Abstract:
A board game utilizing a plurality of side games. The present invention provides a board game over which players may freely traverse between a plurality of regions. Once two or more players simultaneously occupy a region, a side game commences. The winner of the side game is awarded a point and the winner of the board game is the first individual to accumulate a pre-determined number of points. The side games preferably comprise a wide range of types of games, thus making the present board game adaptable to a wide range of individuals&#39; preferences and thereby making it easier for groups of individuals to compromise and play a single game.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/879,958 filed on Sep. 19, 2013. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to board games. More specifically, the present invention relates to board games wherein users advance their pieces around a game board and participate in a plurality of side games in order to score points. 
         [0004]    It can often be very difficult for individuals to settle on a single game to play because different individuals often prefer different types of games to play. For example, one individual may want to play a card game, whereas another individual may want to play a dice game. It is difficult to compromise by successively playing a series of different games chosen by each individual because doing so can be extremely time consuming if compromise would require playing a large number of games. Furthermore, individuals are unlikely to be happy when they are playing a game that they do not really want to and are only doing so to appease another individual in the group. Therefore, there is a need in the prior art for a device that simultaneously combines multiple different games to create a diverse game that can appease any individual, regardless of what type of game they want to play. 
         [0005]    The present invention provides a board game in which players roll die to advance their pieces around the game board, triggering a diverse variety of side games in which players compete to earn points. The player that accumulates the most points by winning the most side games is declared the winner. The game preferably comprises four separate side games and the side games are preferably chosen to provide the users with a diverse range of types of games to accommodate as many users with different preferences as possible. For example, the side games may comprise Hi-Lo-Half, which is a dice-based game, Diamonds, which is a card game, Whirlpool, which is a maze board game, and Wrong Pong, which is a ball-and-cup game. However, no claim is made as to the precise number or identity of the side games included in the present board game. Players may freely move their game pieces around the game board and challenge other players to side games based upon which games they find most enjoyable. 
         [0006]    1. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0007]    Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to board games. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to board games that have various different types of side games or sub-games. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art. 
         [0008]    One such device is U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,160 to Stevens et al., which discloses a Bible-themed board game that tests the users&#39; knowledge, artistic, and theatrical talents. Users roll die to advance their pieces around the game board, which has an intertwined pathway. Depending on which space a player lands upon that turn, the player must either answer a question, draw something, or act out a given word. The present invention also tests multiple different skills, but it does so by including various types of die-based games, card games, ball-and-cup games, and other such games based primarily on chance. The present invention does not test skills associated with knowledge of trivia or the ability to perform various scenes. 
         [0009]    Another such device is U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,371 to Peterson, which discloses a board game that tests users&#39; knowledge of various topics, including math, history, and science. Players advance around a uni-directional game board answering questions randomly chosen from the topic determined by the space on which the user&#39;s piece lands. Players gain points for correct answers to these questions and the winner of the game is the first player to reach the end with the highest number of points. Peterson only tests a single skill: users&#39; ability to recall information. The present invention, on the other hand, comprises a board game that utilizes a plurality of sub-games with their own sets of rules and strategies. Furthermore, the present invention utilizes a multi-direction game board that allows players to freely traverse to whichever area of the game board that they would like. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,909 to Alexander, II, et al. discloses a board game that requires players to perform activities, such as acting, answering questions, or drawing, in order to advance around the game board. As with Stevens, the present board game utilizes a series of games that are either chance-based, such as Diamonds, or are dexterity-based, such as Wrong Pong. The present invention does not generally test the users&#39; ability to act, draw, recall information. Furthermore, the present invention allows individuals to choose which games that they want to participate in because they are free to move around the game board to areas designated for each sub-game. 
         [0011]    Such devices further include U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,279 to Scott and U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,624, which disclose multi-level game boards. The present invention preferably includes two separate player paths as well, however the two player paths comprise a main path that is the means by which users move their pieces around to trigger the various sub-games and a secondary path that is used for the maze sub-game. The secondary maze player path is not traversed by the players&#39; primary pieces. 
         [0012]    A board game having multiple sub-games is provided. The present invention comprises a multi-directional game board over which users are free to move their pieces as determined by their own discretion. Various regions on the game board are associated with different sub-games. Once at least two players&#39; pieces occupy a given region, a round of the associated game is automatically commenced and the winner of the game is awarded a single point. Users are free to move around the game board and play whichever game that they wish. The present invention thereby offers a compromise to groups of individuals that are unable to settle on a single game to play because the present invention combines all of these individual games within a single framework. A variety of different sub-games may be included in the present invention, including hi-lo half, which is a dice-based game, diamonds, which is a card game, Whirlpool, which is a maze board game, and Wrong Pong, which is a dexterity-based game. However, there is no restriction on the number or types of sub-games utilized by various embodiments of the present invention. It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing board game devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of board games now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new board game that utilizes a plurality of different types of side games wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for groups of users that are otherwise unable to comprise on a single game to play because the individuals want to play different types of games that are generally incompatible. 
