Customer Ratings & Reviews

I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max, and I thoroughly enjoyed using this controller. Depending in your iPhone model, they include an attachment that allows your phone to be able to fit securely. It’s simple, and literally anyone can use this. I love the fact there isn’t any cords or charging needed, because it of course is powered by your phones battery. I am an Xbox gamer, so I used this with cloud gaming, and Apple Arcade mostly. When I got this I also happen to be trying out the beta version of a title that is moving into the mobile field, and I will say it was sooooo helpful! I don’t know how the game would have felt without this controller honestly. I’ve also played sonic, and COD in the days I’ve had it. My only complaint is how the controller feels in your hand while playing, but there has to be some sort of learning curve. It will take some getting used to, where the thumb sticks are located it feels a bit awkward to me. It could also be due to the size of my phone, but it was an adjustment nonetheless. Other than that, I really have no complaints. You can pull up the backbone app by just a button on the controller, and everything you need is literally right there. I will be traveling with this in my purse for sure.

Hubby and I like to game when traveling. So this system is perfect in size and super functional. Absolutely love the feel of play. Buttons are perfect. It gives you same feel and function as an actual ps4 or ps5 controller. If you don’t have an iPhone, then this might not work for you but it does come with attachments for iPhone 11 and 13. Variation in this regard might be an upgrade in the future we will see. I’m not a fan of adding another subscription to use this device but if you play a lot of have kids, it’s worth it. You now have added protection for you phone when playing games. Charging is easy but make sure you have a full charge on your phone. Software is decent. Overall great product. I can’t really compare it with anything else like it because this is the first of its kind that I’ve owned. So to me the bar is set pretty high for any products like this one. I strongly suggest giving this item a try and make sure you have specific games that you are good at so you can enjoy the experience

Backbone iOS Mobile gaming has evolved the last few years, especially as companies like Microsoft, have dived in to cloud gaming. However, you’re often faced with either using touch controls which tend to be unforgiving, or settling for 3rd party bluetooth controllers that either need to be charged, lose connection, or require you to prop up your smartphone to play a game. So, its not at all surprising that a company would offer a solution that offers both the flexibility of using a controller with easier to use inputs, and the ability to hold your screen at the same time. In the package, you’ll find the Backbone controller, an iPhone 13 adapter to account for the raised camera bump, and a basic quick start guide. Setup of the device is easy on iOS. If you have an iPhone 13 Pro, make sure to install the adapter, which allows the camera to clear the back plate. Using the spring tension, simply plug the iPhone into the lightning port, and then rest into the controller. The spring tension does a great job holding the phone in place, and like most iOS accessories with an app, your iPhone will prompt you to install the Backbone software. Once installed, you’re presented with an app walk through of the controllers buttons, including the capture button, backbone button, and the various features of the device. To make things easy, the app will also present you with a 1 year trial, after which you’ll need to pay for a membership fee for Backbone+. If you’re not currently subscribed to Xbox Live, the backbone will come with a 1 month Xbox Live Ultimate free trial to try out Cloud gaming. If you have an Xbox with remote play capability enabled, you’ll be able to use the controller to play those games. The capture button can either be tapped to start a recording, or held to take a screenshot. The Backbone is fairly responsive, with all the button combinations you’d find on a regular Xbox controller. You’ll have both joysticks with button press, L1/2 and R1/2 triggers, and the familiar ABXY and directional pad. I appreciated the ability to play games, such as Halo Infinite, using remote play on my Xbox Series X, and also works with various app based games found on the iOS App Store. This accessory alone has changed my mind with mobile gaming, turning my iPhone 13 into a small gaming device. The Backbone app will also sync with your contacts to provide notification when your friends are also playing a game with their backbone. Ultimately, this device is a great accessory to compliment your mobile gaming and taking a leap into cloud gaming with Xbox or even Stadia. The easy set up, without a need to pair the device, makes this one of the best accessories I’ve ever used with my iPhone for gaming. So, if you’re at all wanting to game with your iPhone, I’d highly recommend this!

