8bitty
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Thinkgeek's '8-bitty' is the most practical of an impractical bunch
I don't have an iCade. Though a tiny custom arcade cabinet for my iPad is a lot more attainable than a full-sized arcade machine, it's still far enough into the "frivolity" category that I haven't made the plunge ... plus, I don't have an iPad, and the iCade is a bit cavernous for my tiny phone.The 8-bitty, produced for Thinkgeek by iCade maker Ion, takes every bit of the iCade's functionality, and shrinks it down into an affordable, portable, and iPhone-friendly control pad. Nobody on Earth actually needs a gamepad for their iOS device, but this is as close to practical as one is going to get.
iCade 8-Bitty hands-on (video)
It's still about two months out, but when the 8-bitty hits shelves it might just become our favorite member of the iCade family. At the moment the Bluetooth gamepad is little more than a hand-made prototype with some AA batteries taped to the underside and a sticker printed on the office InkJet slapped on the front. As a production quality controller, though, it should be the perfect handheld button mashers for those of you with a taste for the retro. The boxy, rectangular 8-bitty may be wireless and the final version will likely sport six buttons -- still, you can't help but be whisked back to your days spent blowing into dusty Contra cartridges and tapping out the Konami code. We gave the early prototype a quick try and the D-pad and red buttons feel just like their '80s inspiration. Unfortunately they're not quite as responsive yet, but we're figuring there's still some kinks to be worked out before it ships this Spring. The 8-bitty should be launching exclusively with ThinkGeek for between $25 and $30. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break.Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
