Marware Game Grip

I might be more of a gamer if I weren’t so lousy at most games. You’ll note that iProng’s game reviews are generally handled by other staff members; I often lack the manual dexterity to make far enough into games to even be able to write about the more advanced levels. Don’t get me wrong, if it’s solitaire I’m your man. But much as I might enjoy taking a stab at some of the more impressive accelerometer-based games for iPhone, I tend to be mediocre at most of them at best. So short of an actual cheat code, I’ll take any iPhone gaming help I can get.



Enter Marware’s Game Grip, a device which basically just adds rubber handles to the iPhone or iPod touch. It wasn’t until I tried using this product that I began to understand (at least in part) why I’m so lousy at most of the games I’ve played on my iPhone: my dexterity is challenged enough as it is, but gets even worse when holding the iPhone while playing a game because I’m trying to cradle the iPhone in my hands while simultaneously using my fingers to operate the game. But once I placed the iPhone into the Game Grip and fired up some of the same games, I instantly found myself doing better at them. Case in point: I’d given up playing Freeverse’s Moto Chaser because I’d been stuck on the same level forever; I made it through the level with a few seconds to spare the first time I tried it with the Game Grip.



So count this skeptic as sold on the concept. The execution is a little less perfect though. The primary drawback to the Game Grip is obvious: it doesn’t come close to fitting in your pocket, meaning you’re limited in terms of carrying it around with you. So this is probably more of an “around the house” kind of product. It also bears pointing out another obvious fact: this product is only designed for games which function in landscape mode (which does include most accelerometer-based games). And while the Game Grip offers intelligent ways to connect a charging cable or headphones (see above photo), those users who don’t have their iPhone’s screen set to automatically turn off after a period of non-use will find that they have to remove the iPhone from the Game Grip just to press the iPhone’s top button – potentially a real hassle, considering that preserving the iPhone’s battery life is even more important than usual when gaming is involved.



Speaking of battery life, Marware has informed us that a battery pack for the Game Grip is on its way. That’s good news for frequent gamers, but we don’t have word on what that’ll do to the Game Grip’s price. In its current incarnation, the Game Grip costs $40 and comes with a simple silicone slipcase for either the iPhone 3G or the iPod touch 2G, or for $45 you can order the Game Grip with both silicone cases included (the iPhone or iPod touch is inserted into the silicone case before being snapped into the Game Grip). Forty bucks sounds like a lot until you consider that some companies charge half that much for a silicone case alone.



So is the Game Grip for you? Tough to say. It’s mostly well done, and it certainly helped this lousy gamer’s iPhone gaming experience. I suppose it comes down to where and how you would use the Game Grip – and whether you’d be caught dead carrying it around in public.