COLOR FALLING SHAPES COMPUTER GAME

Abstract

The invention relates to a falling-shapes computer games of the type known under trademark “Tetris”. The purpose of the game is to score as many points as possible by creating a matching set of three or more colored blocks of the same color vertically or horizontally. Blocks can disintegrate during the fall once the falling shape is partially blocked by the settled blocks. The unblocked portion of the shape separates from the rest of the shape and resumes the fall to the floor of the game frame till blocked or stopped by other blocks or the floor. The game also offers special blocks that, when landed, clear out all the blocks underneath or to its side—whichever option would produce more points. Other special blocks convert all blocks they share the border with to the blocks of the same color as themselves clearing all qualifying shapes in the process.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to computer games, and, more particularly to falling-block or falling-shapes computer games of the type known under trademark “Tetris” wherein objects are falling from the upper portion of a display area and clear the row when this row is completely filled.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Computer games in a category of so called “falling shapes games” are known under trademark Tetris, Columns, and the like that are available in the game market. The “falling shapes game” is a kind of computer game in which objects, such as shapes composed of individual blocks are falling from the upper portion of a display area. For example, in Tetris, when one row is fully filled with blocks, it is indicated that the blocks to be cleared are settled, and the blocks arranged in one row are then immediately cleared. On the other hand, in Columns, when three or more blocks of the same color run on in the vertical, horizontal, or oblique direction, it is indicated that blocks to be cleared are settled, and the blocks are then immediately cleared.

However, the conventional “falling shapes games” are lacking in thrills, since blocks to be cleared are immediately cleared after it is indicated that they are settled. Especially, since no next shape begins to fall until blocks to be cleared are settled and cleared, if blocks line up, the player feels easy, and is deprived of a chance of enjoying further thrills.

In order to provide more thrill, some games additionally involve color matching. In other words, some of these games are based on clearing or other action by matching the blocks of the same color.

For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Kokai H10-156044 (A) (Inventors: Masao Yamamoto, et al.) discloses a game in which the user operates drug capsules of two colors that are falling automatically onto virus capsules arranged in advance, and when three or more virus and drug capsules with the same color run on vertically or horizontally, the blocks are immediately cleared. According to the inventors, the invention provides a great variety of games by displaying a plurality of objects respectively in the vertical and lateral directions and varying the display condition irrespective of the operating condition of an operating means by a player and the operation of the player on the basis of data generated automatically and irregularly. When the sets of the objects movably displayed in the vertical direction are moved to a region having the preceding objects fixedly displayed, the moving display of the sets of the objects is stopped to erase the display of objects chained in piles and vary the display condition of objects of the kinds other than the erased kinds of the objects. As mentioned above, the moveable objects are drug capsules of two colors.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,866 issued Aug. 17, 2010 to T. Mizuguchi, et al. discloses a falling block game with display control made so that meteor blocks falling from the outer space are piled up on the surface of earth. When the player operates a cursor for piled up meteor blocks to designate them as objects to be operated and presses a button, the meteor blocks are vertically re-arranged. The display control may be made so that the collided objects are cleared only when they are of the same color.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,259,710 issued Aug. 21, 2007 to A. Kisliakov discloses a fall block computer game that uses a card that includes user interface elements. Five of the user interface elements are labeled with symbols representing functions performed during the game (e.g. rotating a graphical object clockwise in the case of the element). Further, four of the user interface elements are labeled with colors. Each of the color user interface elements have associated user interface element objects stored on the card including data representing one of the colors blue, red, yellow and green. Therefore, a user of the card can select one of the colors as identifying the particular user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the game is to score as many points as possible within a given time limit by creating a matching set of three or more colored unit elements (hereinafter referred to as blocks) of the same color vertically or horizontally. Blocks can disintegrate during the fall once the falling shape is partially blocked by the settled blocks. The unblocked portion of the shape separates from the rest of the shape and resumes the fall to the floor of the game frame till blocked or stopped by other blocks or the floor. Points are awarded for arranging a set of three or more blocks of the same color in any configuration which is not necessarily linear. Colors vary by frequency of use. Color frequencies are inversely related to the number of points awarded for placing a matching set of three or more blocks—the less frequently used colors result in more points being awarded while more frequently used colors will result in less points being awarded. The game consists of multiple levels. Some versions are based on the number of blocks that have fallen, others versions use a fixed time limit associated with each level.