If you haven’t researched this product yet, and you own a newer iPhone 13 Pro Max, this review is for you. If you are looking for a very well made, and responsive controller for your phone, I don’t think you’ll find a better one than Backbone. There’s just a couple things you need to know. Evidently this was released right before the new iPhone 13 was. The camera lenses on the back of the iphone makes it so the backbone won’t fit snug without a small fix. That fix comes in the form of a small rubber fitting. I read online that they started out offering 3d printer plans for people to print their own. Then, after a short time they started offering it free of charge (with a small shipping charge of course. I made the mistake of downloading the backbone app, opening it up, and the app warning me to sign up for the free iPhone 13 Pro max adapter, so I did. Congratulations your adapter will arrive soon, and thanks for paying for shipping. Then I proceeded to open the backbone and take it out of the packaging. Lo and behold, this one came with the iPhone adapter. Moral of the story, open the package first and make sure it’s in there. I don’t know, maybe now it’s standard to come with one if you get the iPhone version? I quickly went back online and cancelled my order for the free one, no harm no foul. Slightly annoying, couldn’t help but think, maybe they should put a note in the app when starting out to check the package first, before it tells you to order the free one from them. There are also no instructions, or visualizations to show you how the put the rubber adapter piece on the controller. Just tinker with it and you’ll figure it, out or check out my pictures for the general idea on orientation. This adapter will ONLY work, if there is no protector on your iPhone’s camera lenses. I’m a huge stickler for making sure my phone always has a case, and protective glass screen protector. Needless to say, I had a plastic lens protector that covers the 3 lenses on my phone. See pics, wouldn’t fit with the protector on. Again, no harm no foul, annoying but easy enough work around. Other than the annoying external modifications, this little controller is WAAAAY better than I expected. Locks in nicely and feels solid. Super responsive, very fast and easy to get up and going. I was playing COD within 5 minutes. Played a few other shooters, and sports games. If you are looking for a controller to play games with on your phone, that is very close to your home PS4/PS5…XBOX…then this the one you want. No battery needed of course since it plugs right into your phone. There’s a jack on the bottom as well for headphones. I believe there is an XBOX Live trial you can activate. Very happy with the controller. Never thought I’d playing console games on a mobile phone ! Better yet, never thought I'd be playing them and it would be this much fun!

THE BREAKDOWN: This Backbone One controller delivered exactly what it was supposed to. The setup was quick and easy. The only thing that I didn’t like was having to take my phone case off in order to use it. I think that this device really opens up a better gaming experience giving that console controller feel instead of using just the phone itself. You can play Apple Arcade games, Xbox games through the Xbox app using the streaming feature. It also has a charging port and headphone port. I felt like the device really performed well and was setup just like I was using my wireless Xbox controller. I did have to turn down my look sensitivity quite a bit in order to play smoothly. All buttons worked like expected in all the games I tried. There were no sticky buttons or thumb sticks. There is a free app that comes with this device called Backbone One + service. Once you plug the phone into your device it automatically downloads this app. This app does seem a little pushy making you think you cannot use this device without it, but this just isn’t the case. PRO’s: - Very responsive - Familiar feeling of your console controller - 1 month Xbox game pass ultimate - 12 months of Backbone+ app CON’s: - None SUMMARY: Overall, this product worked as intended, and I would recommend this to a friend if they are in the market for device like this.

This Backbone Gaming controller for iPhone it’s great for gamers that wants to continue playing their favorite games mobile, it really feels like your having a Nintendo switch with this controller but playing Xbox and Apple Arcade games . Easy to set up, just insert your iPhone to the controller, download the Backbone app ( Not required but works better adding more features) and play your favorite games. It works awesome on my iPhone 13 Pro max and Apple Arcade games, the only downside it’s that I had to take off my MagSafe phone case because my phone won’t connect to the lighting conector on the controller with the case on, I just hope this doesn’t get my iPhone to get scratch, but at least inside the box there’s a iPhone Pro and Pro max adaptor that allows a smoother connection for the large bulky camera lens that this iPhones have. You can also record your games, editing clips and take screen shots with one of the buttons on the controller . There’s 3.5 mm headset jack and lighting pass through charging with lowest latency connection. It also comes with a 1 month free of Xbox game pass ultimate and 12 month Backbone+ App. For the price I wish this controller would have come with a case to protect the controller when not in use and also it would’ve been nice to be able to use it without taking off my iPhone protecting case.

