Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Reviews

MOGA Ace Power review

By
Moga Ace Power front
MOGA Ace Power
MSRP $99.99
Score Details
DT Recommended Product
“PowerA's MOGA Ace Power controller finally brings a console-style gamepad into the world of iOS 7 gaming.”
Pros
  • Comfortable form factor mimics the behavior of a standard console controller
  • Built-in battery provides extra juice
  • All-analog buttons allow for more complex game design
Cons
  • Only compatible with iPhone 5/5S and fifth-gen iPod Touch
  • Few games supported at launch
  • No option for custom-mapping controls

Gaming on-the-go got a boost from Apple with the addition of external controller support in iOS 7, and PowerA is one of the first to capitalize on it with the release of the Ace Power controller. Much like MOGA’s similarly (large) pocket-friendly Android controllers – right down to the built-in 1,800 mAh battery introduced in the latest model – the Ace Power is designed for your Lightning port-equipped mobile device to slot into, turning the whole assembly into a portable gaming device.

Fully collapsed, the Ace Power vaguely resembles a slightly stunted, downsized Xbox 360 controller. There are four face buttons, two analog control nubs, a concave D-pad, and four shoulder buttons, including two outward-curving triggers. Every single button on the controller is analog rather than digital, which allows games to tell how hard one is being pressed. While it’s nothing any of the current App Store offerings take advantage of (as far as we can tell), it’s a welcome bit of future-proofing. Mobile gamers are ready for an influx of new software built for the more robust 64-bit architecture of A7 CPU inside the iPhone 5/5S and fifth-gen iPod Touch, and MOGA’s controller is built to capitalize on that.

The Ace Power is a cradle for your mobile device rather than a fully separate external controller, and it slides apart to reveal a slot that your iOS device fits snugly into. The Lightning port connector limits the peripheral’s support to Apple’s latest hardware, but most games that can take full advantage of this controller won’t run well (or at all) on older models anyway. Either way, MOGA’s Ace Power is designed with an eye toward what’s to come.

Related

It feels a little flimsy and loose before your phone or iPod is inserted, but that’s largely a result of the slide-to-slot design. Once an Apple device is seated and the sliding mechanism is locked (via a rear-mounted switch), the Ace Power feels like one contiguous piece of hardware; a solidly built, acceptably hefty portable gaming device. It’s a little too small for four fingers to comfortably cover all four shoulder buttons, but placing one on each shoulder allows for a more comfortable grip.

The built-in battery – which powers the controller and feeds juice to your phone/iPod – charges via a micro USB port situated next to the right-hand shoulder buttons. It’s tough to measure the battery life given the way the peripheral’s power distribution works. You can use the battery purely to keep the controller active, or you can flip a switch to keep your phone’s charge topped off as well while you play. It’s a handy bonus, since most use these Apple devices for more than just gaming.

Fully collapsed, the Ace Power vaguely resembles a slightly stunted, downsized Xbox 360 controller.

While the device itself may be solid, the software support isn’t quite there yet. You’re at the mercy of developers patching their games, since there’s no option for custom-mapping controller function. Some games run beautifully, and are enhanced with the addition of console-style controls. Call of Duty: Strike Team is a highlight, with a control scheme on the Ace Power that almost directly mirrors Call of Duty games on PC and consoles. Bastion and Limbo are similarly plug-and-play, with control schemes comparable to their previous releases.

Unfortunately, the list of supported games is rather limited right now. For example, the upcoming iOS port of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is confirmed to include controller support, but earlier mobile ports of GTA III and GTA: Vice City don’t recognize the MOGA peripheral at all. It’ll be on the game developers themselves to patch controller support into earlier titles, but there are no guarantees. In other words: the MOGA Ace Power is set to enhance iOS gaming moving forward, but you might want to wait a bit if you’re hoping to use a controller with older games. Check out MOGA’s website for a compatibility list.

Conclusion

The Ace Power may be MOGA’s first crack at external controller gaming on iOS, but the design is solid and the hardware works as advertised. It’s a little too big to fit in a pants pocket, but not bulky enough to limit the overall portability. Just stuff it in your jacket or something. It’s worth it if you like to game on the go, and the situation will only improve as the game compatibility list grows.

Highs

  • Comfortable form factor mimics the behavior of a standard console controller
  • Built-in battery provides extra juice
  • All-analog buttons allow for more complex game design

Lows

  • Only compatible with iPhone 5/5S and fifth-gen iPod Touch
  • Few games supported at launch
  • No option for custom-mapping controls

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Adam Rosenberg
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…
How to revive dead companions in Baldur’s Gate 3
Withers offering services to the player in Baldur's Gate 3.

You're given a good bit of leeway during battles in Baldur's Gate 3 before you or a companion actually bites the dust for good. While in battle, if a teammate does take enough damage to drop, they aren't dead then and there. Instead, they will be downed with a chance to roll every turn to get back up. If they roll successfully three times, the battle ends, or you use another character to pick them up, they're good. If they fail that roll three times, however, they will be completely dead. That can be harsh when you've become attached to certain characters and want to further their stories, so you'll be looking for any way you can to bring them back. Thankfully you do have a few options for reviving companions in Baldur's Gate 3, but just like respeccing, they aren't so obvious.
Pay Withers to bring them back

Withers is a friendly undead you can find in a secret room in the Dank Crypt found inside the Overgrown Ruins. After finding and speaking to him in his sarcophagus, he will offer you various services, one of which is bringing back any dead companions. He won't do this out of the kindness of his heart (probably because it isn't beating) and will charge you a heavy fine of 200 gold to do so. Still, that's a small price to pay to bring back a beloved character. Once paid, that character will appear in your camp where they would normally be, so there's no need to go back to their corpse and find them.
Use a scroll of Revivfy or learn it

Read more
Every video game delay that has happened in 2023 so far
The player skates toward the moon in Skate Story.

Few things feel as inevitable in the video game industry as delays. Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, game delays have only become more and more common as developers find previously set timelines unrealistic and adjust their release plans accordingly. More than halfway through 2023, we've already seen some notable AAA games like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Skull & Bones, and Pragmata delayed pretty heavily. Because video game release date delays are so common, it can be tough to keep track of every game that has had its launch date shifted in some way.
That's why, just as we did in 2021 and 2022, Digital Trends is rounding up every game delay that's announced throughout 2023. Here are the high-profile ones that have happened so far, listed chronologically by their new intended release dates.
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR (March 16)

As Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is one of the best games for PlayStation VR, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR, Supermassive Games' PlayStation VR2 successor, is a highly anticipated launch title for the upcoming VR headset. Unfortunately, it will no longer make PlayStation VR2's February 22 launch and will instead be released on March 16. On Twitter, a message from Supermassive Games says this delay will ensure that players "receive the most polished, terrifying experience possible" at release. The game was released on that date to mixed reviews.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (March 24)

Read more
Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?
Three characters shoot at a boss in Remnant 2.

Aside from the focus on firearms and integrating some randomly generated environments, the Remnant series sets itself apart from other souls-like games mainly with its focus on co-op. Both titles encourage you to team up with two friends to fight your way through the mutated monsters that await. After so many years of progress in terms of multiplatform games incorporating full cross-platform support, you might assume Remnant 2 will follow suit and let you make a group with anyone regardless of what platform they're on. However, the truth may be a bit more disappointing. Before you make plans with your squad, here's what you need to know about Remnant 2's cross-platform support.
Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?

Unfortunately, Remnant 2 does not have cross-platform play between PS5, Xbox Series X or PC -- and there's no word about it being added in the future.

Read more