In other words, what is offered is a color falling shapes computer game comprising: a game frame having an upper margin and a floor; a plurality of falling shapes that are composed of a plurality of configurations from colored unit elements that are colored or represent colors and that fall in an arbitrary sequence one by one from the upper margin to the floor of the game frame where the falling shape is either settled down or is partially blocked by the colored unit elements of the preceding falling shape and wherein unblocked colored unit elements separates from the rest of the falling shape and slide down until they contact the colored unit elements of the preceding falling shape; each color being assigned a predetermined number of points, different colors appearing with different frequencies, and the higher the frequency the lower is the number of points assigned to the colors; points being also awarded when a predetermined number of colored unit elements of the same color is combined into a set in which the neighboring colored unit elements share the borders and when, as a result of such an arrangement the entire set clears; after the set clears, the remaining colored unit elements continue to fall down if a gap is formed between the remaining colored unit elements and the settled colored unit elements; the game consisting of multiple levels of difficulty.

The game also offers special shapes including “bombs” and/or “color converters”. Having landed, the bomb block will clear out, “blow up”, all the blocks underneath or to its side—whichever option would produce more points. A bomb block is used to identify the whole shape as a bomb. The “Color Converter” converts all blocks it shares the border with to the blocks of the same color as itself and clearing all qualifying shapes in the process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A to 1D shows examples of the falling shapes that are composed of unit elements and are suitable for the present invention.

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 show an example of a computer screen with images of falling shapes and examples of their conversions in cases of collision with the blocks of the preceding falling shapes.

FIG. 5.0 through 9.0 are simplified drawings that illustrate different types of falling shapes, blocks, and landing scenarios.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention relates to a computer game, and, more particularly to a falling-shapes computer game of the type known under trademark “Tetris” wherein objects are falling from the upper portion of a display area and clear the row when this row is completely filled.

The purpose of the game is to score as many points as possible within a given time limit by creating a matching set of three or more colored unit elements, e.g., blocks, of the same color vertically or horizontally. The unit elements may be colored or may represent colors. The blocks are formed into shapes that are dropped from the top of the game container and placed by the player on top of other shapes or on the floor of the game container. According to the invention, the shapes may be selected from a great variety of forms such as monomino, domino, trimino, tetramino, regular-L shapes, inverted-L shapes, etc. For the sake of example only, the shapes shown herein are composed of blocks in the form of cubes. Examples of the shapes are shown in FIGS. 1A to 1D, where FIG. 1A shows a monomino, FIG. 1B shows a domino, FIG. 1C shows an example of a trimino, and FIG. 1D shows examples of a tetramino. The shapes can be rotated using the navigation keys on the input device clockwise or counterclockwise as in a conventional falling-block game known as Tetris. Although for convenience of designation and perception the colored unit elements or blocks are shown as cubes, they may comprise circles, or figures of other configurations, as shown in FIG. 1E. Furthermore, although for the sake of simplicity and better perception in the following drawings the unit elements are shown as color cubes, it should be noted that, as shown in FIG. 1F, in the actual game the colors may be designated by letters, e.g., as shown in FIG. 1F.

An example of presentation of the Tetro Colors game of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. The image of FIG. 2 is one that can be shown on the screen of a computer monitor. The image contains a field of the game limited by the frame 20 that has an upper margin 22, from which the falling shapes, such as the tetramino 24, and a lower margin 26 toward which the shapes fall in the direction of arrow A. Among other things, the game presentation image shows the next shape, which in the case of FIG. 1 is the tetramino 24, ready to fall down from the upper margin 22, the time 30, the score 32, and the level of game difficulty 34.

The right side of the image is exemplified with the following data: a menu button 36, the name and/or the picture of the player 38, the value 40 of color blocks cleared from the screen as a result of matching specified by the game rules, and shape move buttons 42 on the computer keyboard (not shown). Functions of other buttons, such as “Rotate Clockwise”, “Rotate Counterclockwise”, etc. are self-explanatory. The game rules may specify a certain amount of blocks in the shape at which the falling shape may affect the base shapes at collision. For example, matching of the colors that form only two matched blocks does not clear the color-matched blocks and the blocks are considered matched only if three or more colored unit elements or blocks of the same color are combined into a figure.

Here are some other rules specified for the Tetro Colors game of the present invention. Shapes can disintegrate during the fall once the falling shape is partially blocked by the laying block. The unblocked portion of the shape separates from the rest of the shape and resumes the fall to the floor 26 of the frame 20 till blocked or stopped by other shapes or the floor 26.

Values or points 40 shown as example in FIG. 2 are awarded for arranging a set of three or more blocks of the same color. Colors vary by frequency of use. Color frequencies are inversely related to the number of points awarded for placing a matching set of three or more blocks—the less frequently used colors result in more points being awarded while more frequently used colors will result in less points being awarded.

The game consists of multiple levels. Some versions are based on the number of blocks that have fallen, others versions use a fixed time limit associated with each level. Let us consider, for example, that the level allowed for accumulation of score is limited by the time. The shorter the allowed time, the higher is level of complexity. For example, the time may be limited by 4 minutes. The time 01:18 shown in FIG. 2 designates the time spent from the initiation of the game and corresponds to 1 min. 18 sec.

