Last month we reviewed ThinkGeek's excellent iPad arcade cabinet, the iCade, and followed it up earlier this month with a visit to the ThinkGeek headquarters to have a look at the original prototype.

Tonight Stuart Carnie of Manomio received his own iCade (seen above). This is great news because Stuart is the man behind the iAmiga emulation system that will soon be bringing us classic Amiga games to the App Store, as well as Commodore 64 [App Store].

And Stuart is building iCade support into his apps. Tonight. We expect an ad hoc of the iCade-enabled iAmiga system within the next day or so.

Let's keep this trend going, developers!

A couple of weeks ago, we learned that Ten One Design was getting ready to release a smaller version of their wonderful Fling controllers for the iPad which would be suitable for use on iPhone and iPod touch devices. There was a lot of negative backlash to this announcement though, and I can sort of see why. The promo image for the Fling Mini showed that using 2 of the controllers at the same time really blocked much of the screen of the device, and it was hard to imagine how it could be practical to play games this way.

Last week at WWDC, Eli and myself both got our hands on an early pair of the Fling Minis and put them to the test. Surprisingly, the screen blockage is almost a complete non-issue when you’re actually using the Fling Minis. The plastic that the Fling Mini is comprised of is translucent and doesn’t really block any more of the screen than your own thumbs normally would. But, that’s not to say that they don’t come with some quirks and they won’t work on every game that you’d hope. For the games that they do work with they work exceptionally well, and just like the Flings on iPad they offer a smooth and tactile control option over using a touch screen alone.

Eli has put together this fantastic comparison video showing off the difference between the original Fling, which you can read our original review of, and the new Fling Mini:

In my own experience, I’ve found several games that work near perfectly with the Fling Mini. Both Bug Heroes [Free] and Max Adventure [99¢/Lite] are two of my favorite dual-stick shooters that don’t come with many compromises when using the Fling, which you can see in this second hands-on video. There will be times when accessing a UI element or menu option will be difficult because the Fling Mini is blocking that part of the screen, but it’s easy enough to detach a suction cup and swivel the controller out of the way to gain access to these. It would be cool if there were tiny hinges in the connector arms of the Fling Mini so you could quickly flip them up to access the entire screen. Perhaps in a Fling Mini version 2.0.

The Fling Mini is also well-suited to some games that use just a single analog stick or a d-pad for movement, and one interesting thing is how well it works with the Joypad Game Controller [Free] which we also covered at WWDC this year. Especially with the Joypad SDK now offering the ability to use analog sticks, one or two Fling Minis combined with an iPhone or iPod touch and the Joypad app could make for a really nice controller for playing an iPad or desktop game.

One example of a game that did not work so well is Age of Zombies [$2.99/Lite]. I had high hopes for this one as it employs a touch anywhere scheme for its set of dual-stick controls, which would mean precise placement of the Fling wouldn’t be necessary. Unfortunately there is no way to access the grenade button while using the Fling with this game, which is a pretty big problem. You can avoid this by using only one Fling on the left control stick, but this gives the game an inconsistent feel. Also, games that utilize buttons in the lower corners of the screen, like many first person shooters, are also basically unplayable due to the plastic spirals of the Fling Mini blocking those areas of the screen.

The thing I like most about the Flings is that they just “feel” good. The movement is solid and smooth, and for the games that they work well with they are definitely an enhancement. On the larger screen of the iPad, the original Fling works with a greater number of games and there are much fewer instances of inaccessible UI elements. These problems are amplified with the Fling Mini and the smaller iOS screens, but it isn’t a total deal breaker and for the select games that they do work well with they feel absolutely brilliant.

One of the first things I asked Ten One Design about the Fling Mini was whether they would also work on an iPad, thus negating needing two different styles of Flings. While there’s technically nothing preventing them from working on an iPad, almost all iPad virtual analog sticks require a larger range of motion than what is afforded by the smaller Fling Mini. You may be able to come up with a few games that work well on the iPad with a Fling Mini, but for the most part you are better off using the original Fling with that device.

