The Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck may get most of the attention in the gaming handheld space, but let’s not forget about the noble mobile, aka the smartphone. It takes but one accessory to turn your phone into a proper handheld with analog sticks, buttons, and triggers. The best one around is Backbone’s One mobile controller, and it’s 30% off for October Prime Day.
Multiple varieties of the Backbone One controller are $69.99 (was $99.99), including the latest USB-C versions in black or in a PlayStation DualSense-themed white that can plug into the latest iPhones and Android models. (For those who have an iPhone 14 or earlier, controllers that use a Lightning connector are available for the same price.) The Backbone One stretches to secure itself around the edges of your phone, turning it into a fetching handheld. It has a passthrough charging port to let you keep your phone charged, as well as a 3.5mm audio port in case you use wired headphones. What a novel concept, 3.5mm on smartphone!
For PlayStation owners, the Backbone One allows for PS Remote Play on iOS and Android — note that only the PlayStation edition lets Android users access it — letting your phone effectively serve as a PlayStation Portal sans adaptive triggers and rumble. Not a PlayStation gamer? You can stream Xbox Game Pass games, stream titles from your PC via Steam Link, and/or play other native mobile games that have controller support like Call of Duty Mobile.
Looking for more deals? Check out all of Polygon’s favorite October Prime Day 2024 deals right here, and subscribe to our newsletter below to get great deals delivered to your inbox every week.
