Memory game

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a game, and a method of play thereof, for ascertaining personal information from a plurality of players. The game includes cards which prompt the players to divulge personal information pertaining to a number of categories, and tally sheets. The tally sheets include status markers for indicating how many responses each player has tendered in each category. Play of the game ends when a player tenders a predetermined number of responses in each category.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/903,717, filed on Feb. 27, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of game play. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a game, and a method of play thereof, for ascertaining personal information regarding, for example, life experiences personal to each player of the game.

2. Background of the Related Art

Game play has been a popular way to amuse and entertain people for many years. Numerous varieties of games exist, including card games, board games, video games, etc., often requiring differing levels of skill and elements of chance, and relating to various themes such as movies, television, war, the purchasing of property and the development of personal wealth, and life in general.

Most games present an avenue of entertainment and/or a way to distract the players from reality, offering little, if any, information or insight about the players themselves other than the manner in which they deal with obstacles presented during play. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a game, and a method of play thereof, which allows the players to ascertain information, such as personal knowledge of each others past experiences, and thereby learn about the people with whom they are playing.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a memory game playable by at least two players is disclosed. The game includes a plurality of first cards and a plurality of tally sheets.

The plurality of cards includes a plurality of first cards each having an elicitation thereon pertaining to information personal to each of the players. The personal information relates to one of a plurality of categories denoted by one of a plurality of icons also present upon each of the first cards, the categories including but not being limited to education, life, family and friends, work, food and drink, love and lust, arts and entertainment, holidays and seasons, leisure, and evil.

Each of the plurality of tally sheets includes the plurality of icons and at least one corresponding status marker to indicate whether a response to an elicitation from the category corresponding to the icon has been tendered.

During play, each player draws from the plurality of cards upon her turn. Should a first card be drawn, the player optionally tenders a response to the elicitation present thereon. The tendering of a response is indicated by marking the status marker corresponding to the icon denoting the category to which the elicitation relates. The game ends when a player marks a predetermined number of status marker on her tally sheet.

In various embodiments, the game may further include a plurality of second cards, a plurality of third cards, a plurality of fourth cards, and/or a plurality of fifth cards. In those embodiments including a plurality of second cards, the second cards are distributed amongst the players prior to beginning play. Each player may inscribe one elicitation relating to one of the categories upon each second card, at her election, for use during play. When a second card is drawn by a player, the player optionally tenders a response to the elicitation included thereon, as with the drawing of a first card.

Should the game include, either additionally or alternatively, a plurality of third cards, when one such card is drawn, the player retains it for use at a later time, and another of the plurality of cards is drawn until either a first or second card is drawn. Upon so doing, should the player not wish to respond to the elicitation present thereon, the player may transfer the first or second card to one of the other players if she has a third card in her possession. The player to whom the first or second card is transferred must then respond to the elicitation, or choose not to do so, unless that player also has a third card in her possession, in which case, the first or second card may again be transferred to another player.

In those embodiments of the game including, either additionally or alternatively, a plurality of fourth cards, when a fourth card is drawn, it is retained by the drawing player for use at a later time, and the player draws again another until either a first or second card is drawn. A player in possession of a fourth card is allowed to appropriate either a first or second card from another player so that the appropriating player can tender a response to the elicitation present thereon.

In the embodiments of the game including, either additionally or alternatively, a plurality of fifth cards, upon drawing one such card, a player creates an elicitation relating to one of the categories and communicates the elicitation to another player for a response thereto.

The game may include a holder for retaining the plurality of cards during play, a recording device for automatically recording the personal information divulged by the players through their responses to elicitations, and/or a timing mechanism for defining an interval of time in which a response to one or more elicitations must be tendered.

The plurality of icons denoting which category an elicitation pertains to includes a first icon corresponding to the education category, a second icon corresponding to the life category, a third icon corresponding to the family and friends category, a fourth icon corresponding to the work category, a fifth icon corresponding to the food and drink category, a sixth icon corresponding to the love and lust category, a seventh icon corresponding to the arts and entertainment category, an eighth icon corresponding to the holidays and seasons category, a ninth icon corresponding to the leisure category, and a tenth icon corresponding to the evil category, wherein each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth icons are different.

In one embodiment, the tally sheets may include memo space for manually recording the personal information divulged by the players through their responses to elicitations, and may be removably bound together.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of playing a memory game is disclosed wherein information personal to at least two players is divulged. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of cards, distributing one of a plurality of tally sheets to each player, the tally sheets including each of a plurality of icons and a corresponding status marker, and following instructions provided for play of the game. The plurality of cards includes the plurality of first cards, and in alternate embodiments, may also include the second cards, third cards, fourth cards, and fifth cards each described above.

The step of following the instructions provided for play of the game includes determining the order of play. The order of play may be determined according to each player's age such that an older player takes a turn before a younger player. In one embodiment, the oldest player takes her turn first, being followed thereafter by the players consecutively to her left. Alternatively, the order of play may be random or may predetermined by the players.

In those embodiments including the plurality of second cards, either additionally or alternatively, the method further includes the step of distributing the second cards amongst the players prior to beginning play. The players may then optionally inscribe one elicitation relating to one of the categories upon the second cards for use during play.

The method may optionally include the step of providing a timing mechanism for defining an interval of time in which a response to one or more elicitations must be tendered.

