Moga Pro Hands-On

The mobile games market may have began its meteoric rise with casual swipe and tap titles, but as smartphone and tablet hardware has advanced, a new category of immersive 3D games has emerged. Games like Dead Trigger and Modern Combat 4 are pushing the limits of what mobile devices are capable of, and while classifying them as "console quality" would be disingenuous, the gap is certainly narrowing. But these graphically rich experiences are outgrowing the limitations of the touchscreen gaming, leading companies like Power A to develop an alternative. Last year, it introduced the Moga — a compact controller that clipped onto Android devices, effectively turning smartphones into a Nintendo DS-style handheld.

Now, it's preparing to launch the Moga Pro, a full-sized Android gamepad that offers precision and ergonomics comparable to an Xbox 360 or PS3 controller.

Priced at $49.99, the Moga Pro is based off of Power A's console controller lines with a few notable changes. First and most obviously, is the Moga Arm, which extends from the center panel and serves as the mounting grip for most current smartphones. It also lacks vibration motors, which makes it fairly lightweight.

For our purposes, the Moga Pro was demonstrated with the Galaxy S III and an Android tablet propped up on Power A's Pivot stand, which comes bundled with the controller. With a 4.8-inch display, the Galaxy S III felt a little awkward and top-heavy when mounted atop the Moga Pro, but by no means uncomfortable to use. But the most compelling experience, however, was when using the tablet and stand, which effectively creates a mobile console-style experience.

Skeptics may disparage mobile devices as meaningful gaming machines, but as I played Dead Trigger with the familiarity and precision of Left 4 Dead on consoles, it's hard not to see the potential. Add to that a tablet's capacity to output HD video to your TV, and you've got the prospect of a versatile, all-in-one machine. Of course, we're still a long way out from mobile games rivaling console and PC games in terms of production value and immersion, but it's no doubt where things are headed.

Subsequently, the mobile controller market is sure to become an increasingly competitive market, but Power A already has a significant leg-up via its impressive catalog of supported titles. So far, the Moga Pro is supported of over 50 games, including Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Dead Trigger, Modern Combat 4, Doom GLES, Jet Set Radio, Asphalt 7: Heat HD, and others.

The Moga Pro goes on sale online and at retailers later this month.

Scott Lowe is IGN's resident tech expert and Executive Editor of IGN Tech. You can follow him on Twitter at @ScottLowe and on MyIGN at Scott-IGN.

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