A Nintendo patent application reveals a unique multiplayer method, involving two players using Wii Remotes to fire crossbows with one player viewing the TV and the other viewing the Wii U GamePad's screen.

This method of multiplayer is shown in the patent in both cooperative and competitive form. The competitive multiplayer functions much like a traditional split-screen multiplayer game would, except each player has their own screen, which solves the problem of traditional console games where players can peek at opponents' screens while playing split-screen multiplayer.

While the main example is of a first or third-person one-on-one shooter, a few game variants are described. In one potential game, players cut ropes holding up a wall by shooting arrows or throwing stars from their crossbows. Players must cut down as many walls as possible in a race to the finish. The co-op example shows both players looking at the same cave scene initially, but then diverging as they explore different areas of the game.

An additional example shows a game in which players control propeller-like objects similar to Helirin in Kuru Kuru Kururin. Players must avoid obstacles and walls as they fall down a shaft. A similar demo was part of the initial set of Wii demos shown at E3 2006, but unlike other Wii Play mini-games, it was not released to the public.

The system can work even when both screens are positioned next to each other. In order to mitigate interference from two active sensor bars, the system can rapidly alternate activation of each sensor bar. The patent filing also describes the possibility of more than two players whereby additional players would share the TV screen in a more traditional setup or could each use their own Wii U GamePad.

The application was filed on Dec. 21, 2011 in the US and published on August 9, 2012 with the generic title, "Game System, Game Apparatus, Storage Medium Having Game Program Stored Therein, and Game Process Method." It was originally filed on Feb. 3, 2011 in Japan.

The patent application comes from Jun Ito, Kenta Sato, and Keizo Ohta, the same folks who have been behind Nintendo Land-related patent applications, signaling that this idea could be the basis for one of the game's attractions. Stylistically, the crossbow idea seems most reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest, but it could perhaps be used to control Yoshi tongues instead of crossbows for the unknown Yoshi attraction.

Currently, we know of six of the 12 Nintendo Land attractions, including ones based on Animal Crossing, Zelda, Luigi's Mansion, Takamaru's Ninja Castle, Donkey Kong, and F-Zero. The remaining six appear to feature Yoshi, Game & Watch, Pikmin, Metroid, Mario, and Balloon Fight.