Nintendo Patents Handheld with Swapable Slide Pad/Control Pad

Nintendo has filed a patent for a handheld console that features swapable slide pads and control pads. Here's a picture:



I think this is a cool idea, but if they actually use this in their next handheld, I hope it isn't the "main" feature and is just a cool addition. But I do think it'll be interesting, since some people would find it easier to switch them to different places. Also, it had double slide pads and double control pads in another image. (which I can't find now...)

Sounds like a neat concept, though we don't know how gameplay would be affected yet.

I'm thinking that the slide feature could be used for camera options in game myself; still it's an interesting idea.

Hopefully this 'idea' will be used & not ignored is my take. I'm sure Nintendo has patented a lot of stuff but never did anything with it.

^Not purposely though.
It costs money to patent things, you wan to follow through.


Not too interesting, still no important features announced yet.

@Luma and Jinx
Well, really, it does affect gameplay if you think about it. Maybe not directly in a certain game (unless some games come up with really creative ways to use it) but some people may like to have a control pad on one side, slide pad on the other;or slide pads on both sides of the handheld. So it really just depends on how you think about it.

@Queen
Yeah same here. But like Luma said, I'm sure they wouldn't purposely not make use of it, since patents do cost money, and they'd want to use something they patented. I do think it's one of the more unique ideas they've patented though, so I'd honestly be disappointed if it weren't used. XD

We might see something like this at E3 since IGN and VideoGamer have said that Nintendo may be showing new Hardware at E3. I also think that the slide feature could work like a camera like Yusei said.

What do you mean though? In what way could it work like a camera?

Zero Revolution wrote:What do you mean though? In what way could it work like a camera?

Well you know the added extra circular pad that you can purchase for certain games (like Kingdom Hearts)? It's mostly used in game as an extra added camera feature.

My thought is that for example: say you pop out the circle pad & then you could then use it in order to look around an area with the in game camera.

Ah okay, so like camera controls in an FPS (or any game for that matter) when the console has dual control sticks. (or circle pads in this case) I thought Yusei and Gameguy meant that it would work as an actual camera, and I had no idea where that was coming from. XD

Well usually the extra circle pad is used for in game camera's so that you're given the option to look around a little better. It'd be funny if Yusei & Gamebuy are right about what Nintendo is going to end up using the pop out feature for.