Nintendo filed 6 patents across 4 categories: Hardware (3), Game Engines (1), Networking (1), and UI/UX (1).
The Hardware patents describe modular controller concepts with magnetic button attachments and a Ring-Con-style accessory that detects physical forces through elastic deformation. On the software side, the Game Engines patent covers a cooldown skip mechanic using secondary resources in turn-based combat, while the Networking patent addresses session management that balances active players and spectators in online multiplayer. The UI/UX patent details a camera system that transitions between first-person and third-person perspectives when players enter or exit vehicles.
The Game Engines patent introduces a resource management system that lets players bypass ability cooldowns in turn-based combat. Instead of waiting for a timer to expire, players can spend from a separate resource pool to activate abilities immediately. The system includes UI elements that show both the cooldown state and whether enough secondary resource remains available to force the ability into use.
Nintendo's Networking patent tackles the challenge of managing limited slots in online multiplayer sessions that support both active players and spectators. The system allows users to switch fluidly between participating and watching across multiple concurrent sessions, preserving their operator status when they temporarily view other games. When a session hits capacity, the system applies heuristics based on factors like viewing duration or contribution history to determine which spectators get removed first.
Three Hardware patents explore magnetic attachment mechanisms for controllers. One describes buttons that magnetically attach to a console body via rails, with the magnetic connection itself influencing button behavior by changing resistance or height depending on attachment state. Another patent covers an accessory that attaches magnetically over a controller's surface, allowing users to press the underlying buttons through the attachment without direct contact. The third details a ring-shaped controller accessory with strain gauges that measure squeeze and pull forces, connecting to standard controllers through a rail system to capture analog physical input.
The UI/UX patent addresses camera transitions when players move between walking and riding vehicles. The system automatically aligns the character's facing direction with the camera's view angle when dismounting, preventing jarring perspective shifts. It also determines which direction a vehicle faces when the player boards, based on whether movement input is being applied at that moment, and enables object scanning functionality while mounted.