Nice slim profile and easy to use controller. Feels comfortable in your hands and is super responsive. Just plug in and go. At first I thought my iPhone 13 Pro wasn't going to work right because of its big camera housing, but there is an included rubber adapter in the box that you slide on and then it sits perfectly. Just FYI if you have a 13 Pro or Pro Max. There's a built-in wired headset connector and a lighting connector in the base of the handles to get wired audio and for you to optionally charge your phone while playing games. I just used my Bluetooth headset for sound. 2 minor notes. You have to remove any case on your phone to use this (makes sense because cases are all different sizes, but a little bit of a pain) Also when you take your phone out be sure to remove the lighting connector side (right side) first. If you remove the other side first it feels like you could bend the lightning connector.

This controller is very easy and fun to use! It’s very versatile. There is an app from Backbone that has games on it but I have found that many games from the App Store work easily with the controller. I am not a gamer by any means but I like to play some racing and football games. The controller worked well for both types of games. I noticed no lag at all. The controller plugs right into the lightning port on my iPhone 13 Pro Max. There is an included adapter that is needed to accommodate my phone’s giant cameras. The controller is powered by the phone but I really didn’t notice any extra battery draw. I do like the fact that there is not a battery on the Backbone that I need to charge. Overall it’s a ton of fun to play with!

This controller was a godsend for a 5 hour long flight. I used it to play games installed on my phone. I like that I can plug it into my tablet to use for gaming as well. The backbone app is not bad to use as a launcher, I liked that I could connect to my accounts so it could access things like my PS5, Steam and Xbox Game Pass libraries without having to go through different apps. The two qualms I really have is that you have to remove the phone case I have to use it (I can be accident prone). It may or may not work with a slimmer case that’s more like a sleeve. The second one is I wish it was more comfortable for my hands, but that is subjective depending on the person.

Backbone is a really fantastic product that goes just a tad bit above the competition. There aren’t many options for controllers on iOS that you can choose from. Bluetooth controllers don’t really work for a lot of games that well, while yes you can use an Xbox controller for iOS. The problem is that you have to lug that around with a phone, it is very cumbersome. The backbone controller takes care of all of this. As you have an all-in-one portable unit in your hand. I am an owner of the “other” brand, and backbone has that beat by giving you a few extras that make it worth your time. First, the controller feels really nice in the hand compared to an Xbox controller or the “other” green brand. I am using an iPhone 12 max so the screen is very large when gaming on the go. It doesn’t feel out of place making it feel too large to carry on Apple’s biggest phone. Definitely have great economics when holding. You can collapse down the controller to fit into a pocket or bag as well. Outside of the standard buttons you already know like A, B, X, Y…there are a few buttons here unique to this controller. There is a button for the Backbone menu (Launches the Backbone app), a screenshot button so you can share online screenshots and videos. Also, you also have a 3.5mm headphone jack which comes in the handle when you just want to use headphones; another plus on this device. Backbone also has a lightning port where you can charge your phone as you game. You don’t need to charge the controller itself to use as just directly connects to your iPhone. L3 and R3 are there (clickable analog sticks) While streaming from Xbox Game Pass it held up perfectly. Every button responded and gave a satisfying click. Backbone was nice enough to give you a free trial to game pass so you can see how much fun it can be to use on the go. Yes, I also tried this with Steam streaming and PlayStation remote app and it worked flawlessly. It’s simply amazing how far we’ve come to play great games without a hassle. If you have a USB-C it can be used on any device like the iPad or PC. One thing I do enjoy about this controller and the app that you download is that they give you a straightforward cohesive list of games that can use this controller. The “other” green brand gives you nothing! Just an app to update their controller and that’s it. But the Backbone app goes throughout the apple app store or lets you know what’s available for streaming with the controller. This helps you so much because you don’t have to comb through the App Store to find out what works with the controller. Overall; Backbone gives you more options than the other brand and they both are in the same bracket. While I would like more curvature to the controller in hand for even better ergonomics (Backbone to make a “Pro” model?) The controller is extremely great to use and when I enjoy using it when I’m out. Again there aren’t many options for controllers on iOS that are premium. This sure feels like one and a controller I hope Backbone keeps improving. The Backbone app is amazing and the “other” green brand should start to worry in this space.

