Claims
- 1. A game apparatus for one or more users, comprising:at least three input devices each requiring a mechanical action for actuation, wherein at least one of said input devices requires a spinning or a flicking mechanical action for actuation and wherein at least two of the mechanical actions are different; an audible output device; and a controller, coupled to each of the input devices and to the audible output device, for: selecting an input device; outputting a command signal to the audible output device specific to the input device selected; detecting whether the selected input device is actuated within a desired elapsed time; outputting an error signal to the audible output device if a non-selected input device is actuated by a user; outputting an error signal to the audible output device if the selected input device is not actuated by a user within the desired elapsed time.
- 2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller ceases to output command signals to the audible output device after outputting the error command signal.
- 3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller operates to automatically perform operations in a specified sequence.
- 4. The game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller can reexecute the operations if the controller detects that the selected input device is actuated within a desired elapsed time.
- 5. The game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the mechanical actions are pushing, twisting, spinning, flicking or pulling actions.
- 6. The game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the input devices include a pressure switch, a pull switch, a rotational switch, a spin wheel, and a lever switch.
- 7. The game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller causes the audible output device to output a different voice message corresponding to each respective command signal.
- 8. The game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the pressure switch instructs a user to press the pressure switch,the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the pull switch instructs the user to pull the pull switch, and the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the rotational switch instructs the user to rotate the rotational switch, the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the spin wheel instructs the user to spin the spin wheel, and the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the lever switch instructs the user to flick the lever switch.
- 9. The game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller outputs a pass command signal to the audible output device immediately after the controller detects that the selected input device has been actuated within a desired elapsed time, and wherein in response to the pass command signal the audible output device outputs a voice message for a user to pass the game apparatus to another user.
- 10. The game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller causes the audible output device to output a different musical sound corresponding to each respective command signal.
- 11. The game apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the pressure switch instructs a user to press the pressure switch,the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the pull switch instructs the user to pull the pull switch, the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the rotational switch instructs the user to rotate the rotational switch, the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the spin wheel instructs the user to spin the spin wheel, and the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the lever switch instructs the user to flick the lever switch.
- 12. The game apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller outputs a pass command signal to the audible output device after the controller detects that the selected input device has been actuated within a desired elapsed time, and in response to the pass command signal the audible output device outputs a musical sound for a user to pass the game apparatus to another user.
- 13. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the game apparatus is a hand-held game.
- 14. A method of operating a game apparatus, wherein the game apparatus includes at least three input devices each requiring a mechanical action for actuation, wherein at least one of said input devices requires a spinning or a flicking mechanical action for actuation, and wherein at least two of the mechanical actions are different, an audible output device, and a controller coupled to each of the input devices and to the audible output device, the method comprising the steps of:selecting with the controller one of said input devices; outputting from the controller a command signal to the audible output device specific to the input device selected; detecting with the controller whether the selected input device is actuated within a desired elapsed time; outputting from the controller an error signal to the audible output device if a non-selected input device is actuated by a user and outputting from the controller an error signal to the audible output device if the selected input device is not actuated by a user within the desired elapsed time.
- 15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the controller ceasing to output command signals to the audible output device after outputting the error signal.
- 16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the controller performs the operations automatically and in a specified sequence.
- 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the mechanical actions are pushing, twisting, spinning, flicking or pulling actions.
- 18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the controller re-performs the sequence of operations if the controller detects that the selected input device is actuated within a desired elapsed time.
- 19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the input devices include a pressure switch, a pull switch, a rotational switch, a spin wheel, and a lever switch.
- 20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the controller causing the audible output device to output a different voice message corresponding to each respective command signal.
- 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the pressure switch instructs a user to press the pressure switch,the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the pull switch instructs the user to pull the pull switch, the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the rotational switch instructs the user to rotate the rotational switch, the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the spin wheel instructs the user to spin the spin wheel, and the voice message corresponding to a command signal relating to the lever switch instructs the user to flick the lever switch.
- 22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the controller outputting a pass command signal to the audible output device immediately after the controller detects that the selected input device has been actuated within a desired elapsed time, and in response to the pass command signal the audible output device outputting a voice message for a user to pass the game apparatus to another user.
- 23. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the controller outputting a different musical sound corresponding to each respective command signal.
- 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the pressure switch instructs a user to press the pressure switch,the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the pull switch instructs the user to pull the pull switch, the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the rotational switch instructs the user to rotate the rotational switch the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the spin wheel instructs the user to spin the spin wheel, and the musical sound corresponding to a command signal relating to the lever switch instructs the user to flick the lever switch.
- 25. The method according to claim 23 further comprising the controller outputting a pass command signal to the audible output device after the controller detects that the selected input device has been actuated within a desired elapsed time, and in response to the pass command signal the audible output device outputting a musical sound for a user to pass the game apparatus to another user.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/933,994, filed Sep. 19, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,478.
US Referenced Citations (27)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/933994 |
Sep 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/304637 |
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US |