The Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 started arriving on store shelves a few months ago, but both consoles have been incredibly difficult to find. If you've been lucky enough to score one, or you just have the controllers, here's some extra good news — you can now use your shiny new controller with Nvidia's Android TV boxes.
Sony is starting to send out PlayStation 5 consoles (and the accompanying controllers) to reviewers and influencers, including tech YouTuber Austin Evans. Evans published an initial video about the console's 'DualSense' controller yesterday, which revealed an interesting detail for you smartphone gamers out there — the PS5 controller appears to work with Android.
This story was originally published and last updated .
Android smartphones have long supported gamepads, and many Android games have long supported them, but that really doesn't tell the whole story when it comes to using buttons and analog sticks to play your favorite titles on the go. Individual game support for controllers can range from totally seamless to super clunky, and it's hard to tell just which titles are best suited for physical controls simply based on a Play Store listing. We've got a list of 30 we've personally tested and can confidently state work well with most Android-compatible gamepads, including everything from console-quality ports to mobile-first titles.
The controller for Sony's PlayStation 4, the DualShock 4, is one of the most popular gamepads right now. It's even a great controller for people without PlayStation consoles, since it can also be used with gaming PCs and Android devices. That's right, you could be playing Fortnite, Minecraft, and plenty of other titles on your phone with physical controls with a PlayStation 4 controller.
This story was originally published and last updated .
As we do more and more gaming on our more and more powerful smartphones, mobile games themselves are getting more complex. To play something like Fortnite or Dead Cells on your phone, it's almost suicide to go in against your foes with touch controls, and a proper, hardware gamepad can be practically mandatory for a play experience that won't leave you endlessly frustrated. Thankfully, Android is compatible with a wide range of Bluetooth gamepads, including those from game consoles like the PlayStation 4. Here's a list of some of the best controllers you use for any kind of gaming on Android, from shooters to old PC ports.
Today Razer announced a two-piece gaming controller called the Junglecat that sticks on to the left and right sides of your phone, making the finished setup looking like a Nintendo Switch. The Junglecat offers gamers a distraction-free gaming experience by eliminating the need to use fingers to control the on-screen action. When utilized as intended, however, it is only limited to four smartphone models as it requires giving up your personal phone case for its own.
If you own an Android TV box or a television with it built in, there's a pretty good chance you've also taken the time to install Google's remote control app to go with it. It's not that the app is necessary, but it's a great backup in case your main remote is lost or the batteries die. All things considered, it's a pretty basic utility app; but it might not be quite so simple in the near future. A teardown shows that this little remote control is about to turn your phone into a full-fledged gamepad. There are also signs that it may soon take care of shutting off your TV for you and we might also gain control over the volume of voice responses.
The Nexus Player pumps TV shows and games alike to your TV, but for the latter, you're probably not going to use the included remote. Instead, you can consider springing for the Nexus Player gamepad to go with your set-top box.
The Nexus Player's pre-order saga has been an interesting one to say the least. First the device went up for pre-order with its accompanying gamepad, then it was marked as 'out of inventory' because it hadn't passed the FCC certification just yet, and finally it became available for pre-order again a week ago. Its gamepad however, went out of stock about the same time the player's pre-orders were halted, but didn't return with it. Now, it's back again.
Available for $39.99 with an estimated shipping date of 3 to 4 weeks, the gamepad is a cool accessory for those who want to use the Nexus Player as a gaming console.
Anyone looking for a solid Android gaming controller need look no further than the MOGA series. The original controller launched a year ago, and while there were and remain some drawbacks to the bundled software, the hardware itself is top notch. The latest generation hopes to address a fundamental drawback to gaming on a smartphone, the inescapable battery draining forces at work whenever you fire up a graphically intensive game and attempt to play it using a Bluetooth controller. Both the MOGA Hero Power and the Pro Power controllers let you recharge your handset as you game, and they're now available for anyone raring to give them a go.