Interactive game and associated wireless toy

An interactive game for entertaining one or more game participants wherein at least a portion of said game is experienced in a physical play environment through one or more physical effects and wherein at least a portion of said game is experienced in a virtual play environment through one or more computer-animated effects, said interactive game comprising:

• non-transitory storage that stores executable program instructions configured to, when executed, direct a game control system to produce a virtual play environment comprising one or more computer-animated effects in accordance with a first game experience carried out in said virtual play environment;
• a wireless gaming device configured to produce one or more physical effects comprising at least one of a lighting effect, a sound effect or a vibration effect, in accordance with a second game experience carried out in a physical play environment, and further comprising a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to provide two-way wireless communication with one or more wireless-compatible devices;
• and
• a portable wireless toy comprising:
• i) a toy body configured to be held, moved and positioned selectively by a game participant, ii) a unique identification number configured to uniquely identify said portable wireless toy, and iii) a second RF transceiver configured to provide two-way wireless communication with at least said first RF transceiver,
• wherein said wireless gaming device is further configured to communicatively interface with said game control system and wherein said executable program instructions are further configured to, when executed, enable a game participant to use said portable wireless toy to selectively activate or control said one or more physical effects in said physical play environment and said one or more computer-animated effects in said virtual play environment based at least in part on said one or more wireless communications exchanged between said first RF transceiver and said second RF transceiver.

A wireless toy and associated wireless gaming device for entertaining one or more game participants playing a game using a compatible gaming platform, and wherein a first portion of said game is conducted in a physical play environment through physical interaction with one or more physical toys and wherein a second portion of said game is conducted in a virtual play environment through one or more computer-animated effects provided by said compatible gaming platform, said toy and gaming device comprising:

• a wireless gaming device comprising:
• i) a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to provide two-way wireless communication of game-relevant information with one or more wireless-compatible devices, and ii) a communication interface configured to communicate game-relevant information to and from said compatible gaming platform;
• and
• a portable wireless toy comprising:
• i) a toy body configured to be held, moved and positioned selectively by a game participant within said physical play environment, ii) a unique identification number uniquely identifying said portable wireless toy, and iii) a second RF transceiver configured to provide two-way wireless communication of game-relevant information with at least said first RF transceiver,
• wherein said wireless gaming device or said portable wireless toy is configured to display at least one lighting effect based at least in part on one or more wireless communications exchanged between said first RF transceiver and said second RF transceiver.

A wireless toy configured to enable a game participant to play a game using a wireless-compatible computerized gaming platform, wherein a first portion of said game is conducted in a physical play environment through physical interaction with one or more physical toys and wherein a second portion of said game is conducted in a virtual play environment through one or more computer-animated effects provided by said computerized gaming platform, said wireless toy comprising:

• a portable body configured to be held, moved and positioned selectively by a game participant within said physical play environment to interact with a game carried out in a virtual play environment by said wireless-compatible computerized gaming platform, said wireless-compatible computerized gaming platform comprising:
• i) a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to provide two-way wireless communication of game-relevant information with one or more wireless-compatible devices, and ii) a first effects generator configured to produce one or more computer-animated effects within said virtual play environment based at least in part on said wireless communication of game-relevant information;
• a unique identification number uniquely identifying said wireless toy;
• a second RF transceiver configured to provide two-way wireless communication of game-relevant information with at least said first RF transceiver and wherein said game-relevant information comprises at least said unique identification number;
• and
• a second effects generator configured to produce at least one human-perceptible effect within said physical play environment.