It’s really hard to become fully immersed into the retro gaming experience when using an iPad or Android tablet. Sure, the games look similar to how we remember them. The sound is top notch, too. The only problem is that touch just doesn’t give you that same nostalgic feeling.

The good news is that there are many great controllers to choose from that can enhance the retro experience and even take it to new heights. One such controller is the new iCade 8-Bitty, which is directly inspired by the design and shape of the old-school Nintendo NES control.

The 8-Bitty was announced at the beginning of 2012, but has been a no show- until now. The new control is shipping and can be bought for $30 from the ThinkGeek website. The control uses Bluetooth to make the connect and should work with most Android devices, the iPad and iPhone. It is worth noting that many similar controllers seem to start at around $50, so the value here is actually very good.

Whether playing Atari classics or using an emulator to check out your favorite older games, this is one of the best ways to make the experience feel like the real deal. Check out the ThinkGeek website for more details.

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The dock itself looks relatively simple with a place to dock your device. In the front, there are two USB ports that can easily accept modified NES-style controllers for two players. And then around the back is the HDMI output to connect to your HDTV. The developers took advantage of the pre-existing Bluetooth input standard from the Ion Audio iCade, since it already provides support for over 100 iOS games.

You can check out the Kickstarter page for more information and to pledge your cash. The $100 early bird is sold out, but if you pledge at least $125, they’ll send you a ready-to-play GameDock complete with the two retro USB controllers and an HDMI adapter. Bump that up to $150 and you’ll get “a bundle of games” too. They’ve set a funding goal of $50,000 and with 27 days to go, they’re already up over $40,000 in pledges.

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When it comes to unique gamepad accessories, one of the most unique solutions out there has been the iCade Core. For those that don’t know, the Core basically turns your iPad into a mini-arcade cabinet. While this solution is great on the iPad, it obviously doesn’t work with the iPhone. The solution? For $80 you can now get your hands on a smaller Bluetooth-based iPhone variant, the iCade Mobile.

This smaller gamepad attachment was announced months ago, but is now finally shipping. While it isn’t the only iOS-based gamepad out there by any means, devices like the Gametel Gamepad work well enough but they still feel ‘added on’ and somewhat cheap looking. The iCade Mobile slides on and actually looks like it belongs there. This gamepad also supports over 400 games and would certainly be great for playing gaming classics from systems like the Sega Genesis and SNES. Sure, it doesn’t have dual analog or any of the more modern handheld buttons, but it manages to maintain a sleek, sexy look for retro and arcade lovers out there. The shoulder buttons are a nice touch as well.

At $80, this is a surefire way to bring your iPhone gaming to the next level. Is it going to make core gamers ditch their PS Vita or 3DS handhelds? Of course not, but for an arcade accessory, you can’t do much better.

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It’s called the iCADE 8-Bitty and it’s going to be showcased at the 2012 Toy Fair in New York City. In a nutshell, it’s a wireless controller that very much borrows its inspiration from the 8-bit era of gaming. It’s pretty much a replica of the old NES controller, except there are four face buttons instead of two. There are eight buttons in all, so I’m assuming the other four are shoulder buttons.

I’m not sure if the “iCADE” moniker is really still all that appropriate, because this really has nothing to do with gaming in the arcade anymore. It’s gaming in the living room. Like the other iCADE products, the iCADE 8-Bitty connects to your iPod, iPhone, or iPad via Bluetooth. The difference here is that they’ve expanded the scope to include Android folks, encouraging app developers to use the API to “make just about any game compatible with iCADE.” Current supported games include Muffin Knight, Super Mega Worm, Warblade HD, Space Inversion 2, and HyperBowl.

The iCADE 8-Bitty will sell for $24.99 when it launches “later this year.”

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It is undeniably true that iPad gaming will be around for a long period of time, and as a matter of fact, gaming is included on the top three things most people do when it comes to their gadgets. To cater to gamers’ demands, Atari worked with ThinkGeek who outsourced to ION to create the iCade. Remember that cool-looking gadget that resembles a mini arcade machine?

Well, here’s something very similar that will most likely be half the price at $50. Discovery Bay Games’ Atari Arcade iPad Dock hopes to achieve the same arcade feel when it comes to your iPad, though it doesn’t look as cool as the iCade. The bonus of the dock is that it has a 30-pin dock which you can connect to your iPad, unlike the iCade which connects to the 10-inch gadget through Bluetooth. The dock is designed to work with Atari’s Greatest Hits app. The device has semblance to a racing-striped Shelby Cobra. Atari Arcade is kept in place by four huge rubber feet and it clings to almost any surface such as wood and glass and you can click the joystick in eight different ways. If you’re not willing to shell out $100 for the iCade, then this device is probably for you. We’ll see what the exact pricing ends up being.

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Ion has moved to bring back the “arcade” concept with their iCade iPad dock.  The box turns your iPad into a miniature version of the gaming cabinets of old. And though it won’t get you out of the house or put you into any sort of social situations, the dock’s Bluetooth joystick kit will still give you that nostalgic arcade feeling while playing your retro games.

The only complaint I have is that it only allows your iPad to sit in the portrait position rather than giving the option for either orientation. But I’m sure Atari and others will be taking this into consideration when developing games to play through the iCade.

And if you can’t find the game you’re looking for in Atari’s library, Ion says new and existing apps can be “easily updated to work with iCade.”

Ion plans to release the dock in late spring this year for about $100.

[Engadget via Ion Audio]

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