GB2092455A - Electronic game apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Twelve keys 14 are radially arranged on a circular housing 12, and light emitting devices 18 are provided one for each key on the housing. Each key controls a switch which is scanned by a microprocessor in the housing to determine the open or closed condition of the switch. The keys are divided into two groups of six, each group being assigned to one player. The microprocessor establishes a light pattern or light sequence and the players may use their switches to either transfer lights to the opposing player's group or attempt to match the instant when a particular light is lit in their group, in accordance with the rules of a particular game. Particular games and skill levels are selected using certain keys of the series of keys but a separate ON/OFF switch (not shown) is provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Game apparatus The present invention relates generally to games, and more particularly to computer controlled games wherein a microprocessor is employed to control a series of light emitting devices which may also be selectively controlled by switches actuated by a player in accordance with the rules of a particular game.

The present invention provides a game apparatus comprising first and second groups of player keys each equally spaced along opposing halves of a circle, a visual indicating device for each of said keys, one key in each of said groups being designated as a goal key, means for successively lighting said devices in one direction around said circle starting with the device corresponding to one player's goal key, and means responsive to actuation of one of the other player's keys when the device corresponding thereto is lit for successively lighting said devices in the other direction around said circle.

In the drawings: Figure lisa perspective view of the electronic game apparatus of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the electronic circuit employed in the game of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a flow chart of the program provided in the microprocessor portion of the game of Figure 1 which is employed in playing the game identified as "HIT IT"; Figure 4 is a flow chart of the program provided in the microprocessor portion of the game of Figure 1 which is employed in playing the game identified as "GNIP-GNOP"; Figure 5 is a flow chart of the program provided in the microprocessor portion of the game of Figure 1 which is employed in playing the game identified as "JAI-LAI"; Figure 6 is a flow chart of the program provided in the microprocessor portion of the game of Figure 1 which is employed in playing the game identified as "JUGGLE"; and Figure 7 is a flow chart of the program provided in the microprocessor portion of the game of Figure 1 which is employed in playing the game identified as "CROSSFIRE"; and Figure 8 is a flow chart of the program provided in the microprocessor portion of the game of Figure 1 which is used in playing the game identified as "LIGHT FIGHT".

Referring now to the drawings, the microprocessor controlled electronic game of the present invention is therein illustrated at 10. The game 10 comprises a circular housing indicated generally at 12 on the upper surface of which a series of twelve elongated keys 14 are arranged in a circle with the elongate axis of each key extending along a radius of the circular housing 12. A series of twelve switches 16 are individually positioned beneath the keys 14 so that these switches may be selectively actuated by a player. A series of twelve light emitting devices 18, which may each comprise a light emitting diode, are positioned in a circle on the housing 12, each of the LED's 18 being positioned adjacent to but spaced inwardly from the inner edge of a corresponding one of the keys 14.

Preferably, the keys 14 are given distinctive indicia so as to separate these keys into two groups of six keys each, one for each of two players. Thus, the six keys on a first half of the circular housing 12 may be given the indicia A-0-1-2-3-4 reading in a counterclockwise manner around the housing 12. The second set of six keys on the opposite half circle may be given the indicia B-9-8-7-6-5 reading in a clockwise direction around the housing 12.

A microprocessor 20, which is preferably a type TMS 1100 single chip microprocessor manufactured by Texas Instruments, Inc., contains suitable input and output circuitry so as to sample the pushbutton switches 16, as controlled by the keys 14, and energize the appropriate ones of the light emitting diodes 18.

Atime delay circuit comprising the capacitor 22 and diode 24 are utilized to reset and initialize the operation of the microprocessor 20 each time the power is turned on by closing an on-off switch on the housing 12 (not shown) which supplies power from a nine-volt battery within the housing to the terminal 26. A timing circuit comprising a capacitor 28 and resistor 30 controls the operation of the internal clock of the oscillator of the microprocessor 20 which typically operates at approximately 300 KHz.

The time delay circuit and the timing circuit described above are selected in accordance with the design data published in the TMS 1100 Series Data Manual by Texas Instruments, Inc. Furthermore, the microprocessor 20 is readily programmed in a manner described in the aforesaid data manual to perform the functions necessary to play the games described in this specification and following the program flow charts given in the drawings.

