Tag Archives: game controller

World’s smallest smartphone turns into a gaming handheld with this case

Posted on by

Gaming smartphones are quite the novelty in the mobile world, but despite their advertised or actual gaming chops, they often lack the necessary controls that would put them on par with consoles. Conversely, most of these gaming smartphones have designs that make them a little less appropriate for more formal environments with their flashy RGB lighting and distinctive motifs. A middle ground between these two extremes would be to slap on some controllers on “normal” but premium handsets, effective but also a little too mundane these days. This rather unusual phone case, however, tries to add a new flavor to mobile gaming by introducing not only an unusual controller design but also by making it exclusive to one of the weirdest and cutest smartphones in the market.

Designer: Sugar Cubes (via Retro Dodo)

The Unihertz Jelly Star is obviously not your typical smartphone. With a size that’s no larger than a credit card, the tiny device is advertised as the world’s smallest Android 13 smartphone, a title no one will probably try to wrest away from it anyway. With a 3-inch screen, a transparent colored back, and some rather reasonable specs for its size, the Jelly Star is probably also the world’s cutest smartphone.

A Chinese accessory maker by the name of Sugar Cubes is taking that cuteness and turning it into something that even gamers will find alluring. Rather than simply attaching controllers, which would be gigantic compared to the Jelly Star, you will instead insert the tiny phone into a large, boxy case that transforms it into a rather unusual gaming handheld that is more reminiscent of the “Game & Watch” devices of old than any modern handheld console. Even the controls themselves are in non-standard locations, even though they provide most of the standard buttons, including a joystick.

There seem to be two designs for the Sugar Cube Jelly. One has the Unihertz Jelly Star lying horizontally and near the top, giving the device a more Game Boy-like appearance, though short in stature. The other has the phone standing vertically in the middle, flanked by two sets of controls, a design closer to the Nintendo Switch by some stretch of the imagination. Details on how the small phone will be inserted into the case are still slim, though it seems that the vertical design will simply have the Jelly Star slip into the case from the side, with one of the controllers swinging open like a flap.

The unconventional and eye-catching design of the Sugar Cube Jelly makes it perfect for branded merchandise, theming the colors and decals accordingly. That said, there’s still no word on when this product will actually hit the market, or if it will even be made available outside of China. Even then, the Unihertz Jelly Star isn’t exactly oozing with power, so while you might be able to comfortably run some retro games via emulation, forget about boasting your odd contraption while playing Genshin Impact.

The post World’s smallest smartphone turns into a gaming handheld with this case first appeared on Yanko Design.

This smart game controller has a screen for phone notifications

Posted on by

Whether you prefer playing on consoles, PCs, or even mobile phones, chances are you will be using a controller at some point or another. Game controllers are a dime a dozen these days, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and feature sets. Some are so tiny they can fit on a keyring, while others try to include everything and the kitchen sink in a handheld gadget. A new design leans more towards the latter, listing a litany of features that could make pro gamers on any platform drool. But while the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra is already quite notable for its its RGB lighting, which gamers apparently love, it has a special trick that seems both cool yet also over-the-top for something you hold in your hands and barely look at while playing.

Designer: Turtle Beach

Game controllers have come a long way since the earliest days of gaming. There are now more buttons than you can handle, added to cope with the growing complexity of games. Some controllers even have touchpads or some mouse mode, thanks to games or software that need a bit more precise movement than a joystick. The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra doesn’t have the latter but instead slaps a 1.5-inch display in the middle for showing customization options and notifications, even from social media apps coming from your phone.

This “Connected Command Display” feature, as it is called, is definitely a fancy way to upgrade the game controller. In a nutshell, it lets you see and access controller settings right on the controller itself, removing the need to put up a separate window on the PC or console screen. You can even connect it to an iPhone or Android phone and it will show notifications as they come.

The implementation, however, leaves a few things to be desired, like how you have to switch to a specific mode to use the controller to navigate that screen, breaking your flow. Making it a touch screen could have made it more convenient. Having it display notifications might also be overkill or too distracting since you will most likely want to keep your eyes on the game screen rather than having them glance down at the controller.

