What Do Nintendo Clamshells And Make-Up Have In Common?

The Nintendo DS’s design was influenced by the dual LCD clamshell Nintendo Game & Watch. But what influenced that?

Over on Nintendo’s official site, company president Satoru Iwata talked to Makoto Kano, one of the designers on the Game & Watch. Iwata asked if there were any electronics that folded up like a laptop in 1982.

“I wanted to research on things that folded up,” says Kano, “so I went shopping for compacts.”

Compacts? Like cosmetics?

“Yes,” he continues. “I was doing research on the hinge that held the top and bottom screens together. Those compacts are still lying in a drawer somewhere at the office!”

Those were what Kano used as a reference for the Game & Watch. And Nintendo used the Game & Watch as a reference for the dual screen Nintendo DS. The Donkey Kong Game & Watch was released in 1982.

Iwata Asks: Game & Watch [Nintendo via NeoGAF via Tiny Cartridge][Pic, Pic]