These and other features of the game, and method of play thereof, disclosed herein will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of various embodiments of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein below with references to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top, perspective view of a game playable by at least two players and including a plurality of cards, a plurality of tally sheets, instructions for play of the game, and an optional holder for retention of the plurality of cards during play;

FIG. 2 is a top view showing top and bottom sides of a first card included in the plurality of cards of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top, perspective view of the plurality of tally sheets of FIG. 1 releasably bound together and arranged into a pad;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a back side of one embodiment of the tally sheet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a timer for use with one embodiment of the game of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a recording device for use with one embodiment of the game of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a top view showing a top side of a second card, a third card, a fourth card, and a fifth card included in the plurality of cards for use in an alternate embodiment of the game of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a top view showing a bottom side of the second card, the third card, the fourth card, and the fifth card FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top view of the top and bottom sides of the second card of FIG. 7 illustrating that the bottom side of the second card is blank before beginning play; and

FIG. 10 is a top view of the bottom side of the second card of FIG. 9 after beginning play with an elicitation inscribed thereon by one of the players;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Various exemplary embodiments of the presently disclosed game, and method of play thereof, will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings wherein like references numerals identify similar or identical elements. With reference to FIGS. 1-2, the game 10 that is the subject of the present disclosure is illustrated. The game 10 is intended for play by two or more players, and includes a plurality of cards 100, a plurality of tally sheets 200, and instructions 300 for play of the game 10. Optionally, the game 10 may also include a holder 400 to retain the plurality of cards 100 therein, as shown in FIG. 1.

Each of the plurality of cards 100 has a top (first) side “A” and a bottom (second) side “B”. The top side “A” of each of the plurality of cards 100 is substantially identical and includes the “I Remember . . . ” trademark, which is the property of Senior Toys, LLC d/b/a I Remember Game, Ridgewood, N.J. 07450. The bottom side “B” of each of the plurality of cards 100 provides instructions, conveys information, contains data, or presents a message to the players during play of the game 10, as discussed in detail herein below.

The plurality of cards 100 includes a plurality of first, or “I Remember . . . ”™ cards 110. The bottom side “B” of each “I Remember . . . ”™ card 110 includes an elicitation 112 and an icon 114. Each elicitation 112 poses a question, provides an instruction, or otherwise prompts a player to respond and thereby divulge personal information pertaining to any experience, opinion, memory, relationship, etc. relating to one of several categories denoted by a corresponding icon 114. An exemplary collection of icons 114_A-114_J is included in the tally sheet 200 illustrated in FIG. 1, and an exemplary list of elicitations 112 and categories can be seen in the following table:

