Moga Hero Power review

There are very few things that gamers agree on but it is a universally acknowledged fact that touchscreen controls are crap for games which aren’t specifically designed for touch screens. Buttons are easy to miss, it’s difficult to time jumps and the whole experience is just an exercise in caution. You spend more time worrying about pressing the button than you do enjoying the game.

However there are solutions to this problem in the form of detachable gamepads of which there are many. In my experience most are of somewhat dubious quality and simply don’t work as well as the console controls they emulate. I was recently given a Moga Hero Power by Moga themselves (thanks guys!) and it is certainly a big step in the right direction for mobile gamepads.

First impressions

The packaging is nice and simple but it doesn’t look cheap, which for a controller priced at $59.99 is pretty important. The package contains the controller, two micro USB cables (one long, one short) and a quick setup guide which explains exactly what you need to do to get your Moga up and running. Inside was a little too empty and the controller definitely had enough room to move around, so better internal packaging probably wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Setting up the Moga

Now this is the part we all worry about. Bluetooth is a harsh mistress, and in the past this has always been my problem with bluetooth controllers. Especially controllers like the Moga which offer several different features and control schemes.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Moga setup was a breeze thanks to the very simple Moga Pivot app. The Moga Pivot guides you through the set up process quickly and efficiently, and from then on whenever my phone and gamepad have been on they have connected with no problems

The Moga Pivot app

As well as helping you set up the controller, Pivot acts as a convenient portal to find games that are Moga compatible. Basically it works as a gaming estore that links you directly to the Play Store for your downloads. It’s a pity it can’t all be handled in-app but I understand the limitation.