I’ve a Gamevice Flex and a Spine I’m at present trialing in opposition to one another.
Spine has vastly superior software program help—the polish and performance of the sport launcher and its synergy with its information button are notable. It’s superior to launch and set up apps with out always turning the cellphone 90 levels (actually awkward with the controller on), and the Information button mechanically provides any supported recreation you leap out of to the launcher. It’s easy to make use of and looks like a console. However…now they cost a $40/yr subscription after the primary month. Plus, it has a deadly flaw, which I’ll cowl later.
Gamevice Flex has an app with, mainly, showcase-style recreation adverts in it for just a few video games which you could’t really launch from, simply leap to the installer. And it updates your firmware, so there’s that. However that’s just about it. And it pops up while you don’t need it, since you’ve mistakenly hit their far more ineffective information button—that forcibly takes you to the app that just about solely updates your firmware. I’m mildly shocked the Gamevice app doesn’t make an audible sucking sound while you launch it, it’s so terrible.
{Hardware} is the reverse.
My 14 Professional Max sits weirdly within the Spine. It doesn’t concern me for the cellphone, and it doesn’t intrude with gameplay, however it does look chintzy af. As for the controls themselves, the Spine is a largely good JoyCon imitation. However the triggers have such a light-weight pull that they’re onerous to not activate by mistake when you cowl them. And, in fact, the JoyCon ergos aren’t ultimate for lots of video games. Plus, the buttons are tremendous clicky noisy.
The Gamevice Flex is a bit bizarre wanting, being two controller halves on a rubber band like some sort of MFi bolo. However it does collapse to about 2/3 the dimensions of an empty Spine and in a extra packable format. Plus, the controls themselves actually do really feel like—effectively, not a Microsoft Xbox controller, however possibly a well-executed Energy-A Xbox controller. They’re loads ok and far more snug for hardcore video games. After which there’s the entire case match system, which is tremendous spectacular.
In my good world, Spine would give me a sub for the launcher app to make use of with my Gamevice or give it away when you purchased their {hardware} as an alternative.
However on this world, I’d advocate the Gamevice, I feel.
The one drawback with the Spine+ launcher is that they have a variety of video games you possibly can’t add as a result of they solely have unofficial controller help. The launcher doesn’t present a strategy to manually add a recreation Spine hasn’t already listed, and so they solely index video games which have checked the “controller-supported” field in App Retailer. And it could’t launch Cloud Gaming. Meaning it’s important to use the Dwelling Display for some stuff, at which level it’s possible you’ll as effectively use Dwelling Display for every little thing.
That negates the software program benefit, leaving the vastly superior {hardware} of the Gamevice.
I’ll say I’ve not tried the Kishi, however I anticipate the JoyCon kind issue to be an issue and it reportedly has crappy software program too. And I used to be solely excited about direct join, so I haven’t tried the Nacon MG-X controller.
To that final one, I’ll level out the following iPhone received’t be Lightning. It’ll be USB-C. So after we improve our telephones, all of us get to throw these controllers away and purchase new “Android” ones. That’s, besides if in case you have the Nacon as a result of it’s only a holder with Bluetooth and doesn’t hook up with the cellphone. That will make it an excellent selection for you.