One player air cushion table game with improved puck capture mechanism

Abstract

An air cushion table game includes a barrier for deflecting a puck during the play of the game when the barrier is in the down position and for capturing the puck by permitting said puck to pass under the barrier when the barrier is up at the end of the game. A plurality of targets are located at the goal end of the game. The player attempts to accumulate as large a score as possible by striking the targets at the goal end of the game with a puck driven by a striker. A coin or token operated mechanism initiates the play of the game. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the game has four illuminated target areas each of which includes an LED/photosensor for sensing whether or not the illuminated area is hit by a puck. Alternatively, the game may comprise three targets each of which is randomly illuminated by a pair of red and green lights. Green illumination indicates that target will provide a positive value whereas a red light indicates that the player will decrease his or her cumulative score. The score is indicated on a scoreboard in the form of a volcano having progressive fields or bands starting at the bottom and going toward the top. A prize dispenser dispenses a prize or ticket to the player depending upon the cumulative score achieved when the play of the game has ended.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.