In theory, it should be as good a time as ever to be a gamer on the iPhone.
Classic console emulators were implemented on the platform for the first time and work very well. There are solid libraries of uncomplicated mobile games on Apple Arcade and Netflix Games, streaming through Xbox and PlayStation services continues apace, and there are even some AAA console games now running natively on the platform, like the Assassin's Creed and Resident Evil titles. .
However, some of those games require a traditional dual-stick game controller to work well, and surprisingly, Apple doesn't offer any of its own solution for this.
Yes, you can pair popular Bluetooth controllers from Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and 8bitdo to your iPhone, but that's not really the ideal answer: your iPhone is not a large TV placed across the room or a computer monitor propped up on your desk. .
Some companies have set out to solve this problem with dockable controllers that give the iPhone a format similar to that of the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck (although much smaller). However, there is a wide range of quality and some of the ones you will see advertised are not very well made.
There is some debate, but there is one that almost anyone will at least put into consideration: the Backbone One. That's the one I chose for my new iPhone 16 Pro Max, which I loaded with emulators and tons of games.
Since many people are about to purchase the iPhone 16 for the holidays and might be in the market for something similar, I thought it would be a good time to write up some quick impressions, including the pros and cons. Is this worth a $99 price tag? What about your subscription based app?
Switch from Razer Kishi
Here's some background, real quick: I previously had an iPhone 13 Pro and played a lot immortal devil. I wanted to try out the controller experience with that game, so I bought a first-gen Razer Kishi, which I liked for the most part. It had great joysticks that felt similar to what you'd find on an Xbox controller, albeit a little softer.