I'll start with this one, even though it is not a board or card game patent, just because it's pretty cool. This patent describes a method for events and characters in a SIM like game-environment to react to the type of sounds or music heard.
In other words, right now you can play music in a SIMS game, but the type of music you play doesn't really matter. Parents won't cover their ears when rock music is played. People won't hold up lighters during the instrumental of a song. This patent claims to be able to add this feature.
It's also aimed at advertisers who want their products displayed whenever, say, a hip-hop record is played in a virtual club.
Interactive game system
The games of Spoons, with "educational" cards about the United States.
Bouncing ball board game
A game of ball toss. The patentable feature, according to the claim, is that it's harder than some other ones.
Process for removing element of chance from games of skill
Sounds appealing. But it's just playing duplicate games in a Family Feud type arrangement. Whoopdee-do.
Suits and ladders game
A casino card game where you bet on the suit of the card that will flip up. If you win, you can up your bet in anticipation of the next card. Also allows you to bid on rank.
Egyptian pyramids board game
A roll and move board game about Egypt.
Alphabetic roulette game
Yes, a roulette wheel with letters of the alphabet instead of numbers.
Bumper soccer
The abstract speaks for itself:
A board game for at least two individuals to play. The board game is a modified form of soccer that uses roofing nails pounded into a flat surface as "players," a marble as a soccer ball, and a pair of Popsicle sticks as shooters. In addition, an elastic band is wrapped around into a rectangular fashion to have a rectangular-shaped playing field.I remember making this when I was a kid.
Judgment system and methods
Near as I can tell, this is a program which, give two cards from Magic the Gathering, tells you what happens when they interact.
Gaming device having a game with decreasing probabilities of success
This is also not really card or board game related, but it appears to be as obvious as it sounds.
Method and apparatus for simulating games of chance with the use of a set of cards, including a wildcard, to replace use of dice
I believe I remember this from an article in Dragon Magazine in the early 1980s. The article covered not only regular dice, but all types from d4 to d100.
Method and apparatus for video poker
As near as I can tell, a computer poker game where you are encouraged with a better reward to choose a less than optimal discard during a hand of poker. For the mathematically challenged.
Poker game with secondary bet opportunity
A computer poker game where you bet not only on your own hand but on other player's hands.
Casino card games with one or more community cards
Three-card poker with five cards played like Texas Hold 'Em.
Method and article of manufacture for collectible game
Z cards by Wizards of the Coast. I think it's a collectible game of robots where your robot's parts can be replaced, and damage is represented by losing parts.
Wand with light sources for reading or viewing indicia
Also not a game, per se, but a wand that emits two different wavelengths of light for reading books in the dark - only some of the text is visible with each light source. Can be used for a board game that is played in the dark.
Method of offering insurance in a gambling game
I don't really get it. Essentially, you get to place two bets at one time, and are guaranteed not to win one of them. I don't see how this helps.
Combined educational tool for imparting thematic knowledge and reinforcing related core principles
Fancy falutin' language for a bible-trivia game.
Yehuda
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