U.S. Design Pat. No. D456,410

Fancy a blast from the past? This week, we’re having a look back at the pair of patents that would go on to become Nintendo’s iconic GameCube controller. The GameCube controller was known for its curved form-factor and unique button size/placement. Instead of dual sticks, the controller features a single left analog stick and a smaller C-stick, trading the second analog stick slot for a larger button pad, whose main face is covered by a large, A-button. Fans still praise the controller to this day, particularly in the competitive Super Smash Bros. scene. 

This first entry, U.S. Design Pat. No. D456,854, issued on February 2, 2001, focuses specifically on defining the “operating portion” of the controller (i.e. the front buttons and sticks). 

This second part of the set, U.S. Design Pat. No. D456,410, issued on February 6, 2001, relates to the controller’s form factor.