As an avid console and PC gamer, I am impressed! This is the first mobile phone accessorial device that I have evaluated or owned that I will actually one hundred percent continue to use, excessively. I have not even powered up my PC except to do this review since I received the Backbone One IOS gaming controller. Out of the box the unit is smaller and lighter than I expected it would be. I have another like controller accessory that props the phone up above the controller. To me though this has always felt foreign, and in some shape form or fashion did not inspire me to continue to use it. I also have bigger hands so playing actual phone games on the phone itself is cool in all but this too has always felt foreign to me as well. The Backbone One is the contrary though. Even though the unit is small the build is great. It holds my phone very solidly within the spring-loaded backbone. Because it is so light the whole setup feels terrific in my hands and proportionately sized weirdly enough. The controls are crisp and barely have any noticeable button lag while gaming. Do not worry about your phone dying, the Backbone has a lightening port that charges your phone. Or as neat, you can use just the controller on your PC. I was able to easily download the Backbone launcher with a free one-year subscription. I also received a free one-month XBOX Game Pass subscription, but I already had it anyway. The launcher is very cool and offers the options to game, watch twitch, goof around on Redditt, or even bounce to one of your social media apps. Just like on any XBOX enable device the Backbone will take stills and record 30 FPS game captured video. But goes further buy offering on controller buttons for ease of use. So far, the only issue I have had is getting the XBOX Beta cloud to function correctly for me. This is an app issue and not reflective on the Backbone at all. As mentioned, the controls are crisp and very responsive. I do wish they offered trigger stops but the snap time is still surprisingly good in first person shooters. Until the Backbone I have not really ever had a passion or desire to Really game on my cell phone, aside from Pokémon Go. It is well built, the native launcher is very user friendly & super stylish, and IOS Arcade is actually enjoyable to me with a ton of games that allow controller play through. I highly recommend and plan to buy more as gifts for family and friends.

The Backbone One iOS Gaming Controller for iPhone feels great in the hands and has a quality feel to it. All the buttons have a nice tactile feel to them with just enough resistance. The joysticks are smooth and feel well made. I have the iPhone 13 Pro and it comes with an adapter that fits onto the left side of the cradle so it fits nice and snug. It is a little awkward the first couple times you connect the phone into the cradle trying to keep the device open while plugging the phone into the charging port connector as it has a closing spring that brings it back to closed position. Just takes a little practice to figure out the best way to do this without dropping your phone in the process. Once plugged in snuggly it feels like the controller is part of your phone. It feels very much like the Nintendo Switch. The device comes with 1 free month of XBox Game Pass and 1 free year of the Backbone+ social network app. As soon as you plug the controller into your phone it prompts you to download the software from the App Store and walks you through the setup. I didn't see any way to back out of this setup, so I didn't attempt to use the device without installing the Backbone software. I imagine the controller would work just fine without this app, but I did not test that. Once the Backbone software is installed it let's you connect to all your game services like Apple Arcade, XBox Game Pass, Playstation, Steam using SteamLink app, and XBox remote play so you can stream games from your XBox. It lets you record your gameplay and post to the Backbone social network where you can connect with friends that also have the Backbone app installed. The user interface is easy to use and reminds me of the XBox interface a bit. The service will cost $49.99 / year after the first year. Your phone powers the controller, so there aren't any batteries to worry about. You can also charge your phone while the device is connected as it has a standard iPhone power plug port in the end of the right hand control. There is a standard headphone jack in the end of the left control. About the only negative I have is that you have to take your phone out of any protective cases before you can attach the controller, so that is a slight inconvenience. Overall I'm quite impressed with the controller and all it offers for a mobile gaming experience on the iPhone!

