iCade Extends Physical Buttons to iPhone, iPod Touch

The moment an iOS game shows off some virtual buttons, I’m preparing to delete it. That’s not to say there aren’t some games that pull off virtual buttons a-okay, but it just seems to miss the point.

One popular solution has been to accessorize Apple’s devices with physical buttons, but the problem there lies in developer support. Joke-turned-actual thing iCade has found success in recruiting support on iPad, and creator ION Audio is hoping to extend that onto the rest of Apple’s devices with iCade Mobile.

The add-on was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show, which kicked off today, and includes a four-way d-pad, four front buttons and four shoulder buttons. It’s a pretty complete package, and it’ll be available later this year for $79.99.

The first screens for iCade Mobile show off Velocispider and Super Mega Worm, suggesting it’s already booked up both of those games. If ION Audio can get more developers on board, this thing may have some life.

woot

Vertical screen looks pretty terrible.

Man, are Nintendo and Sony boned.

I've been wondering why there isn't something like this out already...

With Steve Jobs gone what if Apple starts officially licensing a game controller add-on?

Kind of fitting that you post that ridiculous 3G pricing model for the Vita just a little bit before this, can that thing look any more dead on arrival?

No one will buy that for 80$

The Lynx is back!

Pfff...Ben Heck's already got this covered.

Doesn't look terrible? Who the hell wants to lug that around? The whole reason that smartphone gaming is becoming so big is because it's quick and easy, you stick some chunky arse accessory and you might as well go buy a 3DS or Vita,

@ajamafalous said:

Vertical screen looks pretty terrible.

I'd say that's pretty high praise. Looks like something the Atari Lynx division would've coughed up

@Lokno said:

Man, are Nintendo and Sony boned.

Meh, I don't know about that. But I find completely retarded the fact that the next natural step in the demise of handheld gaming is to make its killer look like a handheld console.

This evokes the design of the Game Boy Micro. Neat, I guess?

I think it looks like shit.

Doesn't look very portable...

Seems to have the same problem most iPhone controllers have, in that it removes the major form factor benefit of the device. $80 and you'd probably have to have a bag to carry it around when not in use. No thanks.

So this doesn't work with current games on the iOS Store?

Gross.

@Moncole said:

No one will buy that for 80$

ION, eh? That's the manufacturer of my old drumkit. Huh

That's pretty neat. I'd buy one for no more than a quarter of that price.

not for that price lol

What a dumb thing. That's like half the price of a 3DS. Who would buy this?

It doesn't look as bad as I imagined. It looks way worse.

If you're going to the effort of getting this I just don't understand why you wouldn't get a dedicated handheld.

Welcome to the evolution of gaming. Docking stations with control pads are next. I can already plug my GP2X WiZ into my buddy's laptop and throw it up on the projector, so why not the iPhone?

@Rappelsiini said:

I've been wondering why there isn't something like this out already...

There is

The problem is the lack of developer support. Games have to be designed to use it, and that just isn't going to happen as much as it needs to.

I think I'm okay with touch screen controls for the time being. Most devices have pretty responsive touch screens, and most games make decent use of it.

That's idiotic. Sticking on controller attachments is just as problematic as trying to replicate "touch conrollers" (ie, using the touchscreen to replicate a joystick). Instead of trying to jam all this crap onto an iPhone, why not just focus on making games that take advantage of what the iPhone does have?

Also, this is exactly the kind of pointless shit (much of which will NEVER see the light of day) I expect to see from CES. What a fucking hell that must be to attend. It's like booth after booth of shitty Walgreen's "seen on TV" stocking stuffers.

@Doctorchimp: ...It's on par with smartphone and tablet 3G pricing models. It is literally the same pricing for an iPad 3G subscription. I don't understand how that's ridiculous in particular when it's just following procedure.

I'm definitely not against the idea of solid buttons for these games, but for $80 it better come with some real bells and whistles.

Buttons! Get you some!

@PXAbstraction said:

It doesn't look as bad as I imagined. It looks way worse.

Would be more interesting if it also had a circle pad/analog nub type thing on there and cost no more than $30. $80 is insulting.

@Alex_Carrillo said:

@Doctorchimp: ...It's on par with smartphone and tablet 3G pricing models. It is literally the same pricing for an iPad 3G subscription. I don't understand how that's ridiculous in particular when it's just following procedure.

It's kind of ridiculous it's only on AT&T and who's going to pay another 30 dollars for 2 gigabytes of data after being gouged for their smartphone.

And that 3G isn't even going to be enough to play online, they should have scrapped the 3G entirely.

"Following Procedure" shouldn't be the plan of action.

Ion makes quality stuff, and for $80, I could see this being something that makes an overpriced paperweight like the Vita look like junk.

@Lokno said:

Man, are Nintendo and Sony boned.

If this were 2009, I'd be 100% sure this comment is sarcastic. In 2012... not so sure. People, especially investors and analysts, say a lot of dumbass shit about the viability of iOS games these days...

$80?! Holy crap, that's insane for a few buttons. I could see maybe $30, but that's it.

My issue with this isn't even with the actual peripheral. From what little I know of iOS development, there is no virtual button API that *every* developer uses, and that "every" is key. Like the Xperia Play, the developers would have to go back to their game and put in the code that allows it to be manipulated by hardware button presses.

That looks horrible!

I would pay $50 but wtf $80?!

I was interested untill I saw $80

I quite like it. Not enough to buy one though.

80 bucks? lol I was debating getting it for 20

$80 to my $200+ (depending) device in order to play 99 cent games that are probably shit anyways. I'm cool.

Is...is that an Atari Lynx?

If this takes off and there's eventually a model with dual analog sticks, the iPhone is going to bust some heads.

Well, you know. More heads than it's busted previously.

Dude, that looks like a slightly shinier version of something batman would have on his belt.