60beat creates a full gamepad for iOS devices

by JC Fletcher on Dec 29th 2011 1:15PM

The idea of a gamepad sticking out of your iPhone may be hilarious, but it's still not as funny as attempting to play Mega Man 2 with a virtual d-pad. The 60beat Gamepad connects to an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad through the headphone jack, providing the complete set of console controls to any supported iOS app -- shoulder buttons, analog sticks, and all.

At the moment, that list of supported iOS apps is pretty small (just Bugdom 2 and Aftermath), making the controller perfect for someone who either loves those games or is banking on more support in the future.

Via: Engadget
Source: 60beat

Tags: 60beat, bugdom-2, gamepad, ios, ipad, iphone, mobile

Reader Comments (48)

*yawn*

Didn´t apple forbade those?

Wow, finally

Finally lol

I'm waiting for the Apple branded version, the iPad.

oh shit...

@Jameseh

iGamePad. Oh snaps!!!

@Jameseh

@Jameseh

Did a spacial anomaly open in your room when you finished typing that?

3DS/Vita killer.

/s (oh so very hard)

(I just have to say this.) Meanwhile, Android tablets support just about any controller. I'll be on my way now.

@ColorblindMonk

They don't have they game library that iOS does though. Just saying.

@xFenixKnightx +1

Should have been bluetooth

@Timjoy Did you miss the part where it doesnt require any batteries and runs completely off the power supplied through the headphone jack?

A light-weight wired controller is much more portable, than a battery heavy bluetooth one.

@Timjoy
Becausr iOS devices have screen big enough to be far away and still see in great detail?...

The iPaddle is on the way! Seriously, I hope they add support to games like GTA 3.

LOL...they are all trying so hard to be gaming platforms...lol...it is comical. Sorry, but I'll stick to my current gaming platforms and skip the whole iOS/Android weak efforts at it, with watered down gaming experiences.

@hiruuamon
Wow, people still missing out on mobile gaming due to fanboyism. I weep for your missed chances at fun. That said this is just yet another in a long line of half bakes, zero support, pointless attempts to take mobile gaming and make it something it's not. It's not even blue-tooth (more convenient) or have a mounting point for the device (fine for an ipad... on a desk... in an office. Try it with a phone, or on a plane, or any of the places people actually USE their mobile devices because they don't have a console or computer sitting there already...)

@ima747toscaledesigncom
Not being a Bluetooth device has its advantage: less of a drain on the connected device's battery.

@hiruuamon Kind of got it backwards. Gaming has become a huge market on the i-devices, so companies such as this are trying to cash in on the success. There are a enough "made for ios" games that are intelligently designed in that a joystick/pad would defeat the purpose. Oh, and if you look beyond surface news, you'll realize there are tons of games with depth on the ios platform. You only read about the mass appeal games like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja but gamers who happen to own ios devices know better.

@BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam

Additionally with the design of this running off the power supplied through the headphone jack means you wont be stuck having to carry, or re-charge batteries just for the controller. It makes it a much more portable friendly solution.

If this works with the On-Live app we may see some a pretty good competition in the tablet controller market.

@JCat

I don't know... I own an iOS device and there really aren't that many that I've found that have any depth. There are many that are fun to play in short spurts and are well suited to touch screens, but most really are pretty shallow. But, really, these days that's all I really expect out of these cheap mobile games.

@hiruuamon Infinity Blade. Don't get me wrong, some of these games on iOS blow hard butt is game was awesome.

@ima747toscaledesigncom
I am a xbox fanboy, and proud of it, just like you have tons of apple fanboy who buy EVERYTHING the company pitches, and scream how it will save the world. I jsut get tired of all these people who try to make it seem like mobile gaming is going to radically alter gaming...which is complete nonsense. Console and PC gaming has been here for a VERY long time, and will remain so. I don't know what the business model looks like for these mobile platform makers, but I don't see the taking over everything, anytime soon.

It looks like a Batarang or some sort of Batman gadget...

Not really fanboyism when mobile gaming is just watered down and ripped off games though.. What's the most popular game on iOS? Angry Birds. That's not saying a lot.. You seem more like the fanboy here.

Not when the power comes from the device it connects to. This controller takes power from the phone to run which doesn't make it any better than Bluetooth.

Needs to be a frame that snaps onto the iPad. Like a giant PSP/DS/GBA/etc.

I'm tired of tablet makers' stubbornness. Just put buttons already!

@Gooblechev these devices have not been designed with gaming in mind, which is the issue. Game devs have adapted to the ways that games can run.

That is why I personally see mobile gaming being something different from handheld consoles.

@Eniko I do too, but everyone seems to want to jump on the "mobile is killing handhelds" bandwagon, so mobiles are going to have to make some concessions if that ever comes true.

I actually like playing games on my iPod but as long as it's not a game like GTA 3

If it just plugs into the headphone jack, couldn't they make it work with Android devices as well?

I have downloaded and played a ton of games on iOS. I've yet to find a single one with depth. It's just not there.

What do you do if you want to use headphones with it? I guess fork some dough to get some bluetooth headphones or something? And would this thing work with a audio jack splitter maybe?

My iPhone already sucks down its battery power as it is.

I'd rather have the option to replace the batteries in the controller if I'm say on a flight or some other place where I cant recharge my phone instead of having the juice from my phone powering both and dying in half the time. There are two sides to the coin mr. Fanboy.

I hope this stuff eventually kills off PlayStation. I wouldn't mind iOS becomming the 3rd system, replaying the hollow PS brand. This stuff will not kill Nintendo though, so get that out of your heads. All videogame makers NEED Nintendo, because they wouldn't know what to do without them. They all stand by and watch what the father of video games is going to do next.

@(Unverified)

Ugh... no.

@(Unverified) Not sure if trolling or stupid...

Love the idea but don't like that controller's build. OnLive's Universal is more ergonomic than what's in the video IMO. Plus, my Tab 10.1 supports both Wiimote and DS3, but I'm still interested to see what MS does with their Windows tablets in relation to games and the Xbox brand.

Please let us know when games like Dead Space, Hero of Sparta 1 & 2 and the GTA games are supported.

Analogue sticks next to each other?
Nope.

Gotta love that porno music.

Maybe an iPad. But I don't think android devices have that much bigger screens to make bluetooth controllers any more viable, but they have them.

Wtf joystiq? Three consecutive reply fails using the iPhone app.

Infinity Blade seems to be a decent game, but even on consoles/PC, it is not my favorite type of game (3rd person). I do like the genre, but from what I've heard, the game is short and repititive. People are always absolutely "amazed" by the games quality...eventhough and iPOD is more powerful than older gaming consoles...so I'm not sure why they are. The XBL indie marketplace is really an exciting marketplace, and really opens up a great space for aspiring developers, but we heard alots of noise all the time about these hallow mobile games. Angry Birds is fun, don't get my wrong, but for everyone of thoses, there is about 1000 crappy games, it seems.

This has potential. Imagine playing any of the FPS games they have on iOS with this. BIA, NOVA, Splinter Cell Conviction, Rainbow Six Vanguard, Shadow Guardian (Uncharted ripoff), Dead Space, Rage, GTA 3 ...etc. Apple just needs to get on board with alternatives to touch controls that don't work for a controller that gives the people who want a more traditional gaming experience an option.

60beat creates a full gamepad for iOS devices

Reader Comments (48)

Posted: Dec 29th 2011 1:18PM type2red said

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