Amusement devices: games – Simulated-projectile game – target therefor – or accessory – Coindence detection or indication means
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-21
2004-11-02
Hotaling, II, John M. (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Simulated-projectile game, target therefor, or accessory
Coindence detection or indication means
C273S12600A, C124S029000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06811494
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a shooting game machine which is installed in a position facing a plurality of targets, that causes a game medium, such as a token, to be propelled while being aimed at any desired one of the plurality of targets, and gives a game player a valuable corresponding to a score set for the hit target, and to a shooting game system.
A medal game machine is known which is installed in a position facing a plurality of targets, that causes a token to be propelled while being aimed at any desired one of the plurality of targets, and which gives a game player a credit corresponding to a score set for the hit target. Some machines of this type are designed for a single player, and others are designed for multiple players. In the case of the machines for a single player, a score is cumulatively displayed in a jackpot upon insertion of a token, or a part of scores usually obtained upon hitting a target is accumulatively displayed therein as contribution points. The game player's desire to improve his skill is stimulated by enabling him to gain the accumulated points when a special spot set at one of the targets is hit thereafter. In the case of the machines for multiple players, the respective contribution points from a plurality of machines are centrally accumulated as jackpot points and, when a special spot is hit in any of these plurality of machines, all accumulated points are paid off to a player playing with this machine.
In the conventional medal game machines with a jackpot, players generally aim at the special spot for which the jackpot is set, and the meaning of existence of the other targets, i.e., targets for which low scores are set, is relatively weak. The players tend to challenge the special spot, whereas they tend to unnecessarily lose tokens since the special spot, i.e., the jackpot spot, is set at a position difficult to aim at, and to therefore, hit. Furthermore, although the game player's desire to shoot can be incited to gain the accumulated points when sufficient points are accommodated for the jackpot, the jackpot has little attraction, and the game player's interest is low while sufficient points have not yet been accumulated. Thus, the game player's interest in the game is markedly different depending on whether sufficient points have been accumulated or not.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above problems residing in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a shooting game machine in which a specified jackpot value is set and a target corresponding to a jackpot is changed among a plurality of targets over time, thereby causing a game player's interest in a game to differ to a lesser degree, thereby stabilizing his desire to shoot.
In order to achieve the above object, a shooting game machine according to the present invention, comprises a target unit including a plurality of targets, a shooting unit provided at a position facing the target unit and operable by a game player to cause a game medium to fly while selectively aiming at any of the plurality of targets, display units provided in correspondence with the respective targets for displaying values corresponding to the targets by codes, value setting means for setting the values to be displayed on the display units, jackpot setting means for setting a jackpot value on one of the display units selectively changed over time, hit detecting means for detecting the hit of the game medium at the target, and a dispenser for paying out a material corresponding to the value displayed on the display unit corresponding to the hit target when the game medium hits one target.
With this construction, the game player can cause the game medium to be propelled by operating the discharging unit while aiming at a specific one of the plurality of targets arranged in front. When the aimed target or an other target is hit by the game medium, the value, for example, a specified score, displayed in correspondence with the hit target, can be obtained, and the corresponding valued material is paid out from the dispenser. When the target corresponding to the jackpot is hit, the jackpot value, for example, a special high score, can be obtained, thereby making the game player's interest in a game vary only to a small degree, thereby urging the game player to have a desire to shoot better.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
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Fire Control Systems Kollsman, Inc. www.army-technology.com/-contractors/fire/kollsman.
Feb. 1, 1999 Syphon Filter Instruction Manual 989 Studios, Inc.
Nagao Hirofumi
Nonomura Nozomu
Tamura Yuji
Ueda Satoshi
Hotaling II John M.
Jones Scott
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Konami Corporation
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