Rotating cube computer video games

A programmable computer programmed to display a game on a cube which, during play of said game, is manipulated in three dimensions on a display associated with said programmable computer, comprising:

• a display generator which generates on said display a display image of said cube and an image of said game superimposed on said cube;
• means for rotating said cube to respective faces during play of said game;
• data arrays which store data created during play of said game in such a manner that certain data on a first face of said cube is related to certain data on a second face of said cube which shares a common edge with said first face, whereby play of said game is continuous around said common edge separating said first and second faces of said cube;
• and
• means for simulating stretching of said cube during rotation of said cube so that said cube appears to said user to rotate as a sphere.

A programmable computer programmed to display a game on a cube which, during play of said game, is manipulated using a pointer device in three dimensions on a display associated with said programmable computer, comprising:

• a display generator which generates on said display a display image of said cube and an image of said game superimposed on said cube;
• an icon, separate from said cube, with arrows indicating respective directions of rotation, whereby user selection of said arrows with said pointer device causes said cube to rotate to respective faces during play of said game, said icon further including a center portion indicating the color of the face of the cube currently facing the user;
• and
• data arrays which store data created during play of said game in such a manner that certain data on a first face of said cube is related to certain data on a second face of said cube which shares a common edge with said first face, whereby play of said game is continuous around said common edge separating said first and second faces of said cube.

A computer readable memory for use by a computer to control play of a crossword game on a cube which, during play of said crossword game, is manipulated in three dimensions on a display associated with said computer, said memory comprising:

• means for generating on said display a display image of said cube and an image of said crossword game superimposed on said cube such that first and second faces of said cube are divided into a plurality of squares and a number of said plurality of squares are adapted to receive a letter during completion of a three-dimensional crossword puzzle during play of said crossword game, said first face of said cube sharing a common edge with said second face of said cube;
• icon generating means for generating on said display an icon, separate from said cube, with arrows indicating respective directions of rotation, whereby user selection of said arrows with said pointer device causes said cube to rotate to respective faces of said cube during play of said crossword game;
• and
• storing means for storing data created during play of said crossword game in such a manner that certain data on said first face of said cube is related to certain data on said second face of said cube, whereby play of said crossword game is continuous around said common edge separating said first and second faces of said cube.

A computer readable memory for use by a computer to control play of a game on a cube which, during play of said game, is manipulated in three dimensions on a display associated with said computer, said memory comprising:

• means for generating on said display a display image of said cube and an image of said game superimposed on said cube;
• means for rotating said cube to respective faces during play of said game;
• storing means for storing data created during play of said game in such a manner that certain data on a first face of said cube is related to certain data on a second face of said cube which shares a common edge with said first face, whereby play of said game is continuous around said common edge separating said first and second faces of said cube;
• and
• means for simulating stretching of said cube during rotation of said cube so that said cube appears to said user to rotate as a sphere.

A computer readable memory for use by a computer to control play of a game on a cube which, during play of said game, is manipulated in three dimensions on a display associated with said computer, said memory comprising:

• means for generating on said display a display image of said cube and an image of said game superimposed on said cube;
• icon generating means for generating on said display an icon, separate from said cube, with arrows indicating respective directions of rotation, whereby user selection of said arrows with said pointer device causes said cube to rotate to respective faces during play of said game, said icon further including a center portion indicating the color of the face of the cube currently facing the user;
• and
• storing means for storing data created during play of said game in such a manner that certain data on a first face of said cube is related to certain data on a second face of said cube which shares a common edge with said first face, whereby play of said game is continuous around said common edge separating said first and second faces of said cube.

A method of playing a crossword game on a cube displayed on a video display, comprising the steps of:

• generating on said video display a display image of said cube and an image of said crossword game superimposed on said cube such that first and second faces of said cube are divided into a plurality of squares and a number of said plurality of squares are adapted to receive a letter during completion of a three-dimensional crossword puzzle during play of said crossword game and such that said first face of said cube share a common edge with said second face of said cube;
• selectively rotating said cube to respective faces of said cube during play of said crossword game by selecting one of a plurality of arrows of an icon which is separate from said cube, said icon indicating respective directions of rotation of said cube;
• selectively entering game data into two-dimensional arrays corresponding to each face of said cube during play of said crossword game;
• and
• storing said game data in such a manner that certain data on said first face of said cube is related to certain data on said second face of said cube, whereby play of said crossword game is continuous around said common edge separating said first and second faces of said cube.

A method of playing a game on a cube displayed on a video display, comprising the steps of:

• generating on said video display a display image of said cube and an image of said game superimposed on said cube;
• selectively rotating said cube to respective faces during play of said game;
• selectively entering game data into two-dimensional arrays corresponding to each face of said cube during play of said game;
• storing said game data in such a manner that certain data on a first face of said cube is related to certain data on a second face of said cube which shares a common edge with said first face, whereby play of said game is continuous around said common edge separating said first and second faces of said cube;
• and
• simulating stretching of said cube during rotation of said cube so that said cube appears to said user to rotate as a sphere.