Pattern Building and Matching Card Game

Abstract

An illustrative pattern building and matching card game is described herein. The card game may include a first deck of cards including build cards each illustrating a single graphical element selected from a set of graphical elements, a second deck of cards including pattern cards each illustrating a pattern of multiple graphical elements selected from the set of graphical elements, and game instructions indicating that a number of the build cards and a number of the pattern cards be dealt to each of multiple players, and the players, in turn, play one or more of their build cards attempting to form, in a collaborative build space, patterns illustrated by their pattern cards.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A card game comprising:
 a first deck of cards comprising build cards each illustrating a single graphical element selected from a set of graphical elements;   a second deck of cards comprising pattern cards each illustrating a pattern of multiple graphical elements selected from the set of graphical elements; and   game instructions indicating that:
 a number of the build cards and a number of the pattern cards be dealt to each of multiple players; and 
 the players, in turn, play one or more of their build cards attempting to form, in a collaborative build space, patterns illustrated by their pattern cards. 
   
     
     
         2 . The card game of  claim 1 , wherein the game instructions indicate that, on a player's turn, the playing of one or more of their build cards includes:
 adding one of their build cards to the collaborative build space orthogonally adjacent to at least one build card already in the collaborative build space; or   playing multiple of their build cards each having a same single graphical element to remove, from the collaborative build space, at least one build card already in the collaborative build space.   
     
     
         3 . The card game of  claim 2 , wherein the game instructions indicate that:
 the playing multiple of their build cards each having the same single graphical element to remove, from the collaborative build space, at least one build card already in the collaborative build space comprises:   playing two of their build cards each having the same single graphical element to remove, from the collaborative build space, a build card already in the collaborative build space that has the same single graphical element; or   playing four of their build cards each having the same single graphical element to remove, from the collaborative build space, any build card already in the collaborative build space.   
     
     
         4 . The card game of  claim 1 , wherein the game instructions indicate that the number of pattern cards dealt to each of the players are to be setup with two of the pattern cards dealt to each of the players being positioned face up with the patterns illustrated on the faces of the two pattern cards being visible to the players and the remaining pattern cards dealt to each of the players being positioned face down. 
     
     
         5 . The card game of  claim 4 , wherein the game instructions indicate that at any time during game play, any of the players may claim a match of one of their face up pattern cards to a matching pattern of build cards formed in the collaborative build space. 
     
     
         6 . The card game of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each card in the first deck of cards is a first size and shape; and   each card in the second deck of cards is a second size and shape different from the first size and shape.   
     
     
         7 . The card game of  claim 1 , wherein the set of graphical elements comprises:
 a square block of a first color;   a square block of a second color different from the first color;   a square block of a third color different from the first color and the second color; and   a square block of a fourth color different from the first color, the second color, and the third color.   
     
     
         8 . The card game of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first deck of cards further comprises a set of special cards; and   the game instructions indicate one or more special actions to be performed when the special cards are played.   
     
     
         9 . The card game of  claim 8 , wherein the special cards comprise a swap card for swapping positions of any two build cards in the collaborative build space, a cover card for covering any build card in the collaborative build space with a build card from a player's hand, a two-turns card for a player to take two consecutive turns, and a card removal card for removing one or more build cards from the collaborative build space. 
     
     
         10 . The card game of  claim 8 , wherein the special cards comprise a lock card configured to be played in the collaborative build space to lock a build card already in the collaborative build space to at least one of an empty position or another build card already in the collaborative build space. 
     
     
         11 . The card game of  claim 8 , wherein the special cards comprise a hole card configured to be played at a position in the collaborative build space to prevent a build card from being played at the position. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 providing a first deck of cards comprising build cards each illustrating a graphical element selected from a set of graphical elements;   providing a second deck of cards comprising pattern cards each illustrating a pattern of graphical elements selected from the set of graphical elements;   providing instructions indicating how the first deck of cards and the second deck of cards are used to play a game in which:
 a number of the build cards and a number of the pattern cards are dealt to each of multiple players; and 
 the players, in turn, play one or more of their respective build cards in a collaborative build space attempting to be first to form patterns illustrated by their respective pattern cards. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions indicate that, on a player's turn, the playing of one or more of their build cards includes:
 adding one of their build cards to the collaborative build space orthogonally adjacent to at least one build card already in the collaborative build space; or   playing multiple of their build cards each having a same single graphical element to remove, from the collaborative build space, at least one build card already in the collaborative build space.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions indicate that:
 the playing multiple of their build cards each having the same single graphical element to remove, from the collaborative build space, at least one build card already in the collaborative build space comprises:   playing two of their build cards each having the same single graphical element to remove, from the collaborative build space, a build card already in the collaborative build space that has the same single graphical element; or   playing four of their build cards each having the same single graphical element to remove, from the collaborative build space, any build card already in the collaborative build space.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions indicate that the number of pattern cards dealt to each of the players are to be setup with two of the pattern cards dealt to each of the players being positioned face up with the patterns illustrated on the faces of the two pattern cards being visible to the players and the remaining pattern cards dealt to each of the players being positioned face down. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions indicate that at any time during game play, any of the players may claim a match of one of their face up pattern cards to a matching pattern of build cards formed in the collaborative build space. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first deck of cards further comprises a set of special cards; and   the game instructions indicate one or more special actions to be performed when the special cards are played.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the special cards comprise a swap card for swapping positions of any two build cards in the collaborative build space, a cover card for covering any build card in the collaborative build space with a build card from a player's hand, a two-turns card for a player to take two consecutive turns, and a card removal card for removing one or more build cards from the build area. 
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions configured to be executed by the processor to provide a virtual card game that includes:   a virtual first deck of cards comprising build cards each illustrating a single graphical element selected from a set of graphical elements;   a virtual second deck of cards comprising pattern cards each illustrating a pattern of multiple graphical elements selected from the set of graphical elements; and   digital game instructions indicating that:
 a number of the build cards and a number of the pattern cards be dealt to each of multiple virtual players; and 
 the virtual players, in turn, play one or more of their build cards attempting to form, in a virtual collaborative build space, patterns illustrated by their pattern cards. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the digital game instructions indicate that at any time during game play, any of the players may claim a match of one of their pattern cards to a matching pattern of build cards formed in the collaborative build space.