Nintendo patents Game Boy cover for smart devices

A patent application found by Siliconera has shown that Nintendo may be working on an interactive cover for “electronic equipment” that could turn a device into a rather impressive Game Boy emulator. Drawings in the patent show the cover opening up to highlight both the inner and outer sides (see below). In one diagram, a device has been added to the cover to demonstrate how the potential emulator would possibly look and function. It has been speculated that the cover could be used in conjunction with devices such as smartphones, tablets, and even the Nintendo Switch.

Nostalgia has been rife in the gaming industry over recent years, with Nintendo releasing products such as the NES Classic Edition and Super NES Classic Edition to cater for gamers pining for authentic recreations of Mega Man 2 memories and Galaga flashbacks. Sony has also decided to jump on this particular bandwagon with the upcoming release of the PlayStation Classic, which will offer titles like Final Fantasy VII and Tekken 3 preloaded on a console that is 45% smaller than the original PlayStation.

Over 118 million units of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color consoles were sold, so it is easy to see why developers at Nintendo might be mulling over a physical Game Boy emulator. The buttons of the patented cover would interact with a smart device's touchscreen and any game software would be adapted to fit the easily recognizable Game Boy display, thus offering an accurate representation of the beloved original.

As this is just a patent, it is important to point out that Nintendo may not pursue any kind of development with a Game Boy cover, no matter how much hardcore Tetris fans may call out for its production.

Source(s)