Atari Arcade is the $60 answer to iCade (review)

Yearning to relive the classics (Lunar Lander, anyone?) on your iPad, replete with that authentic arcade feel? It wasn't long ago that we reviewed ThinkGeek and Ion's formidable iCade, but at $100, it was -- and still is -- a pricey portion to stomach for an occasional retro gaming fix. Fast forward to the present, and Atari's paired with Discovery Bay Games to create their own official spin on an iPad arcade adapter, fittingly dubbed the Arcade Duo-Powered Joystick. Unlike the iCade, it doesn't use Bluetooth and requires no batteries -- you simply dock your iPad into its 30-pin connector. The joypad is specifically made to work with Atari's Greatest Hits app, and it's set to land in early October for a slightly more wallet-friendly price of $60. We were able to slam its controls a bit while playing through various levels of Major Havoc and the like, and you'll find our impressions after the break.

 The unit itself looks akin to a racing-striped Shelby Cobra, but there's just one thing we have to get out of way: it feels plasticky. Plasticky in the way a Samsung Galaxy S II feels solid, although far from finely machined like a Nokia N8. It's not awful by any means, but it really does give off a toy-like vibe. On the underside we're greeted by four large rubber feet that kept it in place whether we used it on wood, plastic counter tops or even glass. On top, there's an eight-way clicky joystick, four buttons and a rubber-lined recess with a tilting 30-pin connector and lock tabs to ensure it'll seat either flavor of Apple's slate. Getting our iPad 2 hooked into the Arcade with a snug fit wasn't terribly hard, but it did take a bit of finesse -- and a few grunts of frustration -- to get it docked properly. Notably, we found that thin cases like Speck's Smartshell wouldn't play nice with the device, so you'll have to keep your tablet bare. On more positive notes, the Arcade was easy to use while laying down with it on our stomach or resting in our lap while sitting. The fixed angle for the screen also worked amiably in most situations.

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Posted in: Tech Gadget