While there are many great mobile games that work perfectly fine with touch controls, others are a bit lacking. Virtual control sticks and virtual buttons are a sufficient stopgap for some--but people like myself prefer the precision offered by physical buttons and analog sticks.

Nyko is the latest peripheral manufacturer to attempt creating a game pad for mobile devices. However, what makes their controller so unique is not the hardware itself--but bundled software that can ensure backwards compatibility with all mobile games.

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"You are the controller," Microsoft's ad campaign for Kinect claims. However, pay attention to all those advertisements: everyone in those commercials have gigantic living rooms. Gamers that live in a more confined space may find it impossible to use the camera peripheral. According to Microsoft, you'll need at least six feet of space in front of the TV to use the device. However, Popular Science notes that this is "the bare minimum" and, in practice, requires eight feet of space to properly enjoy.

Nyko is attempting to address this issue with its Zoom peripheral, a clip-on lens that attaches to the face of the Kinect sensor. According to the press release, the Zoom will let Kinect operate with "40% less space." If the math holds true, it should theoretically work with only five feet of space. That should, hopefully, make Kinect a bit more palpable, especially for Asian video game bloggers that live in an apartment in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Read more »

Nintendo and Nyko today settled one of the many prending lawsuits pertaining to Wii controllers. The lawsuit, filed by Nintendo back in June, accused Nyko of violating trademarks and patents through its Wii Kama Wireless Nunchuks.

The settlement will allow Nyko and its retail partners to sell a redesigned Wii Kama Wireless Nunchuk. Specific terms of the agreement were not provided. Thus far, Nintendo has only officially released a wired version of the Wii Nunchuk add-on. Read more »

Wii maker Nintendo has sued third-party accessory manufacturer Nyko, claiming that Nyko's line of Wii Kama Wireless Nunchuks violate

Nintendo's trademarks and patents.

The lawsuit alleges that Nyko "wholly appropriates the novel shape, design, overall appearance and even the color and materials used in the Nintendo Nunchuk controller," according to documents obtained by Bloomberg. Read more »