The iCade gaming cabinet for mobile devices has been given nothing but rave reviews since it released, and was even praised by us for its superb control. We’ve also seen the announcement of three new promising iCades at CES, so it is a bit surprising to see ThinkGeek reveal the 8-Bitty controller just over a month later.

Being a child of the eighties, I have fond memories of the earliest years of video games. But the fondest of these would have to be the memories of my time spent in my local arcade. The art of the cabinets. The feel of the joystick. The warm glow from the machines that would bathe my face in light. It was magical. That’s why I decided it was time to finally sit down and try the iCade – a peripheral for the iPad from ION Audio that promised to recreate the magic of the arcade in the comfort of my own home.

Ion's iCade arcade cabinet has managed to provide those of us who frittered away our formative years in video arcades (and own iPads) relive the nostalgia of our youth. Not only does the device recreate the arcade control experience, but it also provides you with a free copy of Atari's Greatest Hits. Now, it turns out that the iCade cabinet is getting some siblings, including two that are compatible with the iPhone.