ThinkGeek's iCade gaming cabinet for iPad moves closer to reality
Since 2001, ThinkGeek has been compiling gag products for April Fool's Day. Some products are silly, some outrageous, and some are conceptually cool and show promise as a real product. The iCade gaming cabinet, one star of April Fool's 2010, falls into this latter category. The iCade is a retro gaming cabinet that hearkens back to the 80s and its arcade gaming craze. The table-top unit lets you mount your iPad as the display, while the cabinet itself includes a joystick, arcade buttons and Bluetooth to connect to your iPad. After a few copycat versions hit the scene, ThinkGeek realized there is genuine interest in such a product and is working with Atari and ION to bring this concept to fruition. Atari is planning to release iCade-friendly versions of its classic arcade games, like Asteroids. These games will run on the iPad, and the action will be controlled by the BT-connected joystick and gaming buttons. An API will also be released so that current game developers can create iCade-compatible versions of their games.
The unit will start shipping April 2011 and will retail for US$99.99. Are any of you gamers out there interested in scooping one up when it becomes available?
[Via the gadgeteer]
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Since 2001, ThinkGeek has been compiling gag products for April Fool's Day. Some products are silly, some outrageous, and some are...
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Sign me up for one! It'll look great next to my Bally Astrocade, Atari 2600, Magnavox Odyssey 2 and collection of tabletop games. :-)
April 06 2011 at 4:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIs it sad that I'd actually consider buying one of those?
January 12 2011 at 12:24 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI played this at CES and Asteroids was pretty fun on it. And what a great iPad dock. I would have bought it there if I could, but we have to wait until April. Hopefully the apps will be reasonably priced and Namco will provide support for their existing games.
January 11 2011 at 4:42 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyAdd me to the queue, especially if Atari is involved!!
DO WANT! Will definitely be buying one!
January 11 2011 at 10:54 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replythe moment I saw this on ThinkGeek as an April Fool's joke (and had to explain to a co-worker it wasn't real) I have prayed they would make one... I have been super excited since I saw the story from CES and plan on buying one as soon as they're available.
January 11 2011 at 10:32 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyDidn't the Tauntaun sleeping bag start as an April Fool's joke?
January 11 2011 at 10:08 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyYep, and the 8-bit necktie did, too.
January 11 2011 at 4:48 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyA C-note for a box, no thanks.
January 11 2011 at 9:57 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySince 2011? April fool!
Or maybe it's the Apple alarm bug.
I'm pretty sure ThinkGeek has been compiling these April Fool's gags since before 2011. More year troubles?
January 11 2011 at 9:41 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyDeals of the Day
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