Really the best thing to do is find a friend who owns a pair or head to an Apple store and try out the Fling for yourself. If you like the way they feel and can deal with limited game compatibility, then they are a great purchase. Hopefully more developers will incorporate special settings for using a Fling controller in their game, especially with them now being available on iPhones and iPod touches.

You can currently pre-order the Fling Mini in a 2-pack for $24.95, and they should be shipping sometime in mid-to-late July. The original Fling for iPad is available now in 3 colors at a price of $19.95 for a single controller or in a 2-pack for $29.95.

Product Pages:

• Fling Mini 2-Pack (Pre-Order)
• Fling for iPad

The Fling joysticks for the iPad are fantastic little contraptions. Two suction cups, a conductive joystick, and a cleverly designed plastic spiral all work in perfect harmony to provide a tactile gameplay experience that is absolutely incredible in dual stick shooters. (Or, really, any other game with a virtual joystick.) Also, it seems like every time I post about this we get comment threads full of naysayers. To that I say, if you have any doubt about the Fling, you really need to give 'em a try at any Apple store.

With that out of the way, ever since we originally posted about them for the iPad, gamers with iPhones and iPod touches have been asking when there will be a smaller version for their devices. That day, apparently, is today. The Fling Mini is currently available for preorder. A pair will run you $24.95 and they should start shipping in mid to late July.

We'll have a hands-on of the Fling Mini at some point next week. With all the WWDC and E3 insanity, I'm not entirely sure when we'll have that hands-on, but it's very high on my list of things to check out.

Last year, ThinkGeek may have outdone themselves on April Fools' day by announcing the iCade, a miniature, upright arcade cabinet complete with joystick, buttons, and a coin slot. You just slip your iPad into it and -- wham -- it's game time! It was well done joke, but it got a huge response from readers and that got the awesome folks at ThinkGeek thinking. And before long, we heard the epic news that the net's best geek-toy vendor was teaming up with ION Audio to bring that little box of goodness to market -- for real -- and with Atari as a games partner. (Like they did with their 2007 8-bit Tie. Those guys are unstoppable.)

Yesterday, after leaping to pre-order and waiting a long and anxious month, the iCade was delivered unto my door. Readers that follow us on Twitter might have seen the informal and rapid unboxing and assembly photos I took along my hopeful journey to arcade bliss. So, now that I've spent some real time with the unit -- was it worth the wait and the $99?

The iCade comes packaged unassembled. The box contains the main control unit, two side panels, a back panel, a handy flip-up top panel with instructions printed on the inside face, a lovely red joystick knob, screws, batteries, and a set of instructions. Getting the unit together with the help of the illustrated assembly sheet is about 5 to 10 minutes' work. Once assembled, the first thing you'll notice is that the iCade is heaver than you might have imagined. The unit's panels appear to be vinyl-coated particle board, which accounts for much of the weight. The control unit is housed in a plastic shell and the sides of the cabinet are nicely illustrated. The assembled cabinet has a very solid feel with an impressive overall fit and finish. The weight of the unit combined with four rubber foot pads keep it from budging while the joystick and buttons are being manhandled.

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Earlier this year, Ten One Design released the iPad joystick accessory called the Fling. The brilliantly designed Fling is a conductive joystick nub set inside a plastic spiral, which itself is set inside an outer plastic ring. The spiral design allows the joystick to move within the outer ring which emulates the feel of an analog stick on a regular controller.

The whole device attaches to the screen of an iPad with two tiny suction cups, and allows you to replace many of the virtual analog sticks that are used in iOS games with an actual physical joystick that provides a tactile feel. If you are the type of person who has never quite gotten comfortable with virtual sticks, then the Fling is an ingenious alternative that can improve your experience with a lot of games.

In just a few short months since release, the Fling has gained a ton of popularity and has proven to be hit amongst many iPad gamers. Apparently they are a hit with the folks at Apple too, as you can now purchase the Fling Joystick at Apple Retail Stores nationwide.

