Ok, so I know not everyone is fond of playing high-end games on their touch screen devices. I’ve heard all the complaints. As mobile gaming continues to grow at a rapid rate, people are just begging for a product that will really help bridge the gap between the feel of playing a game on a console and playing a game on their android phone or tablet. I for one don’t really mind touch screen controls. So long as they’re intuitive enough and developed with the core gamer in mind. However I love the option of gamepad support in a game like Madfinger’s “SHADOWGUN” as it provides a much truer console like gaming experience. It seems as though our friends over at NYKO have listened to the good people out there who stand behind the Android gaming platform as a force to be reckoned with and have recently announced a pair of Android gaming controllers (the Playpad and Playpad pro) that are for use with phones and tablets running android 3.0 or later. There is still no word on how much you’ll have to pony up for a crack at using one of these, I’m hoping for right around $40 though. The controllers are set to be released this fall and you will be able to pick them up in the form of a “regular” and “pro”version. (see Playpad above, Playpad Pro below.)
Both the Playpad and the Playpad Pro will utilize Bluetooth wireless connectivity to hook up to your phone or tablet, and NYKO says they have worked closely with Nvidia on these to develop an awesome gaming experience to users out there with a tegra enabled device. Good news for those out there using nvidias chipset. This hopefully proves to bring some much-needed support to games that are optimized for the tegra processors. Don’t fret though if your someone out there who isn’t using a tegra powered piece of hardware. NYKO states that they plan to release an app titled Playground that will allow gamers to map out the buttons in a game that would otherwise only recognize input from the touch controls or hard keyboard.
While the Playpad Pro looks to be available in a traditional black styling, the regular Playpad seems to be available in a wide array of color options for that ultimate customizing experience. I don’t know about everyone else out there, but when me and my buddy’s get together for a good old-fashioned game throwdown, the color of the controller is just as important as what place on the screen you occupy. It’s the good luck charm. It’s also kind of like your flag, which seems fitting since I like to sometimes hoist mine up towards the sky when I own face. If you’re someone who despises touch screen controls when it comes to console quality games on your tablet or phone, then you will definitely want to keep an eye on these bad boys come this fall.