Board Game Apparatus

Abstract

A game apparatus comprising a game board and game pieces. The game board has a flat top surface divided into a plurality of areas with some of the areas bearing distinctive colors. The game pieces are cubical and at least some of the game pieces have faces with colors thereon corresponding to those on the distinctive areas. Each of the remaining faces of the game pieces has a color corresponding to that on at least one other game piece face. The game is played by a number of players who alternately place game pieces on the board and try to register the colors on the faces of their game piece with those of previously placed game piece faces and/or board distinctive areas.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a game and, more particularly, to a game which may be played and enjoyed by children and adults alike.

In accordance with the above, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a game which is simple on its face, so that children may readily grasp the rules of play while, at the same time, the game is based on a sophisticated game theory so that adults can enjoy vigorous competition. A further object is to provide game board and game pieces which may be produced relatively inexpensively so as to further its appeal to large numbers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above and other objects and advantages are attained in accordance with the present invention by providing a game comprising in combination a game board and a plurality of game pieces. The game board has a flat top surface divided into a plurality of generally equal areas, at least some of the areas being provided with distinctive indicia. The game pieces are cubical in shape and some of the game pieces have faces bearing indicia identical to at least portions of the distinctive areas of the game board. The remaining faces of each of the game pieces have indicia corresponding to the indicia on at least portions of one other game piece face.

The game is played by a number of players who alternately place game pieces on the board and try to register the indicia on as many as possible faces of their game pieces with the indicia on the distinctive areas of the board and/or on already placed game pieces. This results in the creation of a three-dimensional structure formed from the played game pieces with the abutting or aligned faces of the various game pieces bearing identical indicia.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game board and game pieces in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along reference lines 2--2 of FIG. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is now made to the drawings and to FIG. 1 in particular wherein the game board and game pieces of the present invention are illustrated. The game board 10 comprises a generally flat square member having a top surface 12 defining the playing field. To this end, a grid formed of equispaced, mutually perpendicular lines 14 and 16 is imposed over the top surface. The grid thus subdivides the top surface into a plurality of equal areas. In the illustrated, preferred embodiment, the grid divides the playing field into seven horizontal and seven vertical rows of equal dimension squares 18.

As shown in FIG. 1, certain of the squares 18 bear distinctive indicia. For example, squares 20, 22 and 24 are each colored with a different color. Also, squares 26, 28, 30 and 32 each contains a circle 34 in the center thereof. The color of circles 34 differs from square to square.

The game pieces 36 of the present invention comprise cubes, the faces of which are substantially equal in area to squares 18. As shown, each face of each cube is distinctively colored. Also, certain of the cube faces, as for example 38, contain a circle 40, the color of which differs from that of the remainder of that cube face. The circle 40 constitutes a minor portion of the face and the remainder of the face constitutes a major portion.

The game is played with a plurality of cubes 36. At least one face or a circle on a face must correspond in color to a distinctive area or circle on the game board. In this preferred embodiment, the center square of the board 42 is marked with the letter "X" and one face of one cube is similarly marked. The center square and corresponding cube provide a convenient starting point for the play of the game.

The present game is played by a number of players, each of whom is given a plurality of randomly chosen cubes. In turn, after the first cube (i.e. the one with the letter "X" on one face) has been placed in the center square, the remaining cubes are placed on the board or on a previously played cube. As each cube is placed, at least four of its corners must touch four exposed corners of at least one other cube that has already been played. Scoring is based on the number of faces of the played cube which either register with the four corners of, or are aligned horizontally or vertically with, a face or faces of a previously played cube or cubes of similar colors or having portions of similar color.

In the illustrated example (wherein the cubes have been shifted off the center square for simplification), points would be gained in connection with cubes 46 and 48 if faces 52 and 54 were at least in part of the same color. Similarly, in connection with cubes 48 and 50, points would be gained if faces 54 and 56 bore corresponding indicia. In the illustrated example, only two horizontally aligned cubes and two vertically aligned cubes are shown. In actuality, the structure formed during the playing of the game may assume a very complex shape so that the placement of any particular cube may result in the gaining of many points in the manner described above.

Because the game is contemplated for play by several players and the structure may grow in any direction outwardly from the center, the playing board 10 of the present invention is pivotally mounted on a base member 58 for rotation about pivot 60. The board 10 is supported through rollers 62. This arrangement allows a player to rotate the board in any desired manner to enable him to view the structure from all different angles without getting up from his seat.

In the above description, only the preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed and illustrated. Various modifications may be made in the described embodiment, particularly with regard to the rules of play and scoring of the present game without departing from the scope of my invention, which is defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A game comprising in combination:

a game board having a top surface divided into a plurality of generally equal areas, at least some of said areas being distinctively colored, and certain of said colored areas being divided into differently colored major and minor portions; and,

a plurality of cubical game pieces, each face of each of said cubes colored to correspond to at least a part of a face of another cube or at least a part of a distinctive area of said game board, certain of said faces being divided into major and minor portions, said portions of said certain faces being colored differently, and at least some of said major portions being colored to correspond to said game board major portions and at least some of said minor portions being colored to correspond to said game board minor portions.