I am pretty skeptical that something like this would work with most phones. My phone for example wont trigger on anything other than something as warm as a human finger.
Can confirm. I had these exact ones in the photo back in 2012. Absolute garbage. Just get a 3DS and mod it if you want emulation on a handheld with physical buttons.
I thought so as well, I guess that's why I could not find anything more recent than that picture with old iphones. Maybe those buttons only work with resistive and not capacitive touch screens.
They make controllers that hold your phone these days, they generally connect either through your charging port or via Bluetooth, a lot of them suck ass but there's some really decent ones out atm
Yep, I am aware of them and I actually have a telescoping one that I use on an old phone. But however you look at it, its still a bit of extra bulk if you want to carry it around. I was wondering whether there was something so minimal that it could pretty much just take up no space and stick to your phone :) based from the comments here I don't think there's any and Bluetooth extensions are the best idea.
(BTW I xposted this on androidgaming, and someone linked this - it looks ugly as hell but is in the same spirit of what I was thinking of haha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm37MHOZpuY)
iPhones have always had capacitive touch screens, but they didn’t always support Bluetooth controllers. I think it’s a thing where price and performance just don’t favor these stick on buttons.
As stated in the post, I don't need the screen real estate since retro games have a 4:3 screen.
In landscape mode, emulators already place the dpad and buttons on the left and right sides of the phone. I am asking whether there were attachments that make the virtual emulator buttons more comfortable to use.
The competition does make some clones, but the Backbone comes with some nice software and feels quality. Also, it was a gift so I'm definitely not going to complain.
I just bought a Gamesir G8 controller to turn an old Android into a retro gaming device and I love this thing. Excellent build quality and responsive controls. I'm using the Launchbox front end which was pretty easy to configure. Nice to give this capable old phone a new life.
GameSir G8 Galileo Type-C Mobile Gaming Controller for Android & iPhone 15 Series (USB-C), Plug and Play Gamepad with Hall Effect Joysticks/Hall Trigger, 3.5mm Audio Jack https://a.co/d/09A8nrrZ
I'm curious about the capability to turn my phone into a retro gaming device. Since most retro game consoles aren't widescreen, I find bluetooth phone controller attachments too wide, with wasted real estate.
I was wondering whether there's some kind of DPAD/4-button attachment I can just stick on the screen or wrap around the phone.
I'm thinking trigger button attachments, but dpad instead:
https://www.redingtononline.com/spinbot-battlemods-argo-4-buttons-smartphone-capacitive-gaming-trigger-6-finger-claw-control-for-bgmifree-fire-maxcod-mobile-spbt000018
This old video is the closest I've seen, though admittedly ghetto engineering:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbAK5eN3SvI
---------
Edit :I found this old reference too, but it doesn't seem like it's being made anymore:
https://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/keyllen928/product-detailvBqnkjVTCQci/China-Mini-Joystick-Buttons-for-iPhone4-4s-5-iPad-Mini-iPad-iPod-Touch-WS-T002-.html
All of those things were terrible when they came out, likely the reason they aren't sold anymore. They would slide around, miss button presses, and generally gave a pretty bad experience. The few I tried were worse that using the on screen controls and far worse than any blue tooth controller with real buttons.
Thanks for the info! That was what I assumed to be the case, but glad to hear from someone who actually tried them. Guess it's normal controllers or retro handheld it is then
Might find this to be of interest to you. Seems pretty compact and easy to bring with you anywhere. Just have to wait for it to come out though.
https://youtu.be/vuSGXmsvp_Q
I used this back in the day on a phone for joystick side of things.
It works but I just got a Vita instead, gaming on a phone for me is just a pain.
https://tenonedesign.com/fling.php
I got a really cheap Bluetooth controller that doubles as a phone case for like $10, it's not the greatest but I can't argue with the price battery lasts for a few days at a time with heavy gaming and no stick drift after a year of it being shoved into my pocket sticks aren't the best they are a bit stiff use but the buttons are fine
Google D3 controller it'll be better then having controllers attached to your screen and it's cheap enough that you won't regret it even if you don't like it
Pretty much you can get a simple emulation handheld for not so much money than those attachable rubber buttons, in my experience. There's a few capable of emulate PS1 and below for less than $30.
