Puzzle game apparatus and computer readable storage medium having puzzle game program stored thereon

• US 20090072478A1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Tawara, Masaki, Sukekuni, Yuuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,167,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/153.R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/0428 Crosswords
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0612 Electronic puzzles

Abstract

In a solution area which has a plurality of cells arranged in a matrix thereof, a connective cell, which is obtained by interrelating a predetermined plurality of cells with one another, is displayed. Further, a normal numerical clue, which is caused to correspond to a row and a column in the matrix and represents the number of cells to be marked in the corresponding row and column, is displayed. Still further, a large numerical clue, which represents the number of cells to be marked in a contiguous form over a plurality of adjoining rows or a plurality of adjoining columns, is displayed so as to range over the plurality of rows or the plurality of columns. In accordance with an operation performed by a player, specific cells are marked, and then whether or not a set of the marked cells presents a figure which is a solution of a puzzle having been previously set.

Claims

1. A puzzle game apparatus comprising:

solution area display means for displaying a solution area having a plurality of cells arranged in a matrix thereof;

connective cell setting means for causing a plurality of cells, among the cells arranged in the solution area, to interrelate with one another so as to form a connective cell;

connective state display means for performing a display which indicates that the cells caused to interrelate with one another by the connective cell setting means form the connective cell;

clue area display means for displaying a clue area in which a plurality of numbers, each representing the number of cells to be marked among the cells arranged in the solution area, are displayed;

normal numerical clue display means for displaying a normal numerical clue, which is caused to correspond to a row or a column in the matrix and represents the number of cells to be marked in the row or the column, in an area corresponding to the row or the column in the clue area;

large numerical clue display means for displaying a large numerical clue, which represents the number of cells to be marked in a contiguous form over a plurality of adjoining rows or a plurality of adjoining columns in the matrix, in an area which ranges over and corresponds to the plurality of adjoining rows or the plurality of adjoining columns in the clue area;

cell identification means for identifying a cell to be marked, among the cells in the solution area, in accordance with an operation by a player;

cell marking means for marking and displaying the cell identified by the cell identification means; and

correct solution determination means for determining whether or not a set of cells marked by the cell marking means presents a figure which is a correct solution of a puzzle having been previously set.

2. The puzzle game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the cell identified by the cell identification means is the connective cell, the cell marking means marks all cells which are caused to interrelate with one another as the connective cell.

3. The puzzle game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connective state display means causes a plurality of the cells, which forms the connective cell, to be connected to one another so as to be displayed as one cell on the solution area.

4. The puzzle game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising,

cell information storage means for storing cell information which relates to each of the cells arranged in the solution area and which indicates whether or not said each of the cells forms a part of the connective cell, wherein

the connective cell setting means reads the cell information from the cell information storage means, and causes a plurality of the cells to interrelate with one another in accordance with the read cell information so as to form the connective cell.

5. The puzzle game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

correct solution information storage means for storing correct solution information which indicates a marking state in the case of a correct solution, with respect to each of the cells arranged in the solution area; and

numerical clue generation means for reading the correct solution information, and for generating the normal numerical clues and the large numerical clues in accordance with the correct solution information, wherein

the normal numerical clue display means displays the normal numerical clues generated by the numerical clue generation means; and

the large numerical clue display means displays the large numerical clues generated by the numerical clue generation means.

6. A puzzle game apparatus, comprising:

solution area display means for displaying a solution area having a plurality of cells arranged in a matrix thereof;

clue area display means for displaying a clue area in which a plurality of numbers each representing the number of cells to be marked, among the cells displayed in the solution area, are displayed;

normal numerical clue display means for displaying a normal numerical clue, which is caused to correspond to a row or a column in the matrix and represents the number of cells to be marked in the row or the column, in an area corresponding to the row or the column in the clue area;

large numerical clue display means for displaying a large numerical clue, which represents the number of cells to be marked in a contiguous form over a plurality of adjoining rows or a plurality of adjoining columns in the matrix, in an area which ranges over and corresponds to the plurality of adjoining rows or the plurality of adjoining columns in the clue area;

cell identification means for identifying a cell to be marked, among the cells in the solution area, in accordance with an operation by a player;

cell marking means for marking and displaying the identified cell; and

correct solution determination means for determining whether or not a set of cells marked by the cell marking means presents a figure which is a correct solution of a puzzle having been previously set.

