07-06-2014, 11:08 PM
These two revolve around the Donkey Kong Game and Watch Handheld.
![[Image: 1024px-Nintendo_Donkey_Kong_Game_and_Watch.png]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Nintendo_Donkey_Kong_Game_and_Watch.png/1024px-Nintendo_Donkey_Kong_Game_and_Watch.png)
1. The Donkey Kong Game and Watch handheld was the first Nintendo product to feature the Directional Pad.
Not the first system EVER to feature a D-Pad, but the first time Nintendo used their own Directional Pad on a Nintendo Product. They actually have a patent for their D-Pad.
Patent US4687200 A - Multi Directional Switch: http://www.google.com/patents/US4687200
![[Image: US4687200-1.png]](https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US4687200-1.png)
![[Image: US4687200-2.png]](https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US4687200-2.png)
![[Image: US4687200-3.png]](https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US4687200-3.png)
Question for Mods: Would Nintendo having a patent on their D-Pad be worth a submission to the site?
2. Nintendo Game Designer Makoto Kano used makeup compacts to help develop the hinge design for the Game and Watch Handhelds.
Izushi: We made it folding because it was important that players could play it anywhere.
Kano: I went to buy compacts for reference.
Iwata: Compacts? Like for makeup?
Kano: Yeah. To research a hinge for connecting the lower and upper screens. They're still in my desk drawer! (laughs)
Izushi: You've still got those compacts? Kano-san, your ability to keep stuff is astounding! (laughs)
Kano: The bottom container parts are gone, but the mirrors are still there. I made the multiscreen using those as reference.
Source: http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews...reward/0/4
1. The Donkey Kong Game and Watch handheld was the first Nintendo product to feature the Directional Pad.
Not the first system EVER to feature a D-Pad, but the first time Nintendo used their own Directional Pad on a Nintendo Product. They actually have a patent for their D-Pad.
Patent US4687200 A - Multi Directional Switch: http://www.google.com/patents/US4687200
Question for Mods: Would Nintendo having a patent on their D-Pad be worth a submission to the site?
2. Nintendo Game Designer Makoto Kano used makeup compacts to help develop the hinge design for the Game and Watch Handhelds.
Izushi: We made it folding because it was important that players could play it anywhere.
Kano: I went to buy compacts for reference.
Iwata: Compacts? Like for makeup?
Kano: Yeah. To research a hinge for connecting the lower and upper screens. They're still in my desk drawer! (laughs)
Izushi: You've still got those compacts? Kano-san, your ability to keep stuff is astounding! (laughs)
Kano: The bottom container parts are gone, but the mirrors are still there. I made the multiscreen using those as reference.
Source: http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews...reward/0/4