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Handheld gaming has been steadfastly popular since the original GameBoy was released in 1989, but a smartphone will better serve casual players than a single-use piece of hardware in 2024. Some of the most popular video games of all time, from Roblox to Minecraft, are available on iOS and Android. Still, while these titles (and many more) can be played using touch controls, the experience is suboptimal. For the best gaming experience possible, it’s essential to use a mobile game controller. These devices connect to your smartphone over a wired or Bluetooth connection and provide physical buttons and control sticks, making playing games a lot more natural. Don’t worry, you can also pair controllers from current-generation game systems to your device if you’d prefer to play that way. Regardless, the best mobile game controllers—like our best overall, the Backbone One—will help you cruise through re-releases of classic games and the latest premium smartphone titles without smudging your screen.
- Best overall: Backbone One
- Best splurge: Razer Kishi Ultimate
- Best Bluetooth: GameSir G8 Plus
- Best traditional: Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
- Best budget: GameSir Nova
How we chose the best mobile game controllers
Our mobile game controller recommendations are based on hands-on testing of various titles on an iPhone 15 Pro Max (though that doesn’t mean they are solely mobile game controllers for iPhone, so read up on compatibility). Games included Fantasian, a new mobile game developed specifically for the iPhone, and an assortment of classic titles available via emulation. Extended gameplay sessions were undertaken to determine how fatiguing it is to play games on such a large device.
The best mobile game controllers: Reviews & Recommendations
Whether you’re interested in investing hours into a single-player RPG like Fantasian, Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy, or play twitch-happy games like Roblox or Call of Duty: Mobile, a mobile gaming controller will help you get the most out of the experience. The feeling of playing a game with proper controllers rather than touch buttons is remarkably better, especially if you’re using your smartphone on the go but are a traditional console gamer at home.
Best overall: Backbone One
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Pros
- Responsive buttons
- Ultra lightweight
- Slim design
Cons
- Small, clicky buttons
Specs
- Connectivity: USB-C
- Weight: .44 pounds
- Price: $99.99
Backbone’s One strikes the right balance between size, comfort, and cost. As far as setting the controller up is concerned, our iPhone immediately recognized the controller, and we could start playing games immediately. In our tests, the controller was responsive, and we especially appreciated the feel of its control sticks, which made playing platformers feel buttery smooth. The face and D-pad buttons were noticeably clicky, though, which may make you think twice about playing with the Backbone One in a quiet environment.
The face buttons—modeled after the PlayStation’s DualShock button layout—are also on the smaller side. Dedicate buttons along the bottom bring up functions like screenshotting or taking you directly into the Backbone mobile app, from which you can launch games from different services in one clean interface. This is helpful if you’re using the Backbone One with the remote play functions available on the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series S/X. Thankfully, those buttons are tucked away along the bottom of the controller, so you can ignore them if those functions aren’t appealing to you.
Backbone is one of the original mobile controller makers, and the One’s compact design is appealing to folks who are interested in making the jump from touchscreen controls. The differences between the two styles are night and day, and this is a great place to start for anyone who’s curious about mobile controllers.
Best splurge: Razer Kishi Ultimate
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Pros
- The true console-like experience for your phone
- Compatible with a wide range of devices
- Extremely comfortable to hold
Cons
- Price
Specs
- Connectivity: USB-C
- Weight: 1.34 pounds
- Price: $149.99
Razer is relentless in its pursuit of making the best gaming accessories for all platforms, and in the case of the Kishi Ultra, they nailed it. This is the best-feeling, most responsive, fully-featured mobile game controller we’ve tested. Frankly, it rivals the ones that come with major game consoles. However, the quality comes with a cost, and the Kishi Ultra is $50 more expensive than our top pick and five times more expensive than our budget recommendation. That said, serious gamers should accept no substitute.
The Kishi Ultra’s build quality was immediately noticeable. Its curved handles felt perfect in the hand, its buttons were the right size, didn’t make too much noise, and responded the moment they were pushed. Razer used Hall Effect triggers and TPSiV (Thermoplastic Elastomers) analog sticks designed for longevity. This is an investment that you can use to play games for years, if not a decade. Through Razer’s Nexus mobile app, you can customize the Kishi Ultra’s button layout to suit the games you’re playing, which is especially helpful if you’re used to gaming on a PC. Light strips around the controller’s handles are a nice accent but are not distracting or garish like the ones you’ll see festooned on some gaming PCs. Android users can even map button controls to touchscreen-only games through a “Virtual Controller Mode” feature, opening up even more titles to controller compatibility.