CATEGORY               ELICITATION
Education              Tell us about you or someone who was punished in school.
Education              Tell us about one of your favorite subjects in high school.
Education              Who was one of your favorite schoolteachers and what subject did he/she
                       teach?
Education              What school did you go to after high school? If none, what you did do?
Education              Tell us about a time you or a friend skipped school. What did you do?
Education              Tell us about one of the worst experiences you had in school.
Education              Tell us about one of the best experiences you had in school.
Education              In school, were you considered a “nerd” or a “cool kid” and why?
Education              Tell us about a trip to the principal's office.
Education              Have you ever gone to a reunion? If so, what was the highlight? If not, why
                       not?
Education              Tell us about an experience in a class that had nothing to do with school.
Education              What was one of the classes you dreaded going to?
Education              Tell us about a president you remember in your lifetime and why you
                       remember.
Education              Tell us how you got to elementary, middle and high schools.
Education              Did you ever fake an illness to get out of going to school?
Life                   Tell us about a fashion style from growing up.
Life                   Tell us about the latest/longest you've ever slept and why.
Life                   Tell us about someone who has had a great impact on you and why.
Life                   Tell us about a scary moment you remember.
Life                   Tell us about something you're afraid of.
Life                   Tell us about a funny moment you remember.
Life                   Tell us about a sad moment you remember.
Life                   If you could revisit a time of your life, what would it be and why?
Life                   Would you like to relive a moment in time? Why or why not?
Life                   Tell us about a significant moment growing up.
Life                   Tell us about a hospital stay or an operation you had growing up.
Life                   Tell us about a normal day in your life. Don't bore us.
Life                   Tell us about a doctor's visit you had growing up.
Life                   How old were you when you learned to drive? Tell us about it.
Life                   Tell us about a special gift you gave someone. What was it and to whom?
Life                   Tell us about an amazing party you attended.
Life                   What is one of your oldest memories? Tell us about it.
Life                   How did growing up where you did affect your life?
Life                   Tell us about a war you remember. If you were involved in it, tell us how.
Life                   Tell us about something you had as a kid and couldn't live without.
Life                   What has changed since you were younger? Is it for the better or worse?
Life                   Did you grow up in the country or the city? Tell us what you did after school.
Life                   Tell us about a life-changing experience you had.
Life                   Tell us about a surprise you gave someone or a surprise you were in on.
Life                   Tell us about a surprise you received.
Life                   Tell us about a special gift you received within the past 5 years.
Life                   Are you a city mouse or a country mouse? Why?
Life                   Tell us about a successful risk you took.
Life                   Where did you grow up and what was special about your town?
Life                   Tell us about one of your greatest challenges.
Life                   Tell us about a dentist's visit you had growing up.
Life                   Tell us about a good dream you had.
Life                   Tell us about a nightmare you had.
Life                   Tell us about a sprain or broken bone you've had.
Life                   Make up a limerick about something.
Life                   Tell us about a superstition you or a friend believed in, in your youth.
Life                   Tell us about someone you envied and why.
Life                   Tell us about a hero you had or have and why.
Life                   Give us a good piece of advice that someone once gave you. Who gave it?
Life                   Tell us about your favorite piece of modern technology.
Life                   Tell us about your least favorite piece of modern technology and why.
Life                   If you could choose a new first name, what would it be and why?
Life                   Tell us about a roommate you had in camp, college, the war or another time.
Life                   Tell us about your proudest moment.
Life                   What is one of the most expensive purchases you ever made?
Life                   What is one of the most frivolous purchases you ever made?
Life                   What is something you bought that you never used and never returned?
Life                   Do you speak a foreign language? Say something in a foreign language.
Life                   Have you ever been pick pocketed or known anyone who has?
Life                   Tell us about your first car.
Life                   Tell us one of your greatest strengths.
Life                   Tell us one of your greatest weaknesses.
Life                   What time do you get up in the morning and why?
Life                   Tell us about one of the first times you swore.
Life                   Tell us about a time you or someone you knew ran away.
Life                   Tell us about a memory that makes you happy.
Life                   Tell us about a memory that makes you sad.
Life                   Tell us about a memory that makes you angry.
Life                   Do you believe there is a heaven? Why or why not?
Life                   Do you believe there is a hell? Why or why not?
Life                   Are you a leader or a follower? Give an example.
Life                   Tell us about a poster or picture you hung up when you were growing up.
Life                   Tell us about a phony phone call you made to someone.
Family and Friends     Did you or friends ever sneak out at night? Tell us about it.
Family and Friends     Tell us a neighbor story.
Family and Friends     Who influenced you to do bad things? Name one.
Family and Friends     Tell us a secret about your family.
Family and Friends     If you could ask any relative a question, who and what would you ask?
Family and Friends     Tell us about one of your strangest or most peculiar relatives.
Family and Friends     Tell us about one of your favorite relatives.
Family and Friends     Tell us about a pet you had growing up or about a friend's pet.
Family and Friends     Tell us about a family reunion or get together you attended.
Family and Friends     Tell us about one of your grandparents.
Family and Friends     Tell us about your siblings, in age order. If you were an only child, did you
                       like it?
Family and Friends     Tell us a funny story about a parent or a similar aged relative.
Family and Friends     Tell us a funny story about a grandparent or a similar aged relative.
Family and Friends     Tell us a funny story about a sibling or a similar aged relative.
Family and Friends     Tell us about some good advice your mom or dad ever gave you.
Family and Friends     Describe one of your family traditions.
Family and Friends     Tell about a time you were very angry with someone in your family and why.
Family and Friends     Tell about a time someone in your family was very angry with you and why.
Family and Friends     Tell us about something a family member made for you or did for you.
Family and Friends     Tell us about a childhood friend and something you did together.
Family and Friends     Tell us something you and your family liked to do together
Family and Friends     Tell us something you disliked doing with your family
Family and Friends     Tell us something unique or unusual about your family.
Family and Friends     Tell us about one of your favorite trips you took with your family.
Family and Friends     Tell us about a trip to a place you used to go when you were younger.
Family and Friends     Tell us a sibling rivalry story that you experienced or saw . . .
Family and Friends     Tell us about a sleepover you or a friend had when you were growing up
Family and Friends     Tell us about a best friend growing up and a great memory you have with
                       them?
Family and Friends     Tell us a nickname you had growing up or tell us one you would have
                       wanted . . .
Family and Friends     Tell us about growing up in a religious home. If not, tell us about someone
                       who did.
Family and Friends     Tell us about the town you were born in.
Family and Friends     Tell us about some household chores you did growing up
Family and Friends     Tell us about you or a friend being scared by an animal
Family and Friends     Tell us about a sibling's or friend's nickname and how they got that.
Family and Friends     Tell us something special about someone from your childhood
Family and Friends     Where did you hang out when you were younger and why?
Family and Friends     Did you have a curfew growing up? Tell us about it.
Family and Friends     Were you ever punished? When, why and how?
Family and Friends     Tell us about an obstacle you had to overcome growing up.
Work                   Do you want to work for a company or be your own boss? Why?
Work                   What was one of the things you wanted to be when you grew up and why?
Work                   What is one the worst jobs or chores you ever had?
Work                   Tell us about one of your first jobs.
Work                   How many different jobs have you had? Tell us about one of them.
Work                   Where did you work? What did you do? Did you like it?
Work                   Tell us about your boss at your first job or any job.
Work                   What was one of the things you knew you did NOT want to be and why not?
Work                   Tell us how you chose your current career.
Work                   Tell us about goofing off on a job or a chore.
Work                   If you could change your current career, what would it be and why?
Work                   Have you ever quit a job? If so, why? If not, have you ever wanted to and
                       why?
Work                   What did or does your father do for a career?
Work                   What did or does your grandfather do for their career?
Work                   What did or does your grandmother do for a career?
Work                   What did or does your mother do for their career?
Work                   What did or does your sibling do for their career?
Work                   What did or does your spouse or significant other do for their career?
Food and Drink         What was a favorite dish that your Mom or Dad made?
Food and Drink         What is one of the worst things you've ever tasted?
Food and Drink         What was one of your favorite foods growing up and what is one now?
Food and Drink         What was one of your favorite restaurants growing up? Tell us about it.
Food and Drink         What is one of your favorite restaurants now? Tell us about it.
Food and Drink         Where did you buy ice cream cones or ice cream sodas? How much did
                       they cost?
Food and Drink         Tell us about a favorite holiday dish or meal growing up.
Food and Drink         Tell us about a meal or a dish that you have made. Did you (and/or others)
                       enjoy it?
Food and Drink         Tell us about a favorite candy growing up. Is it available today? What did it
                       cost?
Food and Drink         What's one of your favorite ethnic foods that are not your own nationality?
Food and Drink         Tell us about a meal you made for someone or one someone made for you.
Food and Drink         Tell us about a time you tried something new and what you thought about it.
Food and Drink         Tell us about your favorite thing to drink when you were young.
Food and Drink         Tell us about your favorite thing to drink now.
Food and Drink         Tell us about a drink that you have created. Did you (and/or others) enjoy it?
Food and Drink         If you were a piece of food, what would you be?
Food and Drink         If you were to cook a meal tonight, what would it be?
Love and Lust          Who was one of your first crushes?
Love and Lust          Who shared one of your first kisses with you? Who initiated it?
Love and Lust          Tell us about one of your first dates.
Love and Lust          Tell us about a romance where you broke up with the person.
Love and Lust          Tell us about a romance where the person broke up with you.
