Good things tend to come in stick form -- lollipops, Pogos, and cotton candy are all good things that come on sticks. So, why not a gaming console?

The newest console to arrive on the gaming scene comes from a company called Play Jam (already big players in the TV gaming market). Play Jam’s GameStick console is unlike any console available. Currently, GameStick exists in the form of a Kickstarter campaign, but the campaign has already received more than $80k in funding.

GameStick also follows in the footsteps of another stick-sized console called Ouya that also raised a large amount of funding through Kickstarter. There’s no doubt about it, gamers like the idea of a console on a stick. The question is: will GameStick best Ouya? Further, are stick-sized consoles where the future of gaming will be?

How GameStick Works

GameStick is a two-inch gaming console that runs Android. The console looks and feels like a USB stick. GameStick is completely wireless, but has enough strength to run all the biggest and baddest games available with 8GB of storage on board.

What’s more, you can easily carry the GameStick console around with you in your back pocket. GameStick developers have also created a gamepad that effectively doubles as a carrying case for the GameStick console. The device simply snaps into the gamepad, and the whole thing can be carried with ease.

Since GameStick was developed by Play Jam, the console will be able to run any games put out by Play Jam. In addition, GameStick consoles will have the power to run any available Android games. To add titles to the GameStick, users simply have to access the stick’s WiFi or Bluetooth capabilities. Simply put, GameStick was developed for quick use, user ease, and as a way to combat large and wired gamine consoles. How does GameStick stack up to Ouya?

Ouya VS. GameStick

Both consoles are open, but Ouya’s console is much larger than the GameStick. While you can’t stick the Ouya console in your back pocket, GameStick can be taken anywhere. In addition, GameStick will run both Android games and Play Jam games, so GameStick will come with a wider gaming selection. The Ouya console will also be priced at $99 while Play Jam has listed a $79 price for the GameStick – clearly, Play Jam means to mess around with its competitor.

Since both consoles are, technically, still Kickstarter projects, you won’t be able to get your hands on either console until well into this year. Ouya has announced that the company hopes to ship its console by May of 2013 and Play Jam is aiming for an April 2013 launch date, but Kickstarter launch dates often tend to be pushed back a few months.

If both consoles do hit markets at the same time, these consoles might revolutionize the way that games are played. Carrying around a gaming console that plays all the best games and comes with a great gamepad is something that consumers definitely seem to want. If you want to back GameStick, head over to Kickstarter and make a pledge – every dollar amount counts.