         [0014]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved board game device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
         [0015]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a board game that comprises a plurality of side games. 
         [0016]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a board game that is adaptable to groups of individuals that are unable to compromise on a single type of game because they having diverging preferences. 
         [0017]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a board game that that has a dice-based side game. 
         [0018]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a board game that has a card-based side game. 
         [0019]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a board game that has a dexterity-based side game. 
         [0020]    Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a board game in which users are free to choose which side games that want and do not want to participate in. 
         [0021]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  shows a flowchart of the method of playing the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the present board game. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used by groups of individuals generally having divergent preferences that are otherwise unable to compromise on a single game to play. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of the present invention. The present invention comprises a game board  11  having a main surface  33  that is broken into a series of spaces  31  along which users advance their players pieces. The main surface  33  further includes a plurality of side game regions  32 , which constitute sets of spaces  31  that are color-coded or otherwise distinguished from the normal spaces  31 . As depicted, there are four side game regions  32 , which each comprise separately designated groupings of spaces  11  arranged at the corners of the main surface  33 . However, no claim is made as to the precise number or arrangement of the side game regions  32 . The number of side game regions  32  corresponds to the number of side games utilized by the present board game, wherein each side game region  32  preferably corresponds to a single side game, as determined by the players. 
         [0027]    The present invention further comprises a plurality of player pieces  12 , which each serve to represent one of the players, a deck of cards  13 , at least one die  14 , and a tally book  15  for keeping score, notes, or potentially for use in various side games. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the game board further comprises a secondary surface  34  that is usable for one of the side games. The secondary surface  34  is completely separate from the main surface  33  and player pieces are not permitted to move between the two surfaces  33 ,  34 . The secondary surface  34  is solely intended to serve as a secondary play area for certain side games that require it, such as word guessing games, including Taboo or Catch Phrase, or circular maze games, such as Whirlpool. 
         [0028]    As depicted, the main surface  33  of the present board game is broken into a first pathway  35  and a second pathway  36 . The second pathway  36  lets users avoid various side game regions  32 , and thus avoid participating in the side games associated with those side game regions  32 , as they traverse around the game board. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the main surface  33  may include additional pathways arranged in different ways to provide players with different routes to traverse between the various side game regions  32 . The present invention therefore lets individuals customize their experience playing the game because if they do not enjoy playing certain side games, then they are not required to take part in them. Because of this, the present invention serves as a perfect compromise between individuals of diverse game preferences because all of the various types of games can be brought within a single framework, using a single game board. 
         [0029]    The side games comprise any type of game desired by the user, including card games, such as diamonds, war, poker, crazy eights, and the like; dice games, such as hi-lo half, liar&#39;s dice, and the like; games that require the use of an extra board, such as Whirlpool, Taboo, Catch Phrase, and the like; and any other game that users may wish to play, such as Wrong Pong, a game that involves bouncing a ball into a cup under different types of challenging circumstances. The present board game comprises dice, a deck of cards, and other objects that can be used to play different types of games; however, the players are not limited in their choices of which side games to play. The only restriction is that the players must choose which side games they would like to play prior to the start of the game and then assign each of the chosen side games to one of the side game regions  32 . 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a flowchart of the method of playing the present invention. Prior to the game beginning, the players must decide upon a number of side games to play equal to the number of side game regions disposed on the game board. These games may make use of the various accessories provided with the present invention, or the side games may be completely unrelated. In either case, each side game region must be assigned a game prior to the commencement of play. Once play commences, each new turn  51  begins with a player rolling a die  52  or a plurality of dice to advance  53  his or her piece around the game board a number of spaces equal to the number rolled  52  on the die. In one embodiment of the rule set of the present invention, the players are only permitted to advance their pieces in a single direction around the game board, i.e. either clockwise or counter-clockwise. In another embodiment of the rule set, players may freely advance their pieces around the game board in any direction that they desire. 
         [0031]    The next actions depend on whether the player lands in a side game region or not  54 . If the final space that a player&#39;s piece lands on is not in a side game region, then it is the next player&#39;s turn. If the final space that a player&#39;s piece lands on is in a side game region, but the same side game region is not occupied by another player&#39;s piece  54 , then it is the next player&#39;s turn. If the final space that a player&#39;s piece lands on is in a side game region and the same side game region is occupied by at least one other player  55 , then all of the players in that side game region play the side game that is assigned to that region  56 . The winner of that game then gains one or more points  57 , depending upon the rules that the players have pre-agreed to. If any player&#39;s accumulated points exceeds a threshold agreed to prior to the start of play, then that players wins  59 . 
         [0032]    The present board game provides individuals with a game that settles disputes between groups of individuals that cannot choose what single game they would like to play. Individuals can play whatever game or games that they wish to play and avoid those that they do not wish to play. Furthermore, these various games are brought together within a single, overarching framework that rewards individuals who win the side games so that an overall winner can ultimately be determined. 
         [0033]    It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0034]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.