7. A puzzle game apparatus, comprising:

solution area display means for displaying a solution area having a plurality of cells arranged in a matrix thereof;

connective cell setting means for causing a plurality of cells, among the cells arranged in the solution area, to interrelate with one another so as to form a connective cell;

connective state display means for performing a display which indicates that the cells caused to interrelate with one another by the connective cell setting means form the connective cell;

clue area display means for displaying a clue area in which a plurality of numbers each representing the number of cells to be marked, among the cells arranged in the solution area, are displayed;

numerical clue display means for displaying a numerical clue, which is caused to correspond to a row or a column in the matrix and represents the number of cells to be marked in the row or the column, in an area corresponding to the row or the column in the clue area;

cell identification means for identifying a cell to be marked among the cells in the solution area, in accordance with an operation by a player;

cell marking means for marking and displaying the identified cell; and

correct solution determination means for determining whether or not a set of cells marked by the cell marking means presents a figure which is a correct solution of a puzzle having been previously set.

8. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a puzzle game program executed by a computer of a game apparatus, the puzzle game program causing the computer to execute:

a solution area display step of displaying a solution area having a plurality of cells arranged in a matrix thereof;

a connective cell setting step of causing a plurality of cells, among the cells displayed in the solution area, to interrelate with one another so as to form a connective cell;

a connective state display step of performing a display which indicates that the cells caused to interrelate with one another by the connective cell setting step form the connective cell;

a clue area display step of displaying a clue area in which a plurality of numbers, each representing the number of cells to be marked among the cells arranged in the solution area, are displayed;

a normal numerical clue display step of displaying a normal numerical clue, which is caused to correspond to a row or a column in the matrix and represents the number of cells to be marked in the row or the column, in an area corresponding to the row or the column in the clue area;

a large numerical clue display step of displaying a large numerical clue, which represents the number of cells to be marked in a contiguous form over a plurality of adjoining rows or a plurality of adjoining columns in the matrix, in an area which ranges over and corresponds to the plurality of adjoining rows and the plurality of adjoining columns in the clue area;

a cell identification step of identifying a cell to be marked, among the cells in the solution area, in accordance with an operation by a player;

a cell marking step of marking and displaying the identified cell; and

a correct solution determination step of determining whether or not a set of cells marked by the cell marking step presents a figure which is a correct solution of a puzzle having been previously set.

9. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a puzzle game program executed by a computer of a game apparatus, the puzzle game program causing the computer to execute:

a solution area display step of displaying a solution area having a plurality of cells arranged in a matrix thereof;

a clue area display step of displaying a clue area in which a plurality of numbers each representing the number of cells to be marked, among the cells displayed on the solution area, are displayed;

a normal numerical clue display step of displaying a normal numerical clue, which is caused to correspond to a row or a column in the matrix and represents the number of cells to be marked in the row or the column, in an area corresponding to the row or the column in the clue area;

a large numerical clue display step of displaying a large numerical clue, which represents the number of cells to be marked in a contiguous form over a plurality of adjoining rows or a plurality of adjoining columns in the matrix, in an area which ranges over and corresponds to the plurality of adjoining rows and the plurality of adjoining columns in the clue area;

a cell identification step of identifying a cell to be marked, among the cells in the solution area, in accordance with an operation by a player;

a cell marking step of marking and displaying the identified cell; and

a correct solution determination step of determining whether or not a set of cells marked by the cell marking step presents a figure which is a correct solution of a puzzle having been previously set.