Aside from the screen, the Stealth Ultra is chockful of features that gamers will definitely appreciate, ranging from drift-free analog sticks, so that you won’t feel like a ghost is moving them sometimes, to a promise of lag-free wireless connection to customizable RGB lighting to match your game and mood. These features, however, don’t come without a price, specifically a $199.99 price tag. That takes the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra to the “premium” game controller segment, though some of those features might sound a little superfluous or even unnecessary, especially for hyper-focused gamers.

The post This smart game controller has a screen for phone notifications first appeared on Yanko Design.

This innovative controller replaces your keyboard to take your gaming to the next level

Posted on by

Before mobile gaming became the lucrative industry that it is today, the gaming industry was traditionally split between PCs and consoles, with each side having its preferred input device. The reality, however, is that this line between camps has always been blurry. Console players lack the precision of a mouse of aiming, while PC gamers sometimes grab a controller for titles that are sometimes better played with a joystick and buttons. Unfortunately, the latter also sacrifices the precision of a mouse and the versatility of having so many keys to use.

The best of both worlds would definitely give any gamer a winning edge, which is exactly what this one-of-a-kind controller is offering, letting you put away your keyboard while keeping your mouse and still have access to 22 buttons that you can customize to your gaming needs.

Designer: Nicolas Franco

Click Here to Buy Now: $84 $119 (29% off). Hurry, only 30 left! Raised over $100,000.

There are pros and cons to the different input methods that gamers use. Of course, there is no perfect device, and users unfortunately have to compromise when picking one over the other. If only you could combine keyboard, mouse, and controller without sacrificing any of them and still have a compact and portable setup. That might sound like a pipe dream, but that’s exactly what the Hex Evo brings to the table, offering a no-compromise way of combining the precision of a mouse with the flexibility and comfort of a gaming controller.

Fully Repairable Controller – Buy official replacement modules (joystick, battery, motherboard, and more) and easily swap out damaged parts for brand new ones. No soldering required.

Compatible with consoles, PCs, and Macs, the Hex Evo Left Hand Gaming Controller completely changes the game to give you the edge that you need for comfortable gaming and glorious victory. Best of all, the controller is built for easy repair, with replacement parts available to make it possible to do on your own, and never have to suffer the pain of joystick drift or using an old, degraded battery.

Combine the Best of Both Worlds – Gain an edge over your opponents by combining the precision of mouse aim with the freedom of controller movement.

Fully Replace the Keyboard – You can perform all the in-game actions that you would do with the keyboard with a true analog stick and 22 mappable inputs.

At first glance, the Hex Evo looks like the left half of a typical game controller. It allows you to precisely aim with the mouse while moving with the convenience of an analog joystick, something that feels awkward and unnatural with the typical combination of keyboard and mouse. That’s just scratching the surface, though, because the Hex Evo is fully customizable, enabling you to set it to controller or keyboard mode, and grants you access to no less than 22 “buttons” that you can map to any function. You can even assign macros, combo presses, or even assign buttons to a combination of keypresses, making it appealing not only to gamers, but also to those looking to upgrade their setup in the productivity space.

Game Comfortably – Hold the Hex Evo wherever you feel most comfortable.

The ingenious secret to this feat is the Shift key that practically doubles the number of buttons available. There’s also the fact that you can press two buttons together to create a different action, which can also be combined with the Shift key to expand the available options. And with a motion sensor, which you can again pair with the Shift key, you have two more inputs to use for any purpose you can think of. No other controller can ever match this level of customization, and that’s not even counting the programmable buttons you might have on your gaming mouse.

Ultra-portable Setup – The Hex Evo takes a fraction of the space any keyboard does, which means you can easily take it and your mouse anywhere you go, and never miss a chance to game.

The Hex Evo isn’t just a marvel of technology, it’s also an example of great product design. From its ergonomic form and high performance, to the use of durable materials and injection molding process, the controller was designed right from the start to cater to gamers’ needs and tastes. It even comes with an Evo Case that has removable foam inserts to fit both the Hex Evo and your favorite gaming mouse, letting you take your powerful gaming weapons anywhere. So step up your game and take your productivity to new heights with the revolutionary Hex Evo Left Hand Gaming Controller.