A group of three of the switches 16 are connected to each of the input lines K1, K2, K3 and K4 of the microprocessor 20. These switches are also connected in vertical rows to the R-0, R-1 and R-2 outputs of the microprocessor 20. Accordingly, by sequentially energizing the outputs R-0, R-1, R-2 and R-3 while monitoring the inputs K-1 to K-4, closure of any of the twelve switches may be identified by the microprocessor 20.

In order to control the twelve LED's 18, the output lines R-4 to R-9 of the microprocessor are connected through the individual drivers indicated generally at 32 to the cathode of respective pairs of the diodes, each of these pairs comprising one diode from each player group.

The player groups of LED's 18 may be selectively energized by either the output line 01 or 02 of the microprocessor 20 so that any one of the LED's 18 may be selectively energized as desired. When a particular tone signal is to be generated during the playing of a game, the microprocessor 20 develops the desired tone signal at low level on the output line R-3 which is supplied to an amplifier transistor 34 in the emitter circuit of which a speaker 36 is connected so as to develop the required audible sound, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Considering now the general operation of the game 10, any one of the twelve keys 14 may be initially employed to select a particular game which is to be played and in certain cases a particular skill level for that game. In the illustrated embodiment a series of six games may be played with the apparatus 10. In addition, various skill levels may be selected in connection with certain games and certain other games are adaptable to be played by either one or two players, all as described in detail hereinafter. The microprocessor 20 initially scans the switches 16 to determine the particular game which isto be played after the game apparatus has been turned on and power applied to the microprocessor 20, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.The microprocessor may then scan the switches 16 a second time to establish a particular skill at which the selected game is to be played.

Referring to Figure 3, the program flow chart for playing the game called "Hit It" is shown in this figure. In this figure it is assumed that the game 10 has been turned on and the "Hit It" game selected by depressing one of the keys 14 prior to the start of the routine shown in Figure 3. In the game of "Hit It" the lights corresponding to the A and B keys of the players are designated goal lights and the LED's are successively lit in a predetermined direction so as to advance around the circle toward the other player's goal. Initially, one of the players is designated as the starting player and the light corresponding to his goal key is lit, as indicated by the block 40 in Figure 3.

Assuming that player A is randomly selected as the starting player, the light corresponding to the A key would be lit. This light is then successively advanced by the microprocessor 20 to the zero key, the "1" key, etc. around the circle so as to rotate the light toward the other goal, as indicated by the block 42.

At the same time that each light is lit, a tone signal is developed by the microprocessor 20 and supplied to the loudspeaker 36, as also indicated by the block 42.

The microprocessor 20 then continues to scan the switches 16 and determines whether the advancing light is on the other player's goal, i.e. the B key, as indicated by the decision block 44.

If the advancing light has not reached the other player's goal the microprocessor then determines whether or not a button has been pressed, as indicated by the decision block 46. If no button has been pressed, the microprocessor continues to rotate the light toward the other party's goal. Thus, as the advancing light gets into player B's territory, he may press one of his keys during the time that its corresponding light is lit and thereby reverse the direction of rotation of the advancing light. To this end, the microprocessor determines whether the button was pressed before the corresponding light was lit, as indicated by the decision block 48. If the button was not pressed early, the microprocessor then determines whether the button was pressed while the light was on, as indicated by the decision block 50.If a Yes output is provided from the block 50, the microprocessor then reverses the direction of rotation of the lights and decreases the duration of the time each light is lit and the duration of the corresponding tone signal which is emitted by the loudspeaker 36, as indicated by the block 52. If the button was pressed after the light was on, a No response from the block 50 causes the microprocessor to continue to rotate the light in the original direction toward B's goal light.

If player B presses the button early, a Yes response is provided from the decision block 48 and the microprocessor 20 causes the light immediately to jump to the goal of the player pressing the button early, as indicated by the block 54. Thus, if player A starts the game and player B presses one of his keys before its corresponding light as lit, the light immediately jumps to the B key, i.e. player B's goal. As soon as the light jumps to a goal, a slide-up tone is produced while the microprocessor reads the switches 16 as indicated by the block 56. Player B must now press his B key, i.e. his goal key, during this slide-up tone as determined by the decision block 58.If player B is successful in pressing his goal key during the slide-up tone, the direction of rotation of lights is again reversed by the block 52 and the duration of the tone decreased as indicated previously by the block 52.

