The gaming experience delivered by smartphones has improved in leaps and bounds over the years. Advances in micro sized internal components have brought about wonderful examples like the Nintendo Switch, and along with it came improvements to mobile phones – laying the foundations for the high end titles we see on Google Play and App Store.
Moving great expanses away from the Pac Man like games of the early days, to more sophisticated offerings that closely very nearly as good as their console based counterparts. These titles, such as Call of Duty Mobile, Fortnite, just don’t feel quite as good when you have to engage the controls via a touch sensitive screen.
That’s one of the sad realities of mobile gaming. Some of the most enjoyable mobile games are best played using third party peripherals – in fact – there are a number of Android offerings that mandate the attachment of a controller before any playing can happen. These issues may be compounded in future as mobile technology continues to advance, resulting in a scenario where the vast majority of mobile games on the market requires peripherals to play.
That said, it may be a good idea to get ahead of the curve. As it stands, a good number of mobile games are developed or adapted with controllers in mind, and the market is in no supply or variety related to a shortage of third party mobile gaming peripherals. It all depends on the user’s personal tastes and budget constraints. You could choose from the higher end where the controller might very well outlive your current mobile phone, or one could pick a modest and effective option – either way, you are spoiled for choice.
Here are five Of the best picks on the market, in no particular order of course.
Razor Kishi
Possibly the most purpose built controller on the mark, the Razor Kishi effectively transforms your mobile phone into a Nintendo Switch or PSP like device while you’re gaming. Another major win for the Kishi is that users need not remove their devices for charging, as the Kishi is able to pass through its own charging power.
As large as the Razor Kishi is when deployed, it surprisingly becomes rather compact when the two sides are retracted.
Moga HeroÂ
PowerA’s Moga Hero is another stand out offering with injected rubber grips for better handling, and an ergonomic design that should feel familiar and comfortable to most users.
Like the Razor Kishi, the Moga Hero charges your phone while you play. The user is also able to choose how they connect, bluetooth or USB cable – making the Moga Hero for gaming at home or on the move. Either way, the Moga Hero is a choice that is definitely worth considering.
Riot’s Gamepad
This 100% cable connected controller (no bluetooth option) also carries very familiar design ergonomics and also comes with the added option of a phone bracket. One of it’s greatest strengths is how comfortable it is to use, for hours on end.
However, it does have an achilles heel. The fact that it is USB-C only means that charging while playing is impossible, and the lack of an internal battery of its own means that it drains energy from your phone as you play.
Sony PS 5 DualSense
This controller marks a major step forward for the video game controllers as a whole, and this is not just a matter of visually pleasing aesthetics. This controller’s greatest strength lies in the technology hidden underneath its ergonomic shell.
The haptic feedback – from which the “dualsense” name is derived – stands unrivalled in making a gaming experience feel more immersive. To add to this, Sony’s adaptive triggers have the potential to add another layer of immersion – however, mobile based titles have yet to take advantage of this feature.
8BitDo SN30
This one is for anyone who was a fan of the Nintendo SNES, or anyone who might like a retro looking accessory for their mobile gaming. Moving on from the nostalgia and getting back to now, the SN30 is a legitimately decent controller.
At a decent price, the colour options are based on those originally available for Nintendo’s gambit pocket. The one drawback here is that Iphone users were left out.
Conclusions
If you want to enhance your mobile gaming experience by adding a controller, then your options are plenty. However, one should always remain mindful of issues that may arise as a result of incompatibility between some controllers and mobile devices.
Though some controllers may be compatible with older operating systems, they might not work as reliably as they would on a newer device with a more up to date OS.