A player is required to accumulate a certain number of points in order to move from one level to the next. The progress of the level is shown by a solid black bar 34 under the lower margin 26 of the frame 20. Points 32 (FIG. 2) are saved within each level allowing a player to use as many sessions as needed in order to score the required number of points in order to move on to the next level.

Level 1 starts with a blank frame 20. However, with each higher level the frame 20 will have one row or more of blocks on the lower margin 26 of the frame 20 increasing the game's complexity with each level.

The game also offers special shapes including “bombs” (a bomb block with a small circle inside that is designated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 by reference numeral 44) and/or “color converters” (a bomb block with a small square inside that is designated in FIG. 2 by reference numeral 46).

Having landed, the bomb block will clear out, “blow up”, all the blocks underneath or to its side—whichever option would produce more points. A bomb block 44 is used to identify the whole shape as a bomb. See FIGS. 3 and 4 where bomb shapes are shown encased in black rectangles. These rectangles are shown for demonstration purposes only.

The “Color Converter” 46 will convert all blocks it shares the border with to the blocks of the same color as itself and clearing all qualifying shapes in the process.

FIG. 4 demonstrates the “Color Converter” 46 in action. More specifically, the “Color Converter” 46 with the little teal square inside will convert the two adjacent blocks 48 and 50 (encased in the black rectangle 52 for demonstration purposes only) to the same color as the little embedded teal colored square.

FIG. 5.0 through 9.0 are simplified drawings that illustrate different types of falling shapes, blocks, and landing scenarios.

FIG. 5.0 through 5.2 illustrate a “No Color Match” dropped block scenario. This is the situation where the blocks fall and land on the base shape or the floor of the game frame and do not land on blocks that match in color with any block or multiple blocks that that are contained in the falling shape. The blocks of the falling shape will land and lock into place on top of the blocks in the base shape or the floor of the game frame. The sequence of play will automatically continue when the next round of shapes falls from the top of the game play frame.

More specifically, FIG. 5.0 illustrates the falling shape 54 that consists of four blocks of different colors and the base shape 56. The falling shape 54 is in a free movement in the direction of the arrow B. FIG. 5.1 illustrates the falling shape 54 lands on the base shape 56. The block 54a of the falling shape 54 is stopped by the block 56a of the base shape 56 that is settled on the floor 57, but the gap 55 still exists. According to the game rules, the right side of the shape 54 continues to slide down in the direction of the arrow B and stops and when the yellow block 54b comes into contact with the red block 56b of the base shape 56. However, none of the blocks clears since no color match is established.

FIG. 6.0 through 6.2 show the situation for a “Color Match.” This is the scenario when a multiple-block falling shape 58 of the same type as the falling shape 54 shown in FIG. 5.0 lands on the base shape which, although has the same configuration as the base shape 56 of FIG. 5.0, is composed of different blocks one of which, i.e., the block 60a, is of the same color as the facing block 58a of the falling shape 58.

FIG. 6.1 shows that the falling shape 58 lands and shifts, with a column of blocks separating and settling into the gap 63 in the base shape. FIG. 6.2 illustrates a match between three blocks 58a, 60a, and 60b of the same color between the base shape and the falling shape, in this case, yellow. FIG. 6.3 shows a condition that occurs after the match is activated and the matched blocks dissolve. As a result, only unmatched blocks 58c, 58d, 60c, 60d, 60e, and 60f of this scenario remain and are ready to interact with the next falling block (not shown).

FIG. 7.0 through 7.2 illustrate the situation of a falling shape that contains a “Bomb” within it. This scenario will feature a “Bomb” within the falling shape 62. FIG. 7.0 shows the falling shape 62 with the bomb 62a. FIG. 7.1 shows that the falling shape 62 lands on the base shape 64 of blocks, shifts, and settles into the gaps of the base 64. FIG. 7.2 illustrates the “bomb” block 62a settles and then activates, eliminating the vertical and horizontal row of the base-shape blocks it has settled on. FIG. 7.3 shows how the remaining, undestroyed blocks 62b, 62c, 64a, 64b, and 64c fall into the open space and settle in the gaps or on the floor 57 of the game frame 59.