The game continues until one of the players is successful in reaching the other player's goal key without having his key pressed during the slide-up tone. When this occurs one point is scored.

In orderto make the game more difficult, each time the light is moved to one of the player's goals the duration of the slide-up tone signal is decreased so that the players have successively shorter times in which to press their goal key while the corresponding light is lit. In this manner it is assured that one or the other of the two players will relatively shortly score a point. When this occurs, the microprocessor stores which player has won the point, as indicated by the block 60. Also, the microprocessor displays the score of each player before choosing a random piayer to start a new point. Display of the score is made by flashing the lights corresponding to certain keys of the game 10.For example, player A's first point may be indicated by flashing the light opposite the key A, his second point by flashing the light opposite the "0" key and his third point by flashing the light opposite the "1" key. On the other hand, player B's score may be indicated by flashing the light opposite the B key for a single point, the "9" key for two points and the "8" key for three points.

The microprocessor then determines whether a player has scored three points, as indicated by the decision block 62, and produces an end of game routine if this has occured, as indicated by the block 64.

In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, the end of game routine is one in which the winning player is signaled by successively flashing pairs of the lights in the winning player's area in sequence beginning at the ends of his half circle and moving to the center thereof, these lights being symmetrically located with respect to the center of the half circle. Thus, if player A is the winning player, the lights opposite keys A and 4 are simultaneously flashed after which the lights opposite the keys 0 and 3 are simultaneously flashed after which the lights opposite the keys 1 and 2 are simultaneously flashed. Furthermore, this flashing routine is repeated so that a flashing arrow is simulated which points generally to the center of player A's area.In a similar manner, the lights corresponding to the outer edges of B's area, i.e. the lights corresponding to keys B and key 5 are flashed in the event B is the winner after which the lights corresponding to the keys 6 and 9 are flashed and finally lights 7 and 8 are flashed in sequence to produce a flashing arrow pointing toward player B.

In a typical game of "Hit It" the slide-up tone may have an initial duration of one second and then may be decreased by successive increments in accordance with the block 56 to have durations of .8 seconds, .6seconds,.1 seconds and .05 seconds to make the game increasingly difficult for the players.

In addition, each time the direction of rotation of lights is reversed by the block 52 and the duration of the tone signal developed as each light is lit is decreased the frequency of this tone signal may be increased to a higher pitch each time the direction of rotation of the lights is reversed. This has the effect of increasing the urgency of the game and heightening its excitment.

In this connection, it will be appreciated that various initial durations of the slide-up tone, as well as the initial rate of rotation of the lights toward the other player's goal may be selected by providing different skill levels which are selected before the game "Hit It" is started. For example, the first depression of one of the keys 14 may indicate selection of the game "Hit It" and the next depression of one of the keys 14 may be employed by the microprocessor 20 to select a particular skill level which is correlated with the key which has been pressed. After the game and its skill level have been selected, the program shown in Figure 3 is then started.

Referring now to Figure 4, wherein the flow chart for playing the game called "GNIP-GNOP" is shown, in this game three lights are randomly chosen in each player's area and the lights chosen in each player's area are correlated so that all six lights may be placed on one player's side by transferring the light directly across the circle to the opposite side, as indicated by the block 70 in Figure 4. For example, the lights corresponding to the A key, the 2 key and the 4 key may be lit for player A. This would mean that the lights corresponding to the 9 key, the 8 key and the 6 key would be lit in player B's area. Each player then attempts to transfer his three lights to the other player's area and if he is successful he wins a point.However, only one light may be transferred at a time by pressing the corresponding key while a tone is sounded by the microprocessor, as indicated by the block 72.

The microprocessor determines whether player A has pressed a key by the decision block 74 and if a Yes answer is provided, the microprocessor then determines whether only one button was pressed and whether itwas a valid button, i.e. corresponds to a lit LED on that player's side, as indicated by the decision block 76.

