iCade 8-Bitty Nintendo-Like iOS Wireless Controller Now Shipping

[MacRumors]

ThinkGeek, the creators of the iCade iPad gaming cabinet have released the iCade 8-Bitty Bluetooth enabled controller, announced earlier this year. The controller is roughly the size and layout of a classic NES controller, with an extra pair of A/B buttons on the right side and two shoulder buttons.

The controller is now available from ThinkGeek's website for $29.99.

Article Link: iCade 8-Bitty Nintendo-Like iOS Wireless Controller Now Shipping

[domesposito]

meh.

[Want300]

With that.... We need Super Mario Bros for iOS

[iWe]

That thing should have an holder for the iPhone.

[Blinny83]

Yawn. Nostalgia is great, but let's see a real, modern controller. The iPad has been begging for one since it was released.

[seecoolguy]

Originally Posted by Want300

With that.... We need Super Mario Bros for iOS

too bad the big N wont license them out :-/

[TedM]

This is really cool and not too expensive. I think I'm on board.

[pancakedrawer]

The controller is roughly the size and layout of a classic NES controller, with an extra pair of A/B buttons on the right side and two shoulder buttons.

Why not just say that it's the same as the SNES controller.

[davie18]

Originally Posted by Blinny83

Yawn. Nostalgia is great, but let's see a real, modern controller. The iPad has been begging for one since it was released.

I think a controller that kind of plugs in around the iPhone would be amazing personally.

I mean games like GTA III have the potential to be so good on the iPhone, but the touchscreen controls are just absolutely horrid for games like that, at least imo. I mean don't get me wrong I love touchscreen on my phone, but I just wish there were something that you could put on your iphone that would turn it into a psp-type thing for when you want to play on games that would be better suited to physical controls rather than touchscreen.

Why someone hasn't created such a device and just took it to a company like rockstar to sell the idea to them I have no idea, I mean I would create plans and stuff myself if I had the knowledge.

[coder12]

Originally Posted by davie18

I think a controller that kind of plugs in around the iPhone would be amazing personally.

I mean games like GTA III have the potential to be so good on the iPhone, but the touchscreen controls are just absolutely horrid for games like that, at least imo. I mean don't get me wrong I love touchscreen on my phone, but I just wish there were something that you could put on your iphone that would turn it into a psp-type thing for when you want to play on games that would be better suited to physical controls rather than touchscreen.

Why someone hasn't created such a device and just took it to a company like rockstar to sell the idea to them I have no idea, I mean I would create plans and stuff myself if I had the knowledge.

http://www.icontrolpad.com << eh?? eh??

edit: Pretty neat, eh??

[Blakjack]

Originally Posted by seecoolguy

too bad the big N wont license them out :-/

Nintendo needs to just stop with the madness. I honestly think many people(older heads) could reconnect with the brand by porting old games like the original Mario to iOS.

Get off your high horse Nintendo.

[Devie]

Originally Posted by Blakjack

Nintendo needs to just stop with the madness. I honestly think many people(older heads) could reconnect with the brand by porting old games like the original Mario to iOS.

Get off your high horse Nintendo.

Why the hell would Nintendo lisence their games to a competing product?

[APlotdevice]

Originally Posted by pancakedrawer

Why not just say that it's the same as the SNES controller.

The SNES controller was way more ergonomic. This is hand-cramp city.

[FrizzleFryBen]

Originally Posted by Blakjack

Nintendo needs to just stop with the madness. I honestly think many people(older heads) could reconnect with the brand by porting old games like the original Mario to iOS.

Get off your high horse Nintendo.

Exactly. We have a super nintendo in the break room at the office and everyone between 26 and 36 are constantly playing it.

----------

Originally Posted by Devie

Why the hell would Nintendo lisence their games to a competing product?

It means money. They could re-release all the old top 8 and 16 bit titles and rake it in 99 cents at a time. (minus 30% of course)

[displaced]

Looks good... buuuuuut...

The name. 8-Bitty?

I'm presuming I'm not the only UK'er here that had this pop straight into their minds. (Caution... almost certainly NSFW and possibly not particularly funny to those outside of the UK - or even for some within)

[FlatlinerG]

Nice idea, but what we really need is something like this

[maccompatible]

Originally Posted by FlatlinerG

Nice idea, but what we really need is something like this

Image

I agree so hard.

[jclardy]

Originally Posted by davie18

I think a controller that kind of plugs in around the iPhone would be amazing personally.

I mean games like GTA III have the potential to be so good on the iPhone, but the touchscreen controls are just absolutely horrid for games like that, at least imo. I mean don't get me wrong I love touchscreen on my phone, but I just wish there were something that you could put on your iphone that would turn it into a psp-type thing for when you want to play on games that would be better suited to physical controls rather than touchscreen.

Why someone hasn't created such a device and just took it to a company like rockstar to sell the idea to them I have no idea, I mean I would create plans and stuff myself if I had the knowledge.

The reason is that you need developers to adopt it. There is no universal controller protocol, so each individual controller will have a different library of code to implement. Then the problem is that no single controller has enough users to warrant implementing. And so you have a chicken & the egg problem - developers want users before implementing, users want games from developers before buying.

But even if there were 10,000 controllers out there, only a small percentage of those users would want your specific game (Even GTA III.) So spending a few days implementing and testing controller code most developers just ignore the issue.

I personally implement iCade controls into my games when I can as the library is simple and I own an iCade myself.

[APlotdevice]

Originally Posted by FrizzleFryBen

Exactly. We have a super nintendo in the break room at the office and everyone between 26 and 36 are constantly playing it.

----------



It means money. They could re-release all the old top 8 and 16 bit titles and rake it in 99 cents at a time. (minus 30% of course)

Nintendo has already rereleased their old 8 and 16 bit titles for download. On their systems.

[surf2snow1]

Originally Posted by APlotdevice

Nintendo has already rereleased their old 8 and 16 bit titles for download. On their systems.

Which makes them absolutely $0 from iOS purchases. Move it to iOS, rake in 4.99 a game. Or bundle all marios for $9.99. 1 million downloads, thats a cool 7 million.

[APlotdevice]

Originally Posted by surf2snow1

Which makes them absolutely $0 from iOS purchases. Move it to iOS, rake in 4.99 a game. Or bundle all marios for $9.99. 1 million downloads, thats a cool 7 million.

And hurt their own hardware sales in the process.

Remember that Nintendo makes money not only on game sales, but also hardware (both consoles and their accessories) and royalties from third party publishers producing games for that hardware.

[SoldOnApple]

This would be serviceable, but it the buttons are not in the diamond shape, as per every other pad ever made in the last five generations.

[Westside guy]

Originally Posted by surf2snow1

Which makes them absolutely $0 from iOS purchases. Move it to iOS, rake in 4.99 a game. Or bundle all marios for $9.99. 1 million downloads, thats a cool 7 million.

Right. And, while we're at it, Apple should release a version of Mountain Lion that'll run on generic PC hardware. After all, they're currently making absolutely $0 from PC purchases. Move it to PC, rake in 19.99 an install. Ten million downloads, that's a cool 200 million.

[a0me]

Originally Posted by FlatlinerG

Nice idea, but what we really need is something like this

Image

But now with the iPhone 5 and the 5th generation iPod touch they'd need to redesign it to fit the Lightning connector and the new location for the audio jack.

[iChrist]

Originally Posted by Want300

With that.... We need Super Mario Bros for iOS

iOS has a sweet a$$ game called Mikey Shorts, I think it's more fun.

.