Game apparatus and storage medium storing game program

• US 7,618,325 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Narita, Minoru, Yamada, Yoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter BungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US11/121,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20050282634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 463 2- 8, 463/16, 463/20, 463 22- 23, 463 30- 34, 463 36- 37, 463 40- 43, 463 46- 47, 463/50, 463/53, 463/56, 463 58- 69, 273/108.1, 273/108.3, 273/108.4, 273/150, 273/317.1, 273/317.3, 273/317.4, 273/317.5, 273/317.6, 273/359, 273329-330, 273406-407, 273/440.1, 273460-461, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/141.A, 273/142.R, 273/143.C, 273/142.B, 273/142.H, 455/41.2, 455/134, 455/136, 455/138, 455/140, 455/151.2, 455/153.2, 455/226.2, 455/420, 455512-513
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters

Abstract

A game system includes a plurality of game apparatuses that can carry out short-range wireless communication with one another. Link strength is detected for wireless communication between a parent apparatus and a child apparatus selected as a communication partner thereof. If the link strength is not equal to or more than a predetermined value, the image of a rare item piece is not displayed and the image of a normal item piece alone is displayed even though the partner has the rare item pieces in its possession, for example. Also, the use of the rare item is not permitted. On the other hand, if the link strength is equal to or more than the predetermined value, the use of the rare item is permitted and, if the combination of rare item pieces is successful, for example, the rare item is used.

Claims

1. A system including a first game apparatus and at least a second game apparatus, the first game apparatus configured to carry out short-range wireless communication with said at least a second game apparatus, the system comprising:

a first item data storage location provided in the first game apparatus to store item data including a first item of high rarity that is difficult for a player to obtain and a second item of low rarity that is easy for a player to obtain according to a progress of the game in at least the first game apparatus;

a second item data storage location provided in said at least a second game apparatus to store item data including a first item of high rarity that is difficult for a player to obtain and a second item of low rarity that is easy for a player to obtain according to a progress of the game in at least the second apparatus;

a link strength detector provided in the first game apparatus to detect a link strength for wireless communication between the first game apparatus and said at least a second game apparatus;

strength value determining programmed logic circuitry provided in the first game apparatus to determine whether or not the link strength detected by said link strength detector is equal to or more than a predetermined value which is based on the communication link between the first game apparatus and said at least a second game apparatus; and

game processing programmed logic circuitry provided in the first game apparatus to permit the use of said first item in the first game apparatus with respect to said first item in said at least a second game apparatus based on the progress of the game in said first game apparatus and in said at least a second game apparatus, while communication is maintained between the first game apparatus and said at least a second game apparatus, when said strength value determining programmed logic circuitry has determined that said link strength is equal to or more than the predetermined value,

wherein the game processing programmed logic circuitry further does not permit the use of said first item in the first game apparatus with respect to said first item in said at least a second game apparatus, while communication is maintained between the first game apparatus and said at least a second game apparatus, when said strength value determining programmed logic circuitry has determined that said link strength is not equal to or more than the predetermined value, and

wherein said game processing programmed logic circuitry permits the use of said second item alone in the first game apparatus when said strength value determining programmed logic circuitry has determined that said link strength is not equal to or more than the predetermined value, and permits the use of said first item in the first game apparatus with respect to said first item in said at least a second game apparatus and the use of said second item in the first game apparatus when said strength value determining programmed logic circuitry has determined that said link strength is equal to or more than the predetermined value.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

possessed item receiving programmed logic circuitry provided in the first game apparatus to receive partner'"'"'s possessed item data related to an item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus;

possessed item determining programmed logic circuitry provided in the first game apparatus to determine whether or not said at least a second game apparatus possesses the first item based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data; and

possession state displaying programmed logic circuitry provided in the first game apparatus to display a message to the effect that said at least a second game apparatus possesses the first item when said possessed item determining programmed logic circuitry has determined that said at least a second game apparatus possesses the first item.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

possessed item receiving programmed logic circuitry provided in the first game apparatus to receive partner'"'"'s possessed item data related to an item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus; and

item display control programmed logic circuitry provided in the first game apparatus that displays an image of the first item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data when said strength value determining programmed logic circuitry has determined that said link strength is equal to or more than the predetermined value, and that does not display the image of the first item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus when said strength value determining programmed logic circuitry has determined that said link strength is not equal to or more than the predetermined value.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

possessed item receiving programmed logic circuitry provided in the first game apparatus to receive partner'"'"'s possessed item data related to an item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus; and

item display control programmed logic circuitry provided in the first game apparatus that displays the images of both of the first item and the second item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data when said strength value determining programmed logic circuitry has determined that said link strength is equal to or more than the predetermined value, and that displays the image of the second item alone possessed by said at least a second game apparatus based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data when said strength value determining programmed logic circuitry has determined that said link strength is not equal to or more than the predetermined value.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein use of said first item occurs when said first item is matched with a first item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus.

