If you have any NES controllers lying around and enjoy a little gaming, you might be interested in this new hack that has been created by Paul Rickards. Who has taken a standard NES controller and modified it to work on the iCade games on the iPad.Rickards admits the hack happened as a accident, while playing around with iMAME on his iPad together with his homebrew Commodore 64 keyboard. Which is connected to his iPad via a modded USB connection, he accidentally struck a key. Which then prompted iMAME to say "enabling iCade mode”

After investigation he discovers the iPad would recognise USB connected controllers. So to make the NES controller work with the iPad, Rickards manufactured another USB keyboard using Arduino, but instead of using a keyboard matrix, used the NES gamepad instead.

To finish the hack off professionally he created a lego case for the board and ports, with one of the ports connected to the iPad’s Camera Connection Kit.

Rickards has detailed instructions on the neat hack for iCade game over on his website Bios Rhythm. So if you have a few hours spare this weekend and have a spare NES controller why not adapt your iPad to enjoy a little retro gaming.

Source: Cult of Mac : Bios Rhythm