Nintendo has created a wide variety of gaming consoles over the years, ranging from handheld devices like the Game Boy to home systems like the N64. They’ve often been innovative, trying out ideas that other companies didn’t. Features like the motion controls on the Wii and the dual screens of the DS were used in many games, taking advantage of Nintendo’s unique technology. However, these experiments now create challenges when bringing older games to the Nintendo Switch Online service.
The Nintendo DS and 3DS were known for having two screens – one for viewing and another that you could touch to play. This created some really innovative gameplay experiences that haven’t been replicated much since. However, because of technical difficulties with translation, Nintendo hasn’t yet added DS games to its Switch Online service. If you’re hoping to play DS favorites like *Nintendogs* on Switch, a recent patent filing suggests that could happen in the future.
New Nintendo Patent Suggests They’re Still Working on Bringing DS Games to NSO
Back in September, YouTuber MikeOdysseyYT found a Nintendo patent suggesting a way to play DS games on Nintendo Switch Online. The design showed a possible Switch 2 accessory with a second, folding screen, which could allow the console to run DS games designed for dual screens. Now, MikeOdysseyYT has discovered another Nintendo patent that appears to be a different solution for getting DS games to work on both the Switch and the upcoming Switch 2.
Great news for Nintendo fans! It’s now confirmed that Nintendo DS games are coming to the Nintendo Switch Online service. A recently discovered patent also reveals how Nintendo plans to handle the DS’s dual screens on the Switch 2. The patent details three potential options: a true dual-screen experience (with a ‘parent’ and ‘child’ screen), a single-screen mode, and other configurations.
— Mike Odyssey (@MikeOdysseyYT) October 16, 2025
A new Nintendo patent reveals potential ways to play classic DS games on the Switch Online service. It explores three different display options: a dual-screen mode similar to the original DS, a single-screen mode with a small, secondary window showing the bottom screen, and a single-screen mode where players can switch between the top and bottom screens as they play.
A recently filed patent suggests Nintendo is figuring out how to play Nintendo DS games on the Switch and potentially the Switch 2. While other handhelds, like the R26S, already use screen-switching to play DS games, Nintendo appears to be developing a more advanced system to deliver a genuine DS experience for games available through Nintendo Switch Online.
It makes perfect sense that Nintendo is working to add Nintendo DS games to its Nintendo Switch Online service. They recently started offering GameCube games on Switch, and already have titles from older systems like the SNES and N64 available. Adding DS games would be a natural next step to expand the library of classic Nintendo games.
This update is encouraging, but Nintendo hasn’t announced when or if Nintendo DS games will be added to the Nintendo Switch Online library. We might have to wait a while before we can replay our old favorites, though it seems likely to happen eventually. It could be part of a future expansion, like the one that added GameCube games. For now, Nintendo is just looking into how to make DS games work on current Switch systems, and hasn’t shared any firm plans.
What Nintendo DS game would you love to play on Nintendo Switch Online? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!
https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/nintendo-ds-nintendogs-revival-need/embed/#
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2025-10-17 19:46