Quick Summary
8BitDo will soon make its FlipPad phone controller available to buy.
Announced during CES in January, it is similar to the GameSir Pocket Taco in that it adds Game Boy-style controls to your mobile device. However, it is claimed that it will be cheaper – just over £20, in fact.
Two renowned games controller manufacturers surprised many at CES in January, with both 8BitDo and GameSir each announcing similar accessories for those running emulation software on their phones.
But while GameSir managed to get its Pocket Taco to market speedily, it's taken a while for its rival to catch up. And so, if you wanted to turn your iPhone or Android device into a Game Boy, you really only had the one option.
Until this week, that is. It looks like 8BitDo is finally ready to take orders for its FlipPad which, like the Pocket Taco, adds physical Game Boy style controls to a mobile phone.
The 8BitDo FlipPad works differently to the Taco in that it connects via USB-C rather than Bluetooth. That could potentially provide a lower latency experience – ideal for the twitch-friendly controls of classic platformers. It can also flip down when you need to use the full screen, without needing to remove the add-on.
According to Russ at Retro Game Corps (via NotebookCheck), the 8BitDo FlipPad will be available to pre-order this week, from Wednesday 15 July. It'll then ship from 30 July.
And a pleasant surprise is that it is claimed to cost just $30 (around £22). That's cheaper than the Pocket Taco, although you can also see that drop at times during big sales periods.
There are no further details yet – not even on the pre-order page location – but we'll keep you informed as and when there's more.
Obvious to some but not all, you'll have to provide your own emulators and games (roms), and it's advised you stick to games that can be played on the top-half of your phone's screen. You'll also need to consider that there is no thumbstick, so games that work with a D-pad will work best – such as Game Boy, Game Boy Color, SNES, Mega Drive/Genesis, etc.
Indeed, considering the only colour option expected to be released for now is based on the Game Boy DMG, that's clearly the main intention anyway.
