Samsung’s foldable Galaxy X smartphone could resemble a sleek Nintendo 3DS if the company’s latest patents are anything to go by.

A recent patent filed with the World Intellectual Property Organisation, uncovered by LetsGoDigital, shows a dual-screen device attached together by a hinge much like how the two screens of a Nintendo 3DS connect.

In portrait mode one display looks to be used as a navigation pane for content being displayed on the other. While in landscape orientation it looks to offer dedicated touchscreen controls for games being displayed in the other screen.

When opened up like a book, the patent shows the two displays forming a kind of table layout with a plethora of apps.

The patent also notes the presence of a sensor for calculating the angle of the second screen and thereby determining when it’s not in use and turning it off to save battery life.

Both screens also look to sport front facing cameras and speakers, while a stylus is expected to be included to bring a degree of Galaxy Note 8 like navigation to the phone.

All in all, it’s an interesting patent filing but as ever we need to take it with a pinch of salt, as some of Samsung’s patents never find their way into the technology giant’s portfolio and act more as pre-emptive patents rather than anything the company is directly working on.

But such a device is certainly noteworthy, even if it would likely have niche appeal given mobile gamers are already well served by many current smartphones and tablets, while Nintendo’s Switch appears to be taking care of higher-end gaming on the move.

Would such a phone design appeal to you, or is it a bit to niche? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook.