Trademarks News, Trademarks Features

New instalment in development at Rare?

Although it's not something that is likely to impact the production of a new Killer Instinct title for Nintendo consoles - the IP is owned by Rare (and, by extension, Microsoft) so that's not going to happen any time soon, sadly - but interesting news has filtered through about a possible new entry in the...

Better late than never

Europe's got two Inazuma Eleven games for DS but not the Wii entry Inazuma Eleven Strikers that came out in Japan in July 2011. Well, never say never, as Level-5's registered a trademark for the game in Europe. The Wii version follows the DS game's lead by blending football with RPG elements, but naturally with polygon...

Things are looking up

Remember when we brought you the first look at Keiji Inafune's Kaiyo: King of Pirates, the super-cute penguin pirate game coming to 3DS in Japan? Publisher Marvelous AQL just filed a trademark for the game's name in the West, strongly hinting at a release outside Japan. Siliconera spotted the trademark and reports that unlike most of Marvelous's trademark filings it also..

To what end?

Here's a curious one: Disney has just registered a trademark for Castle of Illusion that explicitly states it refers to video game cartridges, discs and software. Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse was a much-loved release back on the Mega Drive, and although it's unlikely this trademark could point towards the game's re-release...

Trademark application revealed

So far, Professor Layton and the Spectre's Flute has been Japan-only, but a recently-unearthed trademark application shows that the DS adventure will come to North America. Level-5 registered the trademark Professor Layton and the Last Specter recently, spotted by Siliconera, which all-but confirms the fourth DS game is coming to the West later this year. We'll bring..

Trademarks and ratings emerge

As if screaming "don't forget about me!", the humble Nintendo DS has given gamers a glimmer of hope that at least one more intriguing title will make it to the handheld; in Europe, at least. Namco Bandai recently trademarked Solatorobo: Red the Hunter, presumably a localised version of its currently Japan-only adventure game Solatorobo. Don't go getting too..

Darius Twin, and two Lufia games if you must know

If Taito's latest filings at the United States Patents and Trademarks Office are anything to go by, we might well see a number of its Super NES titles on their way to the Wii Shop Channel. Darius Twin, Lufia & The Fortress of Doom, and Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals have all had trademarks applied for recently, suggesting they might appear on..

Four more possible future retro releases

We only reported on a few potential Virtual Console games getting rated less than a week ago, but it's already time to report on even more of them. Since the last news post, the OFLC has rated two more classic titles which are very likely for Nintendo's beloved retro service, and in addition to that, we've been digging through trademark sites to come up with..

Possible software titles pop up too

It's not uncommon for companies to register trademarks for potential names of products and services, and whilst most will disappear into the mist of time, never to be used, a select few actually will. We'll leave it to you to decide if the latest Nintendo trademarks hit the spot. That is, until their potential use. We know the company plans to offer 3DS gamers..

Though we doubt you're bored of DQIX yet

In January this year, Japanese DS owners rejoiced at being able to buy yet another Dragon Quest game in the form of Dragon Quest VI, a conversion of the Super Famicom original that never saw release outside the Land of the Rising Sun. It seems the DS remake won't suffer the same fate though, if a recently-discovered set of trademark filings is to be..

But why, when the 3DS name isn't final?

One day it's possibly leaked testing hardware, the next it's a list of trademarks: the Internet Rumour Mill is operating at full steam ahead these days. According to a list discovered by forum members over at NeoGAF, Nintendo has registered trademarks including DSMovie, DSMagazine and DSCinema. The most interesting of these is of course 3DSWare, which points..

A new trademark registered in Japan is fuelling speculation on the internet

Silicon Era has reported that a new trademark registration has appeared in the Japanese trademark database for the word "Zii." Nintendo submitted the application on the 30th of October, though there's no indication of what it's for. It could be trying to block the sale of any more Wii wannabes trying to cash using..

New trademark application in the US suggests so.

There are some combinations in the world that just seem natural: fish and chips, ham and eggs, plumbers and magical kingdoms. Chief amongst all these blessed unions is that of monkeys and balls, but even that holiest of pairings could get even better if the newly-uncovered trademark application for "Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll" lives..