If player A does not press a key while the tone is sounded or if he presses a key which does not correspond to one of his lit lights, an error routine is established as indicated by the block 78 during which a "raspberry" sound is developed by the microprocessor 20 and supplied to the loudspeaker 36. Also, the error routine prevents the light from being transferred to the opposing player's area.

However, if player A presses only one button and it corresponds to one of his lit lights a yes output is provided by the decision block 76 so that the light is moved across to the opposing player's corresponding light, as indicated by the block 80. Thus, for example, if player A's lights corresponding to the A key, the 2 key and 4 key are lit and player A presses the 2 key during the tone signal, a light will be transferred across to the light corresponding to player B's 7 key. In the alternative, if player A presses the 4 key during the tone, the light is transferred across to the light opposite player B's 5 key. The lights are thus transferred across the dividing line between the two player's areas to the correspondingly located key in the other player's area.

The microprocessor then examines whether player B has pressed any key, as indicated by the decision block 82 and whether only one button was pressed and it was a valid button, as indicated by the decision block 84. If either of these blocks provide a No answer, an error routine is again developed, as indicated by the block 86 wherein the raspberry sound is provided and the light stays on player B's side.

On the other hand, if a valid button was pressed the corresponding light is moved across to player A's side as indicated by the block 88. If all lights are not on one side, as determined by the decision block 90, the routine is returned to the block 72 so that another tone is sounded during which each player may press one of his keys to transfer the corresponding lights to the opposite player's area.

Since the routine involving the blocks 72 to 90 takes place very rapidly, both players may attempt to transfer lights to the opposing player's area at the same time and the microprocessor makes the indicated determinations during each tone signal. When all of the lights are on one side, the opposite player wins a point, as indicated by the block 92, and his score is displayed.

The player's score may be displayed in the same manner as described in detail heretofore in connection with the game "Hit It" in Figure 3. Furthermore, if the player has won three points, as determined by the decision block 94, the end of game routine 96 is established during which the flashing arrow is provided, as described in detail heretofore in connection with Figure 3.

Referring now to Figure 5, wherein the flow chart for the game called "JAI-LAI" is shown, in this game one of the players is randomly selected to start, as indicated by the block 100, the starting player's light corresponding to his A or B key being lit to indicate this selection. Assuming that the A player is selected to start, this player starts the game by holding down any one of the other five keys on his side, as also indicated by the block 100. As long as the player A's key is held down, the lights in his area are successively advanced by the microprocessor 20 from the A key at one side of his half circle to the 4 key at the other side of his half circle. If he continues to hold his key down, this cycle is repeated.

At the same time that the light is advanced over these keys a tone signal is produced, as also inciated by the block 104. If player A releases his key during the first cycle of advancement of the lights from the A key to the "4" key the decision block 102 then gives a No output and this output is supplied to a decision block 106 which determines whether the A player has released his key while the light opposite this key was lit. Assuming first that he released his key when some other light in his area was lit a No output is provided by the block 106 so that a slide-up slide-down tone signal is developed by the microp rocessor 20, as indicated by the block 108. This slide-up slide-down tone signal is employed to simulate a "JAI-LAI" player's throwing a bail up into the air and its coming back down to the opposite player.The opposite player must note the light on player A's side which remains lit when player A releases his key and must determine which one of his keys is diametrically opposite the light which remains lit on player A's side. Player B must then depress this key immediately after the slide-up slide-down tone signal is produced during which period the microprocessor reads the keys, as indi cated by the block 108. For example, if player A has released his key when the light opposite the 2 key is lit, then player B must depress his 8 key immediately after the slide-up slide-down tone signal is com pleted.

If player B, i.e. the other player, has depressed his key which is diametrically opposite to the light which remains lit on player A's side, as determined by the decision block 110, then player B becomes the starting player, and the routine is returned to the decision block 102. Assuming that player B was successful in depressing the right key then player B's lights would be lit in succession starting with the B key and ending with his 5 key as soon as he presses any one of his keys other than the B key down.

