Nintendo is known for its continuous innovation in the gaming industry. After a successful year in 2023, the company has recently revealed new patents that have sparked excitement among gamers. These patents, however, seem to focus on mechanics that we are already familiar with in games such as Super Mario Bros. Wonder and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The timing of these patents is interesting, as they were submitted earlier in the year but only made publicly available towards the end of 2023. Let’s take a closer look at these patents and what they could mean for the future of these beloved game franchises.
One of the patents that has caught the attention of gamers is related to Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s ‘Ghost’ mechanic in multiplayer mode. This patent was originally submitted in August 2023 and outlines the game’s respawn feature. According to the patent, a downed player can attempt to make contact with an item, such as another character or a standee, to come back to life. The patent suggests that the ‘ghost’ mechanic allows the player to take control of a temporary character until they reach an acceptable respawn point. This mechanic is familiar to anyone who has played Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s multiplayer mode, but the patent provides a legal definition for it. This patent has the potential to protect the unique gameplay feature and prevent other developers from copying it.
Another patent that has been made public focuses on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Ultrahand ability. This is not the first patent related to Tears of the Kingdom that Nintendo has submitted, but it further expands on the unique mechanics of the game. The patent, which was made public in December 2023, discusses an information processing system that improves usability when connecting virtual objects to generate an object made up of multiple virtual objects. In simpler terms, this patent relates to the mechanic in Tears of the Kingdom where players can select one item and move it close to another to ‘glue’ them together and act as one. With this patent, Nintendo aims to protect the innovative gameplay mechanic and ensure that it remains unique to Tears of the Kingdom.
While these patents may seem like Nintendo is trying to create a monopoly on these gameplay mechanics, it is important to understand that patents in the gaming industry often focus on the specific implementation of a feature rather than the mechanic itself. This means that other developers can still create similar mechanics with their own unique twists. The patents serve as a way for Nintendo to protect their inventions and prevent direct copies of their games.
Nintendo’s continuous innovation and dedication to creating unique gaming experiences are evident in these recent patents. They showcase the company’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in gaming. While some may criticize Nintendo for patenting mechanics that already exist, it is essential to celebrate their efforts in creating new and exciting gameplay features. These patents give us a glimpse into what we can expect from future Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda games, and hopefully, they will inspire other developers to come up with their own innovative mechanics.
Nintendo’s latest patents for Super Mario Bros. Wonder and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom highlight the company’s dedication to ongoing innovation. While these patents may concern mechanics that we are already familiar with, they provide legal protection for these unique gameplay features. As gamers, we can anticipate even more groundbreaking mechanics and experiences in future Nintendo games.
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