With the glorious age of the iPhone comes first world gaming issues. More and more hardcore games were released to satisfy the increasing needs of the players, and there comes a breaking point when the touchscreen simply can’t catch up with the game, or with you, the gamer.

Tap as hard or as fast as you need but a lagged response can be the deal breaker between zero and hero. When your phone can’t catch up, it’s time to suit up for some hardcore gaming.

(Image Source: Duo)

Here are 18 game controllers which offer user-friendly control schemes, coming to you in a gamer’s favorite forms, from the retro arcade cabinet to a modern PS3 controller design. We’ve also thrown in a couple of game controllers that can help give the next generation a head start with gaming on the iPad. Ready, start your engines!

Read Also: 30 Awesome Gaming Devices for PC Gamers

1. iCADE

It’s the age of the Mini’s when it comes to gadgets and the iCADE is the dream of every gamer in the 80′s. Slide in the iPad, purchase and download the Atari’s Greatest Hits containing a whopping 100 games for $14.99, and game on! [$129.99]

2. Atari Arcade

An Atari fan? Atari Arcade is the one for you. Besides the classy design with three sexy red lines that make up the Atari logo, the console seamlessly supports all Atari games that debuted on the iPad. And heck, you don’t need to fear about the size compatibility of the tablet, we’re bound to reach the 20 inches display by iPad 19! [$59.95]

3. GameDock

Miss being able to game with a friend, Nintendo style? GameDock lets you do that and throws in the classic console that is sure to remind you about your early gaming years. It turns your iPhone 4+, iPad 2+, and iPod Touch 4+ into the 2 player, high-def console which we so richly deserve. Seriously, where’s the “Buy” button? [$89.00]

4. Duo Gamer

Prepare your body and soul, as the state-of-the-art mobile gaming console, Duo Gamer is coming this fall. Multiplayer support, its own control pad (with analog joystick) and featuring top-rated FPS Gameloft games such as N.O.V.A 3 and Modern Combat 3! Shut up and take my money. [$79.95]

5. JOYSTICK-IT

If you don’t call it gaming unless a joystick is involved, then bank your money with JOYSTICK-IT. With a little push, the joystick will stick to your iPad’s glass tightly, and all you need to do is to just launch the compatible games and start pew-pewing away!

Oh, the joystick is too big for your iPhone? No sweat, ThinkGeek has built a mini version of JOYSTICK-IT for you! [$9.99]

6. iCade 8-Bitty

Not a fan of the joystick? Prefer the gamepad? They’ve got that too! iCade 8-Bitty awaits your reunion with its absolutely retro design. Guaranteed compatibility with the iPad, iPhone, and *cough*, Android as well! Looking at the design you will know that the device simply supports all Atari Classics, but app developers could add the gamepad support to their game. [$29.99]

7. iMpulse

iMpulse is your typical iOS game controller, but with 2 special and widely welcomed features: the ability to bind and find your keys! Chain your keys to the controller and whenever you can’t seem to find it, press the ‘Locate’ button in the iPhone app and retrieve said keys. It’s the perfect gaming deal for my gaming parents. [$40.00]

8. Drone

Here’s a gamepad that’s compatible to both iOS and Android, and it’s named Drone. The vision is big with this Bluetooth-enabled, open source game controller. Not only is it trying to be compatible with iCADE-supported games, but it’s also trying to sit well with Android smartphones. Oh, did I mention that you can play PC game titles with Drone, too? [$65.00]

9. 60beat GamePad

Suffer no more from gaming lags with the 60beat GamePad, your first choice for a complex iOS gaming experience. With every possible feature you can find in a modern console controller, down to the ergonomics and the touch, this gamepad connects to your iOS device with a headphone jack. Lagging? Nonsense! [$34.99]

10. iCADE Mobile

Whip it out and slot your iOS device into the iCADE Mobile and get ready to game. The controller combines your iPhone or iPod Touch with its physical shell, in portrait and landscape mode, and after you hear the “kacha” sound, you could start playing the iCADE-compatible games, or 150 extra apps that’ve just been added to the support list! [$69.99]

11 . GameTel Controller

Another slot to play controller, this mini GameTel Controller is even smaller than the iCADE mobile, and it actually fits into the pocket! What makes this little beast really worthy is that it supports both iOS and Android platform, and guess what? You can even go multiplayer on TV! [$49.95]

12. iControlPad 2

Chances are, if you are geeky enough to use a gaming pad, then you are probably hardcore enough to handle the iControlPad 2 with 55-key, fully programmable keyboard. The open source iControlPad 2 works with any device via Bluetooth or USB connections. These include Mac, PC, smartphones, tablets, PS3 (generally any mainstream console on the Earth)!

