Skip to main content

Moga Pro Review

Image used with permission by copyright holder
Moga Pro
MSRP $49.99
“It’s a niche product for a specific type of mobile gamer, but the MOGA Pro is the best of what’s out there for what it does.”
Pros
  • Familiar Xbox-inspired design
  • App-supported games integrate well
  • Rechargeable battery
Cons
  • MOGA games only exist on Android devices
  • Niche appeal

PowerA’s MOGA is a nifty little game controller for Android users that are content to game on the go with nubby analog controls and pint-sized face buttons. Serious gamers can appreciate the pocket-friendly peripheral as well, but for games like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Dead Trigger, and others that port over or emulate console play, the little MOGA doesn’t cut it.

Enter the MOGA Pro.

Recommended Videos

Based on the design of PowerA’s excellent FUS1ON Tournament Controller for Xbox 360, the MOGA Pro performs exactly the same as its little brother does. The difference is that it’s wrapped in the familiar form factor of a modern day twin thumbstick controller.

…the mounting arm extends far enough to accommodate even Samsung’s sub-tablet Galaxy Note II.

Setup is a snap. Simply download the MOGA Pivot app onto your Bluetooth-enabled Android device of choice – smartphone or tablet, doesn’t matter, as long as you’re running version 2.3 or later – and fire it up. On screen directions guide you through the quick and painless process of turning on the controller and pairing it. Once that’s done, the controller works automatically with any Pivot-supported game as well as with the Pivot app itself.

Another nice upgrade in the MOGA Pro is a built-in rechargeable battery that PowerA rates at 12-15 hours. The battery certainly held up to extended use during our testing. Charging is done using an included USB cord, though you’ll need a computer to connect it to as there’s no outlet adapter.

The Pro includes an extendable plastic smartphone mount similar to the one found on the smaller MOGA. Weight distribution threatens to throw balance off with some of the larger devices, but the mounting arm extends far enough to accommodate even Samsung’s sub-tablet Galaxy Note II.

Tucked away beneath the mounting arm is a power switch with A and B settings. The former is what you set the controller to when pairing with the Pivot app, bringing full-on controller support to the 60-odd (and growing) library of games accessible in Pivot. The B setting allows the controller to work with unsupported games.

In-game performance is a welcome improvement over obtrusive virtual touchscreen controls that many of these games are saddled with. The Pivot-supported apps come with the best implementation and support, including MOGA Pro-specific control layout screens and the like. Unsupported games are unsurprisingly a bit rougher and more latency-prone, but the Pivot library offers plenty on its own.

As for the controller itself, it’s an Xbox 360 gamepad. The button placement and form factor is exactly the same as PowerA’s FUS1ON. You even get left/right analog trigger, a welcome upgrade from the digital “click” triggers of the earlier MOGA.

Conclusion

The question of whether or not the MOGA Pro’s $50 price is a good value depends entirely on how much Android gaming you do. MOGA Pivot supports most of the big-ticket console-style games available for the mobile OS, and PowerA promises more to come. It’s a niche product for a specific type of mobile gamer, but the MOGA Pro is the best of what’s out there for what it does.

Highs

  • Familiar Xbox-inspired design
  • App-supported games integrate well
  • Rechargeable battery

Lows

  • MOGA games only exist on Android devices
  • Niche appeal
Adam Rosenberg
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…
The best multiplayer games on Android
The cover art for Minecraft.

Mobile has become a serious gaming platform alongside the best consoles and PCs. In fact, a lot of games are cross-platform between Android and those other systems so you can play most of the best PS5 games on the go. That also means that, depending on the game, you can also battle with or against other players in fierce online matches. Whether you enjoy a competitive round of PvP or co-op experiences, we've checked out all the best games on Android and picked out the top multiplayer games currently available for you to scratch your gaming itch no matter where you are.

While this list is only for currently released games, there are plenty of upcoming mobile games that also feature multiplayer you should be on the lookout for.

Read more
Marvel Snap is an unintended victim of the TikTok ban
Marvel Snap running on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus.

Marvel Snap, the ever-popular mobile game, is no longer available in the United States. It went offline at the same time as TikTok. While the focus of the ban has been around TikTok, one aspect of the ban that hasn't been discussed is that it applies to all apps from ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. Although Marvel Snap is developed by Second Dinner, ByteDance published it.

When you try to open the app now, you see a message stating, "Sorry, Marvel Snap isn't available right now. A law banning Marvel Snap has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use Marvel Snap for now. Rest assured, we're working to restore our service in the U.S. Please stay tuned!"

Read more
Mob Entertainment is targeting copycat games in the app store
A screen grab from Poppy's Playtime

Mob Entertainment, the studio behind the massively popular horror franchise Poppy Playground, has filed a lawsuit against Google and multiple games that use its assets without authorization. It's a common problem in app stores, so much so that it has become a meme: all mobile games kind of have the same icon, usually a character mid-shout. But sometimes it goes beyond that, and fake developers release games that are clear copyright infringements to mislead consumers. Now a developer has taken action to try and clear out the worst offenders, filing a lawsuit against Google for its failure to remove the games and against developer Daigo Game 2020, Inc for releasing a "scam" application.

Mob Entertainment says that Daigo Game 2020 company released two games — Poppy Playtime: Chapter 3 and Poppy Playtime: Chapter 4 — and used protected assets to do so. These faux versions of the game were released before the official ones and caused confusion and complaints among the playerbase. The two chapters weren't actually games at all, according to the filing — they were advertisements disguised as games, asking players to pay between $30 and $95 for the "Guide wuggy playtime mod," according to TorrentFreak.

Read more