6. A computer-readable storage medium storing a game program executed in a first game apparatus comprising at least one item data storage location to store item data including a first item of high rarity that is difficult for a player to obtain and a second item of low rarity that is easy for a player to obtain according to a progress of the game in at least the first game apparatus, said first game apparatus configured to carry out short-range wireless communication with at least a second game apparatus, wherein execution of said game program causes a processor of said first game apparatus to perform:

detecting a link strength for wireless communication between this game apparatus and said at least a second game apparatus;

determining whether or not the link strength detected by said detecting is equal to or more than a predetermined value which is based on the communication link between the first game apparatus and said at least a second game apparatus; and

permitting the use of said first item in the first game apparatus with respect to a first item of high rarity that is difficult for a player to obtain in said at least a second game apparatus based on the progress of the game in said first game apparatus and in said at least a second game apparatus, while communication is maintained between the first game apparatus and said at least a second game apparatus, when said determining has determined that said link strength is equal to or more than the predetermined value and

not permitting the use of said first item in the first game apparatus with respect to said first item in said at least a second game apparatus, while communication is maintained between the first game apparatus and said at least a second game apparatus, when said determining has determined that said link strength is less than the predetermined value, and

wherein in said execution of said game program, the use of said second item alone in the first game apparatus is permitted when it is determined by said determining whether or not the link strength detected by said detecting is equal to or more than a predetermined value that said link strength is not equal to or more than the predetermined value, and the use of said first item in the first game apparatus with respect to said first item is said at least a second game apparatus and the use of said second item in the first game apparatus is permitted when it is determined by said determining whether or not the link strength detected by said detecting is equal to or more than a predetermined value that said link strength is equal to or more than the predetermined value.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6, wherein

execution of said game program causes the processor of said first game apparatus to further perform:

receiving partner'"'"'s possessed item data related to an item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus;

determining whether or not said at least a second game apparatus possesses the first item based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data; and

displaying a message to the effect that said at least a second game apparatus possesses the first item when it is determined by said determining whether or not said at least a second game apparatus possesses the first item that said at least a second game apparatus possesses the first item.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6, wherein

execution of said game program causes the processor of said first game apparatus to further perform:

receiving a partner'"'"'s possessed item data related to an item possessed by said other game apparatus; and

displaying an image of the first item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data when it is determined by said determining whether or not the link strength detected by said detecting is equal to or more than a predetermined value that said link strength is equal to or more than the predetermined value, and not displaying the image of the first item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus when it is determined by said determining whether or not the link strength detected by said detecting is equal to or more than a predetermined value that said link strength is not equal to or more than the predetermined value.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6, wherein

execution of said game program causes the processor of said first game apparatus to further perform:

receiving partner'"'"'s possessed item data related to an item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus; and

displaying the images of both of the first item and the second item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data when it is determined by said determining whether or not the link strength detected by said detecting is equal to or more than a predetermined value that said link strength is equal to or more than the predetermined value, and displaying the image of the second item alone possessed by said at least a second game apparatus based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data when it is determined by said determining whether or not the link strength detected by said detecting is equal to or more than a predetermined value that said link strength is not equal to or more than the predetermined value.

10. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 6, wherein use of said first item occurs when said first item is matched with a first item possessed by said at least a second game apparatus.

11. In a first game apparatus configured to carry out short-range wireless communication with at least one second game apparatus, said first game apparatus including a first item data storage location to store item data including a first item of high rarity that is difficult for a player to obtain and a second item of low rarity that is easy for a player to obtain according to a progress of the game in at least the first game apparatus, a method comprising:

detecting a link strength for wireless communication between the first game apparatus and said at least one second game apparatus;

determining whether the detected link strength is greater than or equal to a predetermined value which is based on the communication link between the first game apparatus and said at least one second game apparatus;

permitting use of said first item in the first game apparatus with respect to a first item of high rarity that is difficult for a player to obtain in said at least one second game apparatus based on the progress of the game in said first game apparatus and in said at least one second game apparatus, while communication is maintained between the first game apparatus and said at least one second game apparatus, when said link strength is determined to be greater than or equal to the predetermined value; and

denying use of said first item in the first game apparatus with respect to said first item in said at least one second game apparatus, while communication is maintained between the first game apparatus and said at least one second game apparatus, when said link strength is less than the predetermined value, and further comprising;

permitting use of said second item alone in the first game apparatus when said link strength is less than the predetermined value, and

permitting use of said first item in the first game apparatus with respect to said first item in said at least one second game apparatus and use of said second item in the first game apparatus when said link strength is greater than or equal to the predetermined value.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving partner'"'"'s possessed item data related to an item possessed by said at least one second game apparatus;

determining whether said at least one second game apparatus possesses the first item based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data; and

displaying a message indicating that said at least one second game apparatus possesses the first item when it is determined that said at least one second game apparatus possesses the first item.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving partner'"'"'s possessed item data related to an item possessed by said at least one second game apparatus; and

displaying an image of the first item possessed by said at least one second game apparatus based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data when said link strength is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, and not displaying the image of the first item possessed by said at least one second game apparatus when said link strength is less than the predetermined value.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving partner'"'"'s possessed item data related to an item possessed by said at least one second game apparatus; and

displaying the images of both of the first item and the second item possessed by said at least one second game apparatus based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data when said link strength is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, and

displaying the image of the second item alone possessed by said at least one second game apparatus based on said partner'"'"'s possessed item data when said link strength less than the predetermined value.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein use of said first item occurs when said first item is matched with a first item possessed by said at least the second game apparatus.