So far I like this product quite a bit. The controls feel nice and it connects to my phone easily. It is ergonomic. I use it to play on Xbox Game Pass and it really adds some flexibility for gaming on the go or if the family is using the TV. I feel it is pretty expensive so I hope it lasts. I did experience a couple of instances of left joystick drift which caused me some concern. It went away and Backbone has a one year warranty if it comes back. I baby this thing and keep it in a case. I hope this was just a fluke but time will tell. Overall I recommend it - if it lasts.

Honestly idk what Sony is thinking… this device is all you need for remote play from PS5. 2 steps forward 1 step back is what it looks like. Rant over. Great device for the price, comes bundled with some decent freebies (discord nitro etc). Feels great in the hand with quality face buttons, triggers and analog sticks. The backbone software was also quite useful, feature a game launcher, social chat rooms and voice chat rooms. Tested with Diablo immortal, retro emulators, and PS5 remote play. The only thing missing is software support to map onscreen buttons to the controller for games that don’t support controller input.

This is a little tricky for me to review. To be clear, this is an excellent device. It's of a very high build quality. The buttons have that nice "clicky" solid feel to them and once you snap in your phone, the entire assembly feels very solid and cohesive. I really like the feel of the D Pad as well. A couple of really nice features are the built in headphone jack and the Lightning connector port that not only allows you to charge your device while it's connected but also will allow you to use the Backbone independently of the phone as a controller on PC, iPad, Mac and other devices. I am impressed with how solid everything feels when my phone is snapped into the Backbone and how it all just feels like first party peripheral. By comparison, the Razer Kishi definitely looks and feels like a third party accessory. That's not really a bad thing or a negative point on the part of the Kishi, just an observation that may be of interest to some of you. What I didn't expect though was despite the Backbone being quite a bit more lean in profile compared to the Kishi, I find it more comfortable to hold. I'm a tall guy with large hands and I had already anticipated preferring to hold the Kishi. One point that irritates me is that accessory designers still design for just the phone and not the phone in its case. If your case requires disassembly to remove the phone, you're going to be out of luck with any such accessory, not exclusively the Backbone. Smartphones rapidly became a norm, even for folks on a budget so I don't see why this is still an issue honestly. This is likely not a concern for most people though. So when I bought it, I only expected to get a controller that I could use for my iPhone 11 Pro and didn't anticipate a great app to accompany the device. The app has a lot of great features and integrations as well as being well designed. However, I really dislike that they want you to pay an additional $50/year for the privilege of using most of the good features of the app, despite giving you the first year "free". Backbone is effectively building their own ecosystem around the controller and asking a subscription fee for using it, kind of akin to XBox Live or PS+. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of great features in the app and for many of you, it may easily be worth the additional asking fee after that first year. Personally, being an avid gamer, I already pay for enough of these sorts of services and didn't anticipate that as part of the purchase of the Backbone. I'm also not their target audience for that sort of feature set though. The app has its own friends list, messaging features, content creator features, and other little addons that overlap with many other services. For example, if you're using Xbox or Steam streaming, the Backbone app integrates with those services, but adds its own friends list and rich presence features that function independently of them. If mobile gaming is something you do quite often, the Backbone subscription may be of interest to you. If you're simply looking for a controller for your phone that works with Apple Arcade, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam, etc, I just felt it worthwhile to bring it to your attention.

I've owned the Backbone gaming controller for a modest length of time. I've been able to test it with my gaming laptop and xbox cloud gaming. I am extremely impressed with this controller. So, you might ask "Just what impresses me the most and why?". Let's be honest here. There are several choices of controllers like this that have flooded the market lately. Some great, some good, others not so much. Most promise certain things with varying functionalities and these devices really try to deliver on those promises only to fail You, the gamer, in the end. Not so regarding the Backbone controller for the iPhone. This controller will only fit an iPhone, so if you have an Android device, you'll need to try the Razer Kishi for Android or another brand of controller. The company that produces this controller has delivered on every promise they've made regarding specifically what this controller will do to helpmake your gameplay more enjoyable. With the iPhone connected, you can connect to and play games on Steam (at least the ones that have controller support), Xbox Cloud Gaming (because the iOS doesn't support gaming directly from your Xbox), Playstation's Remote Play (I have not personally tested this). It can be used for your iPhone games as well, naturally, along with other game streaming type services that are out there. I have used the Backbone controller extensively with Steam and Xbox Cloud Gaming and it works flawlessly! I have also use the controller by itself, connected by USB cable directly to my gaming laptop and it works flawlessly (this is a functionality that the company advertises, but doesn't make it a highlight in advertising, because the selling point is that you connect your iPhone to the controller and game away.). It does come with a month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate(new subscribers only) and a year of Backbone+. I read somewhere that a month of Apple Arcade is included, but I honestly can't attest to this. I guess what impresses me the most is the versatility you get out of this thing! The number of game streaming services is one thing, but to be able to use this controller with no iPhone at all, connected to your computer via USB cable is something else. If you've got a few bucks that you want to spend in a piece of gaming hardware, or if you're needing to scratch that itch you've got for the next best thing, then get yourself a Backbone gaming controller for the iPhone. I honestly doubt you'll regret it!

