Backbone’s versatile pro controller is nearly matching its best price to date

Mobile gaming has come a long way in the last decade, but we all know that smartphones just can’t match the visceral, tactile feeling you get from playing with a dedicated controller. Luckily, Backbone has some great mobile options, including this one from last year. Pro Spinewhich is currently on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for $139.99 ($30 off), its second best price yet.

In many ways, Backbone’s latest mobile controller is just an updated version of what came before it. The handheld device consists of two oblong halves with a stretchy plastic strip in the middle, allowing you to use it with Android devices and iPhone 15, 16, and 17 series phones. It plugs into your phone’s USB-C port, and once connected, you can play with two full-size ALP controllers, a responsive D-pad, and A, B, X, and Y buttons. It also has two programmable back buttons, a 3.5mm headphone jack, better ergonomics than your phone and an average battery life of 40 hours on a single charge.

Hardware is only part of the equation, however. Backbone’s intention with the Pro is for it to function as a more universal gamepad, and as such the company’s software brings together games from Apple Arcade, Netflix, Google Play, and other services into a single app, allowing you to discover and launch games with ease. Plus, you can use it to stream Xbox or PlayStation games – from your console or the cloud – and connect it to a host of other devices via Bluetooth, including your PC, Steam Deck, and Apple devices like the iPad and Mac. Sure, the beefy controller feels a little awkward when you’re using it without a phone, but that’s a small price to pay for the added versatility.