This game controller is bundled with four sets of spacers designed to accommodate different devices. By default, the Kishi Ultra was outfitted in spacers designed for the iPhone, but we also tested the controller with an iPad Mini, which turned the pint-sized tablet into a serious gaming machine. The spacers should also allow for some future proofing as device sizes change. the Razer Kishi is a triumph in the world of mobile accessories—gaming or otherwise—and anyone who plays primarily on their smartphone or smaller tablet should take notice.
Best Bluetooth: GameSir G8 Plus
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Pros
- Easy setup for a Bluetooth peripheral
- Compatible with a wide range of devices
- Price
Cons
- Needs to be charged
Specs
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Weight: 1.36 pounds
- Price: $79.99
GameSir’s G8 Plus is the platonic ideal of Bluetooth gaming controllers. It can connect to any device seamlessly regardless of its operating system and was designed to accommodate devices as large as the iPad Mini. Plus, it feels really good in the hand. It’s also the best value in the modern mobile game controller category. Although the GameSir G8 Plus connects to devices over Bluetooth, which introduces some latency, it wasn’t enough to impact our enjoyment of the games we played. Any lag won’t interfere with your gameplay if you play platformers, role-playing games, sports titles, or casual games. If you play first-person shooters or titles that rely on making split-second decisions with pinpoint precision, a Bluetooth gaming controller of any kind is likely not for you.
The G8 Plus worked with every game we tested, and we were pleased with the quality of its analog sticks, triggers, and buttons, which were comparable to the ones found on a mobile gaming controller. GameSir used Hall Effect Joysticks and triggers, which are designed to last a long time, too. The controller’s buttons felt a little mushier than the Razer Kishi Ultra’s, but this mobile game controller is roughly half its price. On the other hand, we could attach any device to this controller without worrying about spacers or whether its USB-C jack would fit into our iPhone’s charging port, potentially scratching its underside.
If you’re okay with charging another portable gadget and want a mobile game controller that can wirelessly connect to any device with ease, GameSire’s G8 Plus is the best choice.
Best traditional: Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Pros
- Traditional button layout
- Feels comfortable in the hand
- Excellent battery life.
Cons
- Needs to be charged
Specs
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Weight: .55 pounds
- Price: $69.30
If you want the experience of playing mobile games with a traditional game console controller, our favorite option is the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It’s the controller that feels most comfortable in the hand, with the right balance of weight, button size, and overall quality. That said, the controller’s analog sticks have been prone to “drift” wherein they become less responsive or receive phantom inputs over time. However, we’ve been using a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller purchased in 2017 and haven’t faced that issue.
The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller will feel immediately comfortable to anyone who’s played a home game console since the introduction of the Xbox 360 in 2005. That console solidified a standard for game controller design for nearly two decades, with Sony’s DualShock being the only notable exception. Using the Switch Pro Controller will also allow you to use one controller for both your home and mobile devices, provided you play games on the Switch. One of this controller’s notable features is its battery life. Nintendo says the Switch Pro Controller can get up to 40 hours of use before needing to be recharged. In our experience, this estimate is conservative, and we’ve gone weeks without having to plug it in.
We must admit that something feels especially right when playing video games using the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It made our iPhone 15 Pro Max feel like a standalone game console on par with the current systems from Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. There was no learning curve to playing any title we enjoyed, with every movement and action recognized and executed immediately, with no perceptible latency. Playing Nintendo games on our iPhone using this controller felt especially nostalgic, especially when AirPlaying the gameplay to our TV using an Apple TV.
The bottom line is that Nintendo’s Switch Pro Controller is the best choice if you’d like the feeling of a console controller in your hands while playing games on your phone or tablet.
Best budget: GameSir Nova
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Pros
- Easy to pair
- Hall Effect joysticks
- Price
Cons
- Needs to be charged
Specs
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Weight: .68 pounds
- Price: $29.99
GameSir’s Nova is the least expensive mobile gaming controller we recommend, and you don’t sacrifice that much performance given its modest cost. It has the same button layout as the other mobile gaming controllers we’re recommending and comes in a cool, see-through shell reminiscent of the ’90s and early ’00s gaming accessories. The Nova’s face buttons and D-Pad feel a little mushier than the ones on Nintendo’s Switch Pro Controller, but this controller has Hall Effect analog sticks, which is a huge improvement.
