Most mobile controllers follow one of two design concepts. Either they look like a standard gaming controller separate from the phone you’re playing on, or they opt for a Nintendo Switch-style design with the phone mashed between two halves of a controller.
But the Ohsnap MCON is different. It’s the shape and size of a Gameboy Advance, so it’s ultra pocketable, but the front portion slides up like a T-Mobile Sidekick, revealing a surprisingly complete set of controls underneath. Snap your phone onto that sliding half via Magsafe connection, swing out the controller grips for extra comfort, and you’re suddenly gaming on the go like never before.
Grab the controller that’s grab-and-go friendly! The Ohsnap MCON is the most portable, pocket-friendly controller I’ve ever used, with long battery life, a detachable Magsafe dock with built-in kickstand, and tons of buttons that’ll let you play any game imaginable.
The art of pocketability
I’ve used a lot of gaming controllers over the years. While the GameSir Galileo G8 is the most comfortable mobile controller I’ve ever used, Ohsnap’s MCON flips the script with its pocketability. It’s just slightly shorter and narrower than most modern phones, and about twice as thick as a phone, but that still means it fits in a pocket and any bag far more easily than any normal mobile controller.
To make things even better, the MagSafe portion, where the phone attaches, is detachable and has a built-in kickstand, so you can easily put the phone on any table or even click it into an airplane phone holder and game in comfort. The base controller has its own battery that charges via a USB-C port, which means you can pair it with any device, not just a mobile phone.
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When using the controller in its default configuration (read: not detached), it’s important to fold out the grips to balance the weight. Here’s another area where I feel like Ohsnap got things right. Most mobile controllers that mount the phone above the controller usually feel terribly imbalanced. The issue is usually because the mount is too far away from the controller, creating an awkward center of balance.
The MCON pulls the phone much closer to the center of the controller, and that, combined with the weight of the battery and the grips, makes all the difference in the world.
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The grips flip downwards and feature a helpful texture, although it’s not quite as grippy as the rubberized material some controllers use. Because of the size and angle, I’d love to see Ohsnap either add a rubberized texture to these or provide some kind of slide-on cushion for longer play sessions.
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And while I love the buttons and analog triggers, I’d also love to see a future version with a slightly different joystick design. These joysticks are quite similar to a Nintendo Switch, which means precise aiming movements can be difficult in some games, like shooters, for example. It’s something you eventually get used to, but they’re not quite as nice as the tall joysticks on my favorite GameSir controller. Hey, at least they’re Hall Effect, so you won’t have to worry about nasty Switch stick drift nonsense.
Obviously, some concessions have to be made to make a controller this portable, but that’s why you have more than one for different purposes. If you need something that fits perfectly in a bag or your pockets, especially for long trips, this is the best design I’ve ever seen for the purpose, and it’s incredibly versatile for many other situations, as well.
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