@brokenshakles >You can't patent an algorithm
Yes, in the USA and I believe also in Japan, math legally is not a patentable subject matter, but the patent offices award patents on math anyway.

>I would have gone with a trademark infringement suit first.
As far as I'm aware, "palword" didn't contain a single one of ninty's trademarks and therefore that kind of suit would be a sure loss if it actually went to court.