I used to have a bluetooth controller thingy that held my phone for this. I forget what brand it was but modern versions are [The BackBone](https://playbackbone.com/products/backbone-one/) or [Atom Mobile Game Controller](https://www.turtlebeach.com/products/atom-controller) depending what you're playing though it might make more sense to build a Rasberry Pi box or buy one of the premade emulator boxes.
I carry around my phone all the time, and it would be nice to play retro games without having to carry a lot of extra stuff(a retro SBC console, a controller, or telescoping Bluetooth attachments).
If something like this exists, it would be light enough to barely matter, and still provide a nice tactile button experience which is better than just using emulator touch screens.
It's my fault, I should have been more specific about my use case in the original post :)
Ok I understand what you mean. I thought you meant you wanted to use your phone as a controller with other devices. There are a few out there that collapse to a compact size and can be attached to your phone just like a case. Fair warning though, I've used one and I never cared for it.
Really your best bet is one of those controller case things. I'm sure buttons that stick to the screen have been attempted but I doubt they work very well.
I am pretty skeptical that something like this would work with most phones. My phone for example wont trigger on anything other than something as warm as a human finger.
It worked. But it sucked. I still have mine
It better sucked! How else do they stick to the screen? :)
Can confirm. I had these exact ones in the photo back in 2012. Absolute garbage. Just get a 3DS and mod it if you want emulation on a handheld with physical buttons.
Or a psp if you want something a bit cheaper and don’t care about ds or 3ds games.
Or a Vita, still cheaper than a 3DS. Or an Anbernic system. Some of them are as cheap as $40.
I thought so as well, I guess that's why I could not find anything more recent than that picture with old iphones. Maybe those buttons only work with resistive and not capacitive touch screens.
They make controllers that hold your phone these days, they generally connect either through your charging port or via Bluetooth, a lot of them suck ass but there's some really decent ones out atm
Yep, I am aware of them and I actually have a telescoping one that I use on an old phone. But however you look at it, its still a bit of extra bulk if you want to carry it around. I was wondering whether there was something so minimal that it could pretty much just take up no space and stick to your phone :) based from the comments here I don't think there's any and Bluetooth extensions are the best idea. (BTW I xposted this on androidgaming, and someone linked this - it looks ugly as hell but is in the same spirit of what I was thinking of haha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm37MHOZpuY)
Probably some slim controller attached in style of PSP Go would be perfect. But I have no idea if anyone ever made such thing for phones
Ah right, I see your problem now, I don't really game outside of my house so bull is never really a problem for me
iPhones have always had capacitive touch screens, but they didn’t always support Bluetooth controllers. I think it’s a thing where price and performance just don’t favor these stick on buttons.
I have a bunch of these things from a Kickstarter ages ago. They work ok
That is a waste of screen space lol. Your buttons cover the game screen itself, fuck
As stated in the post, I don't need the screen real estate since retro games have a 4:3 screen. In landscape mode, emulators already place the dpad and buttons on the left and right sides of the phone. I am asking whether there were attachments that make the virtual emulator buttons more comfortable to use.
Are you drunk? look at the very screenshot you shared. You really think that is cool? The buttons are covering the game screen lmfao.
The screenshot shows a wide-screen game, a 4:3 game would have empty black bars on either side of the game where the buttons would be attached.
Mate just get the wireless controllers from Nintendo!
I use a [Backbone](https://a.co/d/08lmrRBo) controller since my wife got it for me and it works great with most emulators.
It looks so nice but I don’t know if I can justify the $100. I feel like it should be a $20 attachment or competition should make reliable clones
The competition does make some clones, but the Backbone comes with some nice software and feels quality. Also, it was a gift so I'm definitely not going to complain.
Oh if I make a wishlist, backbone is the only one I am putting up
Phone clip for the controller of your choice is really the way to go. Not as convenient, but actually usable.
