Arcade Lounge

We featured the iCade gaming cabinet for your iPad back in May last year, we loved it and now ThinkGeek have revealed the 8-Bitty controller which can be used for an iPad or iPhone and I love this even more.

It’s a much simpler task to identify the differences between the 8-Bitty and a NES controller than it is to list their similarities. There are two shoulder buttons and an additional two face buttons (for a total of four) not present on the NES controller – necessary additions given the sophistication of contemporary games. And the controller is more colorful than Nintendo’s gray, red and black original, with a front face of primary colors, and edged in a wood-styled veneer.

However, a closer inspection of the product photography betrays the incredible attention to detail and respect shown to the original NES control pad. The 8-Bitty recreates its inspiration down to an insane level of detail. There are the small, rounded oblong rubber buttons recessed into the face in the precise location of the NES controller’s start and select buttons. There are the chubby arrows on each of the D-pad’s four directional buttons. There’s even the tiny cuboid of missing plastic on the controller’s upper edge in line with the cable of the original controller. Hopefully the 8-Bitty will feel as authentic as it looks. Correctly weighted buttons and pad are a must.

No release date has yet been announced but ThinkGeek do have it listed on their site for $24.99 and if you’re interested they will email you once it’s available.

via: Bit Rebels

I was browsing through The Sunday Times tech supplement yesterday and came across this eye-controlled asteroids arcade cabinet by a company called Tobii.

The potential in this kind of technology is amazing and obviously extends way further than gaming. I saw something similar at the Eurogamer Expo last year at Earls Court running Trackmania Nations.

“Using your eyes as a game controller is an almost magical experience. It’s as if the game can read your mind, creating the sensation of having supernatural powers.

Using your eyes to direct attention is fundamental in human interaction. Using your eyes to interact with games, on the other hand, is completely new. With gaze interaction, the game understands your gaze the same way people around you do, taking immersion and game intensity to a new level.”

EyeAsteroids

Is it a game or is it a bar of soap? It’s actually the lather – sorry, latter. With this NES controller soap you’re just an up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, B, A, Select, Start away from clean hands.

These incredible soap bars are created by Chrystal Doucette at Digitalsoaps. The online store was launched back in January 2009 and was such a success that Chrystal was able to quit her daytime job in journalism to be able to create videogame-related soap bars to suppliers around the world. Other soap designs include Playstation, XBOX, Gameboy and my favourite the Rubik’s cube replica, all created in soap!

Available through Digitalsoaps at Etsy

There are plenty of iOS speakerdocks available to choose from, but if you are looking for something a little more retro and original, this modified Atari 2600 might be the perfect iOS speaker dock for you.

This retro iOS dock has been created by Daniel McLeod of Black Mountain Audio. He removed the original Atari’s internal electronics and replace them with a pair of computer speakers and subwoofer, together with a modified gaming cartridge which has now being converted into a 30-pin dock, for either your iPhone or iPodTouch.  Don’t worry, though. This Atari was already non-functional.

On the back for the iOS Atari 2600 speaker dock there is a power button, volume control, audio input jack, sub out jack and a power cable. The original controls and joystick are unfortunately for aesthetic purposes only.

McLeod explains:

“I had an old Atari 2600 that had stopped working and I couldn’t just get rid of it, so I converted it to a portable media audio dock. The Atari console had holes in the top where speakers could have gone, but Atari never built it with speakers. I took an old set of computer speakers that had a subwoofer and mounted the raw speakers and amplifier inside the console.”

If the modified Atari 2600 iOS speaker dock is something you would love to own unfortunately you’re just a little too late! McLeod made it available on his Etsy shop page priced at $100 and it was snapped up immediately.

via: PCWorld – Geektech

Ion, the manufacturer of the first iCade, which started its conceptual life as an April fools joke, have released a few more models for Apple devices. Seen at the current CES show.

Below we have the iCade mobile (left) for iPhone and iPod touch. The device sits inside the iCade and connects by Bluetooth to give you that handheld gaming experience. The cost on this on is expected at around $80.

The iCade Core (right) is a stripped-down version of the original iCade. Communication is still via Bluetooth, but this will have the ability to charge your iPad in-situ.

Next up is the iCade Jr. This is a mini arcade machine, like the iCade, but for the iPhone. Again, the comms are by Bluetooth and there will be an integrated charging dock. Cost expected to be $50.

via macrumors

Our arcade button coasters are now available to buy on the surface tension website.

Based on the American-style arcade buttons, these melamine-topped, felt-backed coasters will stay looking in great condition for a long time to come. Produced in the UK, we’ve sourced the country’s leading manufacturer to offer up a top-quality product. Complete with attractive retail packaging.

Available in 2 flavours; 4colour and 4player.

Available now from surface tension. Starting from £9.99 incl shipping in the UK to £12.99 for shipping anywhere else in the world.

We’ve just had our sample sets of arcade button coasters in! There are a couple of colour tweaks to be done, but they are just about ready. They should be up on the site within a couple of weeks so make sure you check back here or on our website.

RetroGT will also be holding some stock at Replay this year as we won’t be attending.
Available in 2 flavours: 4player and 4colour, 95mm diameter.
4colour in packaging, front:

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Let’s be honest, Retro is cool but not always practical.  Could you imagine if we still had to carry around the 4lbs cellular phone from the 80′s, no way!  This Retro Game Controller iPhone Cover lets you enjoy some retro Nintendo fashion, all while keeping the new age functionality of the iPhone 4G.

Relive the past and all those A B B A cheat codes from Contra and Mario Brothers with this cool retro inspired iPhone cover. At the moment I could only find it from USA stockist perpetual kid for $9.99 but with a little bit of luck someone will import to the UK soon.

The 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System never seems to leave us. It’s there in all we dream and think about. From childhood images to the whole new Advantage Lamp that brings about everything from the buttons to the style back to life.

While I’d rather be using this Advantage controller to take down the 8 Robot Masters, I also support the repurposing of such retro devices, which would otherwise be just gathering dust in an attic somewhere.

This one in particular was a one-off, and has been sold, but it looks like you’ll be able to nab later projects by following @RecycledRetro on Twitter

via: Design Buzz

The ION GO PAD is a folding, fully-functional gaming pad with great features for the most demanding gamers. This controller is great for throwing in your purse, briefcase or backpack and makes a great companion to your netbook or laptop computer.

Simply connect GO PAD to your computer’s USB port and you have a two-axis directional-pad, four action buttons, four shoulder buttons and turbo on/off buttons to take full control of your gaming experience. GO PAD is also compatible with both Mac and PC computers, so you can bust out and start gaming anywhere, no matter your system. GO PAD allows all your mobile gaming dreams to unfold. PC users can start blasting away instantly with the included Asteroids game for PC from Atari.

via: Geeky Gadgets