GameSir Pocket Taco Review

The majority of mobile controllers you’ll see are aimed at landscape gaming. Not exactly a surprise when you consider most popular titles (especially big-budget gachas) that support controllers make use of that format. However, this naturally makes them a little cumbersome to carry around alongside your phone.

Enter the GameSir Pocket Taco, a tiny controller that’s designed for portrait gaming. It features a full set of buttons, only missing the analogue sticks seen on its larger brethren. The small form factor and low price make it a unique entry in the mobile controller market, though I do wonder if it’s also a little redundant in the current market.

Pocket Taco Specs

• Connection Type: Bluetooth
• D-Pad Type: Membrane
• Button Type: Membrane (ABXY), Tactile (shoulder and triggers)
• Battery: 600mAh
• Styles: Off-White (Game Boy), Atomic Purple (Kickstarter Exclusive)

Appearance and Form Factor

While I knew going into this the Pocket Taco would be small, having it in my hands showed just how small it is. This is a very thin controller, easily fitting into your pocket without issue. The Off-White model which we got to check out for this review is clearly based on the original Game Boy, even featuring the ridges on the back.

This inspiration is seen across most parts of the controller, including the slanted start and select buttons, and the font choice. Really, the only part that deviates from this is the top, featuring plain black shoulder and triggers alongside USB-C charging.

Connecting the Pocket Taco to a phone is as simple as opening up the two halves and sliding it on. On the inside are two silicone pads, which stop your phone from sliding around while in use. It’s enough to keep things secure without potentially putting too much pressure on the screen. It’ll even fit if you’re using a case (unless you’re using something incredibly bulky of course.)

Does the Job, Despite Some Drawbacks

Due to its unique method of connecting, the Pocket Taco comes with a number of drawbacks. For one, you’re not getting the most ergonomically sound experience. The back of the controller is fully flat with no places to properly grip, and it can feel a little cramped when trying to use the shoulder buttons while playing.

In fact, the shoulder and “trigger” buttons are the biggest downside. They’re tiny and somewhat stiff, and they’re not angled to make hitting them easier. Fine when you only need them occasionally, but I was not a fan of using them while emulating GBA titles.

On the other hand, the face buttons are excellent. They’re membrane but have a nice click to them, featuring a good amount of travel despite the Pocket Taco’s thin design. Start and select are serviceable, aiming more towards nostalgia with the mushy rubber feel over offering something premium.

I also have no realm qualms with the d-pad. Sure it’s nothing overly special, but you don’t have to worry about missed or phantom inputs. And once again, I’m still impressed about how they got it onto a controller that’s this small.

Redundant?

At £34.99 directly via GameSir (or slightly less via Kickstarter), this isn’t an incredibly expensive controller. However, it’s also one that’s limited in a number of ways. This is mainly due to how it connects to your phone. Sure, it’s a small device, but it still has to cover up a significant portion of the screen.

This makes it unusable for games that need the entire screen. And for emulation, anything past NES or Game Boy is going to be smaller than playing in landscape. Even for DS emulation where portrait is preferred, you’ll still have to shrink at least one of the screens down to fit everything while the Pocket Taco is on your phone.

While emulation realistically being one of the main reasons to pick up the Pocket Taco, it’s also worth comparing it to standalone emulation handhelds. While requiring you to carry around a completely different device over just your phone, some aren’t that much bigger than this controller.

Miyoo’s line-up is full of smaller handhelds, and even the Miyoo Mini Plus is still on the more compact side. I bring up the Mini Plus specifically because when I picked it up on sale, it was only £5 than the retail price of the Pocket Taco.

And that’s where I’m a bit sceptical of the Pocket Taco. Its design limits the number of games you’ll actually be able to play on your phone, while also not offering amazing ergonomics. For slightly more, you can pick up something with a more comfortable design that also doesn’t need you to use up your phone’s battery for gaming.

Even when talking about just mobile gaming, GameSir’s own X5 Lite is often cheaper than the Pocket Taco. Sure it’s larger, but you gain access to portrait gaming, analogue sticks, and better triggers.

GameSir Pocket Taco Review – Final Thoughts

The GameSir Pocket Taco is a fun entry into the mobile gaming space, but one that I realistically think most people don’t actually need. Once the novelty wears off, you’re left with a controller that limits your gaming options while not offering much in return.

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A sample of the GameSir Pocket Taco was provided by GameSir for this review. The Kickstarter campaign runs until 14 March 2026, and is the only way to get the Atomic Purple Variant.

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