Nintendo is a company, due to its focus on creativity in recent generations, that registers plenty of patents for potential products. While they may not all become a reality, they give a fascinating insight into current priorities and concepts that are doing the rounds within the big N's Kyoto HQ.
An interesting patent that's just emerged from the US Patent and Trademark Office, though was actually registered in Japan in March 2013, is for what appears to be a standalone Pokémon-themed system. You can see a rough diagram below.
As you can see it only has two face buttons and its own screen, while the application highlights the ability of the device to read NFC figurines and smart cards to input characters, rather like the upcoming amiibo range for Wii U (and eventually 3DS). This wouldn't be the first standalone Pokémon gadget, with this bringing to mind a modern day and far more advanced Pokémon Mini, as one example.
Although the patent shows generic animals, Nintendo, Ambrella (a company with a history in the franchise) and The Pokémon Company are listed on the application. This would also make sense in the context of Nintendo's stated goals of maximising its IP and exploring additional products and platforms if required. We can only imagine how a standalone Pokémon device with collectible figurines and compatible cards could set the market alight.
Would you be excited by a product like this if it were to become a reality? Let us know in the comments below.
Thanks to Benson Uii for the heads up.
[source uk.ign.com, via neogaf.com]
Comments 42
That's an oddball.
Are those Pokémon? :l
Wow
Interesting. Well they already have a ton of Pokemon figurines, they might as well be NFC compatible. I enjoyed collecting the figures as a kid and I still have some of them for my nephew to play with.
That is genius.
I think someone at Nintendo took 3DS being a "200 dollar Pokemon machine" a little too seriously lol
Just make a Metroid game already! Pokemon is not my thing but I'm sure this intrigues many fans.
@C-Olimar Very rare I see you having a positive comment about anything. Must be a good patent indeed.
@shigulicious Think Metroid can sit out for more. Need more Pokemon.
This looks like they could turn this into an Pokemon Amia or something. Not really sure.
B/c having both a Wii U Gamepad and new 3DS with NFC aren't enough, they need to start marketing a whole new console? And developing all new games to run on a new system? They can't even take the time to update their 3DS $15 Pokedex Pro to include the X and Y Pokemon but they are going to work on this? Just make an app and sell the NFC Pokemon, but next year most tablets will probably have NFC built in, no need for new hardware or a new OS. They REALLY should have put NFC into the 2DS, the thing is less than a year old, they must have already been working on amiibo when they were working on it.
If the Boss man asks, yes I am a mad bro.
Though of course it and all 700 Pokemon will sell, but why splinter the market - and the companies R & D resource time and money - even more? Gamepad, new 3DS, tablets, who needs another gadget?
Are you sure that's Pokèmon?
@rjejr Cause why not take a risk and see where it goes. Maybe it'll be a flop but that's still a learning experience.
Pokemon Mini 3
It's just a patent, Nintendo could apply this to something else (its next console/handheld) or it may never see the light of day.
Hmmm, that doesn't look like a pokédex to me.
Something is very, VERY wrong with that drawing.
Generation VII designs so far are looking very unoriginal.
@ModestFan93 I only write honest comments.
I've looked at my profile and most recent comments are either positive or mainstream (eg boo capcom for no Resi on Wii U).
If you choose to only see the negative in people that's your problem.
Dang those new Pokémon are lookin' fresh...
Pokelanders anyone?
Pikachu has never looked mousier.
This looks like a Gameboy tablet, with just two buttons and a D pad. Still this could apply to any of their current systems as both will support NFC.
@ModestFan93 - I wouldn't mind so much if Wii U were doing better, and smartphones weren't such a threat to their handhelds, though I suppose the ole' - don't put your eggs all in one basket - could apply to new hardware as well. But I think announcing a game like this for Wii U could turn that around and we could start getting better 3rd party support. An dth epicture kind of looks like a 2DS. How much cheaper could a Pokemon only system be to justify not putting it on 2DS? Or "new 2DS"?