Love and Lust          Tell us about your honeymoon or a trip with a significant other.
Love and Lust          Tell us about how you met a significant other.
Love and Lust          Tell us the nicest thing a significant other ever said to or did for you.
Love and Lust          Tell us the nicest thing you ever said to or did for a significant other.
Love and Lust          Tell us what love means to you.
Love and Lust          Tell us about a “special someone” you've never told anyone else about.
Love and Lust          Tell us about a famous person you had a crush on.
Love and Lust          Tell us how you acted foolishly toward someone you cared about.
Love and Lust          What's the longest period of time you dated or liked someone?
Love and Lust          Tell us about one of your favorite make-out places growing up.
Love and Lust          Tell us about a secret crush you had on someone but they didn't know.
Arts and Entertainment Sing or hum us a song that you remember from growing up.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about playing a musical instrument or tell us about someone who did.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about one of your favorite types of music.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about one of your favorite types of dancing.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us a made up song you used to sing or make one up now for us.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us the name of some popular songs when you were growing up.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about one of your favorite cartoon characters.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about one of your favorite fictional characters.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about a concert you saw or were in.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about a favorite movie. Why did you like it? Tell us about a
                       character in it.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about one of your favorite radio stations or programs.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about one of your favorite athletes.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about one of the earliest TV shows you remember.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about a favorite TV show when you were growing up.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about a Broadway show or play you've seen or heard of.
Arts and Entertainment Tell us about a ballgame you went to and with whom.
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about carving out a pumpkin.
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about a winter when you were growing up.
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about a summer when you were growing up.
Holiday Seasons        Tell about an autumn when you were growing up.
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about a spring when you were growing up.
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about a favorite way to spend a summer day.
Holiday Seasons        What are you likely to do on a cold, wintry day?
Holiday Seasons        What is your favorite season and one reason why?
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about the worst storm you remember.
Holiday Seasons        If you could be anywhere in the winter, where would you go and why?
Holiday Seasons        If you could be anywhere in the summer, where would you go and why?
Holiday Seasons        If you could be anywhere in the fall, where would you go and why?
Holiday Seasons        On a summer night, what would you do with your friends growing up?
Holiday Seasons        On a winter night, what would you do with your friends growing up?
Holiday Seasons        On a summer night, what do you do with your friends now?
Holiday Seasons        On a winter night, what do you do with your friends now?
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about a favorite holiday story.
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about one of your favorite Halloween costumes . . .
Holiday Seasons        Tell us a special way that you celebrate a certain holiday . . .
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about a wedding or family celebration that you remember
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about a New Year's Eve celebration you remember . . .
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about an independence day celebration that you remember . . .
Holiday Seasons        What is your favorite national holiday?
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about celebrating a holiday that wasn't your nationality or religion.
Holiday Seasons        What do you like to do on your birthday?
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about a special birthday celebration.
Holiday Seasons        Tell us about a surprise party that you've attended or given.
Holiday Seasons        What was one of the best presents you ever got? What was the occasion?
Leisure                Tell us about a trip to a fair, carnival or amusement park when you were a
                       child.
Leisure                Tell us about a sport you played. If none, what activity did you like and why?
Leisure                Did you ever pick apples or go to a farm? Tell us about it.
Leisure                What would you do if you won a million dollars?
Leisure                Name a game you liked to play growing up. Where did you play it?
Leisure                Tell us about a magazine you like to read and why.
Leisure                Tell us about a newspaper you like to read and why.
Leisure                Tell us about a favorite hangout you used to frequent growing up.
Leisure                Tell us about a parade you went to or saw.
Leisure                Tell us about one of your first parties. What kind of games did you play?
Leisure                Tell us about a camping or hiking experience you had.
Leisure                What was one of your favorite toys? How old were you?
Leisure                Tell us about something you collected when you were younger.
Leisure                What do you like to do when you get up in the morning?
Leisure                Are you a morning person or a night bird? Tell us a good story about it.
Leisure                What was one of your favorite sports growing up?
Leisure                What was one of your favorite games growing up. With whom did you play
                       it?
Leisure                What is one of your favorite games now and with whom do you play it?
Leisure                Tell us about a very long walk you took. How old were you and where did
                       you go?
Leisure                Tell us about one of your favorite books. Give us a short review of it.
Leisure                Tell us about an experience on a form of transportation other than a car or a
                       bike.
Leisure                Tell us about a trip you took outside your home town.
Leisure                Tell us about a group activity you enjoyed growing up.
Leisure                Tell us about a favorite city, other than the one where you live.
Leisure                Tell us a place to go for an ideal vacation.
Leisure                Tell us about exploring secret places when you were growing up.
Leisure                Tell us about the movie theatre you went to growing up.
Leisure                Tell us about the candy store you went to growing up
Leisure                Tell us about the ice cream shoppe you went to growing up.
Leisure                Tell us about a place you used to hang out.
Leisure                Tell us about a trip to a pet store.
Leisure                What can you tell us about a trip to the mall?
Leisure                Tell us where you like to go to be alone.
Leisure                What is your idea of a perfect day?
Leisure                What do you do to relieve stress?
Leisure                Tell us about one of your favorite comic books.
Leisure                Tell us about one of your favorite cartoons growing up.
Leisure                What do you do to relax?
Leisure                Tell us about one of your favorite cars growing up.
Evil                   Who influenced you to do evil things? Name one.
Evil                   If you were forced to break one confidence, what would it be and tell us!
Evil                   Tell us about the most hurtful thing you ever did. Who did you it to? Why?
Evil                   Tell us about something you or someone else stole from a hotel room.
Evil                   Tell us about the most hurtful thing that was ever done to you. Who did it?
                       Why?
Evil                   Tell us about one of your least favorite people.
Evil                   Tell us about one of your least favorite relatives.
Evil                   Tell us about a practical joke you played or one that someone else played.
Evil                   Tell us about a practical joke someone played on you.
Evil                   Tell us about one of the meanest things you ever did.
Evil                   Tell us about a time you got drunk.
Evil                   Tell us about the earliest time you remember drinking.
Evil                   What is one of the worst events you ever attended? Whose was it?
Evil                   Tell us about a Halloween prank you've experienced or participated in.
Evil                   Tell us about you or someone you were with who stole something.
Evil                   Tell us about a close encounter with the law you or a friend had.
Evil                   Tell us about a time you got high.
Evil                   What is one of the worst gifts you ever received and who gave it to you?
Evil                   Tell us about a time you remember getting in trouble. What was it for?
Evil                   Tell us about a surprise that backfired.
Evil                   Tell us about the biggest fib you ever told.
Evil                   Tell us about a prank you know of that damaged property.
Evil                   Tell us about someone who is in the wrong job and what they should be
                       doing?
Evil                   Does anyone you know have a gambling problem? If so, elaborate.
Evil                   Tell us about a time you lost a lot of money either gambling or.
Evil                   Does anyone you know have a drinking problem? If so, elaborate.
Evil                   Does anyone you know have drug problem? If so, elaborate.
Evil                   Did you ever steal your best friend's significant other or did they ever steal
                       yours?
Evil                   Are you an instigator or a peacemaker in your family? Give an example.
Evil                   Tell us one of the meanest things you've ever said to anyone.
Evil                   Are you an instigator or a peacemaker outside the family? Give an example.
Evil                   Has anyone you know had an affair? If so, elaborate.
Evil                   Tell us about the worst thing a significant other ever did to you.
Evil                   Tell us about the worst thing you ever did to a significant other.
Evil                   Tell us about the first time you smoked a cigarette. If not you, who?
Evil                   Tell us about the first time you smoked a joint. If not you, who?
Evil                   Tell us about the first time you used cocaine or heroin. If not you, who?
Evil                   Tell us about a time you had a “one nighter”.
Evil                   Tell us about a time you or someone you know drove and drank.
Evil                   Tell us about one of your most embarrassing moments.
Evil                   Tell us about a make-out party you attended. If none, skip turn.
Evil                   If you could change something in someone, who would it be and what?
Evil                   Tell us about one of your biggest fears.
Evil                   Have you ever felt you wanted to kill or hurt someone? Why or why not?
Evil                   Have you ever wanted to have a different parent or sibling? Why or why
                       not?
Evil                   Tell us about a relationship you've had that that you never told anyone else
                       about.
Evil                   Tell us a coming-of-age story.
Evil                   Tell us something you feel guilty about.
Evil                   Tell us how you were “foolish” with someone you dated.
Evil                   Tell us about an item you shoplifted or stole. If not, lose a turn, YOU'RE
                       LYING!
Evil                   Tell us an embarrassing story about yourself.
Evil                   Tell us an embarrassing story about someone in your immediate family.
Evil                   Tell us an evil secret about your family.
Evil                   Tell us about a memory that makes you envious.
Evil                   Tell us about the most unusual place you ever made love or had sex.

