I fundamentally dont understand who the GameSir Pocket Taco is for and,
after testing the Game-Boy-style clamshell mobile controller, Im not sure it does either

Date:
Sat, 06 Jun 2026 23:00:00 +0000

Description:
I tried out the GameSir Pocket Taco, a vertical mobile controller thats fun
on paper but marred by its muddled execution.

FULL STORY ======================================================================GameSir Pocket Taco: review The GameSir Pocket Taco is a novel mobile controller that clips to the bottom of your phone. Its honestly unique enough that if youve seen it once, youll definitely remember it. With it, GameSir is attempting to cater to a niche audience of retro gamers that love old 4:3 titles but hate the pillar-boxing they cause on modern screens. Sadly, this is also its biggest weakness if it fails to 100% nail this use case, it doesnt have the broad appeal that will encourage other gamers to grab it instead.

When it comes to its design, Ill admit Im totally picking up what the GameSir Pocket Taco is throwing down. The Game-Boy-aping styling upgraded with additional X and Y buttons for later generation games is perfectly pitched
to milk my nostalgia gland. And the clickiness of the buttons and D-pad certainly feels close enough in my minds eye to those halcyon days bopping ants on the head in Super Mario Land 2 almost 35 years ago. Okay, I get that clamshell form factor is not going to be everyones cup of tea, but it seems like a neat idea thats not been covered by any of the best mobile controllers yet, allowing you to play retro games in the 4:3 format they were designed
in. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

Clasping your phone with just enough force that it wont slide out, I was
happy trusting my premium phone to this little clip, while the gap at the bottom allows you to charge your phone while gaming, which is a nice touch.
On paper, it seems like a fun way to play your old retro titles in a format that feels more familiar a vertical 4:3 handheld. (Image credit: Future) GameSir Pocket Taco (White) at Amazon for 34.99 Unfortunately, the issue is that things in the real world often dont work out how they do on paper. And using the Pocket Taco, I was quickly forced to confront the gap between GameSirs ambitions for the device and the reality of what it was able to achieve.

First off, the overall user experience of the Pocket Taco is a hollow shell that quickly disintegrates when you bite into it. Pairing the device gives me flashbacks to the bad old days of Bluetooth connectivity. Adding new connections became a painful process of triggering pairing mode over and over and wondering why the device wouldnt appear in my potential connections.

This isnt helped by the fact that it has four different pairing modes for different operating systems I assume this is to make switching between multiple devices quicker, but in reality makes it more of a chore than a single Bluetooth connection that pairs and unpairs smoothly. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Using the GameSir app is also a mixed experience. Even when I finally paired the Pocket Taco with my iPhone 16 Pro , the app often would claim that it was connected with a nondescript third-party controller, blocking me from accessing the Pocket Tacos unique functions. Once Id finally gotten it to recognize the device in the app, I was allowed to test the controls and set the screen ratio, allowing me to resize the screen to take into account the section covered by the device. (Image credit: Future) Except I have no idea what the purpose of this is. It doesnt impact anything outside of the app your phone screens aspect ratio is set at the device level, meaning the
second you navigate away from this app, the screen ratio resets to its
default and is once again half covered by the controller.

Theres simply no way to get native games on iOS and Android to crop to the
top half of the screen or even, with many of them, play in portrait mode, which really limits the controller's utility. You can still play native games using the Pocket Taco undocked, but for a lot of people, the appeal is going to be turning their phone into an all-in-one gaming device.

Now I know some people are going to roll their eyes and say that this controller is obviously intended for emulation, not running native games.
Even setting aside the ethics of emulation we're not advocates here at TechRadar, and are all for owning your own games, and Im not going to endorse you doing anything that could land you in legal trouble the Pocket Taco itself seems unsure of this fact.

In the iOS app, pressing the home button takes you straight to the Games app, while on Android, you can directly link games youve downloaded from the Play Store to the app. So theres clearly a bit of an identity crisis going on
here.

And the added wrinkle here is that many emulators arent able to change the aspect ratio and positioning of the screen. While I didnt open or play any ROMs for this review, I did try out a couple of emulator apps to test the Pocket Tacos compatibility with them. Using one of the most popular options
on Android, I found it was impossible to reposition the screen to fit the remaining portion of the display.

Fortunately, I had better luck with one iOS option, using a controller skin
to nudge the display into the right position, even if it left a pretty ugly black bar between the controller and the screen. Even if it is sometimes possible, its not exactly elegant. (Image credit: Future) Honestly, by the time Id been through this process of getting the Pocket Taco working, my enthusiasm had almost entirely ebbed away. And thats a shame because, underneath it all, theres a decent controller struggling to get out.

