Nintendo has filed a patent for what appears to be a trading-card game that uses NFC technology, aka the same tech used with Amiibo.
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The patent was filed back in November, and seemingly suggests that Nintendo is kicking around ideas of creating its own trading-card game that will use physical trading cards that are designed to be collected and traded (like almost every Nintendo thing).
A section talking about the product reads:
“The trading cards refer to cards on which variously different pictures are depicted and a purpose thereof is collection and exchanged. Namely, the trading cards are cards manufactured and sold aiming at exchange or collection of pictures on each surface thereof.”
Interestingly, the patent also features a Nintendo 3DS, suggesting that is the hardware the trading-cards are being designed to work with. However, it’s also possible the 3DS is just being used to demonstrate the functions, meaning it could theoretically support both 3DS and the Nintendo Switch, which also can read said tech.
As for the image itself, cards are shown being hovered over the 3DS screen, demonstrating the touchless nature of NFC technology.
Now whether this would be an original project, remains to be seen. The most obvious reason behind the patent is Nintendo is trying to breathe new life into collectible Pokemon cards that would interact with a piece of hardware, either as part of a Pokemon game or in a function similar to how Amiibos work.
As you can see in the picture above, each card has stats, numbers, and symbols on them, all which point to a game-type function.
Amiibo-powered cards aren’t a new thing for Nintendo, they have used the tech in past to notably create Animal Crossing cards and Mario Sports Superstars cards.
As always, it’s best to take patents with a pinch of hesitation. Companies will often patent things that never come to fruition, including Nintendo, who is famous for bouncing around zany ideas that often lead to unused patents.
Incidentally, another Nintendo patent surfaced recently featuring Donkey Kong Drums and a Nintendo Switch keyboard.
Source: Digital Trends
