Nintendo’s next controller might be just as lame as the last two

Nintendo patents are sprouting up like weeds. Yesterday we showed you ideas the House That Mario Built had for creating a network of devices to “increase the speed or quality of a user’s gaming experience,” and today a newly uncovered patent might give us the first look at the Nintendo NX controller. Patent application 20150355768 reveals a handheld device with a built-in, oblong screen that takes up the entire face of the device, and is capable of motion and touch-based controls. It has two clickable thumbsticks, two shoulder buttons, handle grips, and a card slot. What makes this particular patent interesting is how these aspects all come together and where they’re placed. There are no traditional face buttons, as the display in question would show context-sensitive prompts depending on what was happening in game. Imagine holding a controller where the X button only appears when you need it and you’re getting the idea. For a better sense of how this would work, compare the two images below, where a giant iguana who don’t want no trouble is accosted by a rotund cartoon humanoid.