I recall when mobile gaming first emerged, exemplified by Snake on the Nokia 3310. While rudimentary, it was a novel experience. Today, mobile gaming represents a substantial industry and a distinct genre, a natural evolution given the computational power of modern smartphones. Personally, I rarely engage in mobile gaming due to the often imprecise and uncomfortable nature of touch-based controls.
Trigger Happy aims to address this issue with accessories designed to transform a mobile phone into a dedicated gamepad. We begin with the Triggers and Grip set, which includes a split plastic cylinder that attaches to a gamepad grip. Its adjustable design allows compatibility with various phone models; it integrated seamlessly with my iPhone 7. The kit also features two triggers that easily attach to the phone’s top edge, effectively adding bumper buttons.
The resulting ergonomic feel is surprisingly similar to that of a dedicated gamepad. However, the physical buttons inevitably obscure a portion of the screen, and unlike on-screen controls, their position is fixed, leading to persistent visual obstruction. This is a notable drawback. Transparent button construction could potentially mitigate this issue.
Another consideration is that while the foldable grip offers convenient portability, the detached trigger buttons are prone to becoming loose in pockets, increasing the risk of damage, misplacement, or accumulation of debris.
Despite these drawbacks, gaming with the Triggers and Grip set from Happy Trigger provides an enhanced gamepad-like experience. The primary limitation remains the screen real estate occupied by the physical buttons.
The second accessory under review is the Clip on Thumbstick. Similar to the trigger set, it enhances tactile control, but also obstructs a significant portion of the display. When playing games such as Inside, this obstruction can obscure critical visual details necessary for gameplay progression.
The Clip-on Thumbstick provides a secure attachment to the phone. However, unlike the Triggers and Grip set, it requires the removal of any protective phone case. My thin leather case had to be removed to accommodate the Clip-on Thumbstick.
In conclusion, these accessories present a mixed bag of advantages and disadvantages. At their best, they provide a functional gamepad-like experience. However, they can also be cumbersome and inconvenient for pocket storage. Ultimately, while offering improvements, they fall short of a definitive recommendation in their current iteration.
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