The NVIDIA Shield launched in July and immediately became the premiere Android gaming device. With the Playstation 4 and Xbox One launching next month, gamers have several exciting options in terms of new hardware. NVIDIA’s making quite the case that SHIELD deserves a spot on your shopping list, bringing a massive OTA update with a load of new and improved features.

Here’s what the OTA brings:

Android 4.3

Apps to SD

Gamepad Mapper lets anyone map touch-based Android games to the SHIELD controller, for use by the masses.

Console Mode lets you play the SHIELD on your big screen TV with a bluetooth controller

GameStream let you play PC games on your SHIELD

Let’s take a look at these improvements in a bit more detail.

Gamepad Mapper

This is hands-down my absolute favorite new feature of the SHIELD OTA and you can use “hands down” in more than one way. Nothing is more irritating than being forced to use touchscreen controls on a gaming device with a magnificently crafted console quality controller. Games like NBA JAM, Beach Buggy Blitz, and Temple Run are fun, but they’d be so much better with controller support, which is half the reason the SHIELD exists.

NVIDIA has come to the rescue, offering a pretty brilliant service that crowd sources the solution. The introduction of Gamepad Mapper means anybody can map the touchscreen controls to the gamepad simply by dragging and dropping directly on the device. Even better, you can e-mail your mapped configuration to mapper@nvidia.com and if it checks out, they’ll add it as a default support option.

You can set your SHIELD to automatically update and use these Gamepad Mapper configurations from the cloud. Or, if you’re particular, you’re able to set and tweak based on your liking. Right out of the gate NVIDIA is offering mapped support for over 100 games.

This really extends the value of the NVIDIA SHIELD. Part of the SHIELD’s joy is that it runs Android, giving you access to thousands of games, but if they’re not optimized for the shield you could be less than fulfilled. The Gamepad Mapper pretty much ensures an increased level of enjoyment across Android’s huge library of titles.

Apps to SD & Android 4.3

These might seem more like housekeeping than anything else, but don’t be fooled, they’re most definitely not. SHIELD runs console quality games and the assets for these games can cause the downloads to be HUGE. Allowing users to put games on their SD card ensures they can load it up with a much larger library of titles and SHIELD owners can now move both .OBB and .APK files to their SD card.

There are some limitations worth noting:

Only certain apps and games can be moved to the SD Card, but this is a choice made by the developers themselves.

Android – and by extension SHIELD – only supports FAT32 formatted SD cards.

64GB cards (or higher) cannot be written to but the device will read files from it if they’re already on the card.

The upgrade to Android 4.3 is also a nice perk, but it also illustrates NVIDIA’s commitment to continually improving their product.

Console Mode

The SHIELD’s “Console Mode” lets you connect it to your big screen TV using a wired HDMI connection (or wirelessly with Miracast). You’re instantly playing high quality Android games on a big screen TV as if it were a next generation console! And now you’re able to pair a bluetooth controller to your SHIELD so you can lay down on the couch get your game on with even more efficiency.

NVIDIA says the SHIELD has been optimized best for the Nyko PlayPad Pro Bluetooth controller. We’ll likely demonstrate this in an upcoming video.

GameStream

Formerly called PC Streaming, NVIDIA has renamed this feature to GameStream and removed the BETA tag. With GameStream you’re able to stream over 50 PC games directly to your NVIDIA SHIELD through WiFi. With 720p resolution they’ll play at 60 frames per second: pretty impressive.

Perhaps best of all, you can combine GameStream and Console mode to play your PC games directly on your big screen TV. Just set up GameStream to stream the game to your SHIELD, connect it with HDMI to your TV, connect your bluetooth gamepad, and you’re off to the races!

What’s the Verdict?

I view the NVIDA SHIELD as the runaway winner for best Android gaming device. It’s certainly a premium Android handheld, and that’s what is most important to me: the handheld experience. Console Mode and GameStream may garner strong appeal from PC gamers, but personally, I mostly view these as value added propositions.

