Game piece advancing skill game and methods

Abstract

A game piece advancing skill game having a base with a mole figure that extends upwardly through an opening in the base, and a tower having a bell at its upper end. Another mole character is mounted on the tower and the toy is adapted such that striking the mole character on the base causes the mole character on the tower to be advanced upwardly toward the bell by an amount proportional to the striking force applied to the character on the base. A toy mallet is provided for striking the mole character on the base. In addition, LEDs are provided at spaced intervals on the tower as designated by numerals 1 through 9 . The toy is adapted so that during game play the LEDs on the tower are turned on or off by striking the character on the base so that the mole character on the tower is advanced upwardly to the level of a targeted LED. The targeted LED is then either turned on or off based on game play rules and the player achieves a pre-determined number of points. For example, if the number 6 LED is targeted, a player must strike the mole figure on the base with an appropriate amount of force to cause the mole figure on the tower to be advanced upwardly to the number 6 LED without reaching the number 7 LED. The apparatus includes game play for a number of different games which are based on the concept of turning the LEDs either on or off.

1 . A player skill game apparatus, comprising:
 an elongated element including a playing region intermediate a first end and a second end of the elongated element with two or more designations thereon;   a base element for supporting the elongated element in a substantially vertical orientation;   an indicator for generating a player skill instruction with reference to one or more of the designations;   an actuator that is player operable in response to the player skill instruction; and   a game piece disposed in relation to the playing region for being advanced in response to the player operable actuator.   
   
   
       2 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the base element is integral with the elongated element. 
   
   
       3 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the elongated element comprises one or more hinges intermediate the first end and second end thereof, with the first end of the elongated element being receivable in the base element for supporting the playing region of the elongated element in a substantially vertical orientation. 
   
   
       4 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  comprising a bell at the second end of the elongated element. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the game piece is provided in relation to the playing region for being advanced to the one or more of the designations in response to the player operable actuator. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the game piece is advanced to the one or more of the designations in response to the player skill instruction. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 6  wherein the game piece is advanced to another one or more of the designations in response to a further player skill instruction. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the actuator imparts movement for advancement of the game piece in the playing region to one or more of the designations. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the actuator is provided with the base element for imparting movement to the game piece for being advanced in the playing region intermediate a first end and a second end of the elongated element to one or more of the designations. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the actuator comprises a lever assembly in the base element. 
   
   
       11 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the indicator for generating the player skill instruction comprises a plurality of light emitting elements positioned with reference to one or more of the designations. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the indicator comprises an annunciator for generating an audible player skill instruction with reference to one or more of the designations. 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of switch elements at the playing region intermediate the first end and second end of the elongated element associated with the two or more designations, wherein the indicator comprises an information processor for generating the player skill instruction, said information processor being operatively coupled with the plurality of switch elements for determining a position of the game piece disposed in relation to the playing region with reference to the designations. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 13  wherein the game piece comprises a puck and a cam surface to dwell at one of the plurality of switch elements when advanced in the playing region to the one or more of the designations. 
   
   
       15 . A player skill game apparatus, comprising:
 an elongated element including a playing region intermediate a first end and a second end of the elongated element with two or more designations thereon;   a base element for supporting the elongated element in a substantially vertical orientation;   a game piece;   an information processor for generating a player skill instruction with reference to one or more of the designations; and   an actuator that is player operable in response to the player skill instruction, said information processor determining a position of the game piece disposed in relation to the playing region with reference to the designations.   
   
   
       16 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said game piece is advanced in relation to the playing region in response to the player operable actuator. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 16  wherein the game piece is advanced to the one or more of the designations in response to the player skill instruction. 
   
   
       18 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 17  wherein the game piece is advanced to another one or more of the designations in response to a further player skill instruction. 
   
   
       19 . A player skill game method, comprising:
 providing two or more designations on a playing region intermediate a first end and a second end of an elongated element with a game piece disposed in relation to the playing region;   supporting the elongated element in a substantially vertical orientation;   generating a player skill instruction with reference to one or more of the designations;   operable player actuation for use in response to the player skill instruction; and   determining a position of the game piece disposed in relation to the playing region with reference to the designations in response to the player operable actuator.   
   
   
       20 . A method as recited in  claim 19  comprising information processing for generating various modes of game play.