Atari appears to have jumped on the "appcessories" bandwagon, launching its own special iPad controller. 

The peripheral was accidentally leaked via an Atari Greatest Hits iPad app update, which included support for the Atari Arcade Duo Powered Joystick. 

Things appear to be taking a leaf out of the iCade's book, one of the first retro accessories designed for the iPad. Clearly Atari is looking to get involved in Ion's retro success, using its own brand and popular iOS apps to boost sales. 

The Atari accessory features a joystick and four buttons as well as a slot to drop your iPad into. The iPad itself is locked into place once dropped onto the 30-pin dock connector. This means that unlike the iCade, which connects via Bluetooth, the Atari offering doesn't require its own set of batteries, using the iPads instead.

Website dvice.com is pointing to a 2 October release date and a $60 price tag in the US. There is, however, no date or price listed for the UK.

As of now the Atari Arcade only supports the Greatest Hits app, which means you can't use it for games like Street Fighter or Rtype. Irritating really as both gameplay experiences could be seriously improved via this iPad accessory.

For those desperate to get their hands on one of the new Atari devices, why not take a quick look at our hands-on with Ion's iCade offering. You might be converted!

Which one do you prefer? The iCade or the Atari?