# How the Nintendo D-Pad Works > A mechanical switch design that allows a user to control directional movement in video games using a single, tilting thumb-operated button. - **Patent:** US 4687200 - **Original title:** Multi-directional switch - **Owner:** Nintendo Co Ltd - **Granted:** 1987 - **Status:** Public domain (expired) - **Times cited:** 129 - **Field:** consumer_electronics, mechanical, gaming ## What it does This patent describes the mechanical structure of the directional pad, or D-pad, found on game controllers. It uses a central fulcrum that allows a single key member to tilt in multiple directions. When a user presses one side of the button, the key tilts, pressing a flexible rubber layer down onto a specific electrical contact on the circuit board below. This creates a simple electrical connection that tells the game console which direction the player wants to move. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover digital joysticks or analog sticks that measure the degree of tilt. - Does not cover touch-sensitive directional controls or capacitive surfaces. - Does not cover switches that use separate, individual buttons for each direction. - Does not cover wireless communication methods for sending the button press signal. ## The clever bit The innovation is the use of a single, central fulcrum combined with a deformable, resilient sustaining member that automatically returns the button to a neutral position after it is released. ## Real-world examples 1. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) controller 2. Super Nintendo (SNES) controller 3. Game Boy directional pad 4. Modern retro-style game controllers ## Why it matters This invention solved the problem of how to provide precise, reliable directional control in a compact, durable format for home video game consoles. It became the industry standard for game controllers for decades, appearing on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and virtually every subsequent console controller. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How the Nintendo D-Pad Works cover? A mechanical switch design that allows a user to control directional movement in video games using a single, tilting thumb-operated button. ### Who owns patent US 4687200? Nintendo Co Ltd owns this patent, granted in 1987. ### When does this patent expire? This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely. ### What is patent US 4687200 cited by? This patent has been cited by 129 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? This invention solved the problem of how to provide precise, reliable directional control in a compact, durable format for home video game consoles. It became the industry standard for game controllers for decades, appearing on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and virtually every subsequent console controller. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover digital joysticks or analog sticks that measure the degree of tilt. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4687200/nintendo-d-pad-directional **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US4687200 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How the Classic Operation Board Game Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3333846/operation-game-electric-probe) — A 1967 patent for an electronic game where a player uses a conductive probe to navigate a path without touching the sides, triggering a signal if they fail. - [Logitech's Method for Using Two Fingers on a Touchpad](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5825352/apple-pinch-to-zoom) — Logitech's 1998 patent describes how a touchpad can detect two fingers touching it in a specific sequence to perform actions like clicking or dragging, going beyond single-finger mouse emulation. - [How the First Home Video Game Console Worked](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3659285/video-game-console-magnavox) — Ralph Baer's 1969 patent for the Magnavox Odyssey, the first home video game system, which generated controllable dots on a standard television screen using analog circuitry. - [How the 2x2x2 Magnetic Puzzle Cube Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3655201/rotating-cube-puzzle) — A 1970 patent for a 2x2x2 puzzle cube held together by magnets that allows groups of pieces to rotate around three axes to solve a color-matching challenge. - [How the Game Twister Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3454279/twister-game) — A 1966 patent for a floor-based game where players use their own bodies as game pieces on a mat with colored circles.