13. Joypad

Joypad magically turns your iPod Touch or iPhone into a functional controller with just one step, then it’s off to play the League of Evil and Super Mega Worm smoothly. Yes your iPhone becomes the controller. That feature alone is enough for me to download this free app into my iOS.

14. Laser AppTag

It’s not fun if no one gets shot – by a virtual gun – and the Laser AppTag truly lives up to this gaming principle. It’s not your typical plastic shooter. It’s a digital weapon that equips you with the essential war necessities such as medical kits, armor, weapons and ammo packs! Best of all, since this is augmented reality gaming, you suffer zero damage in real life. [$59.99]

15. Duo Pinball

Love Pinball? Then, get serious with Duo Pinball, a gadget developed to maximize the pinball experience! That’s not all, you will able to unlock five free tables in the Pinball HD Collection iPhone app including Wild West, The Deep, Snow and DaVinci. Just a quick reminder, the app has killer graphics! [$59.99]

16. Pop

While retro games are certainly addictive, it might be too challenging for kids. Pop is the brilliant answer to this issue giving you a ‘buzz to answer’ gameshow feel. The iPad asks a question from a series of education apps, and whoever with the fastest mind could buzz the controller to answer the quiz. Fun and engaging, maybe this will be your new favorite family game. [$39.95]

17. Plink

There is no shortage when it comes to innovating the way kids learn, and Plink is a wonderful game parents can play with their kids. Players just need to bet their tokens on the answer they want on the Plink, and it will drop the winning token into the bank. No one has to keep count on who is winning! A range of iPad educational games keep the questions coming. [$29.95]

18. Arcadie

It’s tiny, but it’s mighty! Arcadie is a, uhm, mini gaming cabinet built specifically for iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S, and it supports famous iOS arcade titles such as Blasteroids, Alien Invaders, Ping, Stacker, and moar! Fully powered by your iPhone, Arcadie is the perfect excuse to introduce your kids to arcade gaming. [$24.99]

This is it. It is almost upon us, the dreaded date feared by doomsday theorists. The date described as when the world will end and we shall be no more… based on a Mayan calendar. But let’s not ruin the mood. The End of the World notion is not new. Doomsday prophecies have littered our histories for as long as we can remembered.

(Image Source: Jonas De Ro)

So it’s only fitting that we feature the awful, scary, eerie and downright amazing depictions of the End of the World in artworks that shows us how armageddon comes to Earth. Some of these show tsunamis, burning buildings, a hail of meteors, nuclear bombings, tornadoes and essentially, the aftermath of a pulverized world.

Some are futuristic, others realistic, but all will be haunting. At the very least, this end of the world idea gives you a great reason to live like there is no tomorrow.

Read Also: "End Of The World" Inspired Artworks – Part I

End. (Image Source: Andrew Gago)

The End is Near. (Image Source: Lawrence)

The End. (Image Source: Tek)

Apocalypse 24/7. (Image Source: Emilis B.)

Apocalypse. (Image Source: Sampl3dBeans)

Ablaze. (Image Source: Christian Otten)

Atlanta. (Image Source: Kiev Jankowski)

Battlesong. (Image Source: Glenn Porter)

Doomsday at the Dom. (Image Source: Camerun W.D.)

Denver. (Image Source: Kiev Jankowski)

Explosion. (Image Source: Smaragdia)

Destroyed City. (Image Source: Kuba)

Armageddon 2012. (Image Source: Alen Vejzovic)

Disaster in London. (Image Source: Evandro Lima)

Tsunami in London. (Image Source: stipan)

End of the World. (Image Source: Tom)

Singapore Ruins. (Image Source: Jonas De Ro)

Shanghai Ruins. (Image Source: Jonas De Ro)

Seattle Post Apocalypse. (Image Source: Boali Dashtestani)

Sacrament. (Image Source: TitusLunter)

War. (Image Source: Zoltan K)

Toronto Ruins. (Image Source: Jonas De Ro)

Forsaken. (Image Source: Jonas De Ro)

Clover House. (Image Source: Petr Razumovsky)

Dubai Ruins. (Image Source: Jonas De Ro)

Dead Symbol. (Image Source: Norbert)

City of Ruins. (Image Source: Freelancer Art)

Hong Kong Ruins. (Image Source: Jonas De Ro )

Forces of the Apocalypse. (Image Source: Tim Van Den Bosch)

Moscow Ruins. (Image Source: Jonas De Ro)