Game equipment for territory games

Abstract

To provide a tool for playing a three-dimensional territory capture game that applies a "dot and box" game by changing a simple two-dimensional game form into a three-dimensional game form. [Solution] The game board comprises a flat game board 1 with grooves 2 or rows of holes arranged in a grid (or square) as holding sections, a three-dimensional enclosing member 3 made up of a number of fence-like bodies or wall-like bodies that can be attached and detached (or inserted and removed) to and arranged upright in the holding section, and a number of piece-like bodies 4 that become game symbols to be placed in the square-like section E when the enclosing member 3 is erected in the holding section on the game board 1 and the enclosing member 3 forms a square-like section E when viewed from above.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a game tool for a territory capture game (also called a territory game) in which at least two players play according to the game rules to capture their own plots on a flat game board, which is regularly marked with dotted or straight lines, for example in a grid pattern. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A territory capture game played by at least two players called "Dots and Boxes" (hereinafter referred to as "known game") has been known for some time. This well-known game is a territory capture game that uses a flat game board with multiple dots (black dots) displayed in a regular pattern, and multiple players take turns connecting adjacent dots with straight lines using a writing implement such as a pen.When a closed square is completed by the lines connecting the dots, the player captures that square as their own territory, and the winner is decided by the number of territories captured.

[0003] However, in the above-mentioned known games, the game progresses and unfolds simply by the player connecting dots (black dots) that are regularly printed on the game board with lines using a writing implement such as a pen, so the visual appearance is flat and therefore lacking in interest. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4763097 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 60-58183 [Patent Document 3] Special Publication No. 2007-504576 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide equipment for a three-dimensional territory capture game that applies the "Dots and Boxes" game by turning the simple, two-dimensional game format, in which printed dots are connected by lines on a flat game board, into a three-dimensional game format. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The equipment for territory games of the present invention, which was developed to solve the above problems, is characterized by the configuration of a game board having a number of grooves or rows of holes arranged in a grid or square shape as holding parts, a three-dimensional enclosing member made up of a number of fence-like or wall-like bodies that can be attached and detached to or inserted into the holding parts, and a number of piece-like bodies that become game symbols to be placed in the square-like sections when the enclosing member is attached to the holding parts on the game board and forms a square-like section when viewed from above.

[0007] In the present invention, the game symbols are pieces shaped like animals, including sheep, or other figural pieces.

[0008] In this invention, the grooves or rows of holes forming the holding portions on the game board may be rectangular in plan view, or may be closely connected polygons, including closely connected diamonds, closely connected pentagons, and closely connected hexagons.

[0009] The game board of this invention is made of molded plastic or processed wood, and has linear grooves on its surface that can hold fence-like or wall-like enclosure members in an upright position, as well as multiple rows of holes that replace these grooves, formed in a regular pattern, such as a grid.

[0010] The linear grooves on the game board are formed in a shape (groove width and groove depth) that allows the bottom edge of the enclosing member to be detachably fitted in. The rows of holes that replace the grooves are formed in a shape (the number of protrusions is the same as the number of holes in the row, and the pitch of the protrusions is the same as the pitch of the holes) that allows the insertion and retention of the downward protrusions formed on the bottom edge of the enclosing member.

[0011] The surface of the game board can be made of a game board material (plastic, wood, etc.), or it can be made into a field-like surface using, for example, green fabric or a thin molded mat. The game board may also be made of fabric or mat. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] By using the above-mentioned game board, a plurality of enclosure members made up of a plurality of fence-like or wall-like structures, and a plurality of game pieces serving as game symbols as game equipment, a game can be played in which players compete to form three-dimensional square-shaped enclosures to place game pieces on the game board, according to rules similar to those of the dot and box territory capture game. In this game, two or more players can enjoy a game in which, once a square-shaped enclosure is formed, players place game pieces serving as game symbols within the enclosure, competing to see who can place the most game pieces within, or who can first remove the game pieces dealt to them at the start of the game. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of the game board of the game device of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a fence-like body (fence) as an example of an enclosing member in the game equipment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view of a piece-shaped object that resembles a sheep, which is an example of a game symbol in the game equipment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view of a limiting sheet that limits the game board surface in the game device of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an example of the game board surface limiting sheet of FIG. 4 in use. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the game implement of FIGS. 1 to 3 when used in a game. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Next, an example of a game (territory game or camp capture game) using the game equipment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] Figures 1 and 6 show the game board 1 of the game equipment of the present invention, which is made of molded plastic and colored green to resemble a slightly thick, flat field (grassland). The reason the game board 1 is shaped to resemble a green field is because the game symbols, which will be described later, are pieces 4 that resemble sheep. Therefore, when the game symbols used are not sheep, the surface of the game board 1 may be in a different state, such as flat, and the color can be selected as desired.

