Remember the iCADE iPad arcade cabinet? This nostalgia-fest turned heads at CES back in January, but it’s now on sale in the UK. We pulled together all the spare change we could to play on it: read on to see our hands on video with Cupertino’s slate playing Atari classics in HD!
The concept behind the iCADE couldn’t be simpler: fold and screw the pieces together, drop the iPad (or iPad 2) in the holder, and you’re away. The controls connect over Bluetooth (2 AA batteries are included) and you don’t have to drop money in the coin slot to play.
The games are handled by the Atari Greatest Hits App, which will let you download up to 100 titles, including hits like Asteroids. The eight buttons and retro joystick are sturdy and seriously mashable, unlike the delicate screen on the slate itself.
If there’s one problem, it’s that no other developers are down with the iCADE right now. As you can see in the video, other games don’t support the controls, so you can forget about Angry Birds with buttons, or Tiny Wings with parachute pants – actually, that last one’s up to you.
Still, for the asking price, it seems like the perfect boy’s toy for anyone in your life who already owns an iPad.
The iCADE iPad arcade cabinet is available to pre-order at Firebox.com, priced at £79.99.