Click Here to Buy Now: $84 $119 (29% off). Hurry, only 30 left! Raised over $100,000.

The post This innovative controller replaces your keyboard to take your gaming to the next level first appeared on Yanko Design.

Level Up Your Mobile Gaming with this Snap-On Ergonomic Game Controller Concept!

Posted on by

Google may have killed Stadia, but smartphone gaming isn’t going ANYWHERE. If anything, it’s just begun, with Sony rumored to be thinking of debuting a new handheld PlayStation this year. Meet the SnapJoy, a set of ergonomic controllers that snap onto the corners of your phone (quite like this wild Xbox Cloud mobile gaming concept from a few years ago), turning it into a handheld console quite similar to the Switch or Steam Deck. Unlike the Switch or Steam Deck, however, the SnapJoy turns your trusty smartphone into a comprehensive gaming setup, with easy-to-grip controllers that have all the buttons you need, and a curved design that actually does a precious job of not blocking any part of your screen. The best part? Discreet bumper stickers that you apply to your phone allow it to snap securely onto the SnapJoy controllers, so there’s never any chance of them disengaging during intense gameplay.

Designer: Zak Boardman

Designed by Zak Boardman, the beauty of the SnapJoy controllers are the fact that they exist independently as left and right devices that occupy hardly any space, making them easy to carry around in a bag with you wherever you go. Unlike the Steam Deck, which is a pretty massive piece of hardware, these controllers are the size of ergonomic mice, and snap to the phone in your pocket.

The way the SnapJoy controllers attach to your phone is quite brilliant. A rail guides the controllers onto the sides of the phone, with a tight tolerance for a great fit, and a set of powerful magnets help the controllers snap into place, helping them hold their position even if you’re gaming while lying down in bed.

Once snapped in place, they connect to your phone using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) to work just the way regular wireless controllers do – although there’s a debate about whether that’s wiser than using a WiFi connection, which is a little trickier, but offers much lower latency.

The controllers themselves are fashioned with all the buttons needed for great gameplay, including two joysticks, a D-pad, action buttons, and all four L1/L2 and R1/R2 shoulder buttons. An internal battery in each controller supplies them with power, and a quick glance below also gives us a look at the internal components, which also include a vibration module for haptic feedback during gaming.

As per Boardman’s vision, the SnapJoy controllers come packaged with their own charging case, which holds four controller devices that enable two people to play games at the same time. Contact points within the case help charge each individual SnapJoy controller, and a backlit battery indicator in the case helps you gauge how much juice your controller has.

The SnapJoy controllers are conceptual for now, although Boardman has shown some progress with building 3D mock prototypes of the controller to judge their ergonomics and reliability. Let’s hope we see these in markets soon!

The post Level Up Your Mobile Gaming with this Snap-On Ergonomic Game Controller Concept! first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sony launches PlayStation 5 Access Controller with highly customizable design for gamers with disabilities

Posted on by

Briefly teased at CES 2023 this year, Sony finally lifted the cloth on the PS5’s Access Controller, designed for gamers with limited mobility. Previously known as Project Leonardo, this highly customizable controller was formally launched today, on World Disability Day, marking Sony’s commitment to making gaming more inclusive.  The Access Controller is more than a conventional controller – it’s a sophisticated, customizable accessibility controller kit, created in collaboration with accessibility experts. Sony’s intention is to enhance the gaming experience, particularly for players with disabilities.

The Access Controller’s announcement precedes what is believed to be Sony’s major summer event (given that E3 was canceled this year). We’re expecting to hear of new game titles and hardware announcements during this event, including the highly anticipated handheld version of the PS5 and possibly a PS5 Pro with liquid cooling.

Designer: Sony

With a highly customizable accessibility-focused design, the Access Controller can be used independently, or alongside Sony’s DualSense controller, giving people a wide range of possible use-cases. The controller comes with a disc-shaped design, surrounded by large, interchangeable, easy-to-press keys (as well as a central key) that can be custom-mapped, with easy-to-change disc-shaped tags on all of them for reference. A modular, adjustable joystick on one side acts as the user’s navigation input, like the joystick seen on most controllers.

