty section on the game board.
The first player to shout out a valid word based on the lettered sections covered by the chips gets to collect the chips that created the word. If a chip lands on a penalty section, the player loses the number of chips indicated by the penalty section (e.g., “−1” means that the player loses one chip). If a player runs out of chips, that particular player can no longer launch chips onto the game surface, but may still participate in shouting out a word to gain back chips for play. The last remaining player with chips wins the game.
In one embodiment, a game assembly comprises a plurality of game pieces, a game surface, a randomizer, and a game piece launcher.
The game surface comprises a plurality of demarcated target areas each comprising an identifying indicium. The identifying indicium may be at least one of an alphanumeric letter or number.
The randomizer comprises a receiving portion and a discharging portion, the discharging portion being elevated above the game surface. The randomizer discharging portion may be disposed peripherally around the randomizer receiving portion and may comprise a sliding surface angled downwardly from the randomizer receiving portion and toward the game surface.
A plurality of guides may further be provided and coupled to the sliding surface. The plurality of guides are spaced apart at a distance that is greater than a largest width of each one of the plurality of game pieces.
The game piece launcher is operable to launch one of the plurality of game pieces to initially land on one of the game surface, the randomizer receiving portion or the randomizer discharging portion.
During play, when the game piece initially lands on the randomizer receiving portion, the game piece may be retained within the randomizer. The game piece may be retained within a cavity disposed centrally of the randomizer. When the game piece initially lands on the randomizer discharging portion, the game piece may be discharged from the randomizer and onto the game surface.
In another embodiment, a game assembly comprises a plurality of game pieces, a game surface and a randomizer.
The game surface may comprise a plurality of demarcated sections, each comprising an identifying indicium. The identifying indicium may include an alphanumeric character.
The game surface may be a flat, contiguous, planar surface, preferably devoid of any raised protrusions which may interfere with the sliding of the game pieces. Alternatively, each one of the demarcated sections may have a raised protrusion about its periphery to ensure that the chips are placed only on a single section and not overlapping more than one section.
The game surface may have a circular outer periphery and fold lines along first and second diameters that intersect at the center at a 90° angle. The game surface may be cut along at least a first half of one of the first and second diameters.
The randomizer comprises a receiving portion and a discharging portion elevated above the game surface. The receiving portion comprises a cavity formed within the randomizer and the discharging portion comprises a sliding surface surrounding the cavity and angled downwardly toward the game surface.
The game assembly may further comprise a game piece launcher operable to launch one of the plurality of game pieces to initially land on one of the game surface, the randomizer receiving portion or the randomizer discharging portion.
During play, when the game piece initially lands on the randomizer receiving portion, the game piece is retained within the cavity. When the game piece initially lands on the randomizer discharging portion, the game piece slides downwardly toward the game surface and lands on the game surface.
In a further embodiment, a game assembly comprises a plurality of round chips having flat opposing surface and a diameter, a planar game surface, a tower, and a chip launcher operable to launch one of the plurality of game pieces to initially land on one of the game surface, the tower receiving portion or the tower discharging portion.
The planar game surface comprises a center and a plurality of rings surrounding the center. The plurality of rings each comprise a plurality of separate and demarcated target areas. The target areas may each comprise one letter and the game surface may further comprise a plurality of penalty areas. The penalty areas may each include an indicium comprising a numerical value.
The tower is configured to be placed at the center of the game surface. The tower comprises a receiving portion and a discharging portion elevated above the game surface. The receiving portion comprises a cavity formed within the tower and the discharging portion comprises a sliding surface surrounding the cavity and angled downwardly toward the game surface. A plurality of guides may further be provided. The guides may be coupled to the sliding surface and spaced apart at a distance that is greater than the diameter of the round chips. The tower may comprise a top portion comprising the receiving portion and the discharging portion, a base, and at least one leg to displace the top portion at a distance above the base. The receiving portion may include a surface parallel to the game surface.
Other objects, features and advantages of the described embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. It is to be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Specific, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. It should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of embodiments within the scope of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.
The game board 110 comprises a plurality of demarcated target areas 130, each comprising an identifying indicium 132.
The top portion of the randomizer 400 is coupled to the base 440 by a leg 430 and is elevated above the game board at a suitable distance to create a challenge with respect to aiming and landing a game piece 200 into the cavity 410 and also to permit a range of distances from which the game piece 200 is discharged from the discharging portion 420. In one embodiment, the height of the randomizer is 20-60% of the diameter of the game board 110, preferably about 30-50% of the diameter of the game board 110 and most preferably about 35-45% of the diameter of the game board. In one embodiment, the top portion, the leg 430 and the base 440 may be separable to permit compact packaging and storage and may be assembled prior to use.
The cavity 410 may be located at the center of the randomizer 400 and may have sufficient depth and width to retain a plurality of game pieces 200. A discharging portion 420 may be provided around the periphery of the cavity 410 and angled downwardly from the cavity 410 toward the game board 110 such that a game piece 200 that initially lands on the discharging portion 420 slides downwardly away from the cavity 410, toward the game board 110, and onto one of the demarcated target areas 130 or a penalty zone 140. The shape of the discharging portion 420 is preferably the same as the shape of the arrangement of the demarcated target areas 130. In the embodiment depicted in
The game board 510 is similar to the one depicted in
The invention described and claimed herein is not to be limited in scope by the specific preferred embodiments disclosed herein, as these embodiments are intended as illustrations of several aspects of the invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.