Nintendo patents new DS cartridge

By Robert Purchese Published 8 March, 2010

Long enough to hang out the back.

Nintendo's patented a design for a new sort of game cartridge.

Accompanying diagrams (reproduced on Siliconera) show the cartridge to be around double the length of an existing DS game, so it sticks out.

However, the DS Lite-like machine pictured is there for "illustrative purposes only". Does this mean that the cartridge has not been designed for DS Lite/DSi? We interrogated the patent listing for six hours in a windowless room but it kept silent.

On the other hand, the new cartridge design does have the same number of pins as existing DS games.

""We file hundreds of patent and trademark applications every year, and it is our policy not to comment on any one of them," commented a Nintendo UK spokesperson to Eurogamer.

The internet believes Nintendo to be working on a new DS with motion-sensing capabilities and two touch-screens. Nintendo won't say a dickie.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (14) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Eraysor #1 2 years ago

    I think it's probably the DS2 cartridge, in which case I'm glad they didn't go for an optical storage medium. However, I'm surprised they haven't just decided to ditch physical cartridges altogether (not that I would necessarily want that).

  • insincere_dave #2 2 years ago

    It'll be to make the current DS compatible with future motion controlled games I reckon.

  • Floppy #3 2 years ago

    It'll be for some form of GPS navigation device I reckon, similar to the external PSP device; or a higher megapixel camera. It makes no sense (to me) to go back to externally proud game carts like the GBA ones did on DS Lites.

    ... or like insincere_dave says, motion control.
    Edited by 1 at 08/03/10 @ 12:00

  • Evolution #4 2 years ago

    Same number of pins could indicate backwards compatibility via a single slot?

  • abigsmurf #5 2 years ago

    This cannot be a DS2 cart. The evidence?

    The latch on the side to keep the cart in and the button on the side to loosen it. This means if you cover up the button, you can't remove it. As Nintendo are pretty unlikely to design a new system where the cart sticks out in an ugly manner, it's probably safe to assume this is meant for the current DS.

  • electrolite #6 2 years ago

    Some security lock-out thing? Their cartridges always used to have lock-out chips in them (NES, SNES, N64 anyway)

  • chrisjm #7 2 years ago

    a dual sided card for some new type of game

    one side into the DS, other side is like a usb stick.

    just an idea, no actual proof :)

  • Shadders #8 2 years ago

    3G

  • Paulie_P #9 2 years ago

    @abigsmurf

    Do you mean like the way the gba slot on the DS lite makes the games stick out in a ugly manner?

  • GamesConnoisseur #10 2 years ago

    Cannot be an extension as patent doesn't show where DS carts can be plugged in and if tilt o meter then again where would carts plugs in!

    So must be for next DS, Nintendo just planning years ahead, could see new higher def DS in 2012 onwards.

  • Dan234 #11 2 years ago

    We need the patent text, not a few drawings... It could have bluetooth, 3G and holographic projection for all we know (but as it's Nintendo I'm guessing it won't).

  • chrisjm #12 2 years ago

    a breatheliser

    touch generations: Wario's no drunk driving

  • Juminha #13 2 years ago

    They announce a new DS cartridge and not a new console?Weird...

    But still, it prints money!!!

  • Lamb #14 2 years ago

    Oddly enough if you look in one of the manuals that came with the DSi XL, there is a similar card fitting into the SD card slot.