Razer Kishi V2 Represents Real Competition For Backbone
Mobile devices are increasingly becoming genuine competitive gaming machines, but many styles of games simply don’t feel as good to play on a touchscreen. To help with this issue, video game accessory manufacturers have been competing to see who can offer the best solution. To date, the Backbone One (which is not yet available for Android devices) has been the go-to phone controller for a number of compelling reasons, but Razer’s Kishi V2, which is now available for both Android and iOS devices, gives it some real competition.
Kishi versus Kishi V2
As implied by the V2 in its name, the Kishi V2 is a follow-up to its 2020 Kishi mobile phone controller, which was a solid phone controller that GameSpot ranked highly on its list of the best mobile phone controllers. The follow-up makes a number of smart changes and improvements, as well as a few minor questionable changes.
This biggest and most notable change is the addition of a full bridge. The bridge is the connective piece joining the left and right sides of the controller. The original Kishi used a foldable piece of rubber that allowed it to collapse into a portable square when not in use. Making the controller compact when not playing was nice, but it made connecting and removing your phone from the controller a little tricky, and it felt a somewhat flimsy while in use.
The bridge on the Kishi V2 is a solid piece of retractable plastic (like its greatest competition, the Backbone One), and it makes it easier to insert your phone into the dock and feels more solid while you’re playing.
The Buttons
The Kishi V2 also adds a number of additional buttons, but does so in a way where it does not feel excessive. Along with the options and share buttons on the left side of the controller, and the menu button on the right side, there is also a dedicated Razer Nexus button.
Razer Nexus is Razer’s dedicated iOS and Android software that works in tandem with the controller and lets you organize your games and launch them from a single application. The app also allows you to access YouTube or Facebook streaming capabilities and controller settings. The app is optional and does not feature a subscription, which is the case for comparable associated controller apps. I dabbled with the app and it seemed generally superfluous, but a nice accompaniment to the hardware.
The other additional buttons that have been added–which has the potential to be the main feature separating it from its competitors–are third and fourth additional shoulder buttons, which are called M1 and M2. These buttons are set next to the L2 and R2 triggers and will be programmable for various games. What makes them so good is they are as easy to press as they are to ignore. They are completely out of the way of the main shoulder buttons and unlikely to be accidentally pressed, but are easy to reach when you want to engage them. I like these additional buttons so much that I wouldn’t mind seeing them on future standard console controllers. I find them easier to use and more comfortable to press than the back paddles that are becoming increasingly popular on high-end console and PC controllers.
Outside of those additional buttons, the layout will be familiar to anyone who has held an Xbox controller. The analog sticks are offset and have a small field of movement, but feel good and function as buttons when you click them. The L1 and R1 buttons are standard shoulder buttons, while L2 and R2 function as triggers. The L2 and R2 buttons also have a small field of movement, but still feel good. The D-pad and face buttons (and the various menu buttons) all click in a satisfying and responsive way. None of the buttons feel mushy, and the only potential complaint you could levy against them is they might be easy to press by accident, especially considering how small they are. This was not my experience, but I could see it being an issue for larger hands.
One barely noticeable downgrade from the original Kishi is the A/B/X/Y buttons are no longer colored. Colored buttons are, admittedly, not something you think about while playing a game. The best controllers are designed in such a way where you don’t look at them at all, but I just prefer a dash of color on my controllers, and the Kishi V2 is strictly white and black.
The Ergonomics
Holding the Kishi V2 and your phone feels good. Both sides of the controller have a simple round shape with textured grips and the layout of the buttons feels familiar. I mean this in a positive way, but there is not much to be said about how the Kishi V2 feels. A good controller is one you forget you are holding and don’t think about much while you’re playing, and the Kishi V2 achieves that difficult-to-quantify goal. It feels mostly invisible in a positive way.Come from Sports betting site VPbet
Playing Games
To test the Razer Kishi V2, I played new games like Diablo Immortal, as well as classics like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, to put the controller through its platformer paces, and it kept up without issue on the Android version. When I was able to try out the iOS version of the controller, I tried playing a few levels of Jetpack Joyride 2 and had a similarly positive experience.
Compatibility and ease of use will vary game to game (Apex Legends Mobile, for example, was not yet able to take advantage of the controller), but for the ones it is compatible with, integration is seamless. The Razer Kishi V2 is not a Bluetooth controller. It plugs right into the USB-C port on the bottom of the phone for Android, or the lighting port on iOS devices, which means you never need to worry about charging or an unstable wireless connection. There is also a passthrough port so you can charge your phone while playing if needed on the bottom of the controller, which is placed well to stay out of your way while playing.
The bottom line
The Kishi V2 impressed me during my time with it. The Backbone One is the mobile phone controller to beat, and the Kishi V2 took the right lessons from that popular controller and added some of its own welcome flourishes. As a result, it’s the best mobile controller for Android, and the iOS version rivals the Backbone One. The Kishi V2, like the Backbone One, is pricey at $99, but it makes games like Diablo Immortal feel like you’re playing on a first-party controller and not the thing you use to scroll through Twitter.
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