Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for enabling interactive gameplay across multiple platforms.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which computer game graphics for a casual, social game are shown on a display of a computing device and in which one or more of the processors are programmed such that game state information is preserved, enabling a remote server system to identify a player and aspects of the state of the game they are playing, so that the player can end game play on one device and resume, from the same and also from a different device at a later time, at the same state.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which a computing device displays computer game graphics showing a score for a computer game, and in which, one or more of the processors are programmed to: (a) receive the score a player achieves while playing a game; and (b) visually indicate how this score relates to one or multiple pre-defined goals; (c) receive information about the high scores of different players of the game (d) compare the current score of the player, the previous high score of the player and the high scores of the different players; and (e) during the play of the game, visually represent the difference between the current score, the high scores of the different players and the pre-defined goal(s).

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which computer game graphics for a casual, social game are shown on a display of a computing device and in which one or more of the processors are programmed such that: in the game, a player is automatically allocated lives, is only permitted to play a game if it has one or more lives left, and loses one or more lives if it fails a level; and in which a player can see which of their friends on the social network are playing, or have played, the game and the level they have reached; and in which the processor enables players who are friends on the social network to collaborate, including by sending a message to their friends, or a subset of their friends, transferring in-game assistance.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which a computing device displays computer game graphics showing a gameboard with multiple game elements that are removed when matched or switched, such as in a match-3, clicker or switcher game; and in which, one or more of the processors are programmed such that: (a) to pass a level, the player has to remove a defined number of game elements of several specific collectable types which are present on the gameboard in a limited number of moves, and (b) the gameboard also displays removable elements of one or more other types that the player does not have to remove, and receives no score or points if he does remove.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors in which a computing device displays computer game graphics for a casual game showing a gameboard with multiple game elements that are removed when matched or switched, such as in a match-3, clicker or switcher game; and in which a processor enables the game to be accessed through a social network through which friends can request help in completing game levels and send game-related gifts to one another; and in which a processor draws the game elements as brightly coloured candies.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which computer game graphics for a casual, social game are shown on a display of a computing device and in which one or more of the processors are programmed to show: a virtual path or other virtual world that indicates the level reached by the player and some of that player's social network friends; a score board that displays the score of a player once he has completed a level successfully, together with the highest scores of some of its social network friends' for that level; and in which each level of the game can be failed and, if the processor determines that the player is running out of moves or time, then the processor causes the game to automatically display a message offering extra moves and/or time for the player to purchase, to carry on playing the game, or other in-game assistance.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which the processor(s) are programmed so that: a player can see its game level position on a virtual path, or other virtual world, shown on the player's computing device display, the virtual path including a node for each level of the game; and when the player moves a cursor, pointer or other selection tool over a node, then a thumbnail image of the gameboard for that level is automatically displayed.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which computer game graphics for a casual, social game are shown on a display of a computing device, where the casual, social game is downloaded as an app to a smartphone and/or tablet computer and can be accessed or played using a social network application or environment; and in which one or more of the processors are programmed such that: a notification is automatically generated if a player is stuck at a level for more than a defined time or after more than a defined number of attempts to pass that level, the notification alerting friends of the player so that they can assist him or her.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which computer game graphics for a casual, social game are shown on a display of a computing device and in which one or more of the processors are programmed: to show a virtual path or other virtual world that indicates the level reached by the player and that player's social network friends; to show on the computing device a gameboard with multiple game elements that are removed when matched or switched by a player, such as in a match-3, clicker or switcher game; and in which a processor generates, if no move has been made for a defined time, help or hints by brightening and enlarging game elements used in a possible move on the gameboard with an animation.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which a computing device displays computer game graphics for a computer game, and in which one or more of the processors are programmed to implement the game with: (a) a first game mode where the player is prompted to find items on a list within a picture; and (b) a second game mode where the player is prompted to compare two nearly identical images and find the differences; (c) a third game mode where the player is promoted to find items on a list within a certain picture, wherein the picture is darkened and only a select section is lit up, the lit section being dependent on input given by a pointing device.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which a computing device displays computer game graphics showing a gameboard with multiple game elements that disappear when matched or switched, such as in a match-3, clicker or switcher game; and in which one or more of the processors are programmed such that: the gameboard includes an entry point and one or more exit points and the player completes a level of the game if he or she clears elements to make a path from the entry point to an exit point; and the game includes a virtual path though which the player progresses if he or she completes a level of the game; and that virtual path can, at some nodes, fork in several different directions and the position of the exit successfully reached in the gameboard determines which fork the player will take through the virtual path if the player completes a level.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which a computing device displays computer game graphics showing a gameboard with multiple game elements that are removed when matched or switched, such as in a match-3, clicker or switcher game; and in which the processor draws the elements as irregularly arranged columns of coloured blocks; and the processor draws small animals are placed on or amongst the blocks; and the processor is programmed such that the object of the game is to enable a target number of the animals to descend to the ground and be rescued, by the player removing blocks from the gameboard.

Abstract: A method of designing multiple computer games, using a software module running on a processor, in which the module enables pre-defined kinds of game design functions to be implemented across multiple different computer games; and in which the module implements multiple pre-defined kinds of common game design functions; and is extensible in that new components can be added to the module to create new functionality.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which a computing device displays computer game graphics showing a shooter which a player can control to shoot out elements, such as balls, and which bounce against objects, such as pins, following a trajectory determined by the processor and then fall into scoring containers, with the processor causing a record of the score achieved to be stored; and in which the processor draws the scoring containers with dynamic faces that are animated in a specific way when an element falls into them.

Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which a computing device displays computer game graphics showing a gameboard with multiple game elements that are removed when matched or switched by a player, such as in a match-3, clicker or switcher game; and in which the processor(s) enables the game elements to evolve into visually altered versions when they form part of a match or switch and it is the altered versions that can be removed by subsequent matching or switching by the player.