Game processing

1. Game processing apparatus comprising:

an indication generator operable to generate an indication of a sequence of target actions to be executed by a user;

a detector operable to detect user actions executed by said user;

comparison logic operable to compare said target actions with said user actions to determine whether said target actions have been successfully completed by said user actions; and

scoring logic operable in a scoring mode and a non-scoring mode, said scoring logic being operable:

(a) in said non-scoring mode, to count a first pattern comprising a first plurality of successive target actions that have been successfully completed, as determined by said comparison logic, said scoring logic entering a scoring mode upon detection of said first pattern, said count being reset to zero by a target action not successfully completed; and

(b) in said scoring mode, to count a second pattern comprising a second plurality of successive target actions that have been successfully completed, as determined by said comparison logic, said count being reset to zero by a target action successfully completed, said scoring logic entering said non-scoring mode upon detection of said second pattern;

in which said scoring logic is operable to generate a score for said user in respect of each user action representing successful completion of a target action, only when said scoring logic is in said scoring mode, said score being dependent upon said determination by said comparison logic.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , in which said first pattern comprises a first predetermined threshold number of successive target actions that have been successfully completed and said second pattern comprises a second predetermined threshold number of successive target actions that have not been successfully completed.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 , in which said first predetermined threshold is greater than said second predetermined threshold.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 , in which:

said target actions comprise said user making and/or not making target sounds;

said user actions comprise said user making and/or not making sounds; and

said detector comprises a microphone.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 , in which said indication comprises an indication of one or more words to be spoken by said user, said words corresponding to said target sounds.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 , in which one or more of said target sounds comprises a fricative sound and/or a glottal sound.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 , in which said target actions have associated target time periods of execution, said comparison logic determining whether one of said target actions has been successfully completed by one of said user actions in dependence upon whether said one of said user actions is detected within said target time period associated with said one of said target actions.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 , operable to vary said predetermined time period in dependence upon a game level.

9. Apparatus according to claim 2 , operable to vary said first predetermined threshold or said second predetermined threshold in dependence upon a game level.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:

a reader operable to read data stored on a storage medium when said storage medium is associated with said reader, said data defining said target actions.

11. A method of game processing comprising:

providing a processor, said processor coupled with a storage device, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform steps of:

an indication generating step to generate an indication of a sequence of target actions to be executed by a user;

a detection step to detect user actions executed by said user;

a comparison step to compare said target actions with said user actions to determine whether said target actions have been successfully completed by said user actions; and

a scoring step including—scoring logic operable in a scoring mode and a non-scoring mode, said scoring logic being operable:

(a) in said non-scoring mode, to count a first pattern comprising a first plurality of successive target actions that have been successfully completed as determined by said comparison step, and to enter a scoring mode upon detection of said first pattern, said count being reset to zero by a target action not successfully completed; and

(b) in said scoring mode, to count a second pattern comprising a second plurality of successive target actions that have been successfully completed as determined by said comparison step, said count being reset to zero by a target action successfully completed, and to enter said non-scoring mode upon detection of said second pattern;

in which said scoring step generates a score for said user in respect of each user action representing successful completion of a target action, only when said scoring step is in said scoring mode, said score being dependent upon said determination by said comparison step.