Throughout the present disclosure a first icon 114_A will indicate an elicitation 112 from a first category, e.g., “Education”, a second icon 114_B will indicate an elicitation 112 from a second category, e.g., “Life”, a third icon 114_C will indicate an elicitation 112 from a third category, e.g., “Family and Friends”, a fourth icon 114_D will indicate an elicitation 112 from a fourth category, e.g., “Work”, a fifth icon 114_E will indicate an elicitation 112 from a fifth category, e.g., “Food and Drink”, a sixth icon 114_F will indicate an elicitation 112 from a sixth category, e.g., “Love and Lust”, a seventh icon 114_G will indicate an elicitation 112 from a seventh category, e.g., “Arts and Entertainment”, an eighth icon 114_H will indicate an elicitation 112 from a eighth category, e.g., “Holiday Seasons”, a ninth icon 114_I will indicate an elicitation 112 from a ninth category, e.g., “Leisure”, and a tenth icon 114_J will indicate an elicitation 112 from a tenth category, e.g., “Evil”. It should be understood that any elicitations 112, category, or icon 114 disclosed herein is exemplary only and is not meant to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, additional or alternative elicitations 112, categories, and icons 114 are not beyond the scope of the present disclosure.

The plurality of tally sheets 200 will now be discussed. In one embodiment, as seen in FIG. 1, each of the plurality of tally sheets 200 includes the “I Remember . . . ” trademark, each of the icons 114, e.g., icons 114_A-114_J, one or more status markers 202, and a space 204 for each player's name. The status markers 202 are available for marking by the players to indicate whether a response to an elicitation 112 (FIG. 2B) relating to the categories denoted by each icon 114 has been tendered. After tendering a response to an elicitation 112, the player indicates such by marking one of the status markers 202 for the icon 114 corresponding to the category to which the elicitation 112 related. The embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrates a tally sheet 200 including three status markers 202 for each icon 114. In alternate embodiments, however, the tally sheet 200 may include a larger or smaller number of status markers 202. Although the tally sheet 200 is depicted as pre-including each of the icons 114, e.g., icons 114_A-114_J, one or more status markers 202, and a space 204 for each player's name, the tally sheet may be any mechanism suitable for recording whether a player tenders a response to an elicitation 112 from a particular category.

