iOS 7 game controllers
Another full-control iOS game pad fails to serve up an Ace
We put two to the test
This is the first iOS 7 controller to offer dual analogue controls and four shoulder buttons, and has an intriguing collapsible design for portability, and even a built-in battery pack that charges your iOS device while in use. Sadly, control and design issues make this more of a first draft than a polished purchase.
In its closed, storable state, the MOGA Ace Power looks much like an average game console controller, albeit with a small gap in the middle. Pull on either end and that gap opens wide enough to fit an iPhone 5/5c/5s or a fifth-gen iPod touch. With analogue sticks, shoulder buttons, face buttons and a D-pad, it certainly has enough input options to accommodate complex games. The 1800 mAh battery means you won’t lose to much power when playing, either.
However, the Ace Power’s chunky exterior feels decidedly low-end considering its price. While it seems sturdy enough (if hardly high-end) in use, the rattle of the plastic when closed makes the build come across as especially cheap. But the biggest issue comes with button response – the face buttons in particular have to be really pressed with real force to register. Most people will suffer numerous unrecognised inputs, particularly in games that require rapid or timely button presses. It makes games often more frustrating to play than they would be normally, which is basically the exact opposite of what you want when paying £80. Andrew Hayward