Magnetic game apparatus and method

Abstract

A game apparatus is provided and includes a magnetic pickup apparatus and a plurality of ferromagnetic game pieces. The magnetic pickup apparatus such as a wand has at least two spaced-apart game piece pickup regions wherein each pickup region incorporates a magnet having field strength differing than the field strength of the magnet associated with other pickup points. The magnetic pickup apparatus is capable of being manipulated by a user to magnetically pick up a ferromagnetic object using any one of the incorporated magnets. The ferromagnetic game pieces are provisioned having different colour, size and/or weight characteristics.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A set of elements for a game, comprising:
 a magnetic pickup apparatus having at least two spaced-apart game piece pickup regions, wherein each pickup region incorporates a magnet having field strength differing than the field strength of the magnet associated with other pickup regions, said magnetic pickup apparatus capable of being manipulated by a user to magnetically pick up a ferromagnetic object using any one of said incorporated magnets; and   a plurality of ferromagnetic game pieces having different colour, size and/or weight characteristics that are sized and weighted to be picked up by at least one of the magnets on the magnetic pickup apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . A set of elements according to  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic pickup apparatus is a wand having first and second opposing ends, and wherein said game piece pickup regions are located at said first and second opposing ends, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . A set of elements according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of ferromagnetic game pieces are organized into multiple groups based on a first characteristic, each said group being organized into a series, wherein at least two of the members of each said series have different weights. 
     
     
         4 . A set of elements according to  claim 1 , including a container sized to at least store said magnetic game pickup apparatus and said plurality of ferromagnetic game pieces, said container providing a defined playing surface upon which said ferromagnetic game pieces may be disposed for pickup by a user utilizing said magnetic pickup apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . A set of elements according to  claim 4 , wherein said container is a pouch formed from flexible material. 
     
     
         6 . A method of game play utilizing a magnetic pickup apparatus and a a plurality of ferromagnetic game pieces, wherein said magnetic pickup apparatus has at least two spaced-apart game piece pickup regions, wherein each pickup region incorporates a magnet having field strength differing than the field strength of the magnet associated with other pickup points, said magnetic pickup apparatus capable of being manipulated by a user to magnetically pick up a ferromagnetic object using any one of said incorporated magnets, and wherein said plurality of ferromagnetic game pieces are organized into multiple groups based on a first characteristic, each said group being organized into a series, wherein at least two of the members of each said series have different weights having , said method comprising:
 depositing said game pieces onto a defined playing area, wherein the number and size of said ferromagnetic game pieces relative to the size of said playing area are such that there would be a reasonable likelihood of many of said ferromagnetic game pieces clumping together if said ferromagnetic game pieces were to be randomly deposited on said defined playing area; and   playing a game with multiple players, wherein each player is assigned to a group of said ferromagnetic game pieces corresponding to a particular one of said ferromagnetic game piece characteristics, and said player's objective is to pick up only said assigned ferromagnetic game pieces.