This is actually a pretty big deal, as Apple usually doesn’t get behind accessories that get in between the user and the touch screen, since part of the “magic” of iOS devices is that you can do everything so well using just your fingers and thumbs. In the case of the Fling though, I think Apple realizes that some games are just better suited to physical controls and the Fling is a simple, portable, and cleverly designed product that can help with that issue.

If the Fling joysticks sound like something that interests you, then be sure to check out our extensive Fling review where we tell you how well the joysticks actually work and what types of games do and don’t work best with them.

If stumbling out of your dank apartment and into the real world to make the trip to an Apple Store doesn’t sound appealing to you, then you can still order them online from the Fling product page on the Ten One Design website. They run $19.95 for a single joystick or $29.95 for a pack of two, and come in three different colors - clear, black, and purple.

Early this morning Gizmodo spotted what might be the craziest iPhone accessory I've seen yet. Creating steering-wheel attachments for iOS devices is nothing new, in fact, we reviewed one a while back and found that it basically added nothing to the experience aside from a piece of plastic to lug around. For ¥1,599 (roughly $19 USD) you can now get a steering wheel with with speakers that are actually powered by a Nokia battery (sold separately, oddly enough).

Even though the whole steering wheel attachment thing might not add that much to the game, I can't help but think a (comparatively) huge set of powered speakers hooked up to your iPhone 4 while playing a game like Real Racing 2 [$6.99] might do something for you. Although that "something" might just amount to annoying everyone nearby.

[Gizmodo via IT Media]

The iOS platform is home to some great input methods. Developers have utilized multitouch, tilt, and, in some cases, even the gyroscope and microphone for some incredibly creative games that would only be possible on iOS devices. But what about more traditional games that can't be controlled this way? As many of you know, that's where the highly debated virtual joysticks and buttons come into play. The problem with these virtual controls is that for as great as multitouch input is, no iOS device can offer any kind of tactile feedback for virtual controls.

Depending on how adept you are with working with them and how cleverly developers design them, the effect of virtual controls ranges from being largely game-breaking to not that big of a deal. Still, over the lifespan of the App Store, it's not hard to think of several games that would be much better using a real controller regardless of how good (or bad) the virtual controls may be. This is a problem that Ten One Design hopes to solve with the Fling Game Controller for iPad.

The Fling is a cleverly designed device with two suction cups on one side connected to a plastic ring. Inside of the plastic ring is a spiral that suspends an electrically conductive joystick in the center. This spiral works like a spring, always returning the joystick to the center, and providing more resistance the closer you get to the edge of the plastic ring. It's made out of clear plastic with a Fling logo that comes in three different colors: black, blue, and purple.

NOTE: The preview units are from the initial prototype run, the final units will be made of completely clear plastic, not the slightly yellowish material these are made of.

Using the Fling is as simple as loading a game that you want to play that uses some kind of virtual control, and sticking it on the device with the attached suction cups. If you're playing a game with floating virtual joysticks like most dual stick shooters, all you've got to do is position it wherever is most comfortable to you, press down both suction cups, and you're ready to roll. Games with controls that are static take a little bit more fiddling around. Sometimes you need to get creative with which direction you're going to have the Fling facing in order to hit the center of the touch point while still having ample room for the suction cups to stick.

The build quality of the device seems sturdy enough to do the job, but the way the internal spiral is constructed makes me a little nervous to just haphazardly pocket it or throw it in my laptop bag. I'm reluctant to really do any durability tests since these are preview units, but according to Ten One Designs, the Fling is made of a type of resin which very difficult to break and they've subjected it to "major torture" without issue. Still, there is no escaping the fact that the Fling feels like a piece of plastic, which doesn't exactly inspire confidence when considering the price at which they are selling them.

Ten One Designs is currently taking preorders of the Fling for $25 each, or $38 for a pair, which seems expensive for a piece of plastic. The price, however, is probably in line with what most iPad accessories cost. Either way, Ten One Designs is expecting the Fling to begin shipping towards the end of this month.

The good news is, for many games, the Fling is absolutely outstanding. Playing dual stick shooters using the Fling is, in a word, glorious. I easily decimated my Geometry Wars [99¢] high scores. With real joysticks, Max Adventure [99¢] is a joy to play. Age of Zombies [$2.99] feels like it was made to be played with the Fling, with the secondary weapon buttons positioned perfectly outside its plastic ring.

