Backbone Turns Your Smartphone into a Mobile Gaming Platform

By Mark Jessen - News Published: 6 Dec 2020, Last Updated: 29 Oct 2023

It’s a pretty safe bet to say that you use your phone to play games. Sure, you use it for a great many different tasks, but gaming is definitely one of those. How can that be said? Because according to the 2019 Global Games Market Report, some 2.5 billion people are gamers, and they almost all use their phones or tablets to play.

Even with that being said, many people don’t regard their smartphones as a gaming platform, and that can probably be attributed to the phone’s hardware. Backbone has created a way for you to fully own gaming on your phone with the Backbone One MFi. The controller is built specifically for iPhones, and it turns your smartphone into a mobile gaming platform.

You’ll also like:
How the PS5 DualSense Controller Changes the Game
15 Best Gifts for Gamers – for Every Gaming Enthusiast
Play Original Super Mario Bros on Game and Watch Handheld

The Backbone One adds controls to your phone that perfectly replicate console-style gaming. Using the Lightning connector on your iPhone, the Backbone One adds controllers to either side of your phone. The controllers provide the same buttons, triggers, and joysticks you would find on a PlayStation pad or on the Nintendo Switch. They also have a Lightning port on the right-hand side for pass-through charging. The left-hand side features a headphone jack so you can play without bothering other people. You do have to remove your phone’s case to put the controllers on, and you won’t want to carry your phone around with the controllers on it all the time, but the device is simple to use and completely portable, so you could easily take it with you.

There’s also an app that is required to use the Backbone One. People might balk at the word “required,” but the app is not only user-friendly, it’s also powerful. You can use it to launch your games as well as capture screen shots. It also has social features that let you play with friends, who will be notified via the app when you start playing a game if you select push notifications. For just $100, you can turn your phone into a gaming device.

Check it out

You’ll also like:
How the PS5 DualSense Controller Changes the Game
15 Best Gifts for Gamers – for Every Gaming Enthusiast
Play Original Super Mario Bros on Game and Watch Handheld

Mr Mark Jessen

Mark Jessen studied English at Brigham Young University, completing a double emphasis in creative writing and professional writing/editing. After graduating, Mark went to work for a small publisher as their book editor. After a brief time as a freelance writer, Mark entered the corporate world as a copywriter. These days, his hours are spent mostly in proofing and editing, though he continues to create content for a wide variety of projects. In 2017, Mark completed UCLA's Creative Writing Certification. A prolific writer, Mark has over 20 years of experience in journalism.

View all