The Access Controller design comes in collaboration with various accessibility experts, who helped create a controller that isn’t just easy to use, it also encourages longer gaming without feeling any fatigue. The controller offers button caps that come in a variety of shapes and designs, including pillow, flat, wide flat (covering two sockets), overhang (ideal for small-handed players, placed near the center), and curved (pushed from the top or pulled from the bottom) form factors.

To help players keep track of button assignments, the Access controller includes swappable button cap tags. It also offers versatility in positioning, as it can be laid flat, rotated, or attached to an AMPS mount or tripod. Additionally, the distance of the analog stick from the controller can be adjusted as per the player’s preference.

The controller works wirelessly, and sports a USB-C port for charging it or even using it in wired formats. Additionally, four 3.5mm inputs located around its sides let players integrate their own specialty switches, buttons, or analog sticks.

The launch of this controller brings new possibilities to the PS5 console, making the world of gaming more accessible. This represents a step towards gaming that caters to every player’s unique needs, further leveling the playing field. We’ve also seen similar efforts on the accessibility front from Microsoft, who unveiled their Xbox Adaptive Controller a few years ago, and even from startup Augmental, who launched their tongue-powered MouthPad wearable controller last month.

The post Sony launches PlayStation 5 Access Controller with highly customizable design for gamers with disabilities first appeared on Yanko Design.

Shapeshifting game controller with pivoting arms easily turns into a gun-shaped control or VR remote

Posted on by

Instead of attachments and modules, the RODO game controller concept has its own unique way of transforming into the controller you need. The two pivoting arms on each side help the ergonomic handheld device turn into a pistol or even a linear VR controller. Depending on the game you’re playing, the RODO controller gives you the flexibility you need to immerse yourself in your gameplay, whether it’s racing, a first-person shooter, or even a VR role-player.

Designer: Duhan Oben Kayman

Modular gaming controllers aren’t new, given that multiple categories of games exist and one single controller couldn’t possibly scratch every itch. However, the idea of a flexible controller feels incredibly refreshing, and the RODO’s execution really makes things look feasible. In the case of the RODO’s design, two things really make the key difference – firstly, the flexible hinged-arm design, and secondly, the presence of sensors within the controller that give it 6 degrees of freedom, so you can use it to aim or even for spatial awareness. The gun/pistol mode makes aiming at the screen easier and more intuitive than using a joystick or D-Pad, with triggers that let you pull off that perfect headshot in a way that feels natural. The spatial awareness feature makes navigating both regular and VR games easy.

The controller works with the conceptual RODO gaming console, which operates independently. It runs games online (there’s no slot for CDs) and operates its own marketplace for buying games or expansion packs. Players can play the games offline or even with an active internet. The latter helps multiplayers game with each other in online CO-OP games, or against each other in other strategy, MMORPG, or RPG games.

The post Shapeshifting game controller with pivoting arms easily turns into a gun-shaped control or VR remote first appeared on Yanko Design.

PS5 DualSense charging stand from HyperX lets you conveniently dock and charge your game controllers

Posted on by

It’s the perfect blend between compact, effective, and synergistic with the PlayStation 5’s own design language.

The HyperX ChargePlay Duo might sound like a handful, but it’s shorter than saying Sony PlayStation 5 DualSense controller charging dock, now isn’t it?! With a design that’s much more compact than its name, the ChargePlay Duo lets you dock not one, but two DualSense controllers on its easel-like design, effectively charging both of them while giving you a place to rest them.

Designer: Jimmy Huynh (HyperX)

Click Here to Buy Now

At just 3 inches tall, 5 inches wide, and 4.6 inches long, the ChargePlay Duo is fairly compact, occupying roughly the same footprint as one single controller. Designed by HyperX, which was acquired by HP just two years ago, the ChargePlay lets you dock two controllers at the same time, with a 5V input and an 18W output that charges both controllers at the same time. Unlike Sony’s official charger which tends to be a little finicky, the ChargePlay Duo does a pretty remarkable job of always lining up your DualSense controllers so they charge all the time, every time.

The dock itself is modeled to match the PS5’s aesthetic, with a similar Stormtrooper color scheme that lets it blend in with your table setup rather seamlessly. It comes with a weighted base that clocks in at a sizeable 13.8 ounces (391 grams), putting it on the heavier side but also keeping it fairly stable. This allows you to easily dock or un-dock controllers without worrying about knocking anything around or causing the other controller to fall off its stand. The ChargePlay Duo comes with a Type-C charging cable that you can hook into a power strip or wall socket, or connect directly to the USB-A port in your PlayStation 5 to eliminate clutter and keep your gaming setup clean while keeping your controllers perpetually charged and ready to go!

Click Here to Buy Now

The post PS5 DualSense charging stand from HyperX lets you conveniently dock and charge your game controllers first appeared on Yanko Design.

Jacknife Gamer is a gamepad for your phone that easily slips into your pocket

Posted on by

Handheld gaming is hip again, even after the demise of popular devices like the PlayStation Vita and the Nintendo 3DS. Of course, modern portable gaming handhelds like the Nintendo Switch and the Valve Steam Deck PC have made gamers dream once more of the ideal portable gaming system they can take with them anywhere. To some extent, that device does already exist, and it’s called a “smartphone.” While the mobile games industry has become a lucrative business in its own right, there are games that just don’t feel to be a good fit with touchscreen controls only. Game controllers for smartphones exist for that very purpose, but this gamepad takes portability very seriously by taking on a form so small that it’s only a little bit larger than your car’s keyfob.

Designer: Duncan Mao

It’s almost amusing how dedicated Android gaming devices are starting to pop up again after disappearing nearly a decade ago. After all, carrying yet another device in your pocket or bag might not appeal to those who already have a powerful Android phone or an iPhone that could run those same games without breaking a sweat. The problem, however, is that you’ll have to carry with you some form of a portable Bluetooth controller to snap onto your phone, something that is really not as convenient to bring along if you don’t carry a bag all the time.

The Jacknife Gamer is a rather innovative and cute accessory that solves that problem by shrinking the gamepad down to a 64mm x 29mm x 27mm block of plastic, something that you can easily slip into any of your pockets. It is actually made of two parts that swivel in and out of each other, with a phone holder that clamps onto your phone the same way many selfie sticks do. What makes it different from other Bluetooth gamepads, aside from its size, is that the controls sit below the phone in landscape rather than being split into left and right sides.

This design might seem odd, but it more easily supports the natural way you would hold a phone. The buttons are admittedly on the small side due to size constraints, but it’s actually impressive that it supports almost all the standard ones. There are even two bumpers on the back, though you’ll be missing out on left and right triggers, presuming you play games that require those extra controls. In most cases, that won’t be a problem for the majority of mobile games that have controller support unless you start wading into game streaming territory.

The Jacknife Gamer’s compact design makes it ideal for a brief interlude while waiting for someone or for your next schedule. It will probably feel a bit cramped for long periods of gaming, so it’s probably best for those short, unexpected moments of free time. The bigger problem is the number of mobile games that have full controller support since most presume the use of a touchscreen and only a touchscreen. A companion app that maps button presses to screen areas could help alleviate that problem, but the JKG, as it is nicknamed, just covers the basics for now.

The post Jacknife Gamer is a gamepad for your phone that easily slips into your pocket first appeared on Yanko Design.

This ergonomic Nintendo Switch concept was inspired by a classic video game baddie

Posted on by

Although it was hardly the first portable gaming console, the Nintendo Switch undeniably re-ignited a gaming market that was ready for something novel and mobile. In terms of raw power, it couldn’t stand up against its Xbox and PlayStation contemporaries, but its portability and flexibility quickly endeared it to the current generation of gamers and their more itinerant lifestyles. Over the years, however, the design flaws of the Switch’s form surfaced, particularly when it came to the comfort and ergonomics of the handheld device. Since Nintendo itself doesn’t seem keen on addressing those pain points, third-party manufacturers and designers have taken upon themselves the task of coming up with solutions, some more unconventional than others. This concept, for example, retains the basic Switch design but puts a unique twist that also ends up making it look a little bit more interesting.