First person shooters work great as well. In fact, I almost felt like I was cheating in N.O.V.A. 2 HD [$6.99] my overall accuracy improved so much. It's really incredible just how much of a difference it makes, almost making N.O.V.A. 2 feel like an XBOX game with a real controller. Similarly, the Fling works really well in every Gameloft game I tried, as the ability to move the various on-screen controls around allows you to perfectly position the Fling wherever you're comfortable, while also placing the buttons within reach.

Games that use a single virtual joystick also work awesomely, as expected. LEGO Harry Potter [$4.99] and our own game of the year's iPad counterpart Space Miner HD [$4.99] are both great with a real joystick.

As far as what doesn't work so well: any game that relies on swiping instead of a virtual stick with both a center point and a maximum that are inside of the Fling's range of motion. Aralon: Sword and Shadow [$9.99] was on my short list of games I really wanted to try with the Fling, and while the movement joystick works fantastic, camera controls don't. Positioning a second Fling on the left side of the screen only moves the camera as much as moving your finger around would, so you hit the limit of where the Fling can move, and that's as far as the camera goes.

Games that you can't move interface elements around that have buttons close to the virtual joysticks also don't work. I was really excited to try Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light HD [$9.99] following our not so positive first impressions but by default, buttons are positioned under the Fling's spiral, making them impossible to press. It seems like you might be able to move them around in the game's settings, but it crashed 100% of the time when I tried.

I suppose now it comes down to the inevitable question of do I recommend preordering the Fling? Well, it all comes down to what you do with your iPad. If you're the kind of person who loves dual stick shooters and FPS games, and do the majority of your gaming at home or somewhere that needing to fiddle around with accessories is not out of the question-- and if you can swallow the $38 --I say go for it. However, if you primarily use your iPad as a ultra portable tablet that you also game on, I'm not so sure I'd want to cart my Fling(s) around wherever I go.

The beautiful thing about both the iPhone and iPad is you don't generally need to haul around extra junk. They do so much as is that all you might ever need is a pair of headphones for most outings. Also, it really comes down to how much of an issue virtual controls are for you. If the inherent lack of precision generally found in virtual controls doesn't really bother you, then you likely won't see much of a benefit from using the Fling. Also, don't bother buying a Fling if you don't have an iPad: it's too wide to attach well to the iPhone and obscures over half the screen.

Personally, all too often I find myself saying, "This is good, but it would be so much better with real controls." A Fling still isn't a substitute for a real analog controller, but it sure is a step in the right direction... Assuming you can put up with yet another accessory, of course.

Product Page: Fling for iPad

So it started off like this, over at ControllerOrBust.com:

Alright, this is ridiculous. The iPhone was introduced over three years ago and there still isn't a game controller peripheral available to the masses. I've seen several prototypes that have kicked around the internet for some time now, but nobody has stepped up to the plate and actually delivered. You know the old saying, "If you want something done right you've gotta do it yourself?" Well, I'm going to follow that wisdom and do it myself. Well, not entirely myself, which is why I'm soliciting the help of the entire iPhone 4 community. I know there are many out there who've wished for an iPhone gaming controller and have a piece of the production process puzzle necessary to create one, but need the rest of the pieces. I'm suggesting that we band together and create a group of talented individuals who can make an iPhone 4 game controller a reality.

Benjamin Morrise got tired of waiting and began seeking assistance from various capable types to form a production team to build the iPhone controller accessory we've all (well, some of us anyway) been waiting for. The team he hopes to assemble consists of an Industrial Designer, a Mechanical Engineer, an Electrical Engineer, and a Software Engineer. The hope is for them to come together and build a controller for the gaming masses.

And it will look a little something like this:

Morisse hopes to secure funding through Kickstarter.com, to which I'll let Rocket Boom introduce you. It's a project that definitely sounds good to us. Let's hope that Morisse meets his goal, and that other such controller projects see the light of day, soon.

