Samsung has finally dabbled in the world of mobile games, adding a gamepad accessory to their smartphone lineup and a mobile console app. Samsung is known for their line of accessories for smartphones, including a cover and a customary stylus for any smartphone over 5.5-inches.
Starting on the gamepad, Samsung has developed a rather odd design that does not wrap around the smartphone in a traditional sense. Instead it clips onto the left and right of the smartphone, displaying the game is landscape and the controller is below the smartphone.
This is a similar design to a traditional handheld console, the screen is on the top and the buttons are on the bottom. Only recently in the mobile world have been seen the rise of buttons being placed either side of the screen, which is odd and uncomfortable for many gamers.
Samsung has added an eight-way D-Pad, 2 analog sticks and the classical four button layout on the top-right of the gamepad. Instead of Start, Select, Options, Menu or even Share, Samsung has added a custom PLAY button in the middle of the device.
The grip works with a big range of different sized phones, anywhere between 4 and 6.3 inches will fit in the gamepad. The move for four inches is a big push to iOS devices as well as Android devices, since hardly any big-seller in Android has a 4-inch display.
Samsung has added the Mobile Console app which is basically the gaming platform Samsung want game devs to embrace. The gamepad will work better on this according to Samsung and it currently has 35 playable titles.
This is a nice first move by Samsung into the world of mobile gaming and it is one of the best gamepads we have come across for Android. If the price is not over the top and Samsung can grab some more games for the Mobile Console app this may be a serious contender.