Considering now the situation when player A is successful in releasing his key when the light opposite this key is lit, so as to provide a Yes output from the decision block 106, when this occurs the duration of the slide-up slide-down tone is reduced by one-half, as indicated by the block 112. Thus, if player A can release his key when the light opposite this key is lit, he can reduce the amount of time that player B has to determine where the advancing light has stopped and which one of his keys is diametric ally opposite the light of player A which remains lit.

Preferably, the lights are rotated at a relatively fast rate so that, for example, all six lights in player A's area area will be lit in rapid succession during one second. This makes it extremely difficult for the starting player to release his key when the advancing light is opposite that particular key. However, if he is successful in doing this, he is able to decrease the duration of the slide-up slide-down tone signal by one-half so that the opposite player has relatively little time to determine which of his keys is diamet rically opposite the lightwhich remain lit in player A's area.

If the opposite player does not press the diametrically opposite key immediately after the slide-up slide-down tone, a No output is provided by the block 110 which is employed by the microprocessor 20 to determine that the player who originally held the button down wins a point, as indicated by the block 112. Each player's score is then displayed as discussed in detail heretofore in connection with Figure 3. When a player wins three points as indicated by the block 114, the end of game routine is then provided, as indicated by the block 116. This end of game routine may be identical to that described above in connection with Figure 3.

If, at any time, one of the players holds down his button for a period longer than one cycle of advance mentofthe lights around his half circle, the microprocessor continues to rotate the lights on this player's side, while making a tone when each light is lit. However, for each cycle of six tones that the player's button is held down, the microprocessor increases the duration of the slide-up slide-down tone signal by a small increment. This is to penalize the player who holds his button down for many cycles in an attempt to time the release of his button so that it will occur when the light opposite this button is lit.By increasing the duration of the slide-up slide-down tone the time which the opposite player may have to determine which of his keys is the diametrically opposite the lit light on the other player's side is enlarged, so that the opposite player is given this slight advantage if the starting player holds his button down for severai cylces of six tones each.

In the game of "JAI-LAI" the skill level may be varied by varying the speed atwhich the lights are rotated on either player's side by the block 104.

Accordingly, selection of the desired skill level may be accomplished by depressing one of the keys 14 during the initialization routine after one of these keys has been pressed to select the game of "JAI-LAI". After both the game and skill level are selected the routine shown in Figure 5 is then started.

Referring now to Figure 6 wherein the flow chart corresponding to the game called "JUGGLE" is shown, the game of "JUGGLE" is quite similarto the game "HIT IT", but only the A and B keys can be employed by the players to reverse the direction of rotation of the lights. More particularly, after the game called "JUGGLE" is selected initially, one of the players is randomly chosen to start by lighting either the A light or the B light, as indicated by the block 120. The microprocessor then rotates the lights around the circle toward the other player's goal while making a rotating light tone during the period when each light is iit, and reading the keys, as indicated by the block 122. If the advancing light reaches the other player's goal, as determined by the block 124, a slide-up tone is developed, as indicated by the block 126. During this slide-up tone the opposite player must push his goal key, as determined by the block 128. If he is successful in pushing his goal key during the slide-up tone, the duration of the rotating light tone is decreased, as indicated by the block 130, and the routine is repeated with the lights rotating in the opposite direction toward the other player's goal. Since the duration of the rotating light tone has been reduced, the light is now rotated in the opposite direction at a more rapid rate toward the other player's goal. The rotation of lights thus proceeds back and forth until one of the players fails to push his goal key during the duration of the slide-up tone.When this occurs a No output from the decision block 128 is employed to determine that the other player has won a point and his score is displayed, as indicated by the block 132. if a player wins three times, as indicated by the block 134, an end of game routine is established as indicated by the block 136. Preferably this display of score and the end of game routine are identical to that described in detail heretofore in connection with Figure 3.

If one of the players presses any one of his keys before the light is on his goal, as determined by the decision block 138, he immediately loses a point as indicated by the Yes output from the block 138.

However, if no key is pressed, the light continues to rotate to the other player's goal.

The game of "JUGGLE" can also be played by one player who controls both the A and B keys. Each time he is successful in pushing the goal key during the slide-up tone, the duration of the rotating light tone is decreased so that the lights advance faster and faster toward the other goal until the lights are rotating so fast that he is unable to reach the goal key during the slide-up tone.

