When I first saw photos of the Backbone One Xbox mobile controller, it looked like a goofy yet exciting prospect — I’m not a huge fan of translucent tech (I know, don’t hate me), but I love the idea of gaming on my phone without busting out a Bluetooth controller.
As the father of an adorable two-year-old, I don’t have much time to play games. And when I do, I only ever get to play games on my phone because she commandeers the TV to watch some variation of Mickey Mouse.
Previously, I invested in the PowerA MOGA gaming clip, which mounts your phone just above an Xbox controller. This provided the optimal comfort experience, but there was no escaping how bulky the setup felt.
Enter the Backbone One Xbox mobile controller. It’s undeniably a sleeker setup, but is it as comfortable as a true Xbox controller? Well, let’s just say I have some pain points.
Pixel? More like Miss…ile
If you’re interested in the Backbone One Xbox mobile controller, you should be aware that Android and iPhone-compatible does not mean Pixel 6-compatible.
Yep, I have a Pixel 6. You know the one with the giant camera bump? That bump prevents the Backbone One from securing the device, so it sits loosely. It works, but any harsh movement might snap the Type-C cable in half.
The Backbone One controller comes with pads that can secure your smartphone both in and out of the case, which is nice, but neither of those worked for me either.
When I have to put the Backbone One down to go help my child, I feel the same amount of hesitancy as I do with putting my Xbox controller down when my phone is attached to it. It’s a feeling I hoped would be solved with this, but again, this is likely relatively exclusive to the Pixel 6-8 models, as they share the same full-width camera bump that isn’t found on other phones.
Dude, where’s my pause button?
I didn’t think anything of the Backbone One’s layout until I got it in my hands, and that’s when I started getting frustrated.
The first thing I noticed were the pause and menu buttons. They’re all the way at the bottom of the controllers. That’s not at all easy to get to when you’re in-game. Imagine having to pause the game and dying because you had to readjust your thumb all the way down the controller. Well, that happened to me when fighting a camp of Xaurips in Avowed. As someone who needs to hit the pause button frequently to tend to my child, I want to scream.
Then there’s the d-pad, which is too closely aligned with the center of the analog stick. In order to jump from the analog stick to the d-pad, I need to unnaturally bend my thumb directly downwards as opposed to the side. This is not only uncomfortable after hours of game time but also reduces reaction time as it takes more effort to make this movement.
Oh, I missed… again
I hopped into a match in Halo: The Master Chief Collection and quickly realized that the Backbone One controller was not optimal for competitive gaming.
The biggest issue here is the analog sticks. They’re too small and don’t offer enough room for subtle movements. As I ran around a classic Halo 2 map, I shot everything but the enemy. Well, I did get a few kills… grenade kills.
You might think they are reminiscent of the Nintendo Switch analog sticks, but they’re actually smaller. It’d be nice if these sticks were slightly wider and raised higher. I’m already cramped between two couch cushions and my child climbing on top of me; I do not need more of a challenge.
It’s all about money
The Backbone One Xbox mobile controller costs $109. It’s a bit pricey, and despite my feelings about it, it’s not bad when you consider I could spend $45 on an Xbox controller and $20 on an attachment.
For $45 more, the Backbone One comes with a sleeker design, its own app for game aggregation, and even throws in a headphone jack (yes, really, it’s on the bottom of the left controller.
However, in order to access some of the cooler features, you need to pay for a subscription. Some folks may get lucky and score a lifetime membership during a promotional period. Otherwise, it’s $40 per year. Do you know how many gallons of milk I can buy with that?
The game aggregation is free, but the coolest feature locked behind the paywall is TouchSync. This lets you map recorded touch controls to buttons on the Backbone One, like macros on a gaming keyboard. Now, this would be a critical reason to buy a Backbone One controller. Unfortunately, this key feature isn’t available for folks who spend that extra $40 annually.
It feels like level 1, but it’s still in the game
While the Backbone One Xbox mobile controller left me with several pain points, there are some great features and comforts onboard.
The face buttons may be a bit small, but they offer a decent click, and the triggers and bumpers also feel decently comfortable for the size. If you’re playing non-competitive or casual games, I think the Backbone One controller works perfectly fine.
And, of course, the TouchSync feature is super cool. I just wish it was free.
Overall, I think the controller just needs to be bigger, which some people may not like, but there’s not much you can do with the ergonomics until you expand the structure. As a father who’s always on the move, I’m sticking with my Xbox controller clip, no matter how bulky it is.
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