FIG. 8.0 through 8.2 illustrate the “Color Converter” falling sequence. The “Color Converter” is a feature that will transform the base shape it touches on any and all of the 4 borders into the color it designates by the blinking light within the shape. FIG. 8.0 shows the falling shape 66 with the “Color Converter” 68 included. FIG. 8.1 shows the falling shape 66 lands, shifts, and settles into the gap of the base shape 70. FIG. 8.2 illustrates the “Color Converter” 68 settles and activates, transforming the color of the blocks it touches on any side into the representative color of the bomb itself (example color is green as shown in FIG. 8.3 when all the blocks that touch the “Color Converter” 68 are transformed into the same color). FIG. 8.4 illustrates that the remaining, unchanged blocks 72 fall into the open space left behind and settle atop the remaining blocks in the base shape or onto the floor of the game play frame 59.

FIG. 9.0 through 9.1 illustrate the process of a “Coin Drop.” This scenario is when a “Coin Block” 74′ is falling. This situation will also depend on a match of three or more “Coin Blocks” 74. The coin block object 74′ will activate when a match of three or more “Coins Blocks” 74′, 74, 74 is established between the falling “Coin Block” 74′ and any “Coin Blocks” 74 in the base shape 78. FIG. 9.0 shows the falling shape 76 including the “Coin Block” 74′. FIG. 9.1 shows the falling shape 76 lands, shifts, and settles into the base shape 78 and any gaps. FIG. 9.2 shows the “Coin Block” 74′ activates when settling into the base shape 78 and establishing a match with other “Coin Blocks” 74 within the base shape 78. FIG. 9.3 shows how the remaining blocks 80 left behind the Coin Match fall into the open spaces left behind and settle on the rest of the base shape or the floor 57 of the game play frame.

Although the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments, these embodiments should not be construed as limiting the areas of application of the invention and that any changes and modifications are possible provided that these changes and modifications do not depart from the scope of the attached patent claims. For example, the blocks can contain individual letters that may be used to build words. The unit elements may be comprised of any geometrical figures such as circles, squares, rectangles, etc. Letters, numbers, or other identifiable items can be used instead of colors or in combination with colors.

Claims

1. A color falling shapes computer game comprising:

a game frame having an upper margin and a floor;

a plurality of falling shapes that are composed of a plurality of configurations from colored unit elements that are colored or represent colors and that fall in an arbitrary sequence one by one from the upper margin to the floor of the game frame where the falling shape is either settled down or is partially blocked by the colored unit elements of the preceding falling shape and wherein unblocked colored unit elements separates from the rest of the falling shape and slide down until they contact the colored unit elements of the preceding falling shape;

each color being assigned a predetermined number of points, different colors appearing with different frequencies, and the higher the frequency the lower is the number of points assigned to the colors;

points being also awarded when a predetermined number of colored unit elements of the same color is combined into a set in which the neighboring colored unit elements share the borders and when, as a result of such an arrangement the entire set clears;

after the set clears, the remaining colored unit elements continue to fall down if a gap is formed between the remaining colored unit elements and the settled colored unit elements;

the game consisting of multiple levels of difficulty.

2. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sets may have different configurations.

3. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the levels of difficulty is based on the number of blocks fallen on a fixed time limit associated with each level.

4. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 2, wherein the colored unit elements are selected from the group consisting of colored cubes, colored circles, letters that designate different colors, and colored graphic images.

5. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 3, wherein the colored unit elements are selected from the group consisting of colored cubes, colored circles, letters that designate different colors, and colored graphic images.

6. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored bombs, which, when landed, clear out all the blocks underneath or to its side, whichever option would produce more points.

7. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 2, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored bombs, which, when landed, clear out all the blocks underneath or to its side, whichever option would produce more points.

8. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 3, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored bombs, which, when landed, clear out all the blocks underneath or to its side, whichever option would produce more points.

9. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 4, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored bombs, which, when landed, clear out all the blocks underneath or to its side, whichever option would produce more points.

10. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 4, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored bombs, which, when landed, clear out all the blocks underneath or to its side, whichever option would produce more points.

11. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored converter that converts all the blocks it shares the border with to the blocks of the same color as itself and clears all qualifying shapes in the process.

12. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 2, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored converter that converts all the blocks it shares the border with to the blocks of the same color as itself and clears all qualifying shapes in the process.

13. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 5, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored converter that converts all the blocks it shares the border with to the blocks of the same color as itself and clears all qualifying shapes in the process.

14. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 6, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored converter that converts all the blocks it shares the border with to the blocks of the same color as itself and clears all qualifying shapes in the process.

15. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 9, wherein the colored unit elements contain colored converter that converts all the blocks it shares the border with to the blocks of the same color as itself and clears all qualifying shapes in the process.

16. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of colored unit elements of the same color is combined into a set is three.

17. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 10, wherein the predetermined number of colored unit elements of the same color is combined into a set is three.

18. The color falling shapes computer game as claimed in claim 15, wherein the predetermined number of colored unit elements of the same color is combined into a set is three.