Nintendo patent 'points' to direction-sensing DS card

by Randy Nelson { Jan 15th 2009 at 12:30AM }

Siliconera reports that Nintendo has filed for a new trademark in Japan on something called the "DS Houi Sensor Card." As the site points out, the full English translation is "DS Direction Sensor Card," leading to (inevitable) speculation that Nintendo is planning DS games with built-in direction / motion tracking.

Current games, such as Tony Hawk's Motion, utilize custom cartridges -- inserted into the DS' GBA slot -- for added functionality. But with the DSi ditching GBA cart compatibility, Nintendo had to do something; this may be a sign of more nifty gimmicks to come on the handheld, which is (possibly) soon-to-be-released in North America.

Tags: ds, nintendo, patent

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Superstar90 @ Jan 15th 2009 12:38AM

WarioWare Twisted = BEST GAME EVARRRRRRRRRR!

Superstar90 @ Jan 15th 2009 12:38AM

I guess that wasn't really on-topic.

I hope they make a new WarioWare Twisted for DS using this motion cart.

Extinction @ Jan 26th 2009 11:41AM

Denied. Worst game-like software ever

Syn @ Jan 15th 2009 12:47AM

DS? DSi? No idea.

Oh wait. The thing where you can't see the screen because your hand is in the way trying to use the stylus. Oh I remember that thing... I traded it for a PSEye. Which.. ended up getting more usage.

The dual screen, followed by dual camera. I'll stick to my digital camera. Just because it's an all-in-on, doesn't make it better. Convenient? Yes. Great quality? No.

Ivory Tower of HighHorseness @ Jan 15th 2009 12:52AM

"The thing where you can't see the screen because your hand is in the way trying to use the stylus."

You must have huge hands.

This, coming from someone who's six and a half feet tall and looks like a damn gorilla.

I can play my old DS Lite just fine. Maybe the original DS was hard to play with, but the lite had an extended stylus and the i's stylus is supposed to be extra long for people out there with giant appendages.

Syn @ Jan 15th 2009 12:56AM

The stylus still obstructs your view. If there is a spec of dust on the screen, a stuck pixel, dead pixel, I get distract. A cup beside the TV, a smudge, anything like that, it will distract me.

jackbauer @ Jan 15th 2009 12:56AM

jesus.

somebody give me a bic pen.

Joe Alanis @ Jan 15th 2009 1:54AM

I remember the days when the cartriges of the games you bought came with special chips inside, Like StarFox fot the SNES

Tez @ Jan 15th 2009 12:54AM

Yay, more gimmicks.

Longhorn4Life @ Jan 15th 2009 1:06AM

There goes Nintendo again....

I hope Sony and dare I say it M$ avoid that sign to profit and find a different route to reach the same destination

mr mobius @ Jan 15th 2009 2:08AM

They had this back in the days of the Gameboy Advance. This is just a more advanced design, in a smaller cartridge.

Tez @ Jan 15th 2009 2:24AM

I know. I just yearn for the day we learn about some games Nintendo is making, instead of stuff like this that will get used in 1-3 games decently and a dozen others horribly.

Seriously, I'd settle for a target render of the next Pikmin at this point.

Popfrogs @ Jan 15th 2009 1:02AM

Anyone know why nobody has come up with any cool location-based, GPS-aware games yet? I'd like to see people running around in a downtown area of a city getting new power-ups or treasures.

Markez (Anti-Panda Death Murder Squadron) @ Jan 15th 2009 2:02AM

Aye, lad.

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/04/plundr-first-location-based-ds-game-debuts-at-where-2-0/

Olicon @ Jan 15th 2009 2:07AM

That would rock too much. Imagine how awesome a real life bomber man game would be (and how controversial too)! I'd so stick a few bombs in front of the bigger malls in my town. I'm so getting high score for that.

Dr Scientist @ Jan 15th 2009 3:36AM

I think it means the DS will know which direction it is being held in, as in: sideways or upside-down (or tilting). Not motion sensing like a Wii.

Dr Scientist @ Jan 15th 2009 3:39AM

Ignore my comment, just re-read the article, does say motion tracking...

harvsorrow @ Jan 15th 2009 7:59AM

And there goes my DS Lite flying across the room....

Here's hoping for DS wrist straps!

G @ Jan 15th 2009 7:10AM

I'd be willing to bet the translation is loose enough to allow for this to be an on-card GPS solution. It might even go in that SD slot - Nintendo is good at multi-use ports.

Poisoned Al @ Jan 15th 2009 7:27AM

You know, I can't remember the last time I a shot of an in house Nintendo game. I just see stories the endless amount of crap hardware they want to nail onto their systems.

FFS Nintendo, I bought your crappy consoles. Stop swimming in your money for a second give me stuff to play on them!

Skipjimroo @ Jan 15th 2009 8:46AM

I'm just *so* glad that I haven't played Metroid and No More Heroes yet. They're still resting on my shelf waiting for the day when I can hold off from playing them no longer.

Such are the sad exploits of the man who rations his wii games because he knows there's nothing else looming on the horizon.

I shed a tear when Super Paper Mario ended. An honest to God tear!

See what you've made me into Nintendo? I hope your proud of yourselves.

Poisoned Al @ Jan 15th 2009 9:38AM

I'm just glad I have the 360 and PC to see me though the new year drought. I've got too many damn games to play for them. Finished Farcry 2 last week, and now I'm working though Red Alert 3. I was play Prince of Persia, but the boss battles pissed me off so much I gave up. Still got Gears 2, Stranglehold (I got dirt cheap), Mirrors Edge, Saints Row 2, Crayon Physics and all the DLC for other games to work though after that.