Moga Ace Power Controller Review

Introduction

For as long as the iPhone has been around, it’s always been known as strong gaming device, seeing that the App Store is riddled with plenty of top-notch titles to appease even the most serious of gamers. Even with all the glitzy graphics, hard stopping action, and immersive gameplay, gamers sometimes have to contend with on-screen controls getting in the way of the fun. Fear not no more folks, since the Moga Ace Power Controller is hoping to be a savior to those long yearning for a decent gamepad solution.

The package contains:

• 3’ micro-B charging cable
• Users guide

Design

Don’t hold your breath for anything spectacular. For a $100 thing, it’s more toyish than anything else with its design.

Glancing at the controller for the very first time, we’re a little bit perturbed by what we’re presented with. Underwhelming is an understatement to say the least, as we were hoping for a lot more out of Moga – more so knowing the kind of controllers they offer in the Android arena. Rather, this iOS catering gaming pad has a design that looks more toyish than anything else.

Evident by the low profiled analog sticks, brightly colors face buttons, and its wonky construction, the design of the Moga Ace Power Controller just doesn’t do justice for the iPhone – the iPhone 5, 5c, or 5c in this case, as they’re the ones supported by this gamepad. Sure, the collapsible aspect helps to give it a compact and travel friendly nature, but the entire package just comes off as elementary.

Comprised entirely out of plastic, which helps in making it lightweight, it’s the cheap variety that results in giving it a hollow feel. In its closed form, the size and feel in the hand are reasonable enough to put it in the same boat as some past 16-bit controllers. However, it’s not meant to be used like that because we’re required to expand the thing in order for it to accommodate the iPhone. Depending on what iPhone we’re using, it’s held in position by these two plastic placeholders.

Much like the other controllers from Moga’s portfolio, we’re thankful at least to know that the layout between all of them is consistent. Therefore, this particular one features two analog sticks, a directional pad, 4 face buttons, 2 shoulder buttons, and two analog triggers. With the analog sticks, they’re not what you’d expect, as they’re more analog nubs than anything else – similar to the one found in the original Sony PSP mobile gaming console. The face buttons are tiny, but at least they’re responsive. As for the directional pad, it’s more flat than anything else. Finally, the shoulder buttons and analog triggers are placed too near to each other, which makes it feel cramped as a whole.

Having a small package is great when it comes to stuffing it in our pockets, but when it doesn’t make for the best experience for long-term game play. Instead of having that home console gamepad feel, the Moga Ace Power Controller reminds us more of a Sega Game Gear or Sony PSP – landscape oriented gaming consoles. Initially, it feels strange trying to grasp the controller, but after some practice, we’re better able to get a handle of it. However, after 15 minutes of playing, our hands get cramped due to its small size and the close proximity of its triggers & buttons.

Battery

Internally, there’s an 1800 mAh battery stuffed inside of the Moga Ace Power Controller, which not only powers the unit itself, but it can also be used to charge the iPhone. Needless to say, it’s not meant to fully charge the smartphone, but rather, it’s primarily there to maintain the phone’s charge as we’re playing a game. In order to that, we just need to simply slide the “Moga Boost” switch to the on position – from here, it actively charges. Sadly, if we connect the unit’s charging cable to an outlet, with the iPhone in the gamepad, it won’t simultaneously charge the two.

Performance

Bye-bye clutter, hello advantage thanks to its dual analog sticks.

Looking through the list of supported iOS titles on Moga’s web site, it’s obvious that the selection isn’t as diverse as we’d like – though, it’s constantly growing. From the looks of it, the majority of them are freemium games. However, there are at least some notable paid titles that really give us the edge with the gameplay.

Out of everything, it’s just so darn wonderful to know that the Moga Ace Power Controller reduces the amount of clutter on screen. Traditionally, on-screen controls would make it a challenge trying to see the action on the screen of the iPhone, but with this, we have full view of everything. In addition, we’re given a distinct advantage thanks to the dual analog sticks of the controller. Naturally, it proves invaluable in first person shooters, like Dead Trigger 2, or this freemium game called Touch Tanks, as each stick controls different movements.

No doubt, we can’t stress enough the benefit of having independent controls, as well as an uncluttered view of what’s going on. For all of the joys of the controller, it just becomes uncomfortable to use after a short period of time – so breaks are necessary between sessions.

Conclusion

Who knows why it took someone this long to come out with a usable gamepad for the iPhone, but it’s finally here – thanks to Moga! We’ve raved about its usefulness in the last section, but when it’s sporting a wallet busting price of $100, it’s holding it back from becoming a must-have item for gamers around using iPhones. At that price, a lot of people are going to really think super long and hard about the advantages of picking it up. Unfortunately, its lackluster design and toyish appearance doesn’t really justify its hefty price point. Overall, it’s a good first try, but far from a home run.