Yawn. Still waiting to see a use of TTL that makes sense in the context of the game world and feel immersive, rather than being slapped on. Skylanders had it in the first game, lost it after. Considering amiibo doesn't have that and pretty much every other TTL game doesn't, I'm not hopeful, but maybe that's me being a cynic because I'm annoyed this morning.
looks cool
These Pokemon need to be a one-character group in Smash Bros. Would be my favorite character
dat level design tho.
how quickly we forget that nintendo released pokemon rumble U that actually included NFC mini figures. about 25 of them. and it also worked with "smart cards" as well. you put the mini NFC or a random smart card like credit card or in my personal case my ticket to last years comic con on wii U game pad, and it added that pokemon to the game to assist you in mid game play. (foreshadowing of amiibo figures). I have the main 18 figures.
Maybe this is the new hardware that Nintendo is planning to release in emerging markets.
@VolcanoFlamesNL Yes. Gen VII.
Ninrendo would lose all credibility with me if they release this
@rjejr
The only games Abrella has worked on were Hey You, Pikachu!, Pokemon Channel, Pokemon Dash, Pokemon Ranch, and the Rumble series.
I think @Thomas is right about it being more like the Pokemon Mini, so it'd probably be priced more like the older Leapster tablets. Those go for $70 and the games retail for $24 and under. It could even be apart of their QoL thing. Not sure what the Pokemon Minis went for, but they did sell along-side the Gameboy Color. Those were around $100 like the 2DS.
Elephantmon, Ratmon, Squidmon and Turtlemon confirmed!!
Pokémon Infinity
Given Ambrella is kind of a training studio I guess being given their own console means they can explore more genres. On the other hand it means noting of note is lost.
A thing to bear in mind is patents don't always lead to reality. Take that weird seat thing,...
@Zombie_Barioth - "Those go for $70"
The 2DS, while MSRP at $129, always seems to be on sale for $99. So is a 1 trick Pokemon machine worth $70 when you can get all the 3DS has to offer for $99? I just don't see how Nintendo can make something more child friendly and cheaper than the 2DS already is, yet still have it be worth a purchase.
Pretty cool stuff. I browsed through the other images on the patent page, and it looks like it is definitely Pokemon related. They talk about capturing animals, trading and battling them, and allude to a Pokedex also.
They also show stats for some of the animals and have them lined up similar to how your party is setup in a typical Pokemon game.
I'm curious to see if this becomes anything down the road.
It looks like a "Game & Watch". I hope those things are revived as I was born a generation after them.
@rjejr
I think the idea is that they can make softeware thats simpler and much cheaper than the MSRP of 3DS games, without disrupting the current retail model or flooding the platform with casual or kid's games.
Knowing how Nintendo handles handheld tech they could probably manage to knock the price down to $50-$60. Your right the 2DS is often $99, but thats the retailer's sale, so they could be taking a $30 hit for each sold. Nintendo isn't so keen on taking such a loss. I'm gonna try to see if I can find what the Pokemon-Mini sold for, that'd be better than just guessing. Besides, now I'm curious, and a bit nostalgic thanks to OR/AS.
edit
Accoring to Eurogamer it was £39.99, I couldn't find a US price but thats $51.82 converted. The games were £14.99/$19.92. They were more like V-pets in build quality and design, black and white and ran on AAA batteries. Nintendo also partnered with SEGA for the Pico edutainment systems, so that could be what this is if its in the $70-$139 range.
Please let this become real Nintendo omg.
@BLPs This patent is just them registering the process that they used for NFC in Pokémon Rumble U. Every single thing about it is identical to how they run it. However, as that wasn't a much used game, people jumped on this news as if it was a breaking thing.
While they may use the contents of the patent again, what it's for already exists.
@namtab78 You are correct. That is exactly what this patent is for.
@Serebii... I just wish that more people played it. this is the kind of thing that can make or break a console. I for one will continue to love the idea and when Amiibo comes out, i'll be buying my figures as well. they look amazing.
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