Referring now to Figure 7 wherein the flow chart for the game called "CROSSFIRE" is shown, in this game either the light adjacent the 4 key or the light adjacent the 5th key is lit as a target light while at the same time the lights adjacent the A and B keys are also lit, as indicated by the block 140, to simulate missiles. Each player may now advance his missile light around the circle toward the target light by successively depressing his A key or B key, as the case may be. When a player has advanced his missile light to coincide with the target light he must press one of his other keys to simulate explosion of the target by the missile. If the player is successful in hitting one of his other keys while his missile light coincides with the target light, an explosion sound is made and the target light is advanced one light towards the opposite player's goal.In the game "CROSSFIRE" key No. 1 is identified as the A player's goal and key No. 8 is defined as player B's goal. Accordingly, when the target light has been advanced to one of these goals a point is scored for the other player.

Each time that a key is pressed, as determined by the decision block 142, a Yes output is provided by this block which is supplied to the decision block 144 which determines whether the button pushed is an A or B button. If a Yes output is provided from the block 144, the corresponding player's light is advanced, either clockwise for player B or counterclockwise for player A, as indicated by the block 146.

Accordingly, each player's missile light may be advanced until it coincides with the target light, as determined by the decision block 148.

If the key that is pressed is not an A or B key, but is pressed when the missile light is not on the target, a No output from decision block 148 is provided which is employed to reset that player's missile light back to its home position (A or B key), as indicated by the block 150. Accordingly, this player must now depress his A key (or B key) a number of times to advance his light back to the target light, whereas the other player may be only a short distance from the target light on his side.

If, on the other hand, the player pushes a button other than an A or B button while his missile light is on the target light, a Yes output is provided from the block 148 which is employed to advance the target light toward the opposite player's goal, as indicated by the block 152. At the same time both missile lights are returned to the A and B keys, and an explosion sound is developed by the microprocessor and supplied to the loudspeaker 36.

When the target light is advanced to either the key 1 or key 8 goal position, as determined by the decision block 154, a Yes output is provided to the block 156 so that the winner is displayed and the scores of both players, as described in detail heretofore in connection with Figure 3.

After a player has won three times, as determined by the block 158, an end of game routine 160 is provided, as described in detail heretofore in connection with Figure 3.

Each time that a player wins a point but has not won three times, a No output is provided by the decision block 158 and the routine is returned to the block 140.

Referring now to Figure 8, wherein the flow chart for the game called "LIGHT FIGHT" is shown, in this game either 2, 3 or 4 lights are simultaneously lit and are randomly placed on one player's side, as indicated by the block 170. The selected lights are then rotated in unison about the circle, as indicated by the block 172. At the same time, a tone is made for the period of time the group of lights are simultaneously lit at each point around the circle, and the keys are read by the microprocessor 20.

Each time the group of simulatneously lit lights is rotated one revolution about the housing 12, a counter within the microprocessor 20 is incremented.

As indicated in Figure 8the lights may be rotated all in the same direction or some of the lights may be rotated in one direction and the rest of the lights rotated in the opposite direction. Also, the direction of rotation of all of the lights may be randomly selected within the microprocessor 20. The decision block 174 is employed to determine when the count in the counter of block 172 divided by ten equals a whole number, i.e. it determines when the lights have been rotated ten revolutions about the housing 12.

The object of the game is for either player to simultaneously depress all of the keys corresponding to the pattern of lights when this pattern of lights is opposite the respective keys that are depresed.

Accordingly, each player must wait until the entire pattern is on his side of the board and then simultaneously depress two, three or four keys which are correctly spaced in accordance with the spacing of the initially chosen light pattern which is being rotated. However, in order to make the game more difficult, the initial rate at which the lights are rotated is extremely fast. For example, the initial rate of rotation of the selected lights about the housing may be one revolution of these lights in 0.01 seconds. Since it is virtually impossible to detect the light pattern at this speed, after each ten revolutions of the light pattern, as determined by the decision block 174, the duration of the tone developed by block 172 at each point around the circle is increased, as indicated by block 176. This has the effect of decreasing the speed at which the lights are rotated.For example, if the initial rotation of the light pattern is .01 seconds, this rotation time may be increased by twenty percent each ten revolutions of the light pattern. Accordingly, the rate at which the light pattern is being rotated slows down until one player is able to depress all of the keys corresponding to the lights in the rotating light pattern when these lights are in his area, as determined by the decision block 178. If the keys depressed do not coincide with all of the light positions in the pattern, a No output is provided by the block 178 so that the lights continue to be rotated, as indicated bythe block 172.However, when one of the players is successful in pressing all of his keys in coincidence with the light pattern on his side a Yes output is provided by block 178 so that he is displayed as the winner and the scores of both players are displayed, as indicated by the block 180. Such display may be identical to that described in detail heretofore in connection with Figure 3. After a player has won three times, as determined by the decision block 182, an end of game routine 184 may be established, as described in detail heretofore.

