Moga Pro Review

Introduction:

Mobile gaming is increasingly becoming fierce as traditional gamers are making their smartphones as their gaming console of choice. Obviously, most of the current titles for mobile have been optimized for touch, but as some hardcore gamers can attest, sometimes they don’t quite provide the same level of enjoyment and control – even more when touch controls occupy the majority of on-screen space. Well, here comes the Bluetooth enabled Moga Pro to the rescue, as it intends to give us mobile games that console like experience with its ripe control and ideal button layout.



Design:

No need to agonize over the cramped confines of your smartphone’s display, mainly because the Moga Pro is a console quality controller. Yes, you heard right folks, it’s a gamepad that’s ideal for all of our gaming requirements. Looking at it, one can’t help but think about some of the distinct console controllers out there – like the XBOX 360 and PS3 ones. In fact, it looks and feels like the PS3 controller, but its control layout takes its cues from the XBOX 360 one. Surprisingly, it’s extremely comfortable to hold and use over an extended amount of time, as its plastic body helps to minimize its overall weight. Indeed, it might seem hollow, but its construction seems solid to endure some of the punishment we sometimes give our gamepads over frustration in playing a game.


Armed with dual-analog sticks for precise controls, they have a solid amount of resistance as we move them around – while at the same time, they’re outfitted with a rubbery soft touch feel to give our thumbs a good grip. With the directional pad, we can’t complain too much about it, since it’s raised and responsive too. Rounding things out on its façade, we have four circular sized action buttons that have a fair amount of travel, but even better, they have some backlighting so we’re able to see them even in the dark – albeit, it’s activated by pressing the recessed button on its underside.


Around its shoulders, we have two analog triggers and two shoulder buttons – just like the XBOX 360 gamepad. Smacked in between them, is the Moga Pro’s microUSB port to charge its internal battery. Now, the unique aspect of the Moga Pro is uncovered as we lift the central front panel, which introduces us to the adjustable Moga Arm. Essentially, we’re able to place our smartphones in it, which is nice and all, but it’s wonderful because it firmly keeps it in place as well. Naturally, we can use the Moga Pro independently if want by using the included stand, which can accommodate tablets.

Overall, this is without a doubt the best designed gamepad we’ve seen thus far for mobile. Heck, it’s nearly identical to the ones used by traditional consoles, so that we’re quickly able to adapt and use it comfortably with a bunch of games right out of the box.

Performance:

Testing out the Moga Pro with a handful of games that include modern 3D titles such as Dead Trigger, SG:DeadZone, N.O.V.A. 3, and Vendetta Online, we’ll be the first ones to vouch its undeniable usefulness. Instead of using those pesky touch controls, which clutters up what we can see on screen, the Moga Pro frees things up – giving us enough real estate to enjoy the action on our smartphone’s display. For first person shooters, the Moga Pro shows its worth as we’re able to rely on the dual-analog sticks for precise controls. To tell you the truth folks, first person shooters benefit most using the Moga Pro, as one analog stick controls our movement, while the other lets us rotate our view. Even better, the various main buttons, shoulder buttons, and analog triggers help to keep it simple and clutter-free most of all!

Conversely, the Moga Pro also works well with old school games – such as PAC-MAN, R-TYPE, and Another World. Yet again, it’s the benefit of having that uncluttered view with the interface that really proves to us the timely worth of having a gamepad.


In order to make the most out of the Moga Pro, you’ll need to check out the optimized games that are recommended by the Moga Pivot App. There’s a switch hidden under the Moga Arm, which allows us to place it in either off, A, or B modes. Placing it in A mode enables us to use the Moga Pro with the handful of titles that have been optimized by the developers – whereas B modes places it into the Human Interface Device (HID) profile. Using this particular mode broadens the Moga Pro’s worth to other gaming titles that haven’t been necessarily optimized to make use out of the gamepad. Sure, there are some challenges in getting it to work on other titles outside of the ones mentioned in the Moga Pivot App, but it’s nonetheless possible.


We’ve always dreamed about transforming our smartphones and tablets into home gaming consoles, especially when they have the hardware and growing ecosystem to appease hardcore gamers. Well, the Moga Pro does just that because we’re able to connect to a Samsung Galaxy S III through Bluetooth, which is connected to an HDTV via an MHL adapter. With this specific setup, we’re able to sit back on the sofa and enjoy everything on the big screen – though, the only issue that we find is with latency. Specifically, we notice delays in registering our controls from the Moga Pro, which isn’t surprising considering it’s something we expect with an MHL connection to the television set.

Battery:

Battery life is superb with this thing, considering that we’ve gone well over 10 hours of game play without having to charge it. And considering that this is super lightweight, it impresses us that we’re to get a fair amount of game time with it. However, it would’ve been nice if there were some kind of indicator built into the Moga Pro, to allow us to visually see how much juice is left. Regardless of that, there are no concerns about much else.

Conclusion:

Absolutely something that’ll surely keep hardened gamers content, the Moga Pro is affordable enough to own at $50 a pop. Sure, it’s slightly higher than some of the console gamepads out there, but considering the benefits that we get out of it in the mobile front, it’s a cost that we believe is justified in more ways than none. For starters, this is the gamepad that we’ve been waiting for – it’s lightweight, has great battery life, and most of all, it gives us an uncluttered experience with our mobile games. On top of all of that, the control scheme is familiar to what we’re used to having on a traditional console, so there’s very little adjustment needed in getting comfy with it. Ultimately, if you’ve agonized over touch controls on several titles, you’ll be ecstatic that it’s going to be a thing of the past once you start using the Moga Pro. So if you’re serious about gaming, don’t hesitate to pick up this essential piece of gear! You won’t be disappointed because it moves mobile gaming towards the correct direction.

Moga Pro Video Review: