GB2305367A

GB2305367A - Three dimensional board game

Info

Publication number: GB2305367A
Application number: GB9519495A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Pearson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-09-25
Filing date: 1995-09-25
Publication date: 1997-04-09
Also published as: GB9519495D0

Abstract

Board game apparatus comprises a base laid out to a square array of hemispherical depressions, and a plurality of spherical playing pieces which can be received into the depressions and which themselves in turn can support further spherical pieces upon themselves. The pieces form at last two distinguishable sets and the object of the game is to place spheres of a single sort in straight lines.

Description

THREE DIMENSIONAL PYRAMID GAME This game relates to a three dimensional board game.

Board games of strategy involving moving or manipulating playing pieces are most successful and classically well known as being two dimensional games on a flat playing board. Three dimensional board games usually require a vertical frame or consist of several playing boards on a vertical frame.

Board games of strategy can be enhanced on a three dimensional plane but the vertical apparatus associated with the majority of them gives a novelty effect and appearance.

According to the present invention of a three dimensional board game there is provided a flat horizontal playing board with two sets of different coloured playing balls which build up on the board to form a four sided pyramid. The playing board has twenty five indentations, or slots, on the surface which are in a five by five square. The round balls are designed to fit into and be held in place by these slots. The design of the slots are positioned on the playing board to hold the balls in place so that they are touching or are close to one another so that when four balls form a square they will hold another ball in the centre of that square to begin the formation of the next level of the pyramid.The second level rests on the first level and comprises of four by four balls square with the third level resting on the second in a three by three square and the fourth level is two by two square. The final level of the pyramid is one ball which is the completion of the pyramid game. The pyramid builds up from the horizontal playing board and requires no vertical apparatus as the five layers of the pyramid are formed naturally by the playing balls resting upon each other and building upwards to structure the pyramid.

The invented game is played between two players taking alternate turns at placing their playing balls, a different colour for each player, on the playing board. This will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which; FIGURE ONE: Shows a playing board with slots inserted which is where a player will insert his playing balls in any slot of his choice.

FIGURE TWO: Shows a side view of the playing board illustrating that the slots in the board have a depth.

FIGURE THREE: Shows that when four balls form a square on the playing board, or subsequent levels, then a ball may be placed on top of the square thus forming the next level(s) of the pyramid.

FIGURE FOUR: Illustrates that when sets of four balls form squares on the playing board, or subsequent levels, the player who's turn it is would have the options of where and what level he could place his ball. Each player on their turn always has the option of which slot or square of balls to place their ball.

FIGURE FIVE: Illustrates strategic patterns the playing balls can make up as they are placed on the playing board.

FIGURE SIX: Illustrates patterns formed on the pyramid that do not score points.

FIGURE SEVEN: Shows a completed pyramid of five ever decreasing levels.

FIGURE EIGHT: Shows the completed pyramid board game with accessories.

The objective of the present invention is for two players to build the pyramid game taking alternate goes and trying to score points as they do so. When the pyramid is completed who ever has the most points is deemed the winner. There are provided enough of each coloured playing balls for either player to complete the pyramid on their own regardless of which player goes first; players are expected to take turns when starting a new game.

Points are scored in the present invention according to the rules which govern the game and which will be described whilst referring to the drawings. As previously described, the rules of the game state that two players shall take alternate turns at placing their individually coloured balls on the levels of the pyramid. The balls 10 fit into the slots 11 according to each players preference i.e. to score points or to prevent ones opponent from scoring points.

Points are scored in the following ways; a) One point is scored for any straight 12 or diagonal 13 line which has four balls of the same colour that a player gets horizontally in a row as shown in the jagged lines.

b) One point is scored for any four balls of the same colour forming a square 14.

c) One point is scored when a player crowns/places a ball on top 15 of four balls of the same colour that form a square provided that the ball placed on the top is likewise of the same colour.

d) One point is scored for any diagonal line of four balls of the same colour that is formed vertically 16 on the outside row of the pyramid only as shown in figure seven.