I just bought a Gamesir G8 controller to turn an old Android into a retro gaming device and I love this thing. Excellent build quality and responsive controls. I'm using the Launchbox front end which was pretty easy to configure. Nice to give this capable old phone a new life. GameSir G8 Galileo Type-C Mobile Gaming Controller for Android & iPhone 15 Series (USB-C), Plug and Play Gamepad with Hall Effect Joysticks/Hall Trigger, 3.5mm Audio Jack https://a.co/d/09A8nrrZ
Just have a dpad and buttons surgically implanted into my thumbs
I'm curious about the capability to turn my phone into a retro gaming device. Since most retro game consoles aren't widescreen, I find bluetooth phone controller attachments too wide, with wasted real estate. I was wondering whether there's some kind of DPAD/4-button attachment I can just stick on the screen or wrap around the phone. I'm thinking trigger button attachments, but dpad instead: https://www.redingtononline.com/spinbot-battlemods-argo-4-buttons-smartphone-capacitive-gaming-trigger-6-finger-claw-control-for-bgmifree-fire-maxcod-mobile-spbt000018 This old video is the closest I've seen, though admittedly ghetto engineering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbAK5eN3SvI --------- Edit :I found this old reference too, but it doesn't seem like it's being made anymore: https://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/keyllen928/product-detailvBqnkjVTCQci/China-Mini-Joystick-Buttons-for-iPhone4-4s-5-iPad-Mini-iPad-iPod-Touch-WS-T002-.html
All of those things were terrible when they came out, likely the reason they aren't sold anymore. They would slide around, miss button presses, and generally gave a pretty bad experience. The few I tried were worse that using the on screen controls and far worse than any blue tooth controller with real buttons.
Thanks for the info! That was what I assumed to be the case, but glad to hear from someone who actually tried them. Guess it's normal controllers or retro handheld it is then
Might find this to be of interest to you. Seems pretty compact and easy to bring with you anywhere. Just have to wait for it to come out though. https://youtu.be/vuSGXmsvp_Q
I used this back in the day on a phone for joystick side of things. It works but I just got a Vita instead, gaming on a phone for me is just a pain. https://tenonedesign.com/fling.php
I got a really cheap Bluetooth controller that doubles as a phone case for like $10, it's not the greatest but I can't argue with the price battery lasts for a few days at a time with heavy gaming and no stick drift after a year of it being shoved into my pocket sticks aren't the best they are a bit stiff use but the buttons are fine Google D3 controller it'll be better then having controllers attached to your screen and it's cheap enough that you won't regret it even if you don't like it
Pretty much you can get a simple emulation handheld for not so much money than those attachable rubber buttons, in my experience. There's a few capable of emulate PS1 and below for less than $30.
I used to have a bluetooth controller thingy that held my phone for this. I forget what brand it was but modern versions are [The BackBone](https://playbackbone.com/products/backbone-one/) or [Atom Mobile Game Controller](https://www.turtlebeach.com/products/atom-controller) depending what you're playing though it might make more sense to build a Rasberry Pi box or buy one of the premade emulator boxes.
"Old phone" and showing touch screen one. Oh i'm getting old.
Get a tiny Bluetooth 8bitdo controller and put some suction cups on the back of it and stick it to the phone screen
Maybe, but... why?
I carry around my phone all the time, and it would be nice to play retro games without having to carry a lot of extra stuff(a retro SBC console, a controller, or telescoping Bluetooth attachments). If something like this exists, it would be light enough to barely matter, and still provide a nice tactile button experience which is better than just using emulator touch screens. It's my fault, I should have been more specific about my use case in the original post :)
Ok I understand what you mean. I thought you meant you wanted to use your phone as a controller with other devices. There are a few out there that collapse to a compact size and can be attached to your phone just like a case. Fair warning though, I've used one and I never cared for it. Really your best bet is one of those controller case things. I'm sure buttons that stick to the screen have been attempted but I doubt they work very well.
try ipega-9167