Abstract:
A three-dimensional maze game. Vertical slices of a three-dimensional maze are displayed on a plurality of surfaces. The surfaces are retained relative to one another such that features common to adjacent slices remain in corresponding positions as a user moves from surface to surface while traversing the maze.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a game. More specifically, the invention relates to a three-dimensional maze in the form of a book in which a user traverses the maze by passing through doorway which move the user through a page. 
     (2) Background 
     Numerous different puzzle books exist, including crossword puzzles, two-dimensional mazes, word searches, and things of that nature. Also existing are three-dimensional maze games, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,286 issued to Brooks. That three-dimensional maze has a partial maze on a number of transparent elements which are retained in relation to one another, such that looking through, a user views the total maze pattern delimited. Grimes, U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,723, discloses a multi-layer game in which a steel ball is moved around the multi-level maze in the blind based on patterns shown on the front surface. Other such three-dimensional maze puzzles are also known in the art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A three-dimensional maze game is disclosed. Vertical slices of a three-dimensional maze are displayed on a plurality of surfaces. The surfaces are retained relative to one another such that features common to adjacent slices remain in corresponding positions as a user moves from surface to surface while traversing the maze. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of two images that form adjacent portions of a labyrinth of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing four consecutive surfaces each having a portion of the labyrinth displayed thereon. 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram of an exemplary code page and decoder of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cutaway view of a subsection of one surface. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In a typical embodiment of the labyrinth game, a plurality of pages, each having an image corresponding to one layer (vertical slice) of the labyrinth are bound together, using for example, a spiral binder or any other conventional binding. The front and back of each page is printed with a next adjacent layer of the labyrinth. The user traverses the labyrinth by passing through foreground and background portals, moving from chamber to chamber, page to page, from an entrance point to an exit point. 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of two images that form adjacent portions of a labyrinth of one embodiment of the invention. First surface  10  has an image thereon of a first portion of a three-dimensional labyrinth. Each portion of the labyrinth has portals, such as foreground portal  22  and background portal  24  to permit the user to move to adjacent portions of the labyrinth. Horizontal movement of a user within a portion of the labyrinth is constrained by chambers or corridors, such as chamber  20 . Vertical movement within a portion is permitted by ladders or stairways, such as stairway  28  or ladder  30 . Because surface  10  is a left-hand surface, background portals move a user through the page to a previous right-hand page, while foreground portals move a user to a next adjacent facing right-hand page. The foreground portals on surface  10  are exactly mirrored on surface  12 , as each of these portals permits a user to move from surface  10  to surface  12 , and vice versa. Foreground portal  50  corresponds to foreground portal  50  on surface  10  and  12 , respectively. 
     In one embodiment, the floor of the chamber has a path  26  depicted thereon. Path  26  shows a user where they are permitted to go. Thus, while it might appear that there is nothing between chamber  52  and chamber  54 , in fact, an invisible wall is present separating those chambers. The only access from chamber  52  into chamber  54  is through foreground portal  22 . The path also foreshadows a user&#39;s options looking through a portal. If, for example, looking through a portal, the user sees a break in the path outline on the right-hand side, that indicates that after passing through that portal a right turn is possible. 
     Some embodiments of the game include objects of interest, such as chest  32  within the labyrinth. Identification symbols, such as the numeral “ 5 ”  34 , may be associated with each item of interest, in this case, chest  32 . In other embodiments, the identification symbol may appear by itself. The identification symbol may be used to cross-reference into a code sheet  100 , such as shown in FIG. 3, and a decoder  102  may be used to decode an encoded message associated with the identification symbol. In one embodiment, the message is encoded by printing the message in a light blue ink and over printing with red ink. In such an embodiment, the decoder has a transparent red filter to mask the over printing. Other encodings and decoders are within the scope and contemplation of the invention. These items of interest and encoded messages permit the maze to be played in a quest mode where the object of the quest, rather than merely finding the exit to the maze, may involve finding various items of interest to accumulate wealth, open locked doors, or otherwise enhance the playing experience. Of course, it is always possible to play a maze with such items of interest present, ignoring those items and merely trying to traverse the maze from entrance to exit. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing four consecutive surfaces each having a portion of the labyrinth displayed thereon. On one embodiment, the labyrinth may be configured like a folding Chinese screen. It is preferred that the labyrinth be printed on front and back of pages in a book. In that embodiment, surface  12  and surface  14  could correspond to a front and back of a single page. Arrows  60  and circles  62  are provided in this figure for illustrations only. The arrows  60  each point through background portals on surface  12  and correspond to the circles  62  coming through background portals on surface  14 . By passing through a background portal on a right-hand surface, such as surface  12 , a user moves deeper into the labyrinth to the next deeper adjacent left-hand surface, in this case, surface  14 . Conversely, by moving through a foreground portal on a left-hand surface, such as surface  10  or surface  14 , a user moves to a deeper point in the maze. If the user moves through a foreground portal on a right-hand surface, such as surface  12 , the user moves to a shallower point in the maze. As used herein, “deeper” means closer to the exit in horizontal distance, and “shallower” means closer to the entrance in horizontal distance. 
     In one embodiment, doorways are adorned with a unique symbol  75  to aide a user in finding a corresponding door on a previous or next surface. By unique symbol, it is meant that the symbol is unique to that portal and corresponding portals on an adjacent surface or surfaces, but may appear in the labyrinth more than once on different pages. These symbols help to prevent a user from skipping to an incorrect portal during a page turn. 
     Notably, because the maze is perspectively correct from first person point of view, looking through a portal, a user can see a chamber or stairways or so forth that would be visible through that portal. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cutaway view of a subsection of one surface. Looking at the depiction of background portal  65  on surface  14 , the representation of foreground portal  66  from surface  12 , as well as the rear wall of chamber  70  of surface  10  can be seen. Thus, by looking at the path, the user will be able to discern that e.g. in chamber  70 , it is not possible for a user to turn to the right after passing through the doorway in the intermediate chamber, chamber  72 , on surface  12 . The user will similarly have an option of going left. 
     As another example (not shown in FIG.  4 ), from the view through doorway  80  on surface  12 , a user would see the top of the staircase  82 , which is shown on surface  14 . Thus, the user&#39;s decision of which portal to pass through may be influenced by the options foreshadowed by the path and the other things visible through the portal. The maze book provides a visually stimulating three-dimensional maze experience, where each surface displays a portion of the labyrinth, for example, a vertical slice. Paging through the book, or moving from panel to panel on a screen, including backtracking as necessary, a user traverses the maze to find an exit and/or perform a quest. 
     FIG. 4 also illustrates an embodiment employing the unique symbols  75  on the portals. Portals  64 ,  65 , and  66  would all have the same unique symbol as they represent a single linear path from page to page. However, portal  73  which does not correspond linearly with portal  64  has a different unique symbol. 
     In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the appended claims.