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

derkunstler Avatar
181 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
181 months ago
Pretty overpriced IMO.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclardy Avatar
181 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)
The Loafer Avatar
181 months ago
insta-buy for me (x2)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mrat93 Avatar
181 months ago
I'm pretty satisfied with my iControlPad. I can't see myself buying this.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jlgolson Avatar
181 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

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
Google maps feaure

Google Maps Quietly Added This Long-Overdue Feature for Drivers

Wednesday December 10, 2025 2:52 am PST by
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you. Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...
iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Apple to Make More Foldable iPhones Than Expected [Updated]

Tuesday December 9, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple has ordered 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone, signaling a significantly larger production target than the display industry had previously anticipated, ET News reports. In the now-seemingly deleted report, ET News claimed that Samsung plans to mass-produce 11 million inward-folding OLED displays for Apple next year, as well as 11 million...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...