Rumor: Nintendo Switch Online Could Be Getting DS Games

by

Nintendo recently filed a patent that suggests classic DS games might be coming to the Nintendo Switch Online service. The patent shows a way to connect two Switch consoles wirelessly, allowing players to mimic the dual screens of the original DS, or to switch between the top and bottom screens using a controller.

First launched in 2004, the Nintendo DS is the company’s most successful console, selling over 154 million units by 2016. Over its lifetime, several versions of the DS were released, beginning with the original model, followed by the DS Lite and DSi. A key feature of the DS was its dual screens, with the bottom screen being touch-sensitive. The original DS and DS Lite could also play Game Boy Advance games. The DS was also home to two generations of main series Pokémon games, starting with *Pokémon Diamond and Pearl* and continuing through *Pokémon Black 2 and White 2*.

Nintendo Patent Could Lead to DS Games Coming to Switch Online

Nintendo has been exploring ways to bring Nintendo DS games to the Switch, and a recently discovered patent suggests a promising approach. As shared on Twitter by Mike Odyssey, the patent, filed on October 16th, details three ways to play DS games using one or two Switch consoles. One method involves linking two Switches wirelessly – one acting as the top screen and the other as the bottom, touch-screen portion, similar to how the original DS worked. Nintendo describes this as a “parent-and-child” setup. This setup sounds a lot like the Switch’s existing GameShare feature, which lets players share games with nearby consoles, even if those consoles don’t own the game.

Nintendo’s patent also details two ways to play older games using just one Switch console. These include a Picture-In-Picture mode and an option to display the game on a separate screen. Similar features existed on the Wii U, where players could enjoy DS games either on the TV or the Wii U GamePad. The Wii U also let users choose which DS screen they wanted to control on the GamePad, and they could customize this setting for each game.

Nintendo Switch Online is constantly getting new games through different apps, and adding a Nintendo DS app would make the service even better. However, it’s important to remember that just because Nintendo files a patent doesn’t necessarily mean a new product is coming.

Read More

2025-10-17 02:33