8BitDo has launched the FlipPad, a mobile controller accessory designed to clip onto smartphones, giving them a resemblance to a halved Game Boy. The accessory is available for preorder at $30 and aims to provide a more convenient mobile gaming experience than other clip-on options.
The FlipPad functions as a button-faced puck mounted on a hinge that connects to a phone's USB-C port. This design allows the controller to fold around the back of the phone when not in use, facilitating easier portability. By utilizing the USB-C connection, the FlipPad bypasses the need for Bluetooth pairing, ensuring near-instant response times and eliminating concerns about the controller's own battery life, as it draws power directly from the phone.
Visually, particularly the "G Classic" version, the FlipPad evokes the aesthetic of the original Game Boy. However, its button layout is more contemporary. It features four shoulder button inputs along the top, with a D-pad, ABXY buttons, and start and select buttons positioned below. Additional buttons, identified as a heart and a star, are also present, which are typically mapped to home and turbo functions on other 8BitDo controllers.
While the FlipPad presents a pocketable solution for mobile gaming, particularly for titles accessible through a "bespoke classic gaming library software," there are some notable points. One of 8BitDo's promotional images depicts a user operating the FlipPad while driving, a practice the notes strongly caution against. Additionally, the accessory's design might inspire a desire for a more integrated solution, such as a shell that fully encases a phone to simulate a classic handheld gaming device.
The 8BitDo FlipPad is slated to begin shipping on July 30.