If you think your phone does quite well with games, the latest accessory can complete the package.
Gaming on your phone can be like gaming on a good portable if you have the right parts. We’re mostly there already with the graphics and capabilities, and while the game selection varies depending on the platform, you have choices.
If you subscribe to Apple Arcade, there’s a ton of titles available along the way, and there’s always Xbox Cloud Gaming if you fancy that next-gen experience to take with you, something 5G can help with.
All that’s left to deal with is how the phone feels, displaying the handheld gaming experience. There are dedicated phones for that that may or may not come with their own accessories, such as the Asus ROG Phone range, but alternatively there’s a way to turn your current phone into a physical game controller of sorts.
iPhone owners discovered that in the Backbone controller earlier this year, and while Android owners may have been waiting for their own taste, now they have the chance, it seems. Backbone is ready with a USB Type C variant of that iPhone Backbone controller, keeping the expandable design similar to what Razer offers in the Kishi, but also bundling it with some software that changes things up.
The USB Type C Android Backbone One supports the Backbone software with a game library and shortcut system, plus a way to record gameplay and take screenshots, not to mention a headphone jack and USB Type C pass-through to keep the phone charged. hold as needed to (because the controller doesn’t charge phones by default).
The Backbone app will reportedly talk to the Xbox and PlayStation apps, plus the Steam app, as well as most of the games you’ll find on Google Play Pass, mapping a directional pad and thumbstick, plus the regular assortment of buttons and shoulder buttons to deliver a gaming experience reminiscent of what Sony and Microsoft offer, except molded around your phone.
The price for the Backbone One for Android is $179.99, with support for Android phones running version 8 and above with a Type C USB port.