Successful Kickstarter project and highly publicized Android gaming console OUYA has ignited a feeding frenzy as competitors rise to fill the market.

What's the appeal of the Android console? As developers create games more prolifically and cheaply for mobile phones, hardware manufacturers seek to bridge the gap between mobile and living room. Android-powered platforms could turn these mobile titles into games with longer shelf-lives, accessible from the comfort of the couch. They could also unlock the eager indie developer community, which is eager to reach more players.

See also: 25 Best Free Android Apps

Android also offers an easy, open platform to build upon, as we've seen from the plethora of 'droid-friendly phones and tablets. While more popular and profitable games are iOS exclusives, Apple's walled garden means third parties can't access its ecosystem. Ultimately, console fragmentation may soon resemble the Android phone and tablet markets, as games must be modified to work with external controllers for every console.

It's likely only one or two Android consoles will float to the top in the next couple of years, but at this point, it seems to be anyone's game. We examined the differences in all the Android gaming consoles, so you can decide for yourself.

OUYA

Image by Mashable, Nina Frazier

What is it? The OUYA is the first big Android gaming console. It features a small console with HDMI, micro USB and USB ports, and comes with one controller that looks similar to an Xbox 360 controller.

How did it start? OUYA's Kickstarter launched last year to tremendous success, raising a total of $8.6 million. The console makers proved people want a hackable console that would open the television to everyone. They opened preorders to non-Kickstarter backers after the campaign closed.

The OUYA has undergone a very public release period, first arriving to developers in December 2012; then Kickstarter backers started receiving their consoles in April 2013. The console hit retail stores June 25.

How much will it cost? $99. Additional controllers are $49.99 each.

What makes it stand out? The OUYA comes with tools to transform any console into a dev kit, encouraging anyone to make games for the console. Users can easily download the SDK from the company's website.

Big titles: The biggest titles on OUYA right now are a mix of games developed exclusively for the console and ports of older games. Some of the original titles include Towerfall, a multiplayer fighting game very similar in style to Super Smash Bros. and Bombsquad, a chaotic mutliplayer title about blowing your friends up. Older games ported to the OUYA include Final Fantasy III and You Don't Know Jack. The store features more than 200 games now; more to come soon.

Where do I buy one? Best Buy, Amazon, Gamestop, GAME and Target.

GameStick

Image courtesy PlayJam

What is it? The GameStick is an Android-based console that connects to your TV's HDMI port. It comes with a Bluetooth game controller (and will support up to four players) and includes 802.11n wireless, 8GB of internal storage and 1GB of RAM. It can expand to 32GB of storage via microSD, and it runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

A separate media dock doubles as a wireless charger for the controller; it contains more device storage and adds an Ethernet port for faster connections.

How did it start? Interactive company PlayJam has a long history of porting interactive games to television sets. A skunkworks project started last year led to the evolution of what is now the GameStick. Like OUYA, GameStick made its debut on Kickstarter. Rather than using the crowdfunding platform for pure funding, PlayJam also gauged consumer demand, asked for design feedback and generated press coverage.

GameStick raised 600% of its funding goal and is expected to hit stores in August 2013.

How much will it cost? $79.99, which includes the stick and a controller. Additional controllers will be available for $39, a media dock for $39, plus a case for the device.

What makes it stand out? GameStick was designed to be small and unobtrusive — as well as portable. The stick itself works with HDMI or MHL TVs, and the optional media dock can add more storage, extra peripherals and wirelessly charge the Bluetooth controller. An official version of XMBC is also being developed for GameStick, which means in addition to being a game machine, it can also act as a full media center.

Big titles: Like OUYA, most titles committed to GameStick are of the indie variety. GameStick will offer some of the larger Android and iOS games, including Shadowgun, Riptide GP and Ski Safari. Games already coded to work with other Bluetooth Android controllers should also work, if users want to sideload them.

Where do I buy one? GameStick is available for pre-order from Amazon.com, GameStop.com and Game.co.uk.

GamePop

Image courtesy GamePop

What is it? GamePop is an Android-based game console that uses a subscription service, rather than charging for individual downloads, to provide users with a catalog of several hundred games.

How did it start? "As mobile gaming has skyrocketed in popularity, we realized that these gaming franchises should have wings beyond four-inch screens. Our DNA was already rooted in bringing mobile to larger screens, with our App Player product for PC and Mac, so it was a perfect fit," said John Gargiulo, VP of marketing for Bluestacks.

How much will it cost? There are two versions of the console. The original, more powerful GamePop costs $129, with a $6.99 monthly content subscription. The GamePop Mini is smaller — about the size of a pack of gum — and is totally free with the $6.99 monthly subscription. Pay for a year and the console is yours to keep.

What makes it stand out? Like other consoles, the GamePop requires developers to alter their games to work on the system. But GamePop's team has developed software called "Looking Glass" that will allow iOS games to run on GamePop, opening the console up to iOS exclusives previously not available on any Android platform.

Big titles: GamePop has brought on popular iOS title Fieldrunners, as well as cross-platform titles like Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride.

Where do I buy one? You can preorder the GamePop on its website, though the company said it's exploring retail options.

Green Throttle Games

Image by Mashable, Emil Lendof

What is it? Green Throttle is actually a controller that pairs with your Android phone or tablet, but it comes with hardware to hook your device to the TV, turning it into the console. The Green Throttle ecosystem includes its own game store and the Atlas controller, which is very similar to an Xbox 360 controller.

How did it start? Green Throttle was founded by Charles Huang, Matt Crowley, and Karl Townsend. Huang previously co-founded RedOctane, which helped produce Guitar Hero.

How much will it cost? $49.95 for the one-player bundle, which includes the controller and adapters to hook your mobile Android device to the TV. The two-player setup is $89.95.

What makes it stand out? The Green Throttle Atlas controller is solid, and the idea of hooking into Android ecosystem as an add-on rather than a separate console means users can stay with Green Throttle even after they upgrade phones or tablets. With mobile hardware accelerating so quickly, along with the previously mentioned market segmentation, it will be important to have a product that works across a variety of devices, even as they are updated.

Big titles: Green Throttle boasts only a few titles, but it does have a port of the classic Bard's Tale. It appears plenty more games are coming.

Where do I buy one? Green Throttle has its own storefront.

Nvidia's Shield

Image courtesy Nvidia

What is it? Nvidia's Shield is a handheld gaming console built on Android that allows gamers to play titles from Google Play and Nvidia's own TegraZone store, plus stream from Steam and a PC, with the right video card. The Shield consists of a five-inch LCD screen and a console-inspired controller.

How did it start? Nvidia introduced its Shield at down $50 from $349 originally.

What makes it stand out? The Shield can play Android games but also stream high-end PC titles onto its five-inch screen, making it a very high-end portable gaming system. It can run Android Jelly Bean normally, so users can download any other Android apps, as well.

Big titles: Any Android title should work on the Shield, though it's not clear if any will work with the included controller. PC titles like Borderlands 2, Dishonored and Skyrim should work through PC streaming.

Where do I buy one? The Shield was due out in June, but has been delayed for technical problems. Pre-orders are still available, and when launched the Shield will sell at Newegg, Gamestop, Micro Center and Canada Computers.

Additional reporting contributed by Christina Warren.

Homepage image Mashable composite, images via iStockphoto, SimmiSimons and JasminSeidel