Most important are the features that add to the handheld gaming experience, and in that regard, NVIDIA has hit another home run. Their Gamepad Mapper instantaneously improves the gaming experience across tons of Android Games and allows the community to actively and continually solve the controller mapping problem .

The upgrade to Android 4.3 and Apps to SD inclusion bring the SHIELD up to date, adding some functionality and capabilities that turn former complaints into current assets.

Overall, this NVIDIA SHIELD update is nothing short of impressive, taking an already great device and making sweeping improvements in a number of key areas. But have they done enough to earn your purchase? If not… consider that they’re now offering a special deal to pull you onboard.

Special Deal to Celebrate

To celebrate the official release of GameStream, NVIDIA is bundling together a special offer when you purchase select GeForce GTX graphics cards. Buy a graphics card and you get $100 off the NVIDIA SHIELD and free copies of some pretty great games: “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag,” “Splinter Cell: Blacklist” and “Batman:

See the NVIDIA website for official details

Oh you want a full list of games that are supporting Gamepad Mapper on launch? No problem! Keep in mind that you can map and share ANY game with onscreen keys… if you do, make sure you share!

A Space Shooter Blitz

Absolute RC Heli Sim

Absolute RC Simulator

Acceler8

Age of Zombies

Age of Zombies Lite

Amazing Alex

Amazing Alex Free

Amazing Alex HD

Anger of Stick 2

Angry Birds

Angry Birds Friends

Angry Birds Rio

Angry Birds Seasons

Angry Birds Space

Angry Birds Space HD

Angry Birds Space Premium

Angry Birds Star Wars

Angry Birds Star Wars HD

Angry Birds Star Wars II

Angry Birds Star Wars II Free

Angry Gran 2

Angry Gran Best Free Game

Angry Gran RadioActive Run

Army Sniper

Avenger

Bang Bang Racing HD

Beat Hazard Ultra

Beat Hazard Ultra (Demo)

Bike Extreme Free

Bike Race HD

Bike StrikerBike Stunt Racing

BMX Boy

Bubble Witch Saga

Bunny Skater

Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies

Candy Crush Saga

Contra: Evolution

Crazy Snowboard

Crazy Snowboard Pro

CSR Racing

Dark Night Avenger :Magic Ride

DEER HUNTER 2014

DEER HUNTER RELOADED

Dirt Bike Pro Free

Drag Racing

Drag Racing 4×4

Drag Racing: Bike Edition

FIFA 12 by EA SPORTS™

FIFA 14 by EA SPORTS™

Fish Live

Flow Free

Fun Run – Multiplayer Race

Granny Smith

Granny Smith Free

Greet Fighting IV

Gunman Clive

Guns

Guns’n’Glory WW2

Helidroid 3D : Helicopter RC

Helidroid Battle: 3D RC Copter

Hill Climb Racing

Hockey Nations: Shoot-out

Homerun Battle 2

Hungry Shark

Hungry Shark – Part 2

Hungry Shark – Part 3

Hungry Shark 2 Free!

Hungry Shark 3 Free!

Hungry Shark Evolution

Hungry Shark Free!

I Must Run!

Ice Rage

ILLUSIA 2

Jetpack Joyride

LEGO® Speedorz™

Lep’s World

Lep’s World 2

Line Runner (Free)

Line Runner 2 (Free)

M.A.C.E. Free

M2: War of Myth Mech

MADDEN NFL 25 by EA SPORTS™

Mahjong

MASS EFFECT™ INFILTRATOR

Minecraft – Pocket Edition

Moto X Mayhem

Moto X Mayhem Free

Mountain Bike Simulator

NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™

Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit

Need for Speed™ Most Wanted

PAC-MAN +Tournaments

Paradise Island

Pet Rescue Saga

PewPew

PewPew 2

PITFALL!™

Raiden Legacy

Real Racing 3

Skater Boy

Slot Casino – Slot Machines

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing

Stick Stunt Biker 2

Towelfight 2

Toy Truck Rally 3D

Truck Parking 3D

Zombie Terminator

Now, let’s send you on your way with a humorous little promotion video:

Don’t forget to visit our NVIDIA SHIELD Forums!