As seen in FIGS. 3-4, the tally sheets 200 may be configured into a pad 206, book, or the like such that they are releasably bound together. In one embodiment, the game may further include a memo space 208 for manually recording, e.g., writing down, information offered by one or more of the players in response to elicitations. The memo space 208 may be included on the tally sheets, for example, on a back side 210 thereof. Alternatively, the memo space may be provided on a plurality of individual memo sheets, which may be configured into a pad, book, or the like such that they are releasably bound together, or in any other location suitable for the intended purpose of manually recording information offered by one or more of the players in response to elicitations.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, a method of playing the game 10, embodied in the instructions 300 included with the game 10, will be discussed. Prior to beginning play, each player is given one or more tally sheets 200. The plurality of cards 100 are shuffled together and placed in a holding portion 402 of the holder 400, if provided, such that the bottom side “B” of each of the plurality of cards 100 is facing downwardly, i.e., so that only the top side “A” is visible. The order of game play is then decided. In one embodiment of the game 10, the order of play is decided based upon the ages of the players such that the oldest player takes her turn first, followed thereafter by the younger players in descending order of age. Alternatively, play may continue consecutively to the oldest player's left, or play may. The order of play may be determined according to each player's age such that an older player takes a turn before a younger player. In one embodiment, the oldest player takes her turn first, being followed thereafter by the players consecutively to her left. Alternatively, the order of play may be random or may predetermined by the players.

On each player's turn, one of the plurality of cards 100 is drawn. Upon the drawing of an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100, the player reads the elicitation 112 thereon aloud and decides whether or not she is going to tender a response, i.e., whether or not she is going to provide the other players with personal information relating to the category to which the elicitation 112 pertains. If the player tenders a response, the player indicates such on her tally sheet 200 by marking one of the status markers 202 corresponding to the icon 114 denoting the category to which the elicitation 112 pertains. If the player decides not to offer a response, the player's turn is forfeited and she is not afforded to opportunity to mark any of the status markers 202. Thereafter, the drawn “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 is placed in a discard portion 404 of the holder 400 and play continues in the pre-determined order, i.e., with the next eldest player taking her turn.

During the course of play, each of the players may optionally record, e.g., write down, information offered by one or more of the players in response to an elicitation in the memo space 208 of the tally sheets 200, if provided.

Play continues until one of the players responds to a predetermined number of elicitations 112 from each category. In one embodiment, the predetermined number of elicitations 112 is be equivalent to the number of status markers 202 corresponding to each icon 114 on the tally sheets 200. In other words, in this embodiment, play of the game 10 ends when a player marks each of the status markers 202 on her tally sheet 200. For example, in the embodiment of the game 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4, the game 10 will continue until one of the players respond to three elicitations 112 from each category. In an alternative embodiment, however, the predetermined number of elicitations 112 may be less than the number of status markers 202 corresponding to each icon 114 on the tally sheets 200.

The game 10 may further include a timer 500, as seen in FIG. 5. The timer 500 is actuated prior to the drawing of one of the plurality of cards 100 (FIG. 1) to define a temporal interval in which a player must respond to an elicitation (not shown). While the timer 500 is illustrated as an hourglass, any means suitable for the intended purpose of defining the temporal interval may be employed.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, in an alternate method of playing the game 10, during each player's turn, upon the drawing of an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 110, should the player respond to the elicitation 112 presented thereby, the player may continue to draw from the plurality of cards 100 until the expiration of the temporal interval defined by the timer 500, thereby permitting the player to mark one or more status markers 202 on her tally sheet 200 in a single turn. However, should a player choose not to respond to one of the elicitations 112 included on one of the drawn “I Remember . . . ”™ cards 110, the player's turn is forfeited, regardless of any remaining portion of the temporal interval defined by the timer 500. In another embodiment of the game, should there be a remaining portion of the temporal interval, the player's may present additional elicitations, e.g., orally, to the current player in an effort to ascertain additional information pertaining to the elicitation to which the player tendered a response.

As seen in FIG. 6, a recording device 600 may also be included for automatically recording the personal information divulged by the players in response to the elicitations (not shown) presented to each player during play. The recording device 600 may be any mechanism suitable for the intended purpose of recording audible sound, including but not being limited to a tape recorder, as shown, or a digital audio recorder.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-2 and 7-10, in alternate embodiments of the game 10, the plurality of cards 100 may further include a plurality of second, or “Blank” cards 120, a plurality of third, or “Pass” cards 130, a plurality of fourth, or “Grab” cards 140, and/or a plurality of fifth, or “Wild” cards 150. As discussed with respect to the “I Remember . . . ”™ cards 110, each of the “Blank” cards 120, “Pass” cards 130, “Grab” cards 140, and “Wild” cards 150 have a top side “A” that includes the “I Remember . . . ” trademark and a bottom side “B” that provides instructions, conveys information, contains data, or presents a message to the players during play of the game 10, as discussed in detail herein below.

