Multiplayer electronic games

An electronic game for use with a processing apparatus having a graphical display and input means for receiving input from two players simultaneously, said game comprising:

• a) split screen means for dividing the graphical display into separate portions for each player and for merging the separate portions into a single graphical display shared by both players;
• and
• b) game logic which requires each player to act individually and jointly with the other player at different points in said game, wherein
• said split screen means is responsive to said game logic such that the graphical screen is split into separate portions when the players are acting individually and the separate portions are merged into a single portion when the players are acting jointly.

An electronic game for use with a processing apparatus having a graphical display and input means for receiving input from two players simultaneously, said game comprising:

• a) character generator means for generating a separate character or pointer for each player;
• b) split screen means for dividing the graphical display into separate portions for each player and for merging the separate portions into a single graphical display shared by both players;
• and
• c) game logic which provides opportunities for each player to act individually and jointly with the other player at different points in said game, wherein
• said split screen means is responsive to said game logic such that the graphical screen is split into separate portions when the players are acting individually and the separate portions are merged into a single portion when the players are acting jointly, said separate characters or pointers being separately controllable when the players are acting jointly and when the players are acting individually.

An electronic game for use with a processing apparatus having a graphical display and input means for receiving input from two players simultaneously, said game comprising:

• a) individual action means for requiring the two players to act individually at certain points in said game;
• and
• b) joint action means for requiring the two players to act jointly with each other at certain other points in said game, wherein
• joint action required by said joint action means includes a plurality of different kinds of joint actions.

An electronic game for use with a processing apparatus having a graphical display and input means for receiving input from two players simultaneously, said game comprising:

• a) individual action means for requiring the two players to act individually at certain points in said game;
• and
• b) cooperative action means for requiring the two players to act cooperatively with each other at certain other points in said game, wherein
• cooperative action required by said cooperative action means includes at least one cooperative action selected from the group consisting of both players operating on the same object at the same time, each player operating on a different object at the same time, one player operating on a first object before the other player operates on said first object, one player accomplishing one task while the other player accomplishes another task, one player accomplishing a first task before the other player accomplishes a second task.

An electronic game for use with a processing apparatus having a graphical display and input means for receiving input from two players simultaneously, said game comprising:

• a) individual action means for requiring the two players to act individually at certain points in said game;
• and
• b) cooperative action means for requiring the two players to act cooperatively with each other at certain other points in said game, wherein
• neither player can complete the game without the other player also completing the game.