iOS Game controllers have always seemed like a good (if niche) idea, providing powerful controls for games without covering most of your iPhone’s screen. But they’ve mostly been unusably large, or just plain unusable. […]
The Junglecat is coming out in July, and it’s an interesting proposition. It’s one of the best iOS controllers I’ve seen yet, an attempt to solve or at least lessen the problem of constantly carrying an accessory you’re only occasionally using. It’s still going to be only for a small niche of intense gamers, but that’s who Razer’s always served better than anyone.
Their conclusion is similar to my own, at least so far: the Junglecat is probably not the controller for everyone, but as a niche product geared towards hardcore iOS gamers who want physical controls available EVERYWHERE, it is going to be a very hard controller to beat.
TouchArcade again (they’re on a roll with this E3 coverage!) goes hands-on with another upcoming MFi controller. This time, the SteelSeries Stratus XL bluetooth controller.
Continuing the crazy controller news, we managed to track down a prototype unit of the Steelseries Stratus XL. Just as we expected, it feels great in your hands and feels way more substantial than the tiny Stratus.
Check the source link to watch their hands-on video.
The version of the Stratus XL shown at E3 is unfinished, and has since undergone a redesign to its analog sticks and d-pad.
While the exhibitor from SteelSeries was unwilling to reveal the price at E3, we’ve learned that the Stratus XL will retail for $79, the same as the regular Stratus.
TouchArcade posted a hands-on video with the elusive Mad Cats CTRLi MFi controller.
The status of the Mad Catz C.T.R.L i has been pretty mysterious since it was first announced back in February, but we actually managed to track one down at E3. It feels surprisingly sturdy compared to the other iOS controllers we’ve seen, and it’s really hard to find much to complain about with it.
The CTRLi is scheduled to be released in the next few weeks. When it is, I have a feeling it will satisfy a lot of people who have been eagerly awaiting a full-size bluetooth controller option.
TouchArcade goes hands-on with an unplugged Hori MFi controller, and come back with a few impressions.
Hori might not be a name you’re familiar with if you’re not in the fighting game scene, but the make some pretty amazing fight sticks and now apparently are getting in to the MFi controller market.
Updated the post to reflect additional content, and include even more hands-on videos and images of the new controllers showed off at E3
E3Â 2014 is officially in full swing, and as iOS has become a major force in the games industry in recent years, iOS accessories and games are readily available on the show floor.
Razer Junglecat
TouchArcade gets a chance to play with both the white and black versions of the upcoming Razer Junglecat MFi controller.
Meanwhile, TechRadar interviews the CEO of Razer about their upcoming products, including some information and demos about the Junglecat controller
Interview with Min-Lian Tan about Razerâs new products (TechRadar YouTube)
The Junglecat continues to look excellent; Iâm glad we wonât have to wait much longer for this one.
Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i
Mad Catz had a decent showing at E3, with their upcoming C.T.R.L.i MFi controller on full display, and being joined by a smaller-size cousin, known currently as the C.T.R.L.i Micro
The full-size C.T.R.L.i is scheduled for release this summer for $59. Pricing and availability of the âMicroâ are currently unknown. We hope to have much more information to report about both of these controllers C.T.R.L.i soon.
Hori Horipad
Hori didnât make a huge showing with their controller at E3, but TouchArcade was able to get a hands-on video with it all the same.
Perhaps more interesting, they were able to get Hori to confirm a price of $79, which is in line with most of the upcoming full-size bluetooth controllers
Signal RPOne
TouchArcade goes hands-on with the perennial trade-show staple RPOne controller from Signal. Apparently this controller is still in development, though the design is still unchanged from months earlier, and Apple has yet to give their approval to any MFi controller with this style of d-pad.
The Signal RPOne controller (Source: @TouchArcade)
I continue to have the same conclusion about the RPOne that I have every other time Iâve seen it: it looks excellent, but I understand that the d-pad violates Appleâs MFi controller standard. Every time it shows up at a trade show with the same d-pad still intact, it makes me think the release date is further and further away.
SteelSeries Stratus XL
The upcoming full-size bluetooth Stratus XL controller from SteelSeries made an appearance too, with Elyse Betters at PocketLint getting an opportunity to go hands-on with the controller.
Meanwhile, TouchArcade was again on the scene, and recorded a video with the same prototype Stratus XL controller
These pictures and video appear to depict a slightly older version of the upcoming controller, which has since had its analog sticks and d-pad redesigned.
Wrap-Up
Too early for a wrap-up, the show is just getting started! This post will be updated as more information and images become available.
TouchArcade had a chance to play with the upcoming Razer Junglecat MFi controller for a few minutes, in addition to their time spent with the Signal RP One.
One of the first things we saw when we walked in to the E3 show floor was the Razer booth, and the recently announced Junglecat was front and center. We got a hands on with the controller case, which was set up to demo Gameloft’s Asphalt 8.
This is one of the most exciting controllers on the horizon to me. All of the current MFi controllers, and almost all of the upcoming MFi controllers, aren’t portable. While you can sort of force the Logitech PowerShell into a pocket, it isn’t particularly pleasant at that. The Junglecat really looks to be designed around the idea of mobile gaming in a way that the others are not. This looks to be a great controller to have, perhaps in addition to one of the full-size bluetooth offerings.
The Signal RP One controller makes another appearance at this year’s E3, and TouchArcade had a chance to use it.
Very early this year the Signal RP one controller was announced, and at the time it was the only full-size iOS controller in the works. We got a look at it at E3, and, well, it’s a controller. It still feels pretty prototype-y, as the rear trigger buttons seem particularly flimsy
Check the source link to watch the video. From what I’ve seen, this appears to be the exact same prototype controller that was shown at CES earlier this year, and it still doesn’t seem finished yet. I like the design, so I hope Signal plans on actually bringing this to market.
Elyse Betters at Pocket Lint goes hands-on with the upcoming SteelSeries Stratus XL MFi controller, and publishes a handful of pictures in the process.
These pictures, which I’ve taken the liberty of color-correcting (seriously Pocket Lint, it takes two minutes), show what appears to be an early prototype of the upcoming controller. The d-pad is a non-standard design that is not in compliance with Apple’s MFi controller requirements and the analog sticks lack polish and texture. Both of these are different than the officially revealed press shots, which suggest further design changes occurred after these demo models were built.
The officially revealed version, with altered d-pad and analog sticks
Classic RPG Final Fantasy III has been recently updated with support for iCloud saves. These saves are compatible between the iPhone and iPad versions of the game, which, unlike the universal Final Fantasy IV, are sold as two separate apps.
As mentioned in my review, Final Fantasy III is a classic JRPG, and the iOS port is an excellent update. The iPhone version supports all MFi controllers, as does the also excellent Final Fantasy IV.