Any ball placed on the pyramid game that forms any of the four previous shapes scores one point and likewise any ball that is added to a previously scoring line 17 of four balls equally scores a point if it also forms four balls of the same colour in a row. The same also applies for two balls added to a square as they would now form a new square of four same coloured balls 18 and so would also score a point.

A players ball placed on the pyramid would score a point for each of the previous shapes mentioned therefore any ball that forms several of the shapes 19 in a single go would score a point for each shape(s) formed i.e.

two shapes would be two points and so on.

It is illustrated in Figure Six that lines of four balls as well as squares of four balls would not score points when they contain two different coloured balls as demonstrated by clear and shaded balls. The nature of competitive games between two players naturally causes the patterns of the balls on the game to be mixture of the two players balls as they will be tactically preventing their opponent from scoring winning shapes/points.

The present invention is illustrated in Figure Eight complete with scoreboard 20 and playing ball compartments 21 on either side of the playing board. Each player has his individual scoreboard and compartment to store the playing balls until they are used in the game. These, complete with a set of rules and details of required essential accessories, comprise the present invention.

Obvious conclusions to the present invention are that as the pyramid structure/shape of the game is naturally formed by laying layer upon layer of balls on top of one another, then the amount of balls and slots used can be of any amount as the basic game would not change except in size and complexity i.e. four by four slots on the playing board or six by six etc.

The same applies to the size of the playing board and balls which can be increased in size to allow for a large board game or decreased to make a pocket size version. More than two people could play the game if additional different coloured balls are used with the total number of players still taking it in turns to play. As well as a description of a three dimensional game the present invention can also be described as four dimensional as playing balls are strategically placed to be of benefit later on in the game and so have four dimensional attributes i.e. moves are planned ahead.

Claims

A PYRAMID GAME COMPRISING; 1. A flat horizontal playing board with two sets of different coloured balls which build up on the board to form a four sided pyramid. The playing board has twenty five slots/ indentations inserted into it in a five by five square into which the round playing balls are designed to fit and be held in position by. the slots are inserted in the playing board so as to hold the balls in position close to or touching one another so that when four balls form a square they will hold a ball on top of them and thus form the next level. The second level rests on the first level and comprises of four by four balls square with the third level resting on the second level and consisting of three by three square. The fourth is two by two square and the fifth and final level being one ball which completes the pyramid game.

The pyramid builds up from the horizontal playing board and requires no vertical apparatus to sustain the sides as the five layers of the pyramid are formed naturally by the playing balls resting upon each other and building upwards to structure the pyramid.
2. A pyramid game as Claimed in Claim One wherein slots are inserted in a horizontal playing board to allow balls to be placed in and held in position by such slots.
3. A pyramid game as Claimed in Claim One Z Claim Two wherein four balls forming a square on the horizontal board, or subsequent levels, will hold and position a ball on top forming subsequent levels to the final level of a single ball which completes the pyramid.
4. A pyramid game as Claimed in Claim One , Claim Two Claim Three wherein two players shall take alternate turns at placing their different coloured balls on the playing board or subsequent levels, with each player having the option on their turn to where and at what level to place their ball.
5. A pyramid game as Claimed in any proceeding Claim wherein the object of the game is to score more points than ones opponent by the completion of the pyramid with points being scored for the following; a) Any four balls of the same colour in a straight or diagonal line formed horizontally.

b) Any square of four balls of the same colour formed horizontally.

c) Any ball placed on a square of the same colour that is likewise of the same colour.

d) Any diagonal line of four balls of the same colour formed vertically on the outside row only of the pyramid.
6. A pyramid game as Claimed in Claim Five wherein a ball being played in the game that forms any shape or shapes as in Claim Five shall score one point for each shape formed.
7. A pyramid game as Claimed in Claim Five wherein the playing board and balls can be increased or decreased in size and the amount of slots and balls can be increased or decreased in number to make the game less complex or more complex.
8. A pyramid game subsequently as described herein with reference to Figures One - Eight of the accompanying drawings.