Game machine system including game machine for playing a self-contained game or, used as a terminal, a game conducted by a remote game machine

A game system comprising:

• a first game machine for playing at least one competition game in which a character is a participant, said first game machine comprising a first game memory containing a first program for said at least one competition game;
• a second game machine, remote from said first game machine, comprising:
• a game memory containing a second program for playing a non-competition game, in a first operational mode;
• a character memory for storing information describing a character;
• a display for displaying said character;
• character raising means for making changes to said character in a manner indicating an increased probability of the character winning as a participant in said at least one competition game, when the result of the non-competition game is a predetermined hit;
• communication means for communicating information, including the changed character, to said first game machine for, in a second operational mode, playing the at least one competition game by interaction with said machine in accordance with said first program;
• and
• input means for, in said first operational mode, inputting information into said second game machine for playing said non-competition game in accordance with said second program, and for, in said second operational mode, inputting information into said first game machine via said communication means for playing said at least one competition game in accordance with the first program.