
Nintendo has filed a new patent in the US, one that could take co-operative play and local multiplayer and inject it with that classic Nintendo sense of innovation. The patent, which was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on 12th April, describes a game system with, “a plurality of information processing apparatuses that are capable of communicating with each other.”
In other words, it would use two separate screens - potentially running on two separate devices - where the actions on one screen would be replicated on the other, with information being shared seamlessly between the two. The patent even shows one object being sent from one screen to the other, while another example sees the movement of one screen creating momentum on the other.
With Switch selling as well as it is at the moment, it seems unlikely this concept will be introduced anytime soon, but it's an exciting potential feature for future hardware. It's also not the first time Nintendo has filed a rather peculiar patent...
Let us know what you make of it in the comments sections below and share your thoughts with the NL community below...
[source digitaltrends.com, via pdfaiw.uspto.gov]
Comments 42
So.... they filed a patent for the DS in 2018?
Also this, from 6 years ago in 2012.
I don't see how this is new or original? Surely they won't grant this due to prior art.
Nintendo Dual Switches ??
@Anti-Matter *Nintendo DS
😂 I had to
Hmm... This could be the next evolution for the DS. I imagine playing with 2 4'' touch screens attached and then detaching them and giving one to a friend to play multiplayer. Kinda like the joy con.
I thought phones were already capable of doing that. I definitely saw a two player pong played this way long ago.
First thought was of the old Game & Watch multiscreen, but then I thought “isn’t this just the same as any other handheld multiplayer game”?
Like playing 2-player Double Dragon or Street Fighter on the OG Game Boy?!?
“ The patent even shows one object being sent from one screen to the other” - isn’t that just trading in Pokemon?!?
Perhaps this could be a concept for a potential upgraded Switch? Heck, maybe even a 1DS if Nintendo decides to actually continue with that line of systems, even though it'd be kind of odd considering the Switch being in the spotlight right now and such.
@rjejr Yes But They Might Be Touch Screens
@EpicGamenator They Might Be Giant Touch Screens
DS had a touchscreen.
This could be brilliant for tabletop gaming!
@SmaggTheSmug @gaga64
This patent goes far beyond that. Let's say a ball rolling from one screen to another: With this patent the screens do know the relative position they have to each other so if the ball on screen 1 rolls forward through the middle of the screen and the second screen is aligned at an angle, the ball would roll into that screen diagonaly at the correct angle.
Secondly, if you move a finger across one touchscreen and the other screen, the 2 devices communicate and notice that this is indeed one continuous move.
Those are things already existing systems can't do. These are also quite a few more pictures with such examples, you can look up in the patent, of you want.
Nintendo is integrating the 3DS into the Switch system.
The 3DS + Switch = Triple screens. Now you are playing with power.
@Kirgo Thank you for knowing what you're talking about.
To add a bit on what I explained before: The patent also doesn't limit it to 2 screen. In fact there are also examples of 4 screen being used together like this.
@Kirgo ok, that makes more sense, thanks
@Kirgo The idea of different devices knowing their orientation to other connected devices is not new. Sifteo Cubes did it but it didn't take off.
@SmaggTheSmug Yeah, it was called Dual
I don't get it....isn't this what Switch....already does?
This is clearly an accessory for the Switch.
The question is why would you physically link the two?
This isn't a new patent, we've seen this before
This looks like a patent for a game that would be used on two switches. Not a new system.
@davidmk4 That........ is brilliant wow
@rjejr It Had Only One
might b an interesting way to share pokemon in person
I'm guessing this is a patent related to the Switch, but who knows? Maybe it's also a patent for the 2SDS (2D Side DS)
I don't see how they couldn't implement this into the Switch. Two people have the same game. Player 1 clicks on the screen 1 option, Player 2 clicks on the screen 2 option. Connect the screens in a way that makes sense, and go from there. Not at all difficult to implement. Could even expand it to four screens or more if they wanted to.
Probably just a patent to protect an idea, not implemented anytime soon if ever. But here's my negative comment, QUIT TRYING TO CONSTANTLY INNOVATE AND MAKE NEW WAYS TO PLAY. JUST. PUT. OUT. GAMES. FIRST. INNOVATE ALONGSIDE THAT, not in place of. These last 6 month have been abysmal for being a Switch owner over the age of 12. Hoping this is the last WiiU style drought Nintendo puts us thru - excited for Dankey this week, but cmon.
Nintendo Only DS? No buttons, just duel screens. XD
Epic shrug
@Dang69 It's not exactly the job of the game developers to develop new hardware ideas (not to such a degree at the very very least), so they are of course not doing one thing instead of the other.
@Radbot42 Well, the way this patent idea works is more free form than that.
The exact position and angle of the screens relative to each other are important here, and you would need quite a few sensors to be able to implement that. Especially since this is supposed to work over a distance as well.
Besides that, the patent also already mentions the possibility of using more than two screens.
EDIT: Could still be implemented in the Switch of course, maybe with some kind of addon or in a more basic way.
@BumpkinRich To be honest, I had never heard of Sifteo Cubes before.
Seems way more basic than what is described in this patent though.
For example, you can also do stuff like this:
https://c.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/nintendo-multi-screen-patent-0-980x620.jpg
or even at a distance:
https://c.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/nintendo-multi-screen-patent-7-623x720.jpg
The patent also shows way more pictures and of course descriptions if someone is interested:
https://bit.ly/2v8OoUm
Doesn't seem anywhere near as useful as the Switch to be honest, I really don't feel a need to purchase yet another Nintendo handheld for a while, and by that I mean a long time.
@SmaggTheSmug Yeah there is all kinds of phone games that let you do that sort of thing.
I don't see why this feature couldn't be integrated into the Switch. Wouldn't it just use the local wireless to do it?
Here's a better idea why don't put focus into online multiplayer games insted? then making another system with two screens, the Wii U had two screens and it was basically pointless.
As for another DS that's old news, just work on the online systems Nintendo.
@Heavyarms55 There is more to it than just communicating.
I've tried to explain it in comment #13 and #38.
@ClassSonicSatAm Who said they are making another system with two screens? It's just a patent, for all we know they might not even use it at all... Besides, it isn't even limited to two screens.
Might even be a later feature they somehow integrate into the Switch, who knows?
Just a new 2ds compatible with other devices including switch (like Chomecast, PC, Phone, tablet etc.) and a detachable screen...?
@Kirgo Agreed - but there is precedent at Nintendo of people doing both, or being in charge of divisions that cover both (read up on Nintendo R&D1, they did the Gameboy hardware and developed Metroid, etc). But more importantly, there's company resources in general that can get tied up in the hardware, then subsequent software that needs to be developed for said new hardware. That's more of what I meant.
In Super Mario Party?
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