Nintendo confirms implementation of 'demo play' tech

Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has confirmed that it will introduce a new, patented help system into future titles, starting with this holiday's New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Speaking to USA Today, Miyamoto explained that the "demo play" technology Nintendo patented earlier this year will be introduced in the four-player Super Mario title revealed during E3 earlier this month.

"In New Super Mario Bros Wii, if a player is experiencing an area of difficulty, this will allow them to clear troubled areas and take over when they're ready," said Miyamoto. "And yes, we're looking into this for future games, too."

The patent in question, "Method and apparatus for fraud reduction and product recovery", outlined a system for helping players through difficult gameplay scenarios by allowing them to have the game automatically play through them.

The patent's illustrations show a close resemblance to Miyamoto's The Legend of Zelda series, leading some to speculate that it would be applied to the next entry in the franchise. In a private press event during this month's E3 expo, Miyamoto confirmed that a new Zelda title is currently being developed, though he made no mention of whether the game would use the tentatively-named "demo play" feature.