Filed under: Gaming

Love your Wii but tiring of your standard control options? Looking for something that involves less arm swinging, feels a little bit more like an Xbox or PS3 experience, and loses that Classic Controller cable? Well the folks from Nyko are here for you, and they want to hold you all night long… and they brought the Wing. What’s the Wing you ask? It’s essentially a standard gamepad on highly concentrated crack-cocaine. The wireless controller features two analog sticks and a plethora of buttons (both up front and around the back), and can run for around 30 hours on a pair of AAA batteries. No word on price or release date, but if you notice a sudden crime wave and rash of unexplained fires, the Wing is probably out.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming

We saw a couple versions of the iControlPad iPhone gamepad surface back in May, but it looks like the clever add-on is getting close to reality — check out these case prototypes that just popped up. Yeah, it’s not, uh, small — good thing the target price is under $30. Touch Arcade also has some other pictures of another iPhone gaming accessory that looks like it slides open, check it out at the read link.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Today’s generations of gee-whiz graphics and analog controls have brought with them one unfortunate addition: beefy, expensive wireless controllers that we’re loathe to dash against the floor or to bash against an adjacent sibling. The creatively-termed “USB Metal Game Pad” from Dream Cheeky is just what it says on the box, doing your basic assortment of SNES-era joypad work with some USB pluggability and Mac / PC compatibility, but being conveniently built out of metal. Sure, it looks shoddy and uninspired, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. No word on price or where to nab one.

[Via technabob]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Wait, let’s get this straight. We understood that the newfangled Xbox 360 controller would be limited in nature (though we never understood why), but now you’re telling us that North Americans will have to get lucky on the international second-hand market to obtain one? According to information spilled to Eurogamer, that’s the deal. Microsoft is reportedly loosing the pad in Europe, Asia and Latin America as a “promotional item” that ties in with Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer. Also, it’s very green, and only green. We’re still waiting to hear if Microsoft has plans to bring this stateside or use it to replace the existing controller entirely, but who knows, maybe the US edition will boast four analog sticks and a built-in LCD with real-time LIVE! status checking.

[Via Joystiq]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Gaming

According to gamesindustry.biz, Microsoft is confirming a slight revision to its Xbox 360 controller design. Apparently, the new iteration of the gamepad includes enhancements to its d-pad, which admittedly has always been somewhat lacking. In Microsoft’s words: “The new limited edition green wireless controller offers enhancements to d-pad functionality, which will add to the experience of playing games where the d-pad is the primary control mechanism.” We’d like to think that this d-pad tweak will finally give us an opportunity to level up in COD4 from Corporal to Lieutenant General in no time.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Gaming

Let’s face it: you don’t have nearly enough game controllers and accessories adding to the spaghetti that is your entertainment center. This USB M.A.D. Game Pad gives you the option to remove a little steering wheel for those moments when you’re not driving about. Compatible with Windows Vista, XP, and 2000, this Brando product is available for $20. So, why? Apparently this thing is meant for the gamer on the move — it’s small and light, measuring only 4 x 2.5-inches and weighing in at a dainty 3-ounces. As for the size of the steering wheel? It’s tiny. Really tiny. For tiny people with tiny fingers. Can you feel the love?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

We’re guessing the naming scheme here was quite intentional, though we’ll be the first to say Bandai’s Smart Berry has very, very little in common with RIM’s stockpile of handsets. Nevertheless, this “mobile communicator” joins the small crowd of other tween-centric chat handhelds with wireless capabilities that enable four of these things to talk to one another “for email, chat and online games within a 10-meter diameter.” For whatever reason, messages are limited to 64 characters (and you thought SMS was bad…), and in case that little tidbit grows increasingly frustrating, there’s a virtual pet on board to take your mind to a more blissful place. Sure, we can see younger gals being entertained by this for a few weeks or so, but the ¥10,290 ($96) price tag just seems a bit outrageous, particularly when you consider the lack of a color screen. Yeah, for real.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Continue reading Sony UX handheld gets outfitted with makeshift gamepad

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Peripherals

Evergreen’s testing the limits of convergence this morning with their new ¥3,499 ($33) Genius Navigator 365 mouse. It’s a 1600/800dpi laser mouse and you guessed it, a gamepad all wrapped up in a single package. Neither of which we suspect works as well as a pair of dedicated devices. Look, we may not approve of your choice for this mouse, but we’ll fight to the death for your right to choose it. Ok, maybe not this time.

Continue reading Evergreen’s Genius Navigator 365 mouse, for idiots

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Merely days after we caught Wolfking’s astonishingly bizarre gaming keyboard lurking in the FCC’s database, it seems that the firm is giving the pup a proper (and we mean proper) name. Just as Elmo would attest, things just seem a little more hardcore with any variant of “extreme” in the title, and the Warrior Xxtreme goes the xxtra mile by doubling up on the x’s and kicking the e to the curb. The self-proclaimed “hybrid two-in-one PC gamepad / keyboard” supposedly combines the utility of a full-fledged keyboard with the “ergonomics and space saving design of a gamepad.” No matter how you slice it, this thing certainly won’t please everyone, but hopefully we’ll have a price to pass along in the not-too-distant future for those already gearing up for battle.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!