GameSir’s clip-on controller turns smartphones into Game Boys

Over the past weekend at the Tokyo Game Show, GameSir demonstrated a new controller that turns your smartphone into a Game Boy. Unlike the company’s GameSir G8 Plus

that offers similar functionality by clamping on to the top and bottom of a phone turned sideways recreating the ergonomics of the Nintendo Switch, this new controller is much smaller and keeps the phone vertical. GameSir didn’t make any formal announcements of what the accessory is called, what it will cost, compatibility, or when it will be released.

Although the accessory is visible in the background of a photo GameSir shared of its TGS booth on X, better photos were shared by the X account, @Yoshivesmovie, after getting the chance to go hands-on with the controller. The C-shaped accessory slides on to the bottom of a smartphone and features a D-pad, Start and Select buttons, and four action buttons that are all styled after the Game Boy’s. There’s also a pair of additional face buttons plus shoulder buttons on the back ensuring it can be used to play more than just emulated Game Boy titles.

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It’s not known how the controller will connect to a smartphone, but the photos seem to show a cutout on the bottom that may keep a phone’s charging port accessible. If the accessory isn’t relying on a USB-C connection, it will probably use Bluetooth which also means it will have its own rechargeable battery. Having yet another accessory to remember to charge isn’t ideal, but the ergonomics look much better than the recently announced Retro Handheld Console Case for the Xiaomi 17 series smartphones that only works with the camera bump screen on the back of the phone.