Tested: Fling Game Controller gives serious iPad gamers the winning edge

Platform: iPad

RATING:
5 out of 5

PRICE:
$19.95 (or two for $29.95)

TASTY:
On-screen joysticks giving you fits? The Fling controller attaches via suction cups to your iPad screen, to give you a whole new level of control.

BUMMER:
Once you try one, you'll want a second (for those dual-stick iOS shooter games). Do yourself a favor and grab a two-pack for just $10 more.

COOL:
This little add-on gives all serious iPad gamers looking to milk the most from their gaming app purchases a serious competitive edge. Silky smooth control with just the right amount of tactile feedback adds up to a must-buy peripheral, right behind a protective case.



If you’re like me, then you’ve come to really hate “finger drift” when using the virtual, on-screen joystick in your favorite iOS games.

You know the feeling. You’re trucking along, doing just fine, when your sweaty finger slides across your iPad screen and out of range of a visual joystick. There goes another life, and those all-important power ups and score boosts.

After a few days of attaching one of Ten One Design’s Fling Tactile Game Controller for iPad ($19.95) to my tablet, I can safely say that this little add-on gives serious iPad gamers perfect, silky smooth control with just the right amount of tactile feedback.

It all adds up to a must-buy peripheral, right behind a protective case, for all new iPad owners with an interest in gaming. Once you try one, you’ll want a second. So do yourself a favor and grab a two-pack for just $10 more.

Best of all, in my tests with three different iPad cases and two kinds of screen protectors, the device performed perfectly in every configuration. So no need to worry about your case or screen covering getting in the way of the fun.

As expected, the developers at Ten One Design have come up with a very novel solution to iPad gaming angst in the Fling. It’s a physical controller that mimics the circular on-screen directional pad (D-Pad) found in most games, and it adheres to the iPad through a pair of suction cups. Lock it in the perfect spot, and you’ll have smooth, 360-degree rotation along with a bit of physical resistance to give you solid control.

So no matter if you’re addicted to Pocket Legends, Across Age, or Super Megaworm, the Fling stands ready to take your game to the next level. And with the ability to move the device to any location on your screen, there’s no worry about the actual location of the on-screen D-Pad. Just move it to where you need it and off you go.

The icing on the cake? The device is transparent, so you can see right through it. Plus, the small bag the Fling ships in doubles as a screen cleaning cloth, so you can buff up your iPad screen anytime you want to get your game on.

You can order yours via Ten One’s website at http://www.tenonedesign.com.

Read all of my Apple iPad and Google Android application reviews at Appolicious and Yahoo! Tech.