AppleInsider Staff
Apple's retail and online stores, along with other authorized resellers, will begin carrying the MOGA Ace Power gamepad for iPhone this week, giving smartphone gamers more precise physical controls on their mobile device.
MOGA's launch marks the first authorized Made for iPhone gaming controller to hit the market. Support for dedicated controllers was introduced in September with the launch of the iOS 7 mobile operating system.
The $99 MOGA Ace Power is compatible with Apple's 4-inch Lightning-connected devices: The iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, and fifth-generation iPod touch. It also comes with an 1,800mAh battery to recharge a device on the go.
In terms of physical input, the MOGA Ace Power includes two joysticks, a D-pad, front-facing A, B, X and Y buttons, and L1, R1, L2 and R2 shoulder buttons.
The MOGA controller features a collapsable design that makes it more portable for on-the-go gaming. Once expanded, users can pop an iPhone or iPod touch in the center, placing the physical controls to the left and right of the iOS 7 device's screen.
The controller connects to the iPhone or iPod touch through the Lightning port, meaning the device is only capable of physical wired connections for control. That means the MOGA Ace Power cannot support Apple's other portable iOS devices in the iPad lineup.
Games must be updated to support third-party controller accessories, and unsurprisingly at launch the number of compatible games is somewhat limited. Initial titles include Oceanhorn, Bastion and LEGO Lord of the Rings.
Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
Christine McKee
Chip Loder
Marko Zivkovic
22 Comments
Cool.
Saying games must be updated to support the controller is not 100% accurate. It implies devs have to specifically target this controller (they don't). What devs need to do is support Apple's new gaming controller API's in iOS 7. This will automatically give the game support for the MOGA and all other controllers coming out (like the Logitech).
I want one, just going to wait to see the logitech version before I decide to buy.
If Nintendo were to release a controller in the style of the original NES version and release catalogue titles such as Mario Bros and Donkey Kong they would make an absolute killing.
[quote name="sog35" url="/t/160798/mogas-lightning-connected-ios-7-compatible-iphone-game-controller-launches-this-week#post_2437034"]$99 is ridiculously expensive. I could buy entire gaming systems for that price. Pass. [/quote] I think 'ridiculously expensive' is possibly overstating it.
[quote name="EricTheHalfBee" url="/t/160798/mogas-lightning-connected-ios-7-compatible-iphone-game-controller-launches-this-week#post_2437081"]Saying games must be updated to support the controller is not 100% accurate. It implies devs have to specifically target this controller (they don't). What devs need to do is support Apple's new gaming controller API's in iOS 7. This will automatically give the game support for the MOGA and all other controllers coming out (like the Logitech).[/quote] And that's called an update.