Prior to beginning play, as suggested by its name, the bottom side “B” of each “Blank” card 120 is empty, as shown in FIG. 9. If they are to be included during play of the game 10, the “Blank” cards 120 are distributed amongst the players. The players to whom the “Blank” cards 120 are distributed may each inscribe one elicitation 112 upon each “Blank” card 120, as shown in FIG. 10. Alternatively, a player may choose not to inscribe an elicitation 112 upon the “Blank” card 120. In this scenario, one or more of the other players may inscribe the elicitations 112 on the “Blank” cards 120, or the “Blank” cards 120 may be left blank, in which case they may either be left out during play or ignored if drawn by a player. Each inscribed elicitation 112 must be related to one of the categories discussed above with respect to the “I Remember . . . ”™ cards 110.

The bottom side “B” of the “Pass” cards 130, “Grab” cards 140, and “Wild” cards 150 indicate a particular function to be performed by a player drawing one of these cards, and will be discussed in detail herein below.

In the interests of brevity, a method of playing the game 10 with each of the “I Remember . . . ”™ cards 110, the “Blank” cards 120, the “Pass” cards 130, the “Grab” cards 140, and the “Wild” cards 150 will be discussed. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure contemplates play of the game 10 with the “I Remember . . . ”™ cards 110 and one or more of the “Blank” cards 120, “Pass” cards 130, “Grab” cards 140, and “Wild” cards 150 in various embodiments.

Prior to beginning play, each player is given one or more tally sheets 200 and one or more “Blank” cards 120. Each “Blank” card 120 may be filled out by one or more players, as previously described. During the following discussion, it will be presumed that each “Blank” card 120 that is mentioned includes an elicitation 112 inscribed by one of the players. The game 10 may optionally include one or more inscription implements (not shown), e.g., pens or pencils, for distribution to the players to use in inscribing the “Blank” cards 120. Thereafter, the plurality of cards 100 are shuffled together and placed in a holding portion 402 of the holder 400, if provided, such that the bottom side “B” of each of the plurality of cards 100 is facing downwardly, and the order of game play is decided. As previously described, the order of play may be determined based upon the ages of the players.

On each players turn, one of the plurality of cards 100 is drawn. Upon the drawing of either an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or a “Blank” card 120, the player reads the elicitation 112 thereon aloud and decides whether or not she is going to respond thereto. If the player tenders a response, the player indicates such on her tally sheet 200 by marking one of the status markers 202 corresponding to the icon 114 denoting the category to which the elicitation 112 relates. If the player decides not to offer a response, the player's turn is forfeited and she is not afforded an opportunity to mark any of the status markers 202. Thereafter, the drawn “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 is placed in the discard portion 404 of the holder 400 and play continues in the pre-determined order, i.e., with the next eldest player taking her turn.

Should a player draw a “Pass” card 130, the “Pass” card 130 is retained by the player for use at a later time. The player then draws again until an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or a “Blank” card 120 is chosen, at which time the player may either respond to the elicitation 112 thereon or forfeit her turn, as previously described. Alternatively, however, if the player is in possession of a “Pass” card 130, she may transfer the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or the “Blank” card 120 to another player. If the player to whom the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 is transferred also has a “Pass” card 130, she may also transfer the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 to one of the other players, including the player from whom the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 was originally transferred. If the player to whom the “Pass” card 130 is transferred does not have a “Pass” card 130, she must either respond the elicitation 112 included on the transferred “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120, or forfeit her turn as previously described. If a response is tendered, the responding player and the transferring player each subsequently mark one of the status markers 202 on their tally sheets 200 corresponding to the icon 114 denoting the category to which the elicitation 112 relates. However, it the player to whom the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 is transferred does not tender a response to the elicitation 112 included thereon, the transferring player marks one of the status markers 202 on her tally sheet 200 corresponding to the icon 114 denoting the category to which the elicitation 112 relates and erases or otherwise un-marks any one of the status markers 202 on the non-responsive player's tally sheet 200. The transferring player may then draw again. After use, the “Pass” card, or cards, 130 are placed in the discard portion 404 of the holder 400 with the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 that was passed between the players. Play then continues in the pre-determined order from the player who either responds to an elicitation 112 or forfeits her turn.

Upon drawing of a “Grab” card 140, the “Grab” card 140 is retained by a player for use at a later time. The player then draws again until an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or a “Blank” card 120 is chosen, at which time the player may either respond to the elicitation 112 thereon or forfeit her turn, as previously described. Aptly named, a player in possession of a “Grab” card 140 may grab an “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or a “Blank” card 120 from another player when drawn, thereby depriving the player from whom the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120 is grabbed the opportunity to respond to the elicitation 112 thereon and mark one of the status markers 202 on her tally sheet 200. Additionally, by grabbing the “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120, the grabbing player is permitted to respond to the elicitation 112 thereon and mark one of the status markers 202 on her own tally sheet 200. After use, the “Grab” card 140 is placed in the discard portion 404 of the holder 400 with the grabbed “I Remember . . . ”™ card 100 or “Blank” card 120. Play then continues in the pre-determined order from the player either responding to the elicitation or forfeiting her turn.

In one embodiment of the game 10, upon the drawing of a “Wild” card 150, the drawing player will create an elicitation (not shown) relating to any one of the categories. The player drawing the “Wild” card 150 will then present the elicitation 112 to one of the other players for a response. The player to whom the created elicitation 112 is presented must either tender a response thereto or forfeit her turn, as previously described. Thereafter, the “Wild” card 150 is placed in the discard portion 404 of the holder 400 and play continues in the pre-determined order from the player either responding to the elicitation or forfeiting her turn. In an alternate embodiment of the game 10, upon the drawing of a “Wild” card 150, the drawing player may selectively employ the “Wild” card 150 as a “Blank” card 120, i.e., creating an elicitation relating to one of the categories that is presented to one of the other players for a response, a “Pass” card 130, or a “Grab” card 140.

