As great a platform as iOS may be for all kinds of casual games, the touchscreen interface just doesn’t give the same kind of experience that a real joystick can provide. The JOYSTICK-IT iPad Arcade JoyStick from ThinkGeeek that came out at CES is now shipping.

The idea is obvious enough. You stick these retro-looking thumbsticks onto your tablet and you can play games like Pac-Man to your heart’s content. It’s a solid aluminum joystick, so the idea is that it’s lightweight but robust. Naturally, there are no batteries involved.

It doesn’t provide the tactile feedback for the virtual buttons, but at least you have the joystick part of the equation going on. A single stick sells for $25, or you can get the double-pack for $40. And they just started shipping. It’s not quite as crazy as the iCade for iPad, but it’s also a lot cheaper and much more portable. Stay tuned for a review soon.

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