Razer Kishi, finally playing on iPhone is a pleasure

We reviewed the iPhone game controller, Razer Kishi, a controller with which the experience of playing on your phone changes dramatically. You will finally play on your iPhone as on your games console.

main Features

In the box of this Razer Kishi we find the control button and some additional adapters, to use them in case the iPhone we are using is small. By default, it brings adapters that adapt perfectly to larger. In this video, you can see the iPhone 13 Pro Max, Apple’s biggest phone, and it looks like it might even house a bigger one.

It is made of plastic and has two analog sticks, the classic 8 buttons of any video game controller and the crossbar. Its layout is similar to that of the brand’s other controls, more in the “Xbox” style than “PS”. As a PS player, it takes a bit more work to get used to this arrangement, but it’s a problem that hardly lasts for a while.

Razer opted to use the Lightning connector for this controller, which at first glance might seem like a setback in these days of everything wireless, but it seems like a success to me. First because like that no batteries are required to power the controller, it is always ready to use because it uses the power of your iPhone. Second, because we avoid any kind of delay between pressing a button and its effect on the game, any action you indicate on the controller is performed immediately in-game.

It has a female Lightning connection on the bottom right, so you can use the iPhone cable to charge the phone while playing. Not suitable for connecting a Lightning headset or any other accessory, it is only a port of embarkation. There is no jack connection either, if you want to use headphones (recommended) they must be wireless.

Ultimately we have three other additional buttons which have quite limited functionality in most games. In those that are optimized for this type of control, like Asphalt, the one on the right launches a menu, and the Home (icon of a house) allows you to go back. But in most games they are unnecessary. The three-dot button allows you to take screenshots by double-tapping it. There are also a few LEDs on the right side which are unnecessary in my case, although the top one is supposed to light up red when the iPhone is connected, which doesn’t happen.

Compact and quality

We are faced with a command button of the Razer brand, which we must keep in mind at all times when evaluating its qualities. The quality of materials and construction thereof is high, with the feeling of having a good product in my hands. The system chosen to anchor the iPhone is particular. I must admit that at first it seemed rather rudimentary … a rubber band that connects the two parts? But when you have it in your hands and use it, the truth is, it strikes me as a pretty ingenious system and it’s done with a lot of attention to detail and good finishes.

The extend and fold system is easy to get started with, and the result is that when you play you have a pretty solid controller-iPhone set that just doesn’t match the feel of playing the game. Nintendo Switch, for example. On another side, when not in use you have a very compact accessory that you can put in any pocket and take it everywhere. The only thing that doesn’t convince me: you have to remove the iPhone shell to put it on, but you can’t have everything.

Playing with Razer Kishi

Onscreen touch controls are horrible for the vast majority of video games, this is something we will agree on. When Apple announced the compatibility of the PS4 and Xbox controllers with the iPhone and iPad, it was a real respite. With the iPad I play a lot (well, a lot for my free time) with the PS4 controller, and in general I’m happy, even if with some games like COD I notice a certain delay which annoys me a lot. However with the iPhone things change because … where do I leave the iPhone while I take control of the console? So I was looking for a solution like Razer Kishi.

The feeling when holding the remote control attached to the iPhone is excellent, the buttons have a support and a return to the level of classic controls, the analog sticks are very comfortable

and the in-game response is immediate. The sensation is that of playing with a real game console (apart from the differences marked by the quality of the game, of course). And that he does not have to recharge seems to me a success in all the rules.

The good news is that of all the games that I have tried, of which there have been many, they all work with the control button in the game itself. In game menus, only some of them can be controlled with the controller, navigating the game menus using the levers and buttons on the controller. , which is okay, but a little boring. This is not something that is in the hands of Razer, but rather the developers of the games who should optimize them for full control. In any case, I insist, this is not something that detracts from the excellent gaming experience with the controller.

Editorial review

Razer brought their experience in the world of controllers to this Razer Kishi, which was specially designed for the iPhone. Compact and of good quality, it greatly improves the gaming experience on iPhone, making the feeling of playing on iPhone as close as possible to that of playing on a game console. Now we just have to have real games on iPhone, or for Apple to finally bet on streaming games on its platform, although they can already be enjoyed through Safari. Priced at 95 $ (sometimes a little cheaper) on Amazon (link) is the perfect accessory for those who play with their iPhone, or for those who are new to gaming.