Designer: Duncan Crosse

The innovation that the Nintendo Switch brought to the gaming world was its ability to be a handheld gaming device as well as a home console in one. The secret sauce is, of course, the removable Joy-con controllers that opened a whole new world of use cases, including a pair of exercise equipment. For all the advantages that they brought, the Joy-cons lacked that final polish when it came to ergonomics. It wasn’t exactly terrible, but gamers could definitely feel the strain after a few hours.

Third-party accessory makers started pushing out Joy-con alternatives, some with Nintendo’s blessing even, that tried to improve that aspect of usability. The designs vary slightly, but the basic concept remains the same. By changing the shape of the Joy-cons to match the shape of typical game controllers, the Switch’s comfort can be improved significantly. This concept design, however, challenges that assumption by changing not the shape of the Joy-con but only its vertical position.

Named after one of the enemies of the iconic Invaders computer game, the Small Invaders design concept only makes a single adjustment to the Switch’s structural design. It adds an additional “Session” mode where the Joy-cons can sit lower down the side rails of the main Switch body. This creates a way for the player’s fingers to wrap around the Joy-cons, similar to how they would wrap around the bulges of conventional gamepads. That said, the device could still be used normally in a “Casual” mode where all three parts are aligned perfectly. The design also throws in small details that will delight Nintendo fans, like the use of element icons for the buttons, a nod to Pokemon’s four basic types.

With this concept, there is no need to change the somewhat flat design language of the Nintendo Switch. In fact, the Small Invader design takes that even further by applying some design cues inspired by Teenage Engineering, particularly with the use of clean geometric shapes. Of course, Small Invader would require a re-engineering of how the Joy-cons physically connect to the Switch, so it’s never going to happen. Still, it’s a worthwhile thought exercise that actually resulted in an interesting and fun design that we do wish would become a reality.

The post This ergonomic Nintendo Switch concept was inspired by a classic video game baddie first appeared on Yanko Design.

This gamepad concept looks like a vacuum cleaner chopped and reassembled

Posted on by

Gamepads or game controllers have evolved over the decades to accommodate more controls as well as apply new lessons in ergonomics. That said, their core design hasn’t exactly changed that much. It’s still a horizontal piece of plastic held in both hands with buttons and whatnot on each side. That leaves the design a bit open for experimentation, with some more successful than others when it comes to hitting the sweet spot of power and comfort. There are also a few unusual designs that deviate from the norm, like this game controller concept that tries to apply Dyson’s distinct design language, whether it actually works or not.

Designer: Shivendu Verma

Dyson is a brand best known for appliances revolving around spinning fans, whether it’s for sucking up dirt or blowing your hair dry. More than just the kind of appliances it makes, however, it is known for the design style that its modern products embrace. These products are marked by their elegant industrial design and a penchant for using plenty of cylinders in their forms.

That’s exactly what this gamepad design concept looks like, even if it adheres to that design language in a rather odd way. The overall shape of the controller is formed from the intersection of three cylinders, almost as if you chopped a Dyson vacuum’s tube into three pieces and glued them together. It admittedly looks like it would be at home in Dyson’s catalogue, especially with its shiny glass surface and accents that lie on the blue to purple range of hues. It might, however, not be the most usable gamepad design if it were to be sold in the market.

1

Instead of “wings,” the two cylinders on each side act as grips, but they might not be the most comfortable nor the most stable, especially considering the slippery glass material of this design. The extruded parts of the horizontal cylinder that join the parts together could also get in the way of reaching the controls that might it be far too high. There are also no visible shoulder or trigger buttons that have become standard by now.

1

Still, it’s an admittedly interesting design, at least visually speaking. It does, however, drive home the fact that products like these aren’t supposed to just look good. In fact, older game controllers might look hideous by today’s standards and are unsurprisingly less comfortable to use as well. Even today’s gamepads, though, still have a lot of room for improvement, and hopefully, designers won’t quit challenging the status quo to come up with something that is both usable and attractive even to a non-gamer.

The post This gamepad concept looks like a vacuum cleaner chopped and reassembled first appeared on Yanko Design.