Last year we posted early details surrounding the forthcoming iPhone game controller accessory from 22moo, the GameBone, which will offer official iOS 4 support (read: no jailbreak necessary). The accessory-maker has recently posted additional details on the item to their website.

Features listed by 22moo:

• 8-way D-pad (directional pad)
• 4 action buttons
• 2 shoulder buttons
• Built-in 1600 mAh Lithium battery for additional power for your iPod touch / iPhone
• Rear button and LED to check charging state and capacity
• Built-in stereo speakers
• Omnidirectional MIC
• 3.5 audio headphone jack
• Rear kick-stand
• iDevice independent volume control
• Charge and sync for all iDevices (except for the iPad)
• Interchangeable core for compatibility with iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad devices

The company is currently in the process of finalizing the device's new PC board and updated case design for mass production. A new availability date will be announced in early October, so stay tuned.

Stuart Carnie of Manomio has indicated that the studio's C64 for iPhone will offer eventual support for the device when it hits market.

The GameBone will support the following iOS devices: 2G, 3G, 4G iPod touch, iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, and iPad.

New Potato, who brought us the Jackpot Slots [App Store] game / accessory for the iPhone, has just released another such bundle for the iPhone and iPod touch -- but this time around, the game in question is pinball.

Pinball Magic is a gaming accessory that is intended to transform your iPhone or iPod touch into a realistic pinball machine, albeit a rather diminutive one. The pinball table-shaped accessory sports flipper buttons, a ball-launching plunger, a credit / select button,an animated LED backbox display, and foldable legs for easy transport. The device mates with your device's 30-pin dock connector and delivers a pinball experience by way of New Potato's free Pinball Magic [link] app.

Game features, listed by the developer:

• Multiple classic and unique playboard layout
• Advanced multi-level and multiplayer competition
• Four possible multi-ball modes
• End-of-ball and replay bonuses
• Tilt detection, tilt warning and activation
• Ball saver

Pinball Magic is currently available from Best Buy, online and at certain retail locations at a price of $39.99. And don't bother downloading the game app if you don't have the accessory -- it won't play at all.

[ via ChipChick ]

PosiMotion is responsible for quite a few games and apps on the App Store as well as gizmos like the G-Fi VS. Recently they've entered the iPhone and iPod touch accessory market with the PosiMotion Helix Gaming Grip, a grippy molded piece of plastic that you can snap your device in to in order to quite literally get a better grip on it.

Shaped a little bit like a Batarang, the Helix is cleverly designed to allow you to snap your device in to place in both a horizontal and vertical orientation. If you own an iPod touch, there is a secondary plastic piece you need to use in order to make it fit, and using this adapter didn't have any effect on the feel of the Helix. There are slots on both sides of it to route wires through, as well as a hole for the iPhone camera.

Much like the accessories you can snap your Wii controller in to while playing Mario Kart, having a grip on your iPhone that vaguely resembles a steering wheel doesn't add much immersion despite the "the authentic feel of being behind the wheel" that PosiMotion claims using the Helix evokes. So while playing Real Racing when using the Helix didn't exactly open my eyes to a whole new gameplay experience, the Helix definitely does excel in providing a comfortable grip for serious iPhone gaming sessions.

Now that there are games like Chaos Rings, and other extremely in-depth iPhone games that you can spend entire days playing, it seems that all too often I'm curled up on my couch with the end of the iPhone sync cable jamming in to the palm of one hand with the headphone cable rammed between two fingers of the other for hours. For me, the main advantage of the Helix was the onboard cable management that makes playing iPhone games for extended periods of time substantially more comfortable. Also, having something more to grab on to other than a thin iPhone (or even thinner iPod touch) really seems to put an end to the hand strain that anyone with large hands undoubtedly has experienced while clutching their device for hours.

Strangely enough, while the cable management is my favorite feature of the device, not much thought seemed to go in to making sure there are enough room to actually route the cables. When you've got a sync cable and/or headphone cable plugged in, both wires are subjected to severe bends and while I have more iPhone headphones and sync cables than I can shake a stick at, seeing the near 90 degree bend the Helix puts in your headphone cables would definitely make me nervous if they were my only pair.