I like the ability to turn my iPhone into a handheld gaming device. Being able to connect directly with my Xbox Series X and PS5, via cloud gaming, is great. The PS5 app, PS Remote Play, has been a little bit hit or miss, for me though. However, no issues at all playing any of my Xbox games. This may have more to do with Microsoft Xbox Live and X-Cloud being far more fleshed out and proven compared to Sony’s PS Remote Play. Joysticks feel good and buttons have nice tactile feedback. Bumper buttons are a touch close, but that’s understandable given the small size of the handheld device, as opposed to, an actual console controller. I like that the Backbone allows for charging passthrough, which is great if your phone starts to get low on juice. I used my AirPod Pros to listen while gaming, but having a 3.5mm headphone jack is appreciated. The Backbone interface is great with lots of options for gaming apps or connecting to consoles and other cloud-based gaming platforms. It’s very easy to navigate and feels well thought out. The ease of which I can switch between using the joystick controllers and buttons or simply using my finger to swipe on screen feels totally natural and organic. There’s also a nice amount of haptic feedback when in using the interface and in-game adding to the immersion. Though mostly positive, there are a few potential drawbacks. Not being able to keep my phone case on while using it would be my only major complaint. I feel as though my current case has a relatively slim profile, however, the way the Backbone is designed, it simply won’t allow the usage of phone case No matter how slim. There’s some raised padding that sits just inside either end of the controller. It’s there to help keep the phone from sliding around and offering some additional security and support while connected to the Backbone. However, that small raise in the pad means that it’s only suitable for a phone without a case. As soon as you add one, that raised pad won’t allow the phone to line up properly with the Lightning connector. That’s kinda inconvenient, and frankly, a bit of pain to have to take on and off when using the Backbone. Obviously, that’s nitpicking, but something worth mentioning especially, when there are newer competitors, like the Gamevice Flex, that allow for you to game with a slim case. I, also, wish it came with a travel case standard, too, as the whole purpose of it is for on-the-go mobile gaming. Overall, the Backbone is a good product with smooth controls and a nice interface. However, the not being able to game with a phone case on, lack of a travel case standard, and issues connecting to PS5/PS Remote Play, keep this from being perfect.

Solid product for seamless gaming. Play dozens of controller supported IOS games and play any Xbox game via remote access or cloud gaming. Playing COD mobile is awesome and plays just like the console version. Playing the new Diablo 4 on it via remote play is great too!! Definitely recommend this to anyone!

Got it for when I was traveling, but ended up using it almost everyday during my free moments outside. Great for apple arcade compatible games and of course any shooters or other controller compatible games.

The controller is built well and seems sturdy. It snaps around your iPhone (but you’ll have to remove a case if you have one on it). There were no instructions other than inserting the cell phone, but between the Backbone app and the Xbox app, we managed to figure out pretty quickly and intuitively how to sync the Backbone with our home Xbox to stream games. Because it’s cellular to home and back, there is a slight lag in controller input, but it doesn’t seem to affect gameplay much. An absolute blast for the young gamers in the house to take their show on the road. Much more enjoyable and entertaining than most iPhone games. There is a free annual subscription to Backbone that auto renews after a year. It came with a free month of GamePass, which is a nice bonus. Otherwise GamePass runs $16.99/month, cheaper per month if you buy for longer terms.