When I finally caved and started using the Pocket Taco undocked, it plays
like a dream. I booted up the iOS version of Secret of Mana and found the Pocket Taco was pleasantly tactile to use. Its also pretty responsive
despite a few claims Ive read online complaining about lag, I couldnt
perceive any noticeable delay between tapping a button and Randi spanking a rabbite or mushboom with his sword. But the issue is that propping your phone up and using a separate controller is just a bit clunky many better mobile controllers like the Backbone One 2nd Gen exist that allow you to play native games docked.

I get the feeling that the Pocket Taco dwells in a state of existential crisis, unsure exactly who it is for. Because its an awkward fit for native gaming, forcing you to use it undocked. And for those who are looking for a way to emulate games in 4:3, there are plenty of pocket-sized handhelds that already cater to this market without the awkward screen resizing issues youll encounter here. Fundamentally, that means its niche is largely going to comprise those wooed by its nostalgia-drenched concept or emulator
enthusiasts that cant quite stretch to a standalone console. Others should look elsewhere. (Image credit: Future) GameSir Pocket Taco review: price and availability First shipped on March 15 List price of $34.99 / 34.99 / AU$59 Only one colorway Having started shipping on March 15, the GameSir Pocket
Taco is available now. You can pick it up for a list price of $34.99 / 34.99
/ AU$59, which is seriously cheap, even compared to other mobile controllers. By comparison, our pick for best budget mobile, the GameSir X2s Type-C ,
costs $44.99 / 39.99 / AU$59, so this is a very affordable device.

While some mobile controllers will give you different colorways that mimic various consoles across the ages, the Pocket Taco only comes in this GameBoy-style color palette. Thats pure catnip for someone of my age but if you're more of an OG PlayStation or GameCube fanboi, youre not going to be catered to here. (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the GameSir Pocket Taco? Buy it if You want to play 4:3 emulated games While Im not for playing emulated games, and neither is TechRadar Gaming as a whole, the Pocket Taco offers a cheap way to control them. Bear in mind that not every emulator will display in the correct way, though. You want a cute controller that will happily sit in your back pocket The Pocket Taco is an adorable, compact package and, with the included case, its the kind of thing you can absolutely just carry around with you in case the mood ever strikes. Dont buy it if You just want to play native phone games As you cant easily change the aspect ratio of most native phone screens, youll have to play iOS and Android games undocked and at that point, why not just buy one of the best mobile controllers instead? Youre expecting a polished user experience Given its budget price, I wasnt expecting a seamless app experience. But Bluetooth pairing and app behavior can be quite frustrating, so bear this in mind when deciding to buy. GameSir Pocket Taco review: also consider GameSir X2s Type-C If youre looking for a mobile controller better suited to mobile apps, the GameSir X2s Type-C is a great choice. Its super comfortable in your hands,
its micro-switch buttons and D-pad have a wonderfully tactile feel, and it comes with Hall-effect thumbsticks and triggers. But our two favorite
features are that its USB-C connector pivots to make it easier to insert your phone and the fact that it also comes in at a really reasonable $44.99 / 39.99 / AU$59.

Read our full GameSir X2s Type-C review Backbone One 2nd Gen If you have a little bit more money to invest, the Backbone One 2nd Gen is an easy choice. Its buttons feel great, while its D-pad is super smooth to use and both are really responsive, making rapid taps in twitch gaming much easier. And the neat magnetic adapters included allow it to comfortably fit most phones in their cases, meaning your phone is no longer unprotected when gaming on the go.

Read our full Backbone One 2nd Gen review (Image credit: Future) How I
tested the GameSir Pocket Taco Tested over the course of a week Tried it out on a variety of handsets, operating systems, and games I play way too many retro handheld games I used the GameSir Pocket Taco over the course of a
week. Not only did I download the GameSir app and try out all of its features and settings, but I also paired the device with both an iOS and an Android-powered handset: the iPhone 16 Pro and the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro .

When it comes to software, I used the GameSir Pocket Taco with multiple
native games on iOS and Android. I also set it up with several highly rated emulators to see how compatible they were with the Pocket Tacos screen coverage.

In terms of my own experience, Ive been testing and reviewing gadgets for
many years. Im an avid handheld gamer, regularly playing on my Steam Deck , Switch 2, and iPhone 16 Pro. Im also a keen retro gamer Ive completed games like Chrono Trigger and The Legend of Zelda : The Minish Cap more times than is strictly good for me. First reviewed: May 2026 Read more about how we test GameSir Pocket Taco: Price Comparison 34.99 View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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