Download Hand-held electronic game

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mirror so. that the. person using the game sees the invad
ing spaceships,.the barriers and the defending spaceship
HAND-‘HELD ELECTRONIC GAME
all in a single plane.
Yet another object of the present invention is to pro
vide mechanical means for moving the defending space
ship so as to avoid the bombs of the invading spaceship.
The means for moving the defending spaceship also
This invention is concerned with hand-held games;
and more particularly, with such hand-held games
which simulate battles between the player’s rocket ship
and a plethora of death dealing space invaders.
acting to move the invading spaceships, thereby making
The games in penny arcades at one time were ‘either
mechanical or electro-mechanical. In the electro
mechanical arcade games, when certain micro-switch
it more difficult for the defending spaceship to “shoot
down” the invading spaceships and to avoid the invad
er’s bombs.
Yet another object of the present invention is to pro
bumpers were hit by a projectile directed by the player,
relays would be operated to make noises, light lights,
and add up scores.
vide sound effects based upon or concurrent with oc
currences in the hand held electronic game.
,
As the state of the art progressed, so did the sophisti
cation of the penny arcade games. With the advent of
A preferred embodiment of the present invention
games using cathode-ray tubes, it became possible to
features a hand-held box with a viewing screen at one
have games which simulated, among other things, bat
tles in space between different forces of miniature, simu
end. A motion controlling push button lever isv mounted
on each side of the hand-held box along with a “?ring”
lated spaceships. It became possible to manipulate and
push button switch on at least one side of the box. The
direct a spaceship around the face of the cathode ray 20 viewing screen reveals a six by ?ve matrix of LED’s (six
tube.
columns and ?ve rows) representing the invading
Thus, it became possible to create games wherein a
spaceships. In addition, there is a barrier LED for each
pair of players, each manipulating his own spaceship,
tried to destroy the other player’s spaceship. With the
advent of micro-processors, it became possible for an
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individual player to play against the micro-processor
controlled “enemy” or “invading spaceships”. This
type of penny arcade game became extremely popular
column. Another LED represents the defending space
ship. The invading LED’s', the barrier LED’s and the
defending LED’s are different colors.
When the on-off switch is turned to “on”, the matrix
of invading LED’s, the barrier LED’s and the defend
ing LED’s are-all energized. Responsive to the position
varying lever buttons, the defending spaceship moves
and was set up for either a pair of individuals playing
each other or a single individual playing against the 30
selectively right or left. Simultaneous thereto, the ma
machine.
trix of invading spaceships is ?rst moved to one side
However, the penny arcade type games using cath
limit, for example, the right side, and then to the other
ode ray tube equipment are relatively heavy, unwieldy
side limit, for example, the left side regardless of
and expensive. Therefore, such games are not amenable
for home use. Alternative games are available which 35
require the use of the cathode ray tube of the television
receiver. Those games have the drawbacks of inactivat
plurality of LED’s in a straight line which are lit se
the cathode ray tubes of the television receivers, as well
quentially to simulate the ?ring. If the defending space
ship is aligned with an invading spaceship so that the
.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
provide new and unique hand-held electronic games.
A related object of the present invention is to provide
hand-held electronic games wherein the player is
matching his skill against programmed equipment.
Yet another object of the present invention is to pro
vide hand-held electronic games wherein the player
manipulates defending spaceships armed with “death
rays” to defend against a plethora of invading space
ships.
A related object of the present invention is to provide
hand-held electronic games wherein the plethora of
invading spaceships is “above” the defending spaceship
dropping “bombs” which the defending spaceship must
or left.
Responsive to the operation of the ?ring switch, the
defending spaceship ?res its “death ray” comprising a
ing the television receivers, damaging and wearing out
as having a lack of mobility.
whether the defending spaceship is being moved right
“death ray” hits the invading spaceship, the invading
spaceship is destroyed. The destruction is simulated by
a distinctive explosive sound.
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In the meantime, the invading spaceships are drop
ping-bombs responsive to a program set in a micro
processor. The dropping of the bombs are simulated by
a burn or brightening or the LED’s in the column drop
ping the bombs. If the defending spaceship is aligned
50 with the column dropping the bombs at the time the
bottommost LED of the column exhibits a brightened
intensity, the defending spaceship is “destroyed”. The
destruction is simulated by a burn of the defender and
by another distinctive sound. After the “destruction” of
avoid to remain viable, while using its “death ray” in an 55 the defending spaceship, it is sequentially replaced by
two more defending spaceships.
attempt to destroy the invading spaceships.
In addition to the physical movement of the invading
Still another and related object of the present inven
spaceships, the six by ?ve matrix is shifted electroni
tion is to automatically increase the tempo of the bomb
cally in a larger matrix, such as in an eight by six matrix.
dropping operation as the game progresses thereby
making it more dif?cult for the defending spaceship to 60 After av given number (15) of invading spaceships have
been destroyed, the tempo of the game is automatically
kill the enemy spaceships and avoid being destroyed.
increased by increasing the speed and the frequency of
Still another object of the present invention is to
the bombs being dropped by the invaders. In addition,
provide hand-held electronic games wherein the invad
the tempo of the electronic shifting is valso increased.
ing spaceships are in one plane; barriers, which the
defending spaceship can use to avoid the bombs, are in 65 The increased tempo of the game is matched by the
increased tempo of a background “heartbeat” sound‘
a plane parallel to the one plane; and wherein the de
that is continually emitted, while the game is being
fending spaceship is in yet another plane—all three
played.
planes being projected upon an angularly held two-way