iCade Creators Announce Nintendo-Like Wireless Controller for iOS - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

iCade Creators Announce Nintendo-Like Wireless Controller for iOS

by

ThinkGeek, the creators of the iCade iPad gaming cabinet have upped the ante with a new Bluetooth enabled controller called the iCade 8-Bitty. The controller is roughly the size and layout of a classic NES controller, with an extra pair of A/B buttons on the right side and two shoulder buttons.

8 bitty
The 8-Bitty offers the same compatibility as the larger iCade cabinet, supporting all iCade-compatible titles and the iCade open development platform. It runs on two AAA batteries.

At the moment, this just an announcement of the 8-Bitty. Interested parties can join a mailing list to be notified when the controller goes on sale. The 8-Bitty will retail for $25 when it is released later this year.

Top Rated Comments

192 months ago
It was not an unsolicited submission. I was working with them towards securing a position as a creative designer. I created a series of samples within my portfolio to showcase what I could develop for them. Sadly they liked what they saw but felt it better to simply replicate some of my ideas rather than offer me a position. Its common in the design world these days. Thus why the graphic design field is dog eat dog and full of contempt and hate. There is a lot of bottomfeeding and plagiarism. It's simply the nature of the business now. But it does still hurt to see an idea you developed get used without your direct input. Then to read people's reactions to a design or 'look' you promoted. People think of the company as brilliant, yet it was me who promoted the retro graphics look for their products. If you do not believe me I can share with you my portfolio samples and you can see what was lifted. :(

But the fact is that there is no trust any more. Everything is fodder and everyone is material to be used in this industry. I went out on a limb and showed them a portfolio of material on their request. But I should have known what it was all about. Its all very common. I have some changes to make. Ideas are valuable. But there are people, especially in the usa, who disregard art and feel that original ideas are there for others to take without compensation. It is a blatant disregard for the value of art and creativity that has come to a serious crisis in this country. Art is taken for granted. Ideas or artists are often declared 'worthless' until there is something to steal. How can an artist be worthless and valuable at the same time? We wont hire you but we will lift concepts from you. I can not explain to you how angry this makes me. That is why this industry will continue to revolve around mediocrity. The people who are truly creative are held at bay, raped and eventually discarded. There is no respect for innovation or originality. There is only the all mighty buck. And saving a buck worth more than providing someone with potential a chance. That is a death sentence for any industry. It is only a matter of time. The economic depression isnt just about Bush, oil, credit and people living beyond their means. its about an industry selling out and abusing and excluding talent. It's about raping creativity as a resource.

But it doesn't matter. Its my fault I should have known. I was a fool to think that they would be honest with me. I have a lot of changes to make in how I prepare my portfolio. We live in evil times where the human element doesn't matter any more. People look at the atrocities going on in China at Foxcon. People need to look right in their backyard and see the kinds of things that take place right here. And why workers have 0 faith in business these days. Its just dog eat dog. Everyone and everything is fodder.




I must ask, why did you share it with them?

Apple has some pretty significant legalese about unsolicited submissions and how they automatically own all of them so if someone submits something and they come out with something similar, they can't be sued.

In my experience, folks are way too free with unsolicited submissions.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
toddybody Avatar
192 months ago
Pretty overpriced IMO.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclardy Avatar
192 months ago
Now this is awesome. $25 and works with all iCade games? Yes please.

This + iPad/iPhone 4S + Airplay mirroring (or HDMI output) = awesome.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
192 months ago
insta-buy for me (x2)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mrat93 Avatar
192 months ago
I'm pretty satisfied with my iControlPad. I can't see myself buying this.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jlgolson Avatar
192 months ago
Yes it is, also the graphic design was indirectly based on some graphic designs I shared with Thinkgeek not so long ago. I feel really badly right now guys. I hope to contribute to their company one day and made an effort to. But to see this example that so closely matches a design I came up with is very upsetting to me.
I must ask, why did you share it with them?

Apple has some pretty significant legalese about unsolicited submissions and how they automatically own all of them so if someone submits something and they come out with something similar, they can't be sued.

In my experience, folks are way too free with unsolicited submissions.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Today

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from today: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
duo aquarium

More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try

Friday November 6, 2026 3:27 pm PST by
When the iPhone Duo launched, we shared a list of some of the fun apps developers created for the new form factor. Two weeks out, developers are continuing to come up with fresh ideas, so we thought we'd share some of our favorites. Games Marbles Unhinged ($2.99) - Marbles Unhinged is a marble maze designed for the Duo. When you fold it, the floor turns into a ramp. If you stand the top...
silver iphone 18 pro

Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year

Friday November 6, 2026 6:07 am PST by
Apple plans to merge the iPhone's Action button with the Camera Control starting next year, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker claimed that a single press of the combined button would open the camera, while a long press would trigger the function assigned to the Action button. They explicitly clarified that the dedicated Action button would ...
Latest Stories
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
15 hours ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
15 hours ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
22 hours ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
2 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
2 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
2 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
2 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
2 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
2 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
2 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
2 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
2 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
2 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
2 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
3 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
3 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
3 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
3 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
3 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
3 days ago
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
3 days ago
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
3 days ago
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
3 days ago