Each time a player wins, the routine is returned to the block 170 and a different group of lights are randomly selected on one side of the pattern. Since the light pattern is initially rotated at a high rate of speed, the fact that the lights are initially lit on one player's side does not give him an advantage since it is virtually impossible for him to press all of the keys corresponding to the lights in the rotating light pattern at the initial rotation speed. Accordingly, as the light pattern slows down, each player has the same opportunity to press his keys when the light pattern is on his side.

The game "LIGHT FIGHT" may also be played by one player and in such case the decision block 178 is arranged so that the correct pattern of keys corresponding to the light positions may be pressed at any point around the circle. In this connection it will be understood that the initial selection of the game would indicate whether the "LIGHT FIGHT" game was played by one player or two players. When the game is played by one player, the microprocessor is programmed so that instead of displaying one player as the winner, it displays the counter output which will show the number of revolutions of the light patternbefornthe single playerwas able to depress all of the keys at the corresponding light positions. Thus, if the single playertook930 revolutions of the light pattern to press his keys, the lights opposite the 9 key, the 3 key, and the 0 key would be sequentially flashed to indicate this score. The skill level of the game "LIGHT FIGHT" may also be varied by varying the number of revolutions of the light pattern before the tone duration is decreased by the block 176. In the alternative, the initial rate at which tones are developed by the block 172 and the light pattern sequentially moved one key, may be varied to provide different skill levels.

Claims (12)

1. A game apparatus comprising first and second groups of player keys each equally spaced along opposing halves of a circle, a visual indicating device for each of said keys, one key in each of said groups being designated as a goal key, means for successively lighting said devices in one direction around said circle starting with the device corresponding to one player's goal key, and means responsive to actuation of one of the other player's keys when the device corresponding thereto is lit for successively lighting said devices in the other direction around said circle.

2. The game apparatus of claim 1,which includes means responsive to actuation of one of the other player's keys before the device corresponding thereto is lit for lighting the device corresponding to said other players goal key.

3. The game apparatus of claim 2, which includes means for generating a slide-up tone of predetermined duration while said device corresponding to said other player's goal key is lit. and means operative in the event said other player's goal key is not actuated during said slide-up tone for indicating said one player has scored a point.

4. The game apparatus of claim 2, which includes means for generating a slide-up tone of predetermined duration while said device corresponding to said other player's goal key is lit, and means operative in the event said other player's goal key is actuated during said slide-up tone for successively lighting said devices in the other direction around said circle starting with said device corresponding to said other player's goal key.

5. The game apparatus of claim 4, wherein said devices are successively lit in said other direction at an increased rate as compared to the rate at which said devices are lit in said one direction.

6. The game apparatus of claim 1, which includes means for generating a tone signal of predetermined frequency during the period each of said devices is lit.

7. The game apparatus of claim 6, which includes means for generating a tone signal having a frequency greater than said predetermined frequency during the period each of said devices is lit in said other direction.

8. The game apparatus of claim 7, wherein said devices are successively lit in said other direction at an increased rate as compared to the rate at which said devices are lit in said one direction.

9. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the goal keys of both players are positioned adjacent each other along said circle.

10. The game apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of said groups of player keys comprises one of said goal keys and five keys spaced equidistantly with said goal key around one-half of said circle.

11. Game apparatus of claim 3, which includes means for decreasing the duration of said slide-up tone eadh time the device corresponding to one of said goal keys is lit.

12. A game device substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.