It's hard to say how much need there is for a Helix Gaming Grip. What has always made the iPhone so awesome to me is that it is always with me and I don't need anything else to play everything on the App Store short of my iPhone and maybe its charger. The only situations where I'd throw the Helix in to my bag short of long flights or long car rides. It does substantially improve the ergonomics of holding the iPhone, but it's hard to say how many iPhone gamers actually play games in long marathon sessions.

The PosiMotion Helix Gaming Grip is available online and from Best Buy for $20. If the thought of having something more substantial to grip your iPhone with has piqued your interest, take a peek at it next time you find yourself strolling down the iPhone and iPod touch accessory aisle.

Disclaimer: We received a review unit to test this device. PosiMotion is also an advertiser on this site.

We all know that iPhone platform devices are capable mobile gaming devices. There are some real gems in the App Store that take particular advantage of the iPhone's unique capabilities, with more on the way. Apple knows it too -- they've long been advertising the iPod touch specifically as a game machine. An Apple patent application that was made public on April 1 may indicate that Apple wants to take iPhone gaming to an even higher level.

First filed back in 2008, the patent in question, US20100081505, is entitled ACCESSORY FOR PLAYING GAMES WITH A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE. The abstract follows.

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We've been following the iControlPad project since it was first revealed in May 2008. A new video has been revealed showing the latest prototype hardware which has been significantly redesigned. Their blog explains:

What we got [in terms of feedback on the original design] was interesting, the design worked but obviously needed to be altered for each type of iPhone and the controls were a bit cramped, plus it was quite large to carry. We were not 100% happy with this. If we are going to do this we want to do it right.

As some of you know we have access to the parts used on the openPandora handheld - which has dual analogue nubs.

A sleepless night then resulted a huge design change.

Here's a new video of the hardware playing Mario Kart in emulation (on jailbroken hardware):

This project has always been more interesting than practical as it was originally limited to jailbroken hardware due to the SDK restrictions. The launch of iPhone 3.0 firmware and SDK, Apple announced that the dock connector is now accessible to hardware manufacturers, though we haven't seen it taken advantage of quite yet.

We've dropped them a line about the possibility of official SDK support, and we'll keep you up to date. Developers, of course, would have to provide direct support for such a device, though the developers of C64 the Commodore 64 emulator have already said they would support such a device.

[via Engadget]

Australian company 22Moo announced today the development of "the world's first" iPhone OS 3.0 compatible game controller which will feature an 8-way D-pad with 6 buttons, incorporate a 2000mAh battery and support both Bluetooth and 30-pin dock connector connectivity. Specs include:

• Dual connectivity - Connect with Bluetooth wirelessly OR use the 30-pin dock connector cable
• 2000mAh Lithium-ion Battery for additional power for your iPod touch / iPhone*
• LED showing charging state and capacity
• 8-way D-Pad with 6 buttons
• Bluetooth button for pairing and status
• Built-in speakers, mic and 3.5 audio headphone jack
• "Made for iPod" and "Works for iPhone" certification**

A price has not yet been set and is expected to be released in mid September 2009.

Given no actual product shot has been shown, it seems the device is still in pretty early development. They are even soliciting customer suggestions for pricing and interested developers are asked to sign up for future information about the GameBone Pro SDK. We're not holding our breath for this one, but it is the first of what we expect to be a number of other game accessory announcements.

After Apple's announcement of the iPhone 3.0 firmware, we've been looking forward to the possibility of iPhone and iPod Touch gaming accessories. These could come in the form of virtual control pads (such as iControlPad), steering wheels and more.

While we're not convinced these accessories would ever achieve more than a niche marketshare amongst iPhone gamers, the possibilities are intriguing. Apple's iPod Touch page is now listing "fun new game accessories" as one of the features of 3.0. These accessories will connect either through Bluetooth or the 30-pin connector.

Obviously, Apple is working on these accessories with 3rd party manufacturers, so we expect to hear about them soon.