There are so many mobile controllers heading to the market now that it's hard for consumers to keep up. One minute, we only had the Backbone Controller, and the next, we were inundated with offerings from MCON, Abxylute, 8BitDo, and many more. Smartphone emulation is bigger than ever, as is mobile gaming on the whole, and while it's nice to see so many different retro-themed accessories coming to the table, it's definitely getting harder with regard to which one you should splash out your money on!
GameSir have announced their new portable mobile controller solution at this year's CES event, and I've got to say it could be my favourite solution to making playing games with emulators like Delta much more comfortable and enjoyable while out and about.
The main problem with snap-on controllers like the Abxylute M4fill is that your whole gaming experience (and the safety of your phone) relies on a MagSafe connection and, in the case of the M4, some dodgy hinges and connectors that don't hold your phone in place. They don't feel 'rugged', but the video shared by GameSir of players docking their phones in a controller that both offers protection and is sturdy enough to hold with both hands fills me with a lot of confidence.
Aesthetically, it's very similar to 8BitDo's FlipPad, though both are admittedly based on the colour scheme of the Game Boy DMG. The main difference between GameSir's offering is that your phone docks into it, giving you protection on the front and the back, rather than just attaching to the front of your phone. It's like a more protective version of the GAMEBABY case, but not one that you could keep on your phone at all times. (I told you there was a lot of choice).
The shoulder buttons look well-built and big enough for playing GBA games on the go, too. I wouldn't be surprised if they were better than the ones on the RG28XX, but then again, that's not exactly hard! They don't look to raise up much more than the casing of the rest of the uni,t either, so it won't be annoying when in your pocket. It will be a great fidget toy when you're waiting for the bus, however, and that's not a bad thing at all!
Meet the GameSir Pocket Taco - Back to the Classics, Right in Your Pocket.
— GameSir (@mygamesir) January 6, 2026
Reimagining the vertical handheld experience for the modern era. Retro vibes, refined precision, and pocket-sized portability.
Relive the golden age, anywhere, anytime.
Support and follow us… pic.twitter.com/Rz9CyapOlO
The 34-second video shows the case working with phones of different thicknesses and highlights features like the cushioned membrane buttons. Honestly, it looks great and the perfect solution for someone who wants to game on the go with their phone but still values protection (aka they are clumsy and drop their phone sometimes, which is definitely me).
The real test will be using this thing when it arrives in the Dodo office and putting it through our rigorous drop and dangle test to see how secure it actually is. Hopefully I'm not going to hold it upside down and watch my iPhone 15 Pro crashing down onto the kitchen tiles, but hey, that's what we do to make sure you don't feel any upset when using new products.
The GameSire Pocket Taco costs £27.99 and is available to pre-order now, with orders shipping from March 15th! Head to the GameSir website for more information!
