MOGA's Android Controllers Should Help Nuke Consoles
We got a hands-on with the upcoming MOGA Pro Controller for Android.
I got a chance to test-drive PowerA's upcoming console-like MOGA Pro Controller for Android in addition to the pocket-sized Mobile Gaming System. Both sport a retractable arm that secures your Android phone to the device, and a Tegra Zone-like app on Google Play that lists Android games supporting both controllers.
Honestly, I could see Android customers easily owning both controllers. On the go, the Mobile Gaming System is ideal, as you could seemingly stuff it into your pocket. Despite its size, it was relatively light and easy to use, offering two analog thumb sticks, your standard four-button setup, and right/left trigger buttons. Bluetooth makes it compatible with both smarthones and the larger Android tablets.
The second, larger Android MOGA Pro Controller, slated for a Spring release, felt more like an Xbox 360 controller, offering two analog thumbsticks, a D-pad, your standard four-button setup, two shoulder buttons and two triggers. Because this version is somewhat larger, you can't shove it in your pocket, so it may be better suited to leave at home or thrown into a backpack at the very least.
This model felt great in my hands, but the performance was lacking as I tested the gadget with a smartphone connected to an HDTV via MHL. The PowerA reps said it was interference from all the other gadgets, and that could very well be true, but the lag made NOVA 3 somewhat unplayable at CES, thus leading me to wonder how the controller will play in a controlled environment like my living room or office.
"The response to our MOGA pocket-sized controller from Android gamers has been fantastic, and we’re now excited to give mobile gamers true, console-style control with MOGA Pro," said Eric Bensussen, President of PowerA. “Now more than ever, mobile gamers will feel at home with a traditional controller while playing the huge variety of games available on the MOGA Mobile Gaming System."
I'm told we'll get a sample of the new controller soon, so we'll see how it performs when there's not so many wireless gadgets interfering with the Bluetooth connection. MOGA Pro will be available in Spring 2013 although the price has yet to be determined.'
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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g00fysmiley so it is a sixaxis app with included game clip and controller... i've been using a ps3 controller for us eon my phoen for a while its already ou tthere but kudos to them if they can do it for cheaper then $43 which is what my setup costReply -
whiteodian No chance this will "Nuke Consoles." Whatever that is suppose to mean. Maybe it will affect the mobile gaming market and take away from PS Vita and Gameboy sales. I've never been much into mobile gaming. I've had the original Gameboy, GB Advance, Original PSP and smart phone for 3.5 years. None of them come close to the enjoyment I get from sitting down and playing Console (or PC) games.Reply -
tomaz99 Looks dorkyReply
Reminds me when I was young an the 'neat' calculator watches came out...pretty neat...but quickly turned into dork jewelry -
Antimatter79 But wouldn't you have to have games that are specifically written to work with the game pad? Otherwise, with many games you're using a controller but you still have on screen "buttons" taking up valuable screen real estate.Reply -
ricdiculus tburns1Not everyone is up to rooting their phones, so sixaxis is not an option for them.Reply
If your using ICS or newer, no rooting needed. -
lathe26 The lag is likely due to the fact they did not implement the HID protocol. HID is optimized for mice, keyboards, and joysticks.Reply -
samwelaye ricdiculusIf your using ICS or newer, no rooting needed.Reply
yes it is. if you want to connect the ps3 controller thru bluetooth, you need root access. For wired, itll work, but only if the phone supports usb otg which many phones (like the nexus 4) do not.