Toy game device and method

Abstract

A toy game apparatus including a game playing board with a retaining wall extending around the playing board for retaining a playing surface of complex curvature with a pair of spaced apart recessed goals located at low areas in the playing board and with the game board having inclined walls leading from the center of the board and the periphery of the board to the pair of recessed goals. In this way, the portions of the game board surrounding the goal areas converge downwardly and inwardly toward the recessed goals so that a playing piece on the game board can enter the goals through arcuate paths and at any point around the entire periphery of the goals and from any direction. A goal cup is rotatably mounted in each of the goal recesses and a striker member is operatively connected to the goal cup for rotation therewith. A mechanical linkage connects each of the goal cups to associated actuating arms which are located at each of the player ends of the game board so that movement of an actuating arm will cause rotation of the connected goal cup and the striker member associated therewith. The striker members are located at the periphery of the goal cups so that they can defend the goals from any point around the periphery of the goals. A transparent cover extends over the playing board so that the playing piece is always retained therein, and when the playing piece enters a goal cup, it will pass through a discharge duct to the exterior of the game apparatus for reinsertion onto the playing board. In accordance with this game construction, the playing piece will always enter one or the other of the goals unless the player actuates the striker member in order to propel the playing piece away from its associated goal.