GameSir - Pocket Taco - Bluetooth Wireless Retro Mobile Gaming Controller for iOS & Android - Turn your SmartPhone into a GameBoy - White

I was skeptical at first. When I opened the product it felt sturdy, buttons and all. It did take me some time to figure how to set it up with my iPhone, but once I managed to do so everything worked fantastic! So far, my only complaint is figuring out how to set up the home button. All in time.

The Gamesir Pocket Taco is super fun. You will have the ability to play lots of games including many retro games without the cost of many expensive devices. The first key design point is you are using your own cell phone which does have an excellent display. The second design point is you will be using very well designed physical buttons and control pads that have all have a very tactile feel. Using physical buttons and controls definitely gives you a much more satisfying retro game experience. Instead of just touching the phone screen this device allows you to sense the touch and feel of the games as they were originally designed. It may be a subtle point but it is a very obvious advantage that adds a lot to your gaming enjoyment. I did compare the ‘feel’ you get from similar ‘sliding’ devices and these products are indeed very nice, but I like the game experience much more with the Pocket Taco. The Pocket Taco gives you a smaller, much more portable device, that you can carry easily; and secondly it simply clamps securely on your phone with no sliding mechanism to wear out; and is less cumbersome to carry around. It has a silicon lining that prevents it from scratching your phone screen. You do need to learn the button descriptions and a guide is included. It is very simple to connect your phone via Bluetooth to the Pocket Taco. Once paired, you simply open it and re-clamp it and it re-connects to your phone. Also, it will turn off when you remove it. Note I played around pairing it to different cell phones. If it was already paired to another cell phone you first had to hold the ‘M’ and Home buttons to get it into pairing mode – which is a different process than when you first paired it. The design allows you to have the device on your phone and still be able to plug a charging cable into your phone if needed. A tip of the cap to the GameSir designers for making a very sturdy, well thought out and easy to use device at a very affordable price. One feature which didn’t bother me and would depend on the game used is the vertical clamp position which results in a screen roughly half the size of your phone. However, if this smaller screen does bug you enough, the Pocket Taco can be used without clamping it on your phone i.e. as a simple handheld controller. As a separate handheld controller you now have the entire phone screen to use horizontally. I would absolutely recommend this small device for its excellent construction including the switches and the clamping characteristics; and the ability to realize the physical button experience of retro games as they were first played.

The GameSir Pocket Mini is a cool little gadget for mobile gaming. While it lacks traditional joysticks, it still offers a semi-modern controller layout that works especially well for retro style games. Its compact size makes it a great option for anyone looking for a portable controller. The GameSir app helps optimize the experience on mobile, allowing content to be displayed on the top screen for a more immersive setup. When it works, it definitely enhances gameplay. However, I did run into some issues getting the app to detect my phone. At one point, I had to use another device, which let me connect it as a “DualShock 4-style” controller but that meant I couldn’t use the app features. I eventually got everything working, but the app experience could definitely be smoother. As for the controller itself, the Pocket Mini is comfortable for its size and performs well, especially with retro games and platformers. It’s also versatile, supporting multiple systems including Switch, iOS, Android.Connecting it can be a bit confusing at first since it depends on different button combinations (using the home button plus a face button) depending on the platform. Overall, the GameSir Pocket Mini is a fun and portable controller that shines when playing retro and platform-style games, even if the app experience still has room for improvement.