This feature isn’t a given when considering the controller’s price tag. We’ll admit that the joysticks did make movement feel even smoother when playing games, and while that didn’t improve our performance, we couldn’t blame any blunders on the Nova as much as we’d have liked to. On the plus side, because this is a Bluetooth game controller, it’s compatible with PCs and even the Nintendo Switch, which further adds to its value. Don’t skip this one if you’re sick of playing mobile games using touch buttons but don’t play enough to justify a pricier mobile game controller.
What to consider when shopping for the best mobile game controllers
There are many factors to consider when deciding which mobile video game controller is right for you. Below are the factors we considered most important when writing this guide.
Style
Mobile gaming controllers can be categorized in one of two styles. The first is the traditional gaming controller, originally designed to work with current-generation consoles: Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5. These controllers can be paired to an iPhone or Android device over Bluetooth, like some of our favorite headphones and earbuds, and offer a console-like experience, albeit one that requires you to prop your smartphone up on a stand or use a phone case with a kickstand. The benefit of this style of mobile gaming controller is that you can also use it with your computer and tablet.
Modern gaming controllers are designed to fit around your smartphone, anchoring both sides of the device with an assortment of buttons, triggers, and control sticks. This controller style effectively turns your smartphone into a Nintendo Switch-like mobile gaming console and is helpful if you’d like the most compact gaming experience. Some of these controllers can be used with larger devices like tablets, but your experience will be inconsistent depending on their size. However, Bluetooth mobile gaming controllers can be paired with other devices.
Connectivity
A mobile gaming controller can be connected to your smartphone in one of two ways: wirelessly or by connecting directly to the charging port on your device. The benefits of a wired mobile controller are not having to remember to charge another accessory and zero latency (lag) when playing games. The benefits of using a wireless mobile controller are that it does not drain your smartphone’s battery and is also compatible with non-smartphone devices. Wireless mobile gaming controllers have some latency, but this won’t impact your gaming experience significantly unless you’re playing an online first-person shooter, where every frame counts.
Size
Size should be a key concern when choosing a mobile game controller if you’re using a large iPhone or Android smartphone. Adding additional bulk to your device can make it feel unwieldy, especially if you plan to carry it in a backpack on a flight or for gaming on a bus, train, or subway.
Weight
Smartphones have become heavier over the years, and strapping on a mobile gaming controller will only add to the heft. If you’d like to avoid hand or arm fatigue, choose a lighter option. If you don’t mind the heft, a heavier mobile game controller will feel more substantial and is typically higher quality. Pairing a traditional game controller with your smartphone offers the best of both worlds.
FAQs
Q: Can I connect a game controller to my phone?
Yes. You can pair a current-generation console controller to your smartphone.
Q: Will my mobile games support controllers?
Mobile games with controller support will list whether they support specific hardware on their app page within the iOS App Store or Google Play store. This information may also be available on a game developer’s website.
Q: Can I remap the controls on my mobile game controller?
It depends. Some mobile gaming controllers allow you to remap buttons, but it’s not a feature available across the board. Some games also offer different button configurations in their settings menu, so be sure to check there, too.
Q: Are controllers good for gaming?
Yes. Controllers make games that support them a lot easier to play by giving your physical controls that don’t obscure your phone’s screen as touch buttons do.
Final thoughts on the best mobile game controllers
- Best overall: Backbone One
- Best splurge: Razer Kishi Ultimate
- Best Bluetooth: GameSir G8 Plus
- Best traditional: Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
- Best budget: GameSir Nova
Mobile gaming is projected to become a nearly $100 billion industry in 2024, so it makes sense that more and more titles are gaining controller support. This rise in popularity, coupled with mobile apps from Microsoft and Sony that allow you to play Xbox and PlayStation titles remotely, has incentivized accessory makers to create mobile game controllers that are qualitatively identical to the ones you’d get for a traditional gaming console. The fact that you can pair a traditional game controller to your smartphone without a lengthy configuration process shows how serious the gaming industry is about making the mobile gaming experience on par with playing on PC or console. If you’re a lapsed gamer with only a smartphone, there’s no reason to settle for a subpar experience when picking up an old pastime.
