Game machine system

• US 6,463,859 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2000
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Namco Limited (Namco Bandai Holdings Inc.)
• Sponsoring Entity: Namco Limited (Namco Bandai Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsuchiya, Tetsuo, Ikezawa, Mamoru, Yamazaki, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jules, Frantz F.
• Time in USPTO: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 104/53, 104/59, 104/77, 104/83, 472/43, 472/117, 463/52, 463/38, 463/50, 463/7, 463/53, 273/440, 273/459
• US Class Current: 104/53
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/00 : Clubs for gymnastics or the like , e.g. for swinging exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 : Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0053 : Apparatus generating random stimulus signals for reaction-time training involving a substantial physical effort testing reaction time A61B5/162; reaction-time games A63F9/0096
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0032 : Hammers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0096 : Reaction time games testing reaction time A61B5/162; reaction time training A63B69/0053; time registering, indicating or recording in connection with sports or games G07C1/22
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 33/00 : Devices allowing competitions between several persons, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 7/00 : Up-and-down hill tracksSwitchbacks

Abstract

A riding type game machine system includes a vehicle movable along a path with a player riding therein and a plurality of game stages arranged along the path. At least one of the game stages is adapted to perform a contact type game having an input operation performed by the player touching a target. The contact type game is, for example, a target hitting game, which is a familiar game for the player compared with a non-contact type game such as a shooting game using infrared ray.

Claims

1. A game machine system comprising:

a vehicle movable along a path and configured for having a player riding thereon, and

a plurality of game stages arranged along said path,

wherein at least one of said plurality of game stages is adapted to perform a contact type game in which an input operation can be performed by the player touching a target having a sensor for sensing when it is touched by the player,

wherein said target moves within a region where the player can directly or indirectly physically contact said target, and

wherein at least one signal output from said sensor is transmitted to a control device to be counted as a result of the game stage.

2. A game machine system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input operation can be performed by the player hitting the target, which moves reciprocally between a hidden position and an exposed position.

3. A game machine system as claimed in claims 2, wherein said target has a predetermined figure.

4. A game system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said predetermined figure resembles a shark head.

5. A game machine system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising operation means for totalizing scores in the plurality of said game stages.

6. A game machine system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said path includes a branch point and a moving direction of said vehicle at said branch point is determined based upon a score in at least one of the plurality of game stages disposed upstream from said branch point.

7. A game machine system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said target moves parallel to a base plate on which said target is placed.

8. A game machine system as claimed in claims 7, wherein said target has a predetermined figure.

9. A game system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined figure resembles a spider.

10. A game system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input operation can be performed by the player directly or indirectly physically contacting said target.

11. A game machine system comprising:

a vehicle movable along a path and configured for a player riding therein,

a plurality of game stages arranged along said path,

a branch point arranged in said path, said branch point having a plurality of branch paths for said vehicle to move and said branch point having switching means for selecting one of said branch paths for said vehicle,

wherein each of said branch paths has a different type of game stage.

12. A game machine system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the difficulty of said game stages are different in degree from each other.

13. A game machine system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a control device for controlling said branch point to select one of said game stages according to a result of at least one of the game stages which is arranged upstream from said branch point.

14. A game machine system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a control device for controlling said branch point to select one of said game stages according to a result of at least one of the game stages which is arranged upstream from said branch point.