Backbone Pro Review: A Smart Mobile Game Controller That'll Cost You

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. Backbone Pro $170 at Backbone Pros Bluetooth plus some in-controller processing means you don't have to play with your phone inserted Software now provides access to emulators for retro games Much better, ergonomic grip than Backbone One and other "flat" controllers Rear buttons Cons Expensive, especially if you need the subscription Can still only use USB for charging (now both controller and phone), not audio A lot of features, including the unified game hub and launcher, emulators, live streaming and more require a $40 annual subscription One game controller to rule them all? Not yet, but the Backbone Pro sets out on that path and covers a fair bit of ground -- for a nontrivial $170 price tag (thank you tariffs) plus an optional subscription at $40 a year to bring the necessary features into play. I tested the iPhone version of the app; ... Read full article.