Following the tremendous success of its once mocked and now reverenced motion-sensing Wii console, it has emerged that Nintendo has filed a patent for a motion-sensing handheld console, CVG reports.

Filed only a few months ago on March 30th, the patent reads: “The housing [console] incorporates an XY-axis acceleration sensor to detect an acceleration in an X-axis and Y-axis direction and a Z-axis contact switch to detect an acceleration in a Z-axis direction.”

Technically, this sounds much like the Wii Remote – and is able to sense tilt, movement and impact, and the amount of any force that is applied.

Though the picture depicts a GBA-like device, this is more than likely for illustration purposes. The DS has been such a huge success for the firm that whatever form its next handheld takes, it is sure to follow the Dual Screen’s heritage.

Nintendo has dabbled in the area of motion-sensing handheld titles before with the likes of Game Boy Colour title Kirby Tilt ‘n’ Tumble and the quite sublime WarioWare Twisted on game Boy Advance – both titles that CVG interestingly points out were banned in the UK owing to their use of mercury in the motion sensing device.