Kolos put the whole iPad inside a steering wheel. Rather than slotting a Wii Remote into a plastic shell, this 2015 Kickstarter-era design aimed to turn a 9.7-inch iPad into a tabletop racing setup, with the tablet serving as both screen and steering input. It was certainly more elaborate than Nintendo’s Wii Wheel; the available evidence does not show that it was a better controller—or that it remains available today.
What was Kolos?
Kolos was a tabletop steering wheel designed to hold a 9.7-inch iPad in its center. Its name was presented as meaning “colossus” in Slavic usage. The product was aimed at tilt-to-steer iOS racing games: the player turned a physical wheel, and the mounted iPad moved with it.
GamesBeat’s 2015 coverage named the iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Air and iPad Air 2 as intended models. That is a specific compatibility list, not evidence that later iPads—or every tablet with a 9.7-inch screen—fit. Screen size alone does not establish matching dimensions or holder compatibility.
Why build a wheel for an iPad?
Kolos addressed a practical complaint about tilt steering: holding a large tablet with both hands and repeatedly turning it can be tiring, especially with arms held out for a long session. Its pitch also treated sweaty hands and the possibility of dropping an expensive tablet as concerns. Those are design motivations reported at the time, not independently measured ergonomic findings.
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A wheel offered a more familiar steering motion and a physical center point. With the tablet supported by a base, the player would not need to hold its full weight while driving. Whether that made a particular game more comfortable would still depend on the setup, the player and the game’s controls.
How was Kolos supposed to work?
- The player placed a compatible iPad in the central holder and launched an iOS racing game that supported tilt steering.
- Turning the wheel rotated the mounted tablet. The game read the iPad’s changing orientation through its motion sensors as steering input.
- Acceleration and braking were handled with thumb controls, rather than through a conventional wheel-to-console input connection.
- A self-centering mechanism was intended to guide the wheel back toward neutral when released.
- The base could be attached to a surface, while the wheel was reportedly detachable for turning without the base.
This was not described as a universal Bluetooth steering wheel. The approach depended on physically moving the iPad so a compatible game would respond to its orientation. The available description does not establish exactly how every game presented or mapped the acceleration and braking controls.
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Kolos versus the Mario Kart Wii Wheel
The comparison is about two different ways to make motion-controlled racing feel more like driving. Nintendo’s Wii Wheel was a lightweight, wheel-shaped shell for a Wii Remote, famously used with games such as Mario Kart Wii. Kolos was a more involved frame for the iPad itself, putting the display and steering device together.
| Feature | Kolos | Mario Kart Wii Wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Device held | A 9.7-inch iPad; GamesBeat named iPad 2, 3, 4, Air and Air 2. | A Wii Remote. |
| Main role | Support the iPad as both display and tilt-steering device. | Give the Wii Remote a wheel-shaped shell and grip. |
| Steering approach | Turn the mounted iPad so its orientation changes. | Turn the Wii Remote held in the shell. |
| Self-centering | Reported as part of the design. | Not the defining feature of the shell. |
| Table mounting | A mountable base was reported. | No table-mounting feature is established in the cited comparison. |
| Display in the wheel | Yes: the iPad sat in the center. | No: the Wii Remote was inside the shell. |
| Present-day status | Historical Kickstarter project; current availability is unverified. | Legacy Wii accessory. |
Was Kolos actually better?
“Crazier” fits the ambition and eccentricity of the design: Kolos tried to support an entire tablet, provide a centering mechanism and make the screen part of a wheel-shaped setup. That does not establish superior gameplay. The 2015 GamesBeat item was an announcement, not a comparative review, and does not provide test results for precision, latency, durability or long-term comfort.
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What might have made it appealing
- A steering wheel could feel more intuitive than waving a tablet to steer.
- The base could reduce the need to support the iPad’s weight, while the self-centering mechanism might offer a clearer neutral position.
- A physical wheel could make a tilt-controlled game feel more like driving.
What could have made it awkward
- It targeted a narrow set of older iPads. Cases, changes in tablet dimensions or camera placement, and surface-fit differences could complicate mounting; compatibility beyond the named models is not established.
- It depended on a game supporting tilt steering, while acceleration and braking still required thumb access to controls.
- A fixed screen position could be awkward for viewing, menus or touch interaction, and the tablet’s weight could make the assembly top-heavy.
- How securely the base held on different surfaces, how consistently the wheel returned to center and how robust the mechanism was are not established by the available coverage.
- It added a sizable accessory to a device that could otherwise be held directly, so its convenience would depend on whether a player valued the wheel feel enough to accept the extra setup.
What happened to the Kickstarter project?
The campaign was scheduled to run from March 26 through May 4, 2015. GamesBeat reported a $100,000 funding goal, a $45 early-bird pledge and an intended shipping plan for the end of 2015. Those are campaign-era terms and plans, not evidence that the goal was met, units shipped or a retail product followed.
The accessible campaign page does not establish sustained production or current stock. Treat Kolos as a documented Kickstarter-era curiosity, not a product with verified present-day availability, support or compatibility with newer iPads. View the Kolos Kickstarter page. For the original product description and campaign terms reported at the time, see GamesBeat’s 2015 coverage.
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