SteelSeries Free Mobile Wireless Controller
I recently obtained the Free Mobile Wireless Controller from SteelSeries, and I have been tremendously pleased with it.
I’ve never been a fan of touchscreen controls for video games. If a game was made specifically for touchscreen devices, or ported from other platforms with controls adjusted properly, they aren’t bad. Still not quite as good as a dedicated controller in my mind, but they’ll usually pass. Emulators of non-touch platforms on touch screens are normally atrocious. The on-screen buttons often obscure part of the screen, and there isn’t any tactile feedback to let you know whether you’re still on the buttons or where you are on the d-pad or analog stick. It’s always been a terrible experience for me to play emulators on a touchscreen device.
Recently, I’ve found that slow-paced games like RPGs can be passable on touchscreen devices. I would prefer a physical controller, but I can get by with the touch controls. Pokemon Blue and Pokemon Trading Card Game on Game Boy and Game Boy Color respectively both worked decently well with touch controls. I tried The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, but the movements were just too quick for me to play with any proficiency.
When discussing this issue with a coworker, he mentioned that he was trying to get rid of the aforementioned bluetooth controller. While I would normally be keen to take him up on such an offer, I informed him that the bluetooth connectivity of my janky phone was broken, and that I would have to decline.
After picking up a pair of bluetooth headphones and successfully pairing them with my phone, I decided to ask about the controller again. Sure enough, when you follow the instructions to pair a device properly, it actually works. He was willing to give up the controller, normally a $50 accessory, for $5. I figured at that price, I may as well take it off his hands.
The controller connects via bluetooth, and I was initially concerned that there would be too much of a delay to play anything fast-paced. Fortunately, the delay is minimal, maybe a fraction of a second. It obviously isn’t perfect, but it’s short enough that I can usually anticipate the input lag without any issues. Even playing Donkey Kong Country 2, a platformer with some very specific timing, I don’t really have any issues after a few minutes to get acclimated to the lag.
As for size, the controller is extremely small. On the plus side, this makes it super portable. On the negative side, it could be unwieldy for people with large hands. My hands are pretty big, but it feels surprisingly good to me. Not quite Dualshock 4 comfortable, but comfortable enough that I have no fatigue from playing long stretches with it.
Battery seems to last reasonably long. I’ve never played it down to empty, but the official documentation claims roughly 8 hours of play time and 2 hours to fully charge it. I play with it for a while, and stick it on the charger when I’m done.
Overall, I am extremely happy with the controller. I can’t say I would’ve paid full price for it, but it was certainly worth more than $5 to me. If you’re looking for a solid controller that’s portable, but capable, this is the way to go. If you can find one discounted, even better. It seems to work for emulator gaming on Android, and I plan on using it to play games on a Raspberry Pi when I get around to setting up RetroPie.
I’ve never been a fan of touchscreen controls for video games. If a game was made specifically for touchscreen devices, or ported from other platforms with controls adjusted properly, they aren’t bad. Still not quite as good as a dedicated controller in my mind, but they’ll usually pass. Emulators of non-touch platforms on touch screens are normally atrocious. The on-screen buttons often obscure part of the screen, and there isn’t any tactile feedback to let you know whether you’re still on the buttons or where you are on the d-pad or analog stick. It’s always been a terrible experience for me to play emulators on a touchscreen device.
Recently, I’ve found that slow-paced games like RPGs can be passable on touchscreen devices. I would prefer a physical controller, but I can get by with the touch controls. Pokemon Blue and Pokemon Trading Card Game on Game Boy and Game Boy Color respectively both worked decently well with touch controls. I tried The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, but the movements were just too quick for me to play with any proficiency.
When discussing this issue with a coworker, he mentioned that he was trying to get rid of the aforementioned bluetooth controller. While I would normally be keen to take him up on such an offer, I informed him that the bluetooth connectivity of my janky phone was broken, and that I would have to decline.
After picking up a pair of bluetooth headphones and successfully pairing them with my phone, I decided to ask about the controller again. Sure enough, when you follow the instructions to pair a device properly, it actually works. He was willing to give up the controller, normally a $50 accessory, for $5. I figured at that price, I may as well take it off his hands.
The controller connects via bluetooth, and I was initially concerned that there would be too much of a delay to play anything fast-paced. Fortunately, the delay is minimal, maybe a fraction of a second. It obviously isn’t perfect, but it’s short enough that I can usually anticipate the input lag without any issues. Even playing Donkey Kong Country 2, a platformer with some very specific timing, I don’t really have any issues after a few minutes to get acclimated to the lag.
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| Left: K-Cup Right: Controller |
As for size, the controller is extremely small. On the plus side, this makes it super portable. On the negative side, it could be unwieldy for people with large hands. My hands are pretty big, but it feels surprisingly good to me. Not quite Dualshock 4 comfortable, but comfortable enough that I have no fatigue from playing long stretches with it.
Battery seems to last reasonably long. I’ve never played it down to empty, but the official documentation claims roughly 8 hours of play time and 2 hours to fully charge it. I play with it for a while, and stick it on the charger when I’m done.
Overall, I am extremely happy with the controller. I can’t say I would’ve paid full price for it, but it was certainly worth more than $5 to me. If you’re looking for a solid controller that’s portable, but capable, this is the way to go. If you can find one discounted, even better. It seems to work for emulator gaming on Android, and I plan on using it to play games on a Raspberry Pi when I get around to setting up RetroPie.
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