Hands on: Archos GamePad review

Android gaming has come a long way, but the desire to add buttons to touch-focused mobile devices has never quite gone away.

Enter the Archos GamePad, a Jelly Bean tablet with 14 buttons and two analog thumb-sticks - a layout similar to an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 controller.

Archos had the GamePad on hand at CES to try out, and we at TechRadar decided to take it for a spin, testing games like Angry Birds, Dead Trigger and Trials Xtreme 2 on the gaming tablet.

We found that the GamePad has a few crucial shortcomings, though it makes up for them in some creative ways.

<img src="http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/games_consoles/archos%20gamepad/archosgamepad3-580-90.jpg" width="580" alt="Archos GamePad1"><figcaption>The back of the Archos GamePad</figcaption></figure></p><h3>Great on paper<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9oMz48cD5UaGUgQXJjaG9zIEdhbWVQYWQgbG9va3MgZ3JlYXQgb24gcGFwZXI7IHdpdGggQW5kcm9pZCA0LjEgSmVsbHkgQmVhbiwgYSAxLjZHSHogZHVhbC1jb3JlIHByb2Nlc3NvciwgYSBxdWFkLWNvcmUgR1BVLCA4R0Igb2Ygc3RvcmFnZSB3aXRoIHJvb20gZm9yIGEgbWljcm9TRCwgYW5kIGEgbWluaS1IRE1JIHBvcnQsIGl0J3MgZXF1aXBwZWQgd2l0aCBldmVyeXRoaW5nIGl0IHNob3VsZCBuZWVkIHRvIGJlIHN1Y2Nlc3NmdWwu<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjxwPkJ1dCB0aGUgR2FtZVBhZCdzIG1vc3QgaW1wb3J0YW50IGZlYXR1cmUgaXMgaXRzIGJ1dHRvbnMgLSBoYXZpbmcgcGh5c2ljYWwgaW5wdXRzIHNob3VsZCBpbiB0aGVvcnkgaW1wcm92ZSB0aGUgZ2FtaW5nIGV4cGVyaWVuY2UgaW1tZW5zZWx5IG92ZXIgYSBwdXJlIHRvdWNoIGludGVyZmFjZSAtIGFuZCB1bmZvcnR1bmF0ZWx5IHRoZSBBcmNobyBHYW1lUGFkJ3MgYnV0dG9ucyBhbmQgY29udHJvbCBudWJzIGxlYXZlIHNvbWV0aGluZyB0byBiZSBkZXN<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>mVkLjwvcD48cD5UaGUgYnV0dG9ucyB0aGVtc2VsdmVzIGFyZSBjbGlja3kgYW5kIHJlc3BvbnNpdmUsIGFuZCB0aGUgbGVmdCBhbmQgcmlnaHQgc2hvdWxkZXIgYnV0dG9ucy90cmlnZ2VycyBmZWVsIGxpa2UgdGhlIHRyaWdnZXJzIG9uIFNvbnkncyBQUyBWaXRhLCB3aGljaCBjZXJ0YWlubHkgaXNuJ3QgYSBiYWQgdGhpbmcu<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjxwPkJ1dCB0aGUgYW5hbG9nIHRodW1iLXN0aWNrcyBjb3VsZCBoYXZlIGJlZW4gcmlwcGVkIHN0cmFpZ2h0IG9mZiBvZiBTb255J3Mgb2xkZXIgUFNQLCBhbmQgdGhhdCA8ZW0+aXM8L2VtPiBhIGJhZCB0aGluZy48L3A+PHA+VGhleSBvZmZlcmVkIGZhciB0b28gbXVjaCByZXN<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>3RhbmNlLCBtYWtpbmcgaXQgZGlmZmljdWx0IHRvIGNvbnRyb2wgdGhlIGZ<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>nN0LXBlcnNvbiB6b21iaWUgc2hvb3RlciA8ZW0+RGVhZCBUcmlnZ2Vy<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>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<