Game apparatus

A game apparatus for challenging a game player's ability to perform a manipulation input to the game apparatus, comprising:

• an apparatus body;
• a manipulation input unit, provided on the apparatus body, which accepts an external physical manipulation by the game player to make progress on a game;
• a manipulation guide unit, also provided on the apparatus body, which provides a guidance of prompting the game player to perform the external physical manipulation with the manipulation input unit;
• a movement mechanism unit which provides a positional displacement to the game apparatus with respect to a game player's position in such a manner that said manipulation input unit together with said manipulation guide unit and said apparatus body are movable independent of the game player's position, wherein said positional displacement serves to challenge the game player's ability to apply the external physical manipulation to the manipulation guide unit;
• a drive control section which controls the drive of said movement mechanism unit;
• and
• a control instruction section which generates a given drive control instruction during game play and outputting the generated drive control instruction to said drive control section.

A game apparatus, comprising:

• an apparatus body;
• a manipulation input unit configured to accept an external manipulation to effect game progress, said manipulation unit being fixed to the apparatus body;
• a manipulation guide unit provided on the apparatus body and configured so as to be operable to prompt a game player to perform a particular manipulation input with the manipulation input unit;
• a movement mechanism unit configured to move the apparatus body as a whole without moving the game player, movement of the game apparatus being independent of position and/or motion of the game player, wherein the player's ability to respond to said prompt and perform said external manipulation is challenged by timing said movement of the game apparatus with said prompt;
• a drive control section configured to control drive of said movement mechanism unit;
• and
• a control instruction section configured to generate a given drive control instruction during game play and to output the given drive control instruction to said drive control section.

A game apparatus which travels along a floor upon which the game apparatus is positioned, wherein position of the game apparatus is not coupled to game player position, the apparatus comprising:

• a base portion;
• a movement mechanism unit at the base portion which effects positional displacement of the game apparatus as a whole along the floor independent of the game player's position;
• a drive control section which controls drive of said movement mechanism unit;
• a control instruction section which generates a given drive control instruction during game play and outputting the generated drive control instruction to said drive control section;
• a top portion;
• a turnable support mechanism which moves the top portion relative to the base portion;
• a top portion motion control section which generates a given control during game play responded to by the turnable support mechanism to effect said moving of the top portion relative to the base portion to increase level of difficulty of game play;
• a manipulation input unit at the base portion which accepts an external manipulation from the game player in the course of a game;
• a manipulation guide unit at the top portion which provides visual guidance during game play prompting the game player to perform a manipulation input at said manipulation input unit;
• and
• wherein moving of the top portion relative to the base portion by the turnable support mechanism may be effected concurrently with the positional displacement of the game apparatus as a whole by the movement mechanism unit at the base portion.