If you look at the actual patent, there's many 'unique claims' that could be argued - see the original patent application here:
starwarsattacktix.blogspot.com/2005/04/attacktix-patent.htmlOR here's the bits:
The Attacktix Patent
Document on USPTO website
United States Patent Application 20050133997
Kind Code A1
Wilk, Brian M. ; et al. June 23, 2005
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Action figure game piece and method of playing action figure game
Abstract
An action figure game piece is disclosed. The game piece comprises a game figure character adapted for movement a distance over a surface and a mechanism for indicating the distance of movement over the surface. A method of playing an action figure game on the surface is also disclosed. The method comprises providing for each player a plurality of the game pieces, each game piece having an indicium indicating a point value, a mechanism for indicating a distance the game piece has moved over the surface, and a mechanism for attacking an opponent player's game pieces. The method also comprises selecting for each player a group of the game pieces having point values summing to a predetermined value and selecting a number of actions each player can take per player's turn. An action comprises either a move, comprising moving a game piece a distance up to the particular game piece's point value, or an attack, comprising actuation of the particular game piece's attacking mechanism. Players alternate taking turns, selectively making a move or an attack, until the game is determined to have ended.
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Inventors: Wilk, Brian M.; (Seekonk, MA) ; Kunitz, David; (Barrington, RI) ; McCarthy, Thomas C .; (Warren, RI) ; Winters, Henry S.; (Pawtucket, RI)
Correspondence Name and Address: MARSHALL, GERSTEIN & BORUN LLP (HASBRO)233 S. WACKER DRIVE6300 SEARS TOWERCHICAGOIL60606US
Assignee Name and Adress: HASBRO, INC.
Pawtucket
RI
Serial No.: 053355
Series Code: 11
Filed: February 8, 2005
U.S. Current Class: 273/288; 273/289
U.S. Class at Publication: 273/288; 273/289
Intern'l Class: A63F 003/00
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Claims
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1-35. (canceled)
36: A method of playing an action figure game on a surface, the method comprising: providing for each player a plurality of game pieces, each game piece having an indicium indicating a point value, a distance measuring device for indicating a distance the game piece has moved over the surface, and a weapon for attacking an opponent's game pieces, wherein each of the plurality of game pieces includes at least one game piece having a close-acting weapon and at least one game piece having a distance-acting weapon; selecting for each player a group of the game pieces having point values summing to a predetermined value; selecting a number of actions each player can take per player's turn, an action comprising either a move, comprising moving a game piece a distance up to the particular game piece's point value, or an attack, comprising actuation of the particular game piece's weapon; and removing a game piece from the game if the game piece is determined to have been killed by an attack, wherein the players alternate taking turns, selectively making a move or an attack, until the game is determined to have ended.
37: The method of claim 36 wherein at least one of each game piece in each of the plurality of game pieces includes means a reward indicator for randomly providing the player with a reward if that particular game piece is killed.
38: The method of claim 36 wherein a game piece is killed if the game piece is knocked over by an attack.
39: The method of claim 36, wherein the game ends upon completion of a predetermined time period.
40: The method of claim 36 wherein the game ends upon elimination of all of one of the player's game pieces.
41: The method of claim 36 wherein each player may take up to a predetermined number of actions per turn.
42: The method of claim 41 wherein the number of actions per turn is three.
43: The method of claim 41 wherein each player can take no more than two actions or moves per turn.
44: The method of claim 36 wherein any particular game piece can perform multiple actions per turn.
45: A method of playing an action figure game on a surface, the method comprising: selecting by each player a plurality of game pieces of the action figure game, each game piece having an associated point value; each player in turn taking up to a predetermined number of actions with the player's game pieces, wherein each action is one of moving a game piece over the surface and performing an attack action against another player's game piece with one of the player's game pieces; and removing a player's game piece from the game if the game piece is killed in accordance to game rules by an opposing player's attack action.
46: The method of claim 45, comprising selecting by each player the plurality of game pieces such that the point values associated with the selected game pieces sum to a predetermined total point value.
47: The method of claim 45, wherein the action of moving a game piece over the surface comprises moving the game piece over the surface a distance less than or equal to a maximum distance corresponding to the point value associated with the game piece.
48: The method of claim 45, wherein the action of performing an attack action comprises actuating an attack mechanism of the player's game piece in the direction of an opposing player's game piece.
49: The method of claim 45, comprising removing a player's game piece from the game if the game piece is knocked over by an opposing player's attack action.
50: The method of claim 45, comprising calculating a final point value for each player equal to the point values for the player's remaining game pieces at the end of the game, wherein the player having the greatest final point value is the winner of the game
51: The method of claim 45, comprising: alternately displaying and shielding special character indicia of the game pieces as the game pieces move across the surface; and providing a player with a game award in accordance with the special character indicia of the game piece if the special character indicia are displayed when the game piece is killed.
52: A method of playing an action figure game on a surface, the method comprising: selecting by each player a plurality of game pieces of the action figure game, each game piece having an associated point value; each player in turn taking at least one action with at least one of the player's game pieces, wherein each action is one of moving a game piece over the surface and performing an attack action against another player's game piece with one of the player's game pieces; and removing a player's game piece from the game if the game piece is killed in accordance to game rules by an opposing player's attack action.
53: The method of claim 52, comprising selecting by each player the plurality of game pieces such that the point values associated with the selected game pieces sum to a predetermined total point value.
54: The method of claim 52, wherein the action of moving a game piece over the surface comprises moving the game piece over the surface a distance less than or equal to a maximum distance corresponding to the point value associated with the game piece.
55: The method of claim 52, wherein the action of performing an attack action comprises actuating an attack mechanism of the player's game piece in the direction of an opposing player's game piece.
56: The method of claim 52, comprising removing a player's game piece from the game if the game piece is knocked over by an opposing player's attack action.
57: The method of claim 52, comprising calculating a final point value for each player equal to the point values for the player's remaining game pieces at the end of the game, wherein the player having the greatest final point value is the winner of the game
58: The method of claim 52, comprising: alternately displaying and shielding special character indicia of the game pieces as the game pieces move across the surface; and providing a player with a game award in accordance with the special character indicia of the game piece if the special character indicia are displayed when the game piece is killed.
59: The method of claim 52, comprising each player in turn taking a predetermined number of actions with player's game pieces.