Game apparatus, control method thereof, and program

Abstract

There is provided a game apparatus, which includes a storage unit and a communication unit which communicates with another game apparatus. This game apparatus controls the storage unit to store a character group including two characters of a first type and one or more characters of a second type, and to store a parameter value indicating a relationship between the character group and that of the other game apparatus. Furthermore, when the parameter value satisfies the predetermined condition and when one of the one or more characters of the second type is selected, the character group is updated so that the selected character and a predetermined character of the second type of the other game apparatus are set as new, two characters of the first type, and only newly generated one or more characters of the second type are set as the one or more characters of the second type.

1 . A game apparatus, which comprises a storage unit and a communication unit which communicates with another game apparatus, comprising:
 a first storage control unit which controls the storage unit to store a character group including two characters of a first type and one or more characters of a second type;   a second storage control unit which controls the storage unit to store a parameter value indicating a relationship between the character group and a character group of the other game apparatus;   a first update unit which updates the parameter value when a communication with the other game apparatus is made;   a first selection unit which selects one of the one or more characters of the second type as a character that remains at the character group;   a first determination unit which determines whether or not the parameter value satisfies a predetermined condition;   a character generation unit which generates one or more new characters of the second type; and   a second update unit which updates the character group so as to set, when said first determination unit determines that the parameter value satisfies the predetermined condition and when said first selection unit makes the selection, the character selected by said first selection unit and a predetermined character of the second type of the other game apparatus as the new, two characters of the first type, and to set only one or more characters of the second type newly generated by said character generation unit as the one or more characters of the second type.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the character selected by said first selection unit and the predetermined character of the second type respectively have a first attribute or a second attribute,
 said apparatus further comprises a second determination unit which determines whether or not an attribute of the character selected by said first selection unit is different from an attribute of the predetermined character of the second type, and   wherein said second update unit updates the character group when said second determination unit determines that the attribute of the character selected by said first selection unit is different from the attribute of the predetermined character of the second type.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second selection unit which selects one of the one or more characters of the second type as a character to be given away to the other game apparatus; and   a clear unit which clears, when said first determination unit determines that the parameter value satisfies the predetermined condition, and said second selection unit makes the selection, the character selected by said second selection unit from the character group.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said clear unit clears the character when the character group includes two or more characters of the second type. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said first update unit updates the parameter value to indicate the number of times of the communications with the other game apparatus, and
 said first determination unit determines that the parameter value satisfies the predetermined condition when the parameter value is not less than a threshold.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said second update unit resets the parameter value to zero. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an acquisition unit which acquires identification information of the other game apparatus from the other game apparatus,
 wherein said second storage control unit stores the parameter value in association with the identification information acquired by said acquisition unit.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third storage control unit which controls the storage unit to store growth stage information indicating a stage of growth of the one or more characters of the second type,
 wherein said second update unit updates the character group when the growth stage information indicates a predetermined stage.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising a third update unit which updates the growth stage information along with an elapse of time. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when said character generation unit generates new, two or more characters of the second type, the two or more characters of the second type include a character having a first attribute and a character having a second attribute. 
   
   
       11 . A method of controlling a game apparatus, which comprises a storage unit and a communication unit which communicates with another game apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
 controlling the storage unit to store a character group including two characters of a first type and one or more characters of a second type;   controlling the storage unit to store-a parameter value indicating a relationship between the character group and a character group of the other game apparatus;   updating the parameter value when a communication with the other game apparatus is made;   selecting one of the one or more characters of the second type as a character that remains at the character group;   determining whether or not the parameter value satisfies a predetermined condition;   generating one or more new characters of the second type; and   updating the character group so as to set, when it is determined in the step of determining that the parameter value satisfies the predetermined condition and when the selection is made in the step of selecting, the character selected in the step of selecting and a predetermined character of the second type of the other game apparatus as the new, two characters of the first type, and to set only one or more characters of the second type newly generated in the step of generating as the one or more characters of the second type.   
   
   
       12 . A computer program stored in a computer-readable storage medium to make a computer, which comprises a storage unit and a communication unit which communicates with another game apparatus, function as:
 a first storage control unit which controls the storage unit to store a character group including two characters of a first type and one or more characters of a second type;   a second storage control unit which controls the storage unit to store a parameter value indicating a relationship between the character group and a character group of the other game apparatus;   a first update unit which updates the parameter value when a communication with the other game apparatus is made;   a first selection unit which selects one of the one or more characters of the second type as a character that remains at the character group;   a first determination unit which determines whether or not the parameter value satisfies a predetermined condition;   a character generation unit which generates one or more new characters of the second type; and   a second update unit which updates the character group so as to set, when said first determination unit determines that the parameter value satisfies the predetermined condition and when said first selection unit makes the selection, the character selected by said first selection unit and a predetermined character of the second type of the other game apparatus as the new, two characters of the first type, and to set only one or more characters of the second type newly generated by said character generation unit as the one or more characters of the second type.