Arcade game

Abstract

An arcade game accepts player selection of a specific prize before the game is started. Preferably, the difficulty level of the game is proportional to the value of the selected prize. In addition, the difficulty level of the game is preferably proportional to the number of monetary units inserted into the machine by the player, such that the game becomes less difficult as the player inserts additional monetary units into the machine. The machine preferably dispenses the selected prize to the player when the player inserts monetary units into the machine equivalent to the value of the prize.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for dispensing prizes from an arcade game unit to a player, comprising the steps of: 
 accepting monetary units from the player;    displaying the difficulty level of the game associated with a prize;    accepting selection of a prize by the player;    starting the game at a difficulty level corresponding to said selected prize;    determining whether the player won the game; and    dispensing said selected prize to the player if the player has won the game.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step before the accepting monetary units step of waiting in an attract mode.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said waiting step comprises the steps of displaying the difficulty level of the game associated with a particular prize for a finite time and repeating the displaying step with a prize different from the immediately preceding prize.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said displaying step is performed by lighting a vending light associated with a prize.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said displaying step is performed for a plurality of different prizes.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of accepting input from the player, where said displaying step is performed for a specific prize in response to said input.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said displaying step comprises the steps of displaying the difficulty level of the game associated with a particular prize for a finite time and repeating the displaying step with a prize different from the immediately preceding prize.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step before the starting step of counting the monetary units accepted; and adjusting the difficulty level of the game according to said counted number of monetary units.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step before the adjusting step of accepting a request from the player to decrease the difficulty level.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said difficulty level decreases as the counted number of monetary units increases.  
     
     
         11 . A method for dispensing a prize from an arcade game unit to a player, comprising the steps of: 
 accepting monetary units from the player;    displaying the difficulty level of the game associated with a prize;    accepting selection of a prize by the player; and    dispensing said selected prize to the player if said accepted monetary units are equal to or greater than the value of the prize.    
     
     
         12 . A method for adjusting the difficulty of an arcade game, comprising the steps of: 
 accepting monetary units;    counting the monetary units accepted; and    adjusting the difficulty level of the game according to said counted number of monetary units.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of providing an adjustable preset inaccessible to the player corresponding to the ratio between the counted number of monetary units and the difficulty of the game, wherein said adjusting step is performed according to the counted number of monetary units and the adjustable preset ratio between the counted number of monetary units and the difficulty level.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of accepting selection of a preset value for said prizes; storing said preset value of said prizes in the game such that they are inaccessible to the player; accepting player selection of a prize; and dispensing said selected prize to the player when said counted number of monetary units is equivalent to said preset value of said selected prize.  
     
     
         15 . An arcade game, comprising: 
 a cabinet;    a skill game in said cabinet;    a receiver in said cabinet for receiving monetary units from a player;    a dispensing unit within said cabinet adapted to hold a plurality of prizes;    controls for selecting a specific prize within said dispensing unit before the player starts to play said skill game; and    a game controller in said cabinet electrically connected to said skill game, said dispensing unit and said controls.    
     
     
         16 . The arcade game of  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of vending lights, each vending light associated with a specific prize.  
     
     
         17 . The arcade game of  claim 16 , wherein said controls are adapted to cause a particular vending light to illuminate to indicate the selected prize.  
     
     
         18 . The arcade game of  claim 15 , wherein said game controller is adapted to change the difficulty level of said game based on the specific prize selected by the player.  
     
     
         19 . The arcade game of  claim 15 , wherein said skill game has a plurality of difficulty levels, further comprising a slow lights control electrically connected to said game controller, said slow lights control adapted to decrease the difficulty level of the game when pressed by the player if sufficient monetary units have been deposited into said receiver.