[0016] The surface of the game board 1 of the present invention is formed with linear grooves 2 for erecting fences 3 as fence-like structures, which are examples of enclosing members described later. These grooves 2 are arranged in a grid pattern of equal-sized squares on the top surface of the game board 1, forming 25 adjacent sections 2a regularly arranged in a grid pattern in the example shown in the figure.

[0017] The grooves 2 forming each of the above-mentioned sections 2a are given widths, depths, and lengths that allow the bottom edges of the fences 3 to be embedded in the grooves 2. The length of the grooves 2 is the length of one side of the square-shaped section 2a formed by the grooves 2, and is also approximately equal to the length of the fences 3. Here, examples of the shape (form) of the fence 3 are as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, but the shape of the fence 3 shown in the drawings is only an example and other shapes are also possible.

[0018] In the present invention, instead of the above-mentioned groove 2, a row of small diameter holes (hereinafter referred to as hole row) not shown may be provided, for example, at least two to four locations along the length of the groove 2 that forms each section 2a.

[0019] This row of holes is formed corresponding to a row of, for example, two to four downward protrusions (not shown) formed on the lower side of the fence 3 . Therefore, when a fence 3 having two to four downward protrusions on the lower edge is used on a game board, the grooves 2 forming each of the above-mentioned sections 2a are replaced with a row of two to four small-diameter holes (not shown).

[0020] The above-mentioned fence 3 is an example of an enclosing member, and therefore in this invention, a wall-like body (not shown, hereinafter referred to as a wall) or a rod-like body that functions as an enclosing member can be used as an enclosing member in place of the fence 3. When each section 2a on the top surface of the game board 1 is formed with a groove 2, the wall (not shown) is used by embedding the bottom edge of the wall in the groove 2 and standing it up on the game board 1.

[0021] On the other hand, when each section 2a is formed with a row of holes (not shown) instead of the grooves 2, the row of protrusions formed downward on the lower edge of this wall can be fitted into the row of holes provided in place of the grooves 2, and this wall can be used as an enclosing member by standing it on the top surface of the game board 1.

[0022] Next, the game symbol piece 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the territory game using the game equipment of the present invention, pieces 4 in the form of deformed objects are used as game symbols to be used as the game progresses.

[0023] That is, fences 3 and walls made of surrounding materials are erected in the grooves 2 (or rows of holes) of multiple grid-like sections 2a formed on the top surface of the game board 1, and when a square-shaped section (hereinafter referred to as a three-dimensional enclosure E) is completed, a piece-shaped object 4 is placed inside the three-dimensional enclosure E, making it your own territory surrounding your own game symbol (piece-shaped object 4).

[0024] Although the piece-shaped body 4 in the illustrated embodiment is shaped to resemble a sheep, the piece-shaped body 4 may be shaped like an animal other than a sheep or any other shape.

[0025] The material of the pieces 4 can be selected from any material, including metal and non-metallic materials such as plastic, wood, fabric, wool, netting and other fibers, nonwoven fabric, and paper including synthetic paper. The pieces 4 may all be formed in a single color or in different colors, but it is preferable that they are formed in multiple colors to distinguish them from the opponent's pieces 4. The sheep pieces 4 in Figure 3 are color-coded in four colors.

[0026] A territory game based on the rules of the Dot and Box game using the game equipment of this invention can be played by one or more players if it has the game board 1 with the grid-shaped grooves 2 on the top surface as described above, multiple fences 3, and multiple pieces 4.However, in this invention, as an additional component, board limiting sheets 5 and 6 as shown in Figures 4 and 5 may be used.

