Reviews

The Backbone is the iPhone game controller Apple should have made

Like Apple's products, the Backbone is an excellent marriage of hardware and software and feels like the missing piece of the puzzle to gaming on an iPhone

With the new hardware packed into the latest iPhones, it's possible to play some incredible games that rival those on console.

But a lot of people aren't in love with touchscreen controls. There are a handful of physical gamepads for the iPhone out there, but the Backbone is a high-quality, premium controller.

When I got my hands on the Backbone, I was immediately impressed with the hardware. Aside from its springy thumbsticks that feel similar to those on Nintendo Joy-Cons, everything else feels great, particularly the way it fits in the hand.

It also has a lightning port to charge the phone while in use, and a 3.5mm jack so you can use a regular set of headphones. If you've got an old iPhone you can dedicate to gaming, you won't ever need to take it out!