With iPhone and Android handsets appearing in people’s hands all over the globe, touch screen gaming is growing at a remarkable rate. But while there are literally thousands of games that make use of this incredible technology, the industry is still really in its infancy. Developers know how to make great games using the old school analog controls that have been around for decades, but have had some trouble making the jump to the touch screen. Games have always had some sort of joystick/directional pad for use in navigation, which simply doesn’t exist in touch screen gaming. Game makers have tried to recreate this vital component using a virtual stick, but I have yet to play a game where one of these has really succeeded.

Enter Ten One Designs, who have created a low tech solution to this high tech problem. This past week, the folks at Ten One introduced the Fling Mini, a directional thumb pad which connects to the screen of your phone using suction cups. This is a sequel product to the original Fling, a larger version released earlier this year designed with the iPad in mind. The Fling and Fling Mini sit on top of the virtual joysticks, recreating the feel of a game pad. While this isn’t a perfect solution to the problems associated with touch screen gaming, I think it is a genius way to make the gaming experience a little more enjoyable on your mobile device. While it seems that the pad might block some of your vision, especially on something as small as an iPhone, from the photos the blockage doesn’t look all that bad. I have yet to get my hands on one of these little devices, so I can’t tell you how good they are, but this is the sort of innovation which makes the game industry such a joy to follow.

Image via www.tenonedesign.com