Ion iCade Mobile and iCade Core

[wraggster]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/05/icade-mob-and-core2011-09-0820-19-08600.jpg (http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/21/ion-icade-mobile-and-icade-core-review/)The iCade Arcade Cabinet (http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/31/ion-icade-arcade-cabinet-review/) famously began life as an April Fool's joke, pulling the video game equivalent of Pinocchio by transforming in a real salable product. The $100 arcade machine-shaped iPad enclosure / controller hit the sweet spot between functionality and retro gaming nostalgia, proving successful enough that Ion found itself with a solid reason to expand the line. Notable amongst the new arrivals are the iCade Core (http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/24/icade-core-coming-to-a-tiny-arcade-near-you-in-june/), which offers up the same feature set as the original iCade in a more portable joystick form, and the iCade Mobile (http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/icade-cuts-the-fat-for-ces-introduces-handheld-brother/), a re-imagining of the product as an oversized iPhone case. The Core carries the same price tag as its predecessor, while the Mobile clocks in at $20 less. So, are these additions worthy of the iCade name? Or would the line have been better served as a one-off? Insert a coin and find out after the break.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/21/ion-icade-mobile-and-icade-core-review/