As with the previous method of playing the game 10, play continues until one of the players responds to a predetermined number of elicitations 112 from each category.

In an alternate embodiment, the game 10 may include a journal for retaining the tally sheets, and optionally, the memo space, if included.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise embodiments discussed herein above, and that various other changes and modifications may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Although the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above description, disclosure, and figures should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplary of various embodiments.

Claims

1. A memory game playable by at least two players, comprising:

a plurality of cards including a plurality of first cards, wherein the first cards include an elicitation pertaining to information personal to the players, the personal information relating to one of a plurality of categories denoted by one of a plurality of icons present upon the first cards; and

a plurality of tally sheets including the plurality of icons, each icon having at least one corresponding status marker for indicating whether a response to an elicitation relating to the category denoted by the icon has been tendered by one of the players,

wherein the players successively draw from the plurality of cards and whereupon a first card is drawn the players optionally tender a response to the elicitation included thereon, wherein the tendering of a response is indicated by marking the status marker corresponding to the icon denoting the category to which the elicitation relates, the game ending upon the marking a predetermined number status markers by one of the players.

2. The game recited in claim 1, wherein the categories are selected from the group consisting of education, life, family and friends, work, food and drink, love and lust, arts and entertainment, holidays and seasons, leisure, and evil.

3. The game recited in claim 2, wherein the plurality of icons includes a first icon corresponding to the education category, a second icon corresponding to the life category, a third icon corresponding to the family and friends category, a fourth icon corresponding to the work category, a fifth icon corresponding to the food and drink category, a sixth icon corresponding to the love and lust category, a seventh icon corresponding to the arts and entertainment category, an eighth icon corresponding to the holidays and seasons category, a ninth icon corresponding to the leisure category, and a tenth icon corresponding to the evil category, wherein each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth icons are different.

4. The game recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cards further includes a plurality of second cards, the second cards being distributed amongst the players prior to beginning play for the inscription of one elicitation relating to one of the categories upon each card for use during play, whereupon a player drawing a second card optionally tenders a response to the elicitation included thereon.

5. The game recited in claim 4, wherein the plurality of cards further includes a plurality of third cards, whereupon a player drawing a third card retains the third card and draws another one of the plurality of cards until either a first or second card is drawn, a player in possession a third card being permitted to transfer the first or second card to another player when drawn to optionally tender a response to the elicitation included thereon.

6. The game recited in claim 5, wherein the plurality of cards further includes a plurality of fourth cards, whereupon a player drawing a fourth card retains the fourth card and draws another one of the plurality of cards until either a first or second card is drawn, a player in possession of a fourth card being permitted to appropriate a first or second card from another player upon the drawing thereof to tender a response to the elicitation included thereon.

7. The game recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of cards further includes a plurality of fifth cards, whereupon a player drawing a fifth card creates an elicitation relating to one of the categories and communicates the elicitation to another player for a response thereto.

8. The game recited in claim 1, further comprising a holder to retain the plurality of cards.

9. The game recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of tally sheets includes memo space for manually recording the personal information divulged by the players during play of the game.

10. The game recited in claim 9, wherein the plurality of tally sheets is removably bound together.

11. The game recited in claim 1, further including a recording device for automatically recording the personal information divulged by the players during play of the game.

12. The game recited in claim 1, further including a timing mechanism for defining an interval of time in which a response to at least one elicitation must be tendered.

13. A method of playing a memory game wherein information personal to at least two players is divulged, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of cards including a plurality of first cards, wherein the first cards include an elicitation pertaining to the information, the information relating to one of a plurality of categories denoted by one of a plurality of icons present upon the first cards;

distributing one of a plurality of tally sheets to each of the plurality of players, wherein the plurality of tally sheets include each of the plurality of icons and a corresponding status marker; and

a plurality of tally sheets including the plurality of icons, each icon having at least one corresponding status marker; and

following instructions provided for play of the game.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing a plurality of cards further includes providing a plurality of second cards, a plurality of third cards, a plurality of fourth cards, and a plurality of fifth cards for use during play of the game.

15. The method of claim 14, further including the step of distributing the plurality of second cards amongst the players prior to beginning play, whereupon the players inscribe one elicitation relating to one of the plurality of categories upon the second cards for use during play.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of following instructions provided for play of the game includes determining the order of play, the order of play being determined according to each players age such that an older player takes a turn before a younger player.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of following instructions provided for play of the game includes each of the players drawing from the plurality cards upon each successive turn, wherein a player drawing a first card or a second card optionally tenders a response to the elicitation included thereon, the tendering of a response being indicated by marking the status marker corresponding to the icon denoting the category to which the elicitation relates, whereupon a player drawing a third retains the third card and draws another one of the plurality of cards until either a first or second card is drawn, a player in possession of a third card being permitted to transfer the first or second card to another player upon the drawing thereof to optionally tender a response to the elicitation included thereon, whereupon a player drawing a fourth card retains the fourth card and draws another one of the plurality of cards until either first or second card is drawn, a player in possession of a fourth card being permitted to appropriate either a first or second card from another player upon the drawing thereof to tender a response to the elicitation included thereon, whereupon a player drawing a fifth card creates an elicitation relating to one of the categories and communicates the elicitation to another player for a response thereto, the game ending upon the marking of a predetermined number of status markers by one of the players.

18. The method of claim 17, further including the step of providing a timing mechanism for defining an interval of time in which a response to at least one elicitation must be tendered.