MCON is the first truly mobile controller that meets all my gaming needs

Of course it still has MagSafe magnets, but now it also has Pixel phones. Magnets on phones are here to stay, and MCON is one of the first game controllers to try to take advantage of this with a sliding design reminiscent of the legendary PSP Go and Xperia Play.

After testing it for a few weeks, I have to say that it really delivers where it counts. Sure, the sliding part is fun and new (again), but it’s also one of the most versatile controllers I’ve ever used.

I’ve tested a lot of gaming devices, from controllers to dedicated gaming handhelds, and I have to say that MCON is one of the most over-engineered products I’ve ever seen. And I mean that in a good way.

Out of the box, it almost looks like a screenless phone or a wireless battery pack. Nothing screams ‘controller’ if you don’t look too closely, and it slips into a pocket or bag very easily. I would never put a telescoping controller in my bag without a case, but I have complete confidence that the MCON can survive there on its own. In fact, I’d almost worry about the rest of the bag’s contents because this thing is sturdy.

Functionally, it’s just a Bluetooth controller, but there’s so much going on behind the scenes. The device attaches to your phone with a magnetic puck. It’s quite thick, so you don’t have to worry about it hitting or scratching even the thickest camera bumps. The puck can also be taken off and rotated vertically, which is useful for Nintendo DS emulation and vertical games.

Then there’s the headliner feature: the slider. There’s a big button on top of the controller that’s just begging to be pressed, and when you do, the controller absolutely flies out. I was actually shocked when I opened it for the first time.

It has so much power that the first magnetic case I tried for my Pixel 9 didn’t cut it. There is a magnetic array sticker in the box, but if you are using another magnetic enclosure, make sure you choose one with the entire magnetic array plus the line at the bottom (and not just the circle). Otherwise, you might unexpectedly drop your phone on the floor.

Before I get to the controls, I should also point out that the back plate can also be detached from the controller and serve as a stand. This was actually one of the most comfortable ways to play the MCON, although I wish the stand had more than one click point. Putting the whole thing back together is easy in a way that feels like magic, although I still feel like I’m going to break it every time I push them together. It’s not an interaction I’ve had with any other device, so it’s hard to get over the fear.

The controller itself is actually great. The dome switch’s D-pad doesn’t have many pivot points, but I was still able to hit diagonals when I needed to. The buttons are also responsive and quiet, which is great for playing on the bus or next to my wife in bed.

The sticks are heavily recessed, but still have a nice range of motion. I initially found them quite uncomfortable to use as they sit so close to the center of the controller, but this was easily resolved by unfolding the grips that were hidden around the back. That said, there’s a weird empty space on the back where the grips should go, and it’s noticeable when you’re holding the controller. For D-pad focused games, I found it better to keep the grips stowed away. They are also very difficult to remove, and there is no place to exert influence.

But my only real complaint about the MCON’s inputs are the shoulder buttons and triggers. The shoulder buttons are absolutely tiny. I found them to be both too thin and too short, which is complicated by the fact that the whole setup is quite top-heavy. My index fingers had to both hold the phone up and pinch up to hit the shoulder buttons, which is a lot to ask of my aging dad-gamer hands. The analog triggers are also small, but at least a little larger and further away from the back of my phone.

All things considered, I was able to make progress in challenging games like Dead Cells or Silksong (via GameHub), which is generally how I get these controllers through the gauntlet. It’s not as comfortable as a large telescopic controller, but it’s so portable that it’s not even in the same category.

As I tested MCON over the past few weeks, I found that there are certain scenarios where it’s great, and others where I’d rather achieve something else. The most obvious win is playing controller-compatible mobile games. I stopped playing heavy games like Genshin Impact or Destiny: Rising with touch controls, but with two sticks on the go I’m back in the game.

The other great use case for me was streaming games. Combined with Xbox Cloud Gaming, it can turn your phone into a fantastic little gaming device. Having a full range of inputs is absolutely transformative, whether you’re on your phone or playing in tabletop mode. The same goes for local game streaming via Steam Link, Moonlight or Razer Nexus.

It’s also great for emulating games on my phone, which I had previously abandoned in favor of dedicated gaming handhelds. I can’t say I’d always carry MCON in my bag, as it’s about the size of a small gaming handheld, but I would take it with me on a flight or longer trip. For whatever reason, I feel less embarrassed pulling out this sliding controller than pulling out a gaming handheld in front of strangers on a train.

That said, when I’m not on the train or in front of the judging public, I still prefer dedicated gaming handhelds. There are so many great options available, and most of them are even cheaper than MCON. For example, the ANBERNIC RG Slide, which has a similar Xperia Play-style sliding mechanism, sells for the same amount, but can often be found on sale for much less. It’s probably not as powerful as your phone, but the fact that it’s not a phone makes it a more suitable dedicated gaming device for me.

Previously I also mentioned that the magnetic puck can be rotated for vertical play, but in practice I didn’t find this very useful. Nintendo DS games played fine, but the weight balance was terrible. Many DS games also require touch input, and taking one hand off the controller to tap the screen makes things even worse. At that point I’d rather just play with touch controls (or a purpose-built handheld like the ANBERNIC RG DS).

But aside from edge cases like Nintendo DS emulation, MCON is a solid option for any time gaming on my phone. Unlike gaming handhelds, I always have my phone with me, and MCON is a much easier travel companion than a telescoping controller. These two factors make the setup incredibly versatile, and I could easily see this becoming my favorite way to play most of the games I used to play with touchscreen controls.

There is one thing I haven’t discussed yet, and that is the biggest drawback of the entire device. MCON retails for $150, which is a very high price for a Bluetooth controller, no matter how fancy it is or the level of engineering that went into its design.

But if you’re someone who already plays a lot of games on your phone, it could very well be worth the price of admission. Not everyone wants to buy a completely separate device just to play games on Android. MCON and similar controllers help bridge the gap.

As far as alternatives go, there’s really only one other similar magnetic controller on the market, and that’s the Abxylute M4. It is still in the crowdfunding phase, but it is much cheaper and more compact. It’s actually the controller I currently keep in my bag, with the big caveat that I only use it for D-pad-centric retro games. The sticks on the M4 can’t match those on the MCON, and neither can the ergonomics as a whole.

Ultimately, nothing can do what MCON can do, which is a testament to how versatile this design is. In a controller market that is absolutely saturated with near-identical products, it stands out and manages to make gaming on my phone fun again. It took more than two years (and the help of Oh Snap) to get to the finish line, but hopefully this is just the beginning of a beautiful new line of magnetic controllers.