It seems everyone wants to turn your phone into a Game Boy – now it's GameSir's turn

While there are now hundreds of retro gaming handhelds out there, in all shapes and sizes, you actually probably own one without even knowing. That's because every Android handset and iPhone is capable of playing the classics through emulation too.

That's certainly something accessory manufacturers are looking at this year with elegant solutions to turn your smartphone into a vertical, Game Boy-style handheld.

We've seen some controller concepts popping up in recent times, from cases that can also be used as capacitive controls, to stick-on pads and buttons to use when on your travels. But now the bigger makers are joining the fray, with GameSir following 8BitDo in announcing a dedicated phone controller for retro play.

Like the 8BitDo FlipPad, the cunningly named GameSir Pocket Taco clips onto the bottom of your device to provide responsive D-pad and button arrays. The two new solutions even look similar (in Game Boy configurations and colours), but the technical design is different.

How does the GameSir Pocket Taco work?

Where the FlipPad connects via USB-C and, well, flips up, the Pocket Taco hugs onto the bottom of your phone. It's also connected wireless via Bluetooth rather than the phone's port, and features its own 600mAh battery.

You get triggers and bumpers around the rear, too. That means you can use it for all manner of console emulation, not just Game Boy and earlier machines. But there's no thumbstick, so it won't be suitable for the likes of N64 and above really.

However, thanks to a hole at the bottom, you can still charge your phone while in use and its design can even fit phones in this cases, thanks to a stretchable hinge.

GameSir will link the device with its own app and as it works like a regular Bluetooth controller, you should be able to use it with just about every emulator your handset supports. You just need to make sure the game runs on the top-half of the display though, of course.

The GameSir Pocket Taco will ship from 15 March with pre-orders available on the company's own website now. It's priced at £27.99 / $38 / €32.95 / AU$57.