Head-to-head tilting surface game

A head-to-head tilting surface game, comprising:

• a playing surface tiltable along two orthogonal axes configured to support moving playing pieces thereon, said playing surface having a goal area;
• a first pair of controls disposed adjacent opposite peripheral edges of the playing surface along a first of the two orthogonal axes, each of said first pair of controls independently actuatable to result in a respective move signal;
• and
• a first mixer coupled between the first pair of controls and tilting surface to combine move signals from respective controls into a first axis tilt response and impart said first axis tilt response to the playing surface, whereby the playing pieces supported on the playing surface move responsive to the first axis tilt response imparted to the playing surface so that the playing pieces can be moved toward the goal area.

A method for tilting the playing surface of a game to influence movement of playing pieces on the playing surface, the method comprising:

• placing moveable playing pieces on a playing surface;
• receiving movement from a first actuator resulting in a first vector move signal;
• receiving movement from a second actuator resulting in a second vector move signal;
• summing the first and second vectors through a mixing unit;
• and
• imparting tilting movement to the playing surface in a magnitude proportional to the summation of the first and second vectors.

A game comprising:

• a playing surface over which one or more generally spherical elements are adapted to roll;
• a raised peripheral edge bounding said playing surface;
• a central zone within the playing surface serving as a goal to which the spherical elements are adapted to be guided during play of the game;
• a first set of two opposing actuators in common communication with a first mixer configured to tilt the playing surface along a first axis passing through a center of the playing surface;
• and
• a second set of two opposing actuators in common communication with a second mixer, independent of the first mixer, configured to tilt the playing surface along a second axis passing through a center of the playing surface, said second axis being orthogonal to the first,
• wherein each of the actuators can be used to oppose tilting caused by an opposing actuator within the same set.