Razer Kishi, finally playing on the iPhone is a pleasure

We reviewed the iPhone game controller, Razer Kishi, a controller with which the experience of playing on your phone changes radically. At last you will play on your iPhone as on your game console.

Key features

In the box of this Razer Kishi we find the control knob and some extra adapters, to use them in case the iPhone we use is small. By default it brings some adapters that fit perfectly with the larger ones. In this video you can see the iPhone 13 Pro Max, Apple's largest phone, and it gives the impression that it could even house a larger one.

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

Razer has opted to use the Lightning connector for this controller, which may at first seem like a setback in this era where everything is wireless, but it seems like a success to me. First because like this no battery is required to power the controller, it is always ready to use because it uses the power of your iPhone. Second, because we avoid any type of delay between the pressing of a button and its effect on the game, any action you indicate on the controller is executed immediately in the game.

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

Last we have three other additional buttons that have quite limited functionality in most games. In those that are optimized for this type of controls, such as Asphalt, the one on the right launches a menu, and the Home (icon of a house) is used to go back. But in most games they are useless. The button with three dots is used to take screenshots by pressing it twice. There are also some LEDs on the right side that are useless in my case, although the upper one is supposed to light up red when the iPhone is connected, which does not happen.

Compact and quality

We are facing a control knob of the Razer brand, that we must keep in mind at all times when assessing its qualities. The quality of the materials and the construction of the same is high, with the feeling of having a good product in your hands. The system chosen to dock the iPhone is peculiar. I have to admit that at first it seemed quite rudimentary ... an elastic that joins the two parts? But when you hold it in your hands and use it, the truth is that it seems to me to be a rather ingenious system and that it is carried out with considerable attention to detail and good finishing touches.

The expansion and folding system is simple to handle, and the result is that, when you are playing, you have a fairly solid controller-iPhone set that has nothing to envy to the sensation when playing the Nintendo Switch, for example. On the other hand, when you are not using it, you have a very compact accessory that you can put in any pocket and take anywhere. The only thing that doesn't convince me: you have to remove the cover from the iPhone to put it on, but you can't have everything.

Playing with Razer Kishi

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

The feeling when holding the remote attached to the iPhone is excellent, the buttons have a press and feedback at the level of conventional controls, the analog sticks are very comfortable and the response in the game is immediate. The sensation is that of playing with a real game console (except for the differences marked by the quality of the game, obviously). And that it does not have to recharge seems to me a success in every rule.

The good news is that of all the games I have tried, which have been many, they all work with the control knob within the game itself. In the game menus, only some of them can be controlled with the controller, navigating through the game's menus using the levers and buttons on the controller. , which is not a big deal, but it is a bit annoying. It is not something that is in the hands of Razer, rather the developers of the games who should optimize them for full control. In any case, I insist, it is not something that detracts from the excellent gaming experience with the controller.

Editor's opinion

Razer has brought its experience in the world of controllers to this Razer Kishi, specifically designed for the iPhone. Compact and of good quality, it greatly improves the gaming experience on the iPhone, making the sensation of playing on the iPhone as close as possible to that of playing on a game console. Now we only have to have real games on the 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 quite a bit cheaper) on Amazon (link) is the perfect accessory for those who play with their iPhone, or for those who don't start playing.