Game program and game device

• US 7,722,452 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Masayuki, Miura, Akihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEICHLITER, CHASE E
• Application Number:
  US11/505,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463/2, 463/7, 463/23
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8094 Unusual game types, e.g. virtual cooking

Abstract

A game program of the present invention causes a computer to execute a first delete condition setting step of setting a delete condition of puzzle elements in which puzzle elements of the same kind in a first number or more are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a first delete condition and a second delete condition setting step of setting a next delete condition of the puzzle elements in which puzzle elements of the same kind in a second number which is smaller than the first number or more are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a second delete condition when it is judged that the first delete condition is achieved in the first delete condition judgment step.

Claims

1. A computer software product including a recording medium in which a computer-readable program is recorded, said game program being used for causing a computer to perform a puzzle game in which a plurality of kinds of puzzle elements are sequentially created and displayed on display means while the layout position of said puzzle elements is changed in accordance with an operation of a player and when puzzle elements of a same kind are arranged continuously in a predetermined direction, said puzzle elements of the same kind which are continuously arranged are deleted, said game program causing a computer to execute:

a first delete condition setting step of setting a first number and setting a delete condition of said puzzle elements in which at least said first number of puzzle elements of the same kind are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a first delete condition;

a first delete condition judgment step of judging if said first delete condition is achieved in accordance with the operation of said player;

a puzzle element deleting step of deleting puzzle elements satisfying said first delete condition when it is judged that said first delete condition is achieved in said first delete condition judgment step;

a second delete condition setting step of setting a second number based on said first number such that said second number is less than said first number and setting a next delete condition of said puzzle elements in which at least said second number of puzzle elements of the same kind are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a second delete condition when it is judged that said first delete condition is achieved in said first delete condition judgment step; and

a second delete condition judgment step of judging if said second delete condition is achieved after said second delete condition is set,

wherein said puzzle element deleting step deletes puzzle elements satisfying said second delete condition when it is judged that said second delete condition is achieved in said second delete condition judgment step.

2. The computer software product according to claim 1, causing said computer to further execute:

a valid time setting step of setting a first valid time while said second delete condition is set when it is judged that said first delete condition is achieved in said first delete condition judgment step;

a time counting step of counting a first time passing from the time when it is judged that said first delete condition is achieved in said first delete condition judgment step; and

a delete condition changing step of setting said second delete condition as the delete condition of said puzzle elements when said first time obtained by counting in said time counting step falls within said first valid time and setting said first delete condition as the delete condition of said puzzle elements when said first time obtained by counting in said time counting step exceeds said first valid time.

3. The computer software product according to claim 2, wherein

said second delete condition setting means sets a next delete condition of said puzzle elements in which at least a third number of puzzle elements of the same kind are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a new second delete condition when said second delete condition judgment means judge that said second delete condition is achieved, said third number being smaller than said second number,

said valid time setting step sets a second valid time while said new second delete condition is set when it is judged that said second delete condition is achieved in said second delete condition judgment step,

said time counting step counts a second time passing from the time when it is judged that said second delete condition is achieved in said second delete condition judgment step, and

said delete condition changing step sets said new second delete condition as the delete condition of said puzzle elements when said second time obtained by counting in said time counting step falls within said second valid time and sets said first delete condition as the delete condition of said puzzle elements when said second time obtained by counting in said time counting step exceeds said second valid time.

4. The computer software product according to claim 3, wherein said second valid time is shorter than said first valid time.

5. The computer software product according to claim 3, causing said computer to further execute:

an achievement number counting step of counting a number of achievements of said delete condition; and

a game processing step of changing a proceeding of said puzzle game in accordance with said number of achievements counted in said achievement number counting step.

6. The computer software product according to claim 1, wherein a touch panel is provided in association with said display means, said game program causing said computer to further execute:

a manipulation indication detecting step of detecting a position and a direction on said display means which are indicated with manipulation of said touch panel by said player; and

a puzzle element movement controlling step of specifying a set of said puzzle elements in accordance with said position detected in said manipulation indication detecting step and moving said set of puzzle elements specified in accordance with said direction detected in said manipulation indication detecting step.

7. A gaming device, comprising

display means,

said game device performing a puzzle game on a computer, in which a plurality of kinds of puzzle elements are sequentially created and displayed on said display means while the layout position of said puzzle elements is changed in accordance with an operation of a player and when puzzle elements of a same kind are arranged continuously in a predetermined direction, said puzzle elements of the same kind which are continuously arranged are deleted,

said gaming device further comprising:

first delete condition setting means for setting a first number and setting a delete condition of said puzzle elements in which at least a first number of puzzle elements of the same kind are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a first delete condition;

first delete condition judgment means for judging if said first delete condition is achieved in accordance with the operation of said player;

puzzle element deleting means for deleting puzzle elements satisfying said first delete condition when it is judged that said first delete condition is achieved by said first delete condition judgment means;

second delete condition setting means for setting a second number based on said first number such that said second number is less than said first number and setting a next delete condition of said puzzle elements in which at least said second number of puzzle elements of the same kind are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a second delete condition when it is judged that said first delete condition is achieved by said first delete condition judgment means; and

second delete condition judgment means for judging if said second delete condition is achieved after said second delete condition is set,

wherein said puzzle element deleting means deletes puzzle elements satisfying said second delete condition when it is judged that said second delete condition is achieved by said second delete condition judgment means.

8. The game device according to claim 7, further comprising:

valid time setting means for setting a first valid time while said second delete condition is set when it is judged that said first delete condition is achieved by said first delete condition judgment means;

time counting means for counting a first time passing from the time when it is judged that said first delete condition is achieved by said first delete condition judgment means; and

delete condition changing means for setting said second delete condition as the delete condition of said puzzle elements when said first time obtained by said time counting means falls within said first valid time and setting said first delete condition as the delete condition of said puzzle elements when said first time obtained by said time counting means exceeds said first valid time.

9. The game device according to claim 8, wherein

said second delete condition setting means sets a next delete condition of said puzzle elements in which at least a third number of puzzle elements of the same kind are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a new second delete condition when it is judged that said second delete condition is achieved by said second delete condition judgment means, said third number being smaller than said second number,

said valid time setting means sets a second valid time while said new second delete condition is set when it is judged that said second delete condition is achieved by said second delete condition judgment means,

said time counting means counts a second time passing from the time when it is judged that said second delete condition is achieved by said second delete condition judgment means, and

said delete condition changing means sets said new second delete condition as the delete condition of said puzzle elements when said second time obtained by said time counting means falls within said second valid time and sets said first delete condition as the delete condition of said puzzle elements when said second time obtained by said time counting means exceeds said second valid time.

10. The game device according to claim 9, wherein said second valid time is shorter than said first valid time.

11. The game device according to claim 9, further comprising:

achievement number counting means for counting a number of achievements of said delete condition; and

game processing means for changing a proceeding of said puzzle game in accordance with said number of achievements counted by said achievement number counting means.

12. The game device according to claim 7, wherein a touch panel is provided in association with said display means, said device further comprising:

manipulation indication detecting means for detecting a position and a direction on said display means which are indicated with manipulation of said touch panel by said player; and

puzzle element movement controlling means for specifying a set of said puzzle elements in accordance with said position detected by said manipulation indication detecting means and moving said set of puzzle elements specified in accordance with said direction detected by said manipulation indication detecting means.