Smartphones may not be able to compete with the extreme gaming experience you’re able to create in your living room. They are, however, coming much closer than they were even a year ago. Accessories like a great pair of headphones and a separate controller will turn your smartphone gaming experience into something even the most discerning gamer will be able to enjoy.
HyperX Cloud II
Puffy ear-encompassing speakers combined with strong metal create a pair of great gaming headphones. Kingston’s HyperX Cloud II headphones come with a 7.1 surround sound USB soundcard, which will make even the most hardcore gamers happy. The difference between stereo and surround sound is obvious once you’ve played certain first-person video games. If you want to connect with other gamers while you’re wearing the HyperX Cloud II headphones, you can by attaching a mic for multi-player games.
MOGA Pro
This controller is shaped very similarly to an XBox controller, and offers users an experience very like console or computer gaming, but with a smartphone. The MOGA Pro connects to phones and tablets via bluetooth. It also has an extendable arm which will clip onto any smartphone and attach it to the controller in landscape orientation. Rather than draining your phone’s battery, it has a separate rechargeable battery. Either way you prefer to play, the MOGA makes phone gaming feel like a serious power-up.
iCade 8-Bitty
For a simple, retro look, go for the iCade 8-Bitty. It’s a tiny wireless controller that hooks up to your device. The 8-Bitty isn’t compatible with all games, so it might not work with your most complex smartphone games. But if you like to play old school games like Mario Brothers and others in the same realm, the iCade is a great choice. It’s super portable, too, so you don’t have to worry about making room for it while you’re traveling. The unfortunate thing about it is that it requires AAA batteries, rather than charging in the wall like most things these days. People who used to carry around a GameBoy, though, may find a bit of nostalgia in a device that still needs batteries.
Image via Flickr by jmsaltzman
Evio EUP
The Evio EUP 13000 is a powerful lithium battery with two USB ports. It fits perfectly in any smartphone gaming outfit because it keeps you from draining your phone’s battery while you’re gaming, and it’ll also keep your other accessories, like controllers, charged too. You can get smaller power banks (like 8000) if you don’t think you need the 13000 model.
PhoneJoy
Recreate the experience of a handheld gaming console like the Nintendo DS or the PSP with the PhoneJoy controller. It snaps on your phone length-wise, and you control your game of choice via the buttons on either end. Anyone who grew up playing Playstation or XBox will like how this feels. The PhoneJoy is both iOS and Android compatible, and combined with the gigantic screen and high resolution of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, this handheld controller brings smartphone gaming to a new level of experience. Your phone might start to remind you of a PSP when encased in PhoneJoy.
Thinksound Rain2
If large, puffy headphones aren’t your style, you have a wide array of ear buds from which to choose. Ear buds provide better and better sound from year to year, so you don’t need a giant pair of Bose headphones to get a quality sonic experience from your games. The Rain2 headphones by Thinksound are crafted from wood, which helps with the acoustics of your game, and for ear buds they do a good job of differentiating between highs and lows in music.
You may want a gaming experience with a serious controller and headphones with a mic, or you might just want the little bit of extra control an external controller provides. Use these accessories to enhance your smartphone gaming experience and make dull things like airplane rides, long car trips, and waiting in line at the DMV much more fun. Never again miss out on prime gaming time.
