Video game systems and methods including moving the protected character based with the movement of unprotected game character(s)

A video game system comprising:

• an input device;
• and
• a processing system that executes a multi-player video game program in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a scrolling-type game world displayed on a display screen, the video game program being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising instructions for:
• receiving inputs supplied by each player to the respective input device for controlling movements and actions of the corresponding game character;
• receiving a first predetermined input supplied by one of the players to the respective input device;
• in response to the first predetermined input, protecting the one player's game character from harm in the game world;
• moving the protected game character based on the scrolling/non-scrolling state of the game world in accordance with the movement of one or more unprotected game characters;
• and
• stopping the protecting of the one player's game character in response to one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the game character is again controllable by the one player in response to inputs to the respective input device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having encoded therein program instructions for a multi-player video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a scrolling-type game world displayed on a display screen, the instructions comprising instructions for:

• receiving inputs supplied by each player to the respective input device for controlling movements and actions of the corresponding game character;
• receiving a first predetermined input supplied by one of the players to the respective input device;
• in response to the first predetermined input, protecting the one player's game character from harm in the game world;
• moving the protected game character based on the scrolling/non-scrolling state of the game world in accordance with the movement of one or more unprotected game characters;
• and
• stopping the protecting of the one player's game character in response to one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the game character is again controllable by the one player in response to inputs to the respective input device.

A video game apparatus for a multi-player video game program in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a scrolling-type game world displayed on a display screen, the video game apparatus comprising:

• an input receiving unit for receiving input signals corresponding to inputs supplied by each player to the respective input device for controlling movements and actions of the corresponding game character and for receiving a first predetermined input signal corresponding to a first predetermined input supplied by one of the players to the respective input device;
• a game character protecting unit for protecting the one player's game character from harm in the game world in response to the first predetermined input;
• a movement control unit for moving the protected game character based on the scrolling/non-scrolling state of the game world in accordance with the movement of one or more unprotected game characters;
• and
• a protecting stopping unit for stopping the protecting of the one player's game character in response to one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the game character is again controllable by the one player in response to inputs to the respective input device.