[0027] The board restriction sheet 5 is a rectangular frame-shaped sheet that masks (covers) the 16 compartments 2a that are arranged in a rectangular ring on the outer periphery of the game board 1 in Figure 6. When this board restriction sheet 5 is placed on the game board 1, the row of 16 compartments 2a along the outer periphery is masked and cannot be used, so the only compartments that can be used in the game are the 9 compartments 2a that are visible inside this sheet 5.

[0028] Furthermore, if a small L-shaped board limiting sheet 6 shown in FIG. 4 is placed inside the board limiting sheet 5, only four sections 2a can be used for the game.

[0029] The purpose of using Board Restriction Sheet 5, or 5 and 6, is to simplify the game content and allow players to quickly learn and master the game techniques. By mastering the game techniques in this way, even if the number of sections 2a used in the game increases, the player will be able to deal with the progress and development of the game (game progress) with a high level of adaptability.

[0030] In the game equipment of this invention, one set of game equipment is, as an example, one game board with 25 grid-like sections 2a arranged in a rectangular shape, 60 fences, one each of two types of board limiting sheets (large and small), four colored sheep game symbols 4 (five of each color), and one game manual. The size of the game board 1, the number of sections 2a formed on the game board, the number of fences 3, the number of pieces 4, etc. can be designed and set as desired.

[0031] In addition to the above components, the set of game equipment may include a plurality of types of cards for implementing a plurality of types of additional rules.

[0032] Next, an example in which two players A and B play against each other using the game equipment of the present invention as described in paragraph 0030 above will be described.

[0033] First, player A sets up his / her fence 3 in any groove 2 on the game board 1. Next, player B sets up his / her fence 3 in any other groove 2. Then, players A and B alternately set up fences 3 in grooves 2 that they each select at their own discretion and that do not have fences 3 set up in them. In this way, player A or B, who has erected the last fence 3 to form the rectangular three-dimensional enclosure E, places their sheep 4 (piece-shaped object) into the three-dimensional enclosure E. The player whose sheep 4 is first placed inside the three-dimensional enclosure E that has been formed first, and who runs out of sheep first, becomes the winner of this territory capture game.

[0034] The game equipment of this invention is as described above, and the rules of the game are the same as those of the dots and boxes game, but the equipment used in the game is a three-dimensional game board with three-dimensional fences and game symbols (piece-shaped objects), so you can enjoy the territory capture game in three dimensions.

[0035] Furthermore, in the territory capture game using the game equipment of this invention, players can play a non-flat game in which they compete to capture three-dimensional territory (three-dimensional enclosure) by erecting fences to surround the sheep. This is a useful game equipment that allows players to visually grasp the formation of the three-dimensional enclosure made of fences in three dimensions, and develop the ability to predict the opponent's next move, as well as the thinking and judgment skills to deal with the opponent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1 Game Board 2 grooves Section 2a 3. Fence 4. Koma-shaped body (sheep) 5,6 Limited Edition Sheet

Claims

1. A game device for a territory game, comprising: a game board having grooves or rows of holes arranged in a grid or square shape as holding parts; a three-dimensional enclosing member including a plurality of fence-like or wall-like bodies that can be attached to or inserted into the holding part and arranged upright; and a plurality of piece-like bodies that become game symbols to be placed in the square-like compartments when the enclosing member is erected on the holding part on the game board and the enclosing member forms a square-like compartment when viewed from above.

2. 2. The game implement according to claim 1, wherein said game symbols are pieces shaped as game symbols of animals, including sheep, or other figures.

3. 2. The game device of claim 1, wherein the grooves or rows of holes forming the holding portions on the game board are not only rectangular in plan view, but also closely connected polygons including closely connected rhombuses, pentagons, and hexagons in plan view.

4. 2. The game equipment according to claim 1, wherein the game board has linear grooves on its surface that can be held by an enclosing member such as a fence-like body or a wall-like body, or a plurality of rows of holes instead of the grooves that are regularly formed, including in a grid pattern.

5. 2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein the linear groove provided on the game board is formed to have a width and depth that allow the lower edge of the enclosing member to be detachably fitted therein.

6. 2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein the number of holes in the row formed in the game board is the same as the number of downward protrusions formed on the lower side of the enclosing member, for inserting and holding the protrusions.

7. 2. The game implement according to claim 1, wherein the surface of said game board is formed of a surface state made of a material including a plastic material or a wood material, and also of a colored or uncolored cloth or mat.

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