Hold up your thumbs. See how big they are, and how tiny the control buttons on your phone’s touchscreen are in comparison? That’s the problem. You need a mobile phone controller to instantly (and affordably) transform your phone into a mini console.  

Smartphones weren’t designed for gaming. With their flat, rectangular shape, they’re better for scrolling socials and making phone calls. Portable controllers temporarily change the physical shape of your phone, giving your smartphone a set of tangible, ergonomic controllers and hard buttons that look and feel like a handheld console… like, for example, the Nintendo Switch.  

Here's a handful of portable controllers currently available in South Africa, ready to elevate your mobile gaming experience.  

8BITDO PRO 2 

BEST FOR: Gaming that feels like real gaming 

D-pad, analogue sticks, dog bone shape, rear paddle buttons… The 8BitDo Pro 2 looks and feels like a proper game controller, because it is. It works with multiple platforms, including iPhone, iPad, macOS, Apple TV, Switch, PC, Android, Steam Deck and Raspberry Pi. It doesn’t have a phone mount, which is admittedly a drawback, but it connects to any device via Bluetooth, so if you have a stand for your phone you’re still winning. But then again, your old PlayStation didn’t come with a mount for your TV, did it? 

RIOTPWR MOBILE CONTROLLER – iOS (XBOX) 

BEST FOR: an Xbox experience on iOS 

RiotPWR promises Xbox designed for iOS, and that’s exactly what this controller delivers: a third-party gamepad that attaches to your iPhone and looks, feels and plays like an Xbox Series X or S controller (right down to the Xbox button). Yes, it’s limited in scope – but if you want an Android-specific device, they have one of those too. And instead of wireless connectivity (which can cause latency problems), this controller has a direct Lightning connection for ultra-fast response. 

GAMESIR G8 GALILEO 

BEST FOR: Long gaming sessions 

GameSir’s Galileo G8 feels good in your hands. It’s solid and chunky, and its moveable Type-C port with pass-through charging helps to keep you comfortable through epic, all-night gaming sessions (or crazy-long car drives). One of its many smart design features is a pivoting USB-C connector, which reduces the risk of your connection getting snapped off during removal. 

BACKBONE ONE PLAYSTATION EDITION 

BEST FOR: Cloud gaming 

Missing your home gaming setup? The Backbone One is here to help. You plug in your iPhone, and it connects to your PS4 or PS5 games via the PS Remote Play app. It’s expensive and it won’t fit your phone case, but if you can look past that you’ll find a beautifully built controller that delivers low latency (for the games) and a convenient 3.5mm headset jack (for your ears). 

RAZER KISHI V2 

BEST FOR: Android users 

After all that love for iPhone users, here’s one for the Android crowd. It has the popular Switch-style layout, a secure bridge design and comfortable grip shape, plus (and it’s a real plus) an additional set of programmable buttons. There’s no audio port, and its app needs some work, but as an affordable option it takes some beating. 

Whether you’re gaming online or downloading to play offline, a solid internet connection will make it all easier. Check out these great deals from Vodacom Fibre and get one that suits your pocket.