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9maWd1cmU+<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>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<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjxwPlVzaW5nIGEgc2ltcGxlIGludGVyZmFjZSwgcGxheWVycyBjYW4gZHJhZyBpY29ucyBmb3IgdGhlIGJ1dHRvbnMgYW5kIGFuYWxvZyBudWJzIGFueXdoZXJlIG9uIHRoZSBzY3JlZW4gc28gdGhhdCB3aGVuIHRob3NlIGlucHV0cyBhcmUgdXNlZCwgdGhhdCBwYXJ0IG9mIHRoZSBzY3JlZW4gaXMgYWN0aXZhdGVkIGFzIGlmIHlvdSdkIHRvdWNoZWQgaXQu<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjxwPkl0J3MgYSB2ZXJzYXRpbGUgdG9vbCwgYnV0IGl0IHN0aWxsIGZlZWxzIGxpa2UgbGl0dGxlIG1vcmUgdGhhbiBhIHdvcmthcm91bmQgZm9yIGEgc3lzdGVtIGFuZCBnYW1lcyB0aGF0IHdlcmUgbmV2ZXIgbWVhbnQgdG8gaGF2ZSB0aGVzZSBpbnB1dHMgaW4gdGhlIGZ<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>nN0IHBsYWNlLjwvcD48cD5FbHNld2hlcmUsIGNlcnRhaW4gZnVuY3Rpb25zIG9mIHRoZSBPUyBzaW1wbHkgZG9uJ3Qgd29yayBjb3JyZWN0bHksIHRob3VnaCB0aGlzIGlzIHByb2JhYmx5IG1vcmUgYW4gaXNzdWUgd2l0aCBKZWxseSBCZWFuIGl0c2VsZiBvciBldmVuIHNvbWUgc3BlY2lmaWMgYXBwbGljYXRpb25zLjwvcD48cD5Gb3IgZXhhbXBsZSwgcHJlc3NpbmcgdGhlIGJhY2sgYnV0dG9uIG9uIHRoZSBzeXN0ZW0gYmFyIGF0IHRoZSBib3R0b20gb2YgdGhlIHNjcmVlbiB1bnBhdXNlZCA8ZW0+RGVhZCBUcmlnZ2Vy<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9lbT4sIGJ1dCB0aGUgaW4tZ2FtZSBwYXVzZSBtZW51IHJlbWFpbmVkIG9wZW4sIGxlYXZpbmcgdGhlIGdhbWUgb2JzY3VyZWQgd2hpbGUgdGhlIHpvbWJpZXMgaGFkIGEgZmVhc3Qu<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9wPjxwPjxmaWd1cmU+PGltZyBzcmM9Imh0dHA6Ly9jZG4yLm1vcy50ZWNocmFkYXIuZnV0dXJlY2RuLm5ldC8vYXJ0L2dhbWVzX2NvbnNvbGVzL2FyY2hvcyUyMGdhbWVwYWQvYXJjaG9zZ2FtZXBhZDItNTgwLTkwLmpwZyIgd2lkdGg9IjU4MCIgYWx0PSJBcmNob3MgR2FtZVBhZDMiPjxmaWdjYXB0aW9uPlRoZSBHYW1lUGFkJ3MgbWVudSBkaWQgbm90IGFkanVzdCB3aGVuIHRoZSBvcmllbnRhdGlvbiBjaGFuZ2Vk<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PC</a>9maWdjYXB0aW9uPjwvZmlndXJlPjwvcD48cD5FbHNld2hlcmUsIHdoZW4gdGhlIHRhYmxldCB3YXMgZmx<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>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<a href="http://adipramana.com/2012/11/samsung-ativ-smart-pc.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">pc</a>yBwbGVhc2FudGx5IGxpZ2h0IGFuZCB0aGluKS48L3A+PHA+VGhlc2UgZmxhd3MgYXJlIHN5bXB0b21zIG9mIHRoZSBBcmNob3MgR2FtZVBhZCdzIGdlbmVyYWwgbGFjayBvZiBjb2hlc2lvbiwgd2hpY2ggdW5mb3J0dW5hdGVseSBob2xkcyB0aGUgdGFibGV0IGJhY2sgZnJvbSBiZWluZyBhcyBncmVhdCBhcyBpdCBjb3VsZCBiZS48L3A+PHA+QnV0IHRob3NlIGRlc3BlcmF0ZSBmb3IgcGh5c2ljYWwgY29udHJvbHMgb24gYW4gQW5kcm9pZCB0YWJsZXQgY291bGQgbGlrZWx5IGRvIHdvcnNlLCBlc3BlY2lhbGx5IGF0IHRoZSBBcmNob3MgR2FtZVBhZCdzIGFmZm9yZGFibGUgJDE2OSBwcmljZSBwb2ludC48L3A+