Console and PC gaming is just as big as it ever was, but the transition to mobile is clearly under way. With handheld gaming PCs becoming common and smartphones becoming more powerful than ever, it’s easier than ever to play your favorite games on the go. With remote play being an option for both Xbox and PS5 users, the only real hurdles to enjoying games on your phone are screen size, battery life, and controls.
This is why mobile controllers have become more and more popular in recent years. If you want a good mobile gaming experience, you need a good controller for your phone. If you want a more premium experience, we recommend the Backbone One. It’s our pick for the best premium phone controller and it’s currently heavily discounted for October Prime Day.
Backbone One Deal at Amazon – Ends Tonight
The Backbone One controller connects via USB-C, so it will work with most popular Android phones and the newer iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. This mobile controller was designed to have the same quality as a console controller, which is why the retail price is normally so high. We wouldn’t necessarily recommend you make this purchase when it’s priced at $100, but this discount brings it down to a more reasonable range. It’s about the same amount you would pay for a new PlayStation Dualsense controller, for example.
What We Said in Our Review
Matthew Adler, one of our controller experts, had the chance to test this controller for IGN. Here’s a quick snippet of what he said in his Backbone One controller review:
The Backbone One’s unique expanding controller connects directly to your iPhone for a low-latency gaming experience that feels great to use. Despite some lackluster buttons on the controller itself, it manages to create a seamless experience that blurs the lines between console and mobile gaming by producing a true “home screen” experience in the Backbone app. The tight integration between hardware and software makes it feel like a real platform, and one that will only continue to evolve through updates as time goes on.
More Phone Deals Ending Today
If you are also in the market for a new Android phone, the Amazon October Prime Day sale also has some great discounts available today. Our top picks are the Pixel 8 Pro deals and the discount on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, but you can see all of the best deals below:
