the reception to the icade itself has been mostly positive. ars technica called it "an attractive, capable piece of hardware that does exactly what you want it to do." ign referred to the icade as "surprisingly functional", saying it was "certain to please" its target market. toucharcade felt it was "an absolute must-have ipad accessory for the serious retro gamer." in engadget's coverage, the accessory was described as "well constructed" and "an awesome addition to your gaming collection."