This Game Boy-inspired controller took my iPhone back to 1993

When people ask where my interest in tech came from, I always point to the same moment in my life. The year was 1993, and I was starting first grade in a new city. I was nervous, but to help me with my big feelings, my grandmother bought me a brand-new gadget that I had never heard of: A Game Boy. The video game machine enchanted me immediately, and led to a lifelong fascination not only with video games, but with tech as a whole.

It has been over 30 years since that fateful day, and while I occupy my time nowadays on the PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch 2, I maintain a strong affection for the device that started it all.

The GameSir Pocket Taco, despite its hilarious name, is a unique device that basically turns any phone into a Game Boy-style game console, perfect for retro enthusiasts who use emulators like Delta or Eden to play games from the past four decades of video game history. I recently spent several days revisiting classic titles from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance, and I can say that this controller helped bring back some warm and fuzzy memories of a simpler time in a way that I was not expecting.

4/5

Platform

iOS/Android

Battery

600 MaH

Connectivity

Bluetooth

Weight

60g

Pros & Cons

• Nails the Game Boy aesthetic and style
• Easy to pick up and play
• Not too expensive

• Limited use case
• Doesn’t work when not specifically attached to phone

Price, availability, and specs

Retro charm for a low price

When it comes to emulation, there really is no shortage of options out there. You can grab a pocket emulator from a wide range of companies, use a service like Nintendo Online’s Virtual Console to play games from yesteryear on a modern console, or even waste time at work with a browser-based emulator. However, those who are looking for maximum convenience are probably emulating games on their phone, especially now that both the App Store and Google Play feature several emulators that can be downloaded for free.

The phone emulation experience is one that I mostly enjoy, but if you’re someone who misses the tactile feel of buttons under your finger, the GameSir Pocket Taco helps bridge the gap between your phone and a high-end pocket emulator with a lightweight, clip-on design that fits almost any iPhone or Android phone and features a membrane D-pad and ABXY buttons, plus tactile switch and bumpers, for maximum platform flexibility.

Despite its small size and light weight (it comes in at just over 60 grams) the GameSir Pocket Taco has a surprisingly robust 600 mAh battery, capable of providing hours of gameplay on a single charge, and features a pass through port at the bottom so you can keep your phone powered on as well.

The GameSir Pocket Taco is available for $35 on GameSir’s official website.

What I liked about the GameSir Pocket Taco

Retro fun on the go

The best thing the GameSir Pocket Taco has going for it is its Game Boy aesthetic, which it nails completely in surprising detail. Everything from the color scheme to the clicky buttons and even the ridges on the back for a nonexistent battery door scratched my nostalgia itch perfectly, and I can easily say that holding this thing in my hands while playing Super Mario Land levels that I haven’t played in decades (but still somehow have completely memorized somewhere in the back of my mind) felt absolutely amazing.

Though the appeal to nostalgia is the main reason for this device’s existence, it doesn’t hurt that actually using the controller is pretty easy as well. I tested the device using an iPhone 16 and the taco controller snapped on to the phone securely, with rubberized grips on both the front and back interior holding my phone firmly in place. Though you could easily shake the phone out of the grip if you wanted to (and a big bump on the bus would probably send it flying) for normal play, the hold was decent enough and I never really had any issues with the phone slipping out of the taco or moving around too much.

Buttons have a responsive (and nostalgic) click to them and though Bluetooth responsibleness on mobile controllers can be hit or miss when you’re playing modern titles, for retro gaming it works just fine.

And speaking of connectivity, getting set up with the controller was also a breeze as it took mere seconds to connect the GameSir Pocket Taco to my phone for the first time, and then all I had to do to re-connect it for a later gaming session was open the taco, which would reconnect it to my phone automatically in less than a second. This ease of connectivity is a big plus here, as one of my big issues with mobile controllers is often how long it takes them to connect to my phone. If the process takes more than a few seconds, it doesn’t really seem worth the extra effort to me, and I’ll just end up using touch controls. But with this, connection happens instantly, which makes this a lot more convenient to carry around.

What I didn’t like about the GameSir Pocket Taco

You lose a lot of screen space

While I personally like the chunky Game Boy aesthetic that the GameSir Pocket Taco provides, this experience does come at the experience of screen space, and if you’re emulating anything in full screen, you’ll need to adjust your settings so that you can see whatever game you’re playing. I had to alter my settings on several titles so that the screen was small enough to work with the controller, which is a bit of a time sink when you’re using a device that is supposed to make retro gaming on the go easier.

Another thing that I didn’t like about this controller was that I couldn’t keep playing with it when it was not physically connected to the phone. I understand that this is a battery-saving mechanic, but if I want to play something with the controller while it is not connected to the phone, I don’t see why I don’t have that option.

Should you buy the GameSir Pocket Taco?

A great little retro gaming companion with a limited use case

As a Game Boy enthusiast, I really appreciated the thoughtful approach GameSir took to crating the Pocket Taco device. Every part of it was designed in a lab to appeal to me, specifically, and I can definitely see myself using this when I want to revisit some classic games on my phone. However, I understand that this is a very niche use case, and if you’re not all-in on retro gaming on your phone, physical controllers, and the nostalgic Game Boy aesthetic, all at the same time, the appeal of this device is probably pretty low, and you’re better off going with one of GameSir’s more versatile mobile controllers. Still, despite its limited use case, $35 is a low price to pay for a sweet little nostalgia trip, and if you’re a ’90s kid like me looking to recapture some of your earliest gaming memories, the GameSir Pocket Taco will deliver the vintage vibes you’re after.

4/5

Platform

iOS/Android

Battery

600 MaH

Connectivity

Bluetooth

Weight

60g