By Eric Cao
Ever since it was announced that the RetroArch emulator was coming to iOS, I have been on the hunt for a portable controller to pair with my phone to dive into some retro gaming goodness. Playing videogames designed for consoles with a touchscreen is not ideal, so I began looking for a physical solution.
My research led me to the Powerwave Mobile Gaming Controller, currently priced at $A59 at JB Hi-Fi. It was difficult to find reviews, but I jumped in anyway as the alternative was the Backbone One Mobile Controller (USB-C), going for $A189 at JB Hi-Fi, or controllers from questionable retailers online.
The specs on the back of the box matched what I was after. Bluetooth 5.0, compatible with Android and iOS, fits devices up to 17cm, play time up to 12 hours with 2.5 hour recharge. Good enough, considering I only play for 10 to 30-minute sessions.
The PWMGC comes with a USB-C charge cable and a sleeve to protect it from scratches. It feels nice to hold, with ergonomically shaped handles and hard-textured grips. The button configuration is akin to an Xbox controller with face buttons (X, Y, A, B, Start, Select), triggers (L1, L2, R1, R2), a standard d-pad, and left and right thumb sticks (with L3 and R3 functionality). There’s also a turbo function and rumble!
It feels nice to hold, with ergonomically shaped handles and hard-textured grips.
The unit features a slide-out clamp with a lower lip to prop up your device. I tested the fit with my iPhone 15 Pro, with and without a phone case. Testing without a case, I noticed the lower lip on the PWMGC would press up against the volume buttons. The fit was improved by leaving my case on, as it added a few millimetres to avoid my buttons being pressed. Your experience may differ depending on the build of your device.
The face buttons and triggers all have a lovely click to them, and the thumb sticks have a similar travel distance to those on the Switch Pro controller. It wasn’t overly weighty and my wrists didn’t tire out after play sessions. The battery life claim checked out with 12 hours on full charge in play testing.
Connecting is as simple as holding down the home button and pairing via Bluetooth. The controller comes with different pairing modes for the Switch, Xbox and PS4. It even features wired X and D input; unlike the Backbone One, which has needlessly hidden this feature behind a subscription paywall. For shame!
Turning it on, you’ll be greeted with glowing RGB LEDs around each of the joysticks and face buttons. It’s all very showy, but for people like myself who are photosensitive, there is an option to turn this off. Unfortunately, there isn’t an option to permanently lock this in, but it’s easy enough to hold the turbo button and click R3 and L3 to cycle through the various colour variations until it’s off.
Connecting is as simple as holding down the home button and pairing via Bluetooth.
It performed swimmingly with no discernible lag with native apps like Dead Cells, Streets of Rage 4 and Hyper Light Drifter. After setting up RetroArch I loaded up my old favourite games and, before I knew it, I was in retro heaven. Throwing barrels at enemies, innocently blowing up stuff, jumping on stuff – normal videogame behaviour.
I was surprised that the rumble worked when I tested PS1 games like Ape Escape. It might be more of a testament to the RetroArch team, but using it in tandem with the PWMGC mimicked the PS1 DualShock’s subtle vibrations when jumping and the explosive rumble when catching those pesky monkeys.
It’s hard not to like this device, despite my nit-picking at the lower lip and light-up features. Overall, it’s a reasonably priced portable controller at $A59 that just works. It’s an easy recommendation for those who just want to game on the go.
Featured image: The Powerwave Mobile Gaming Controller, USB-C charge cable and carry bag. Photo: Eric Cao
