Razer Kishi for Android... Razer Kishi Smartphone Gaming...
One minute review
The Razer Kishi is the company's next gaming controller for mobile phones, following the aging Junglecat, and it appears to be designed to be one of the more premium offerings on the market. Its build is solid, it has more buttons than many competitors, and its paired app also doubles as a full-fledged game launcher. The biggest Junglecat problem that the Kishi solves is phone compatibility, because while the old joystick only worked with a handful of smartphones, the Kishi can connect to a wide variety of Android smartphones, as long as your phone has a port. USB-C. iPhones aren't supported yet, though an iOS version of the Kishi is planned for mid-2020. Ironically, the main issue with the Kishi is also compatibility, but in terms of games, not phones. Although your Kishi works automatically in many games, saving you from having to map the controller yourself (which can be tricky for each new game), Kishi only works in multiple games, and cannot be used in those that are not in the list. It's probably worth downloading the Razer Gamepad app before you buy the Kishi to see which of your favorites are compatible, unless you want to use some of the larger compatible game streaming services. If your best games work with Kishi, it's probably a game changer (literally) that will bring your mobile gaming experience closer to console gaming. If you can't find your favorites on the list, Kishi will be pretty redundant and other, more affordable joysticks might be better.
Razer Kishi price and availability
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(Image credit: Future) You can buy the Razer Kishi from the Razer website; at the time of writing this is the only place you can get the gamepad. The Razer Kishi is priced at €79.99 / £79.99 (around AU$115), although given the precedents we didn't expect it to be available in Australia. The Android-compatible version of the Kishi went on sale on June 9, 2020, with an iOS-compatible model due for release in mid-2020. At this price, the Kishi is actually more affordable than its predecessor, the Junglecat, which cost $99.99 / £99.99 (about AU$150, though it didn't go to Australia). That being said, there are plenty of cheap mobile game controllers you can buy online for much less than the Kishi. Black Shark and Red Magic, two companies that make gaming smartphones, sell game controllers for the same price as the Kishi.
Integrated
The Razer Kishi consists of a left and right joystick, but unlike many phone controllers that consist of two separate controller halves, the Kishi's halves are attached with a rubber band to a central retention plate that sits on the back of the phone. . This ensures the joysticks fit correctly when connected to a phone, and when not in use you can bundle everything into one portable block. Image 1 of 2
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(Image credit: Future) Like all joysticks, the Razer Kishi has a plastic body and is very light for this reason. Attaching it to a phone doesn't add much extra weight to the phone, and we could easily slip it into a pocket when you're not using it without weighing it down. The left half of the Razer Kishi has a joystick facing up and a D-pad below (like an Xbox controller), as well as a home button, another function button, and two triggers. The right half has the same two triggers, a bottom joystick, another function button, and four "face" buttons, again using the X, Y, A, and B keys on the Xbox. Since most phones have speakers on their bottom edge, the right side of the Kishi has small vents for sound, as well as a USB-C connector that plugs into the phones to connect the controller, and a USB-C port. C so you can charge your phone while gaming (although you can't charge the gamepad itself. It should also be noted that the joysticks are clickable, for even more controller functionality. The Razer Kishi connects to phones via from the aforementioned USB-C connector, and you need to stretch the other half of the joystick over the top of your phone to click the controller into the USB-C ports.The Kishi fits most phones we put in, both the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro which is quite thick as well as the Motorola Edge which is quite long fit the body perfectly The Black Shark 3 was too big to hold because it is more than 1cm thick but very few phones are as wide as that, so most will work. The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is too long to hold, at 16,7cm in length, but again, it's one of the largest phones available.
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(Image credit: Future) When the Kishi is attached to a phone, it feels extremely sturdy and rigid - it doesn't wobble at all, probably thanks to either the connection plate or pads on either side of the device holding the phone. Neither side feels in danger of slipping either, and the Kishi feels as reliable and sturdy as any PlayStation or Xbox controller.
Gaming
Most smartphone gamepads require you to physically map commands to points on the screen, which usually correspond to in-game buttons, so that you dictate where it "thinks" you are pressing when you press the physical controller button. Kishi's strength and weakness is that he is not. For the Razer Kishi, compatible games have pre-built control schemes that work with the joystick, so you can just plug it in and start playing. The list of supported games can be found by downloading the Razer "Gamepad" app and includes leading games like ARK: Survival Evolved, Asphalt 9 Legends, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Goat Simulator and many more. 'other games. The app lets you know which of the games you've already downloaded is working and gives you easy access to the Google Play Store to download more.
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(Image credit: Future) While it's great to skip the whole "button mapping" process, the downside is that many popular games aren't compatible with Kishi, including most of the major titles you want. Call of Duty: Mobile, PUBG: Mobile, Fortnite, and Infamous: Gods Among Us aren't supported, for example, and there's also no way to create your own control schemes, so these games just don't work Not with Kishi. It's a shame Kishi only works on certain games and not others, because if you're a fan of incompatible games (as you probably are, because they're among the biggest titles on the market), you simply can't use the gamepad. This is an issue that may be resolved down the road, as it looks like new games are being added to the Gamepad app, and it's possible that Razer will allow users to create custom control schemes, and if that happens, the Kishi will truly be the joystick essential. We should point out that the Razer Kishi also works with certain game streaming services like Google Stadia, Microsoft's Project xCloud, and Nvidia GeForce Now, and while all of these services aren't available on every smartphone, when they are, this could significantly increase performance. Kishi usability. If these are the services you want to use a joystick for, this will work as a treat.
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(Image credit: Future) When the Razer Kishi works, it runs great (even if you have to download new games to test it, like we did). We tried a few games, and that showed how useful it is to have a sturdy gamepad for gaming - you can really squeeze the controller and hammer those buttons, without worrying about breaking them. The game's control schemes can be a bit confusing at times, as there's no tutorial or guide, so you have to play around a bit to figure out what each button does. Fortunately, many in-game tutorials are modified to reflect the change in control patterns. Also, in some games important features don't have a key - we played Battle Royale Rules of Survival and found there was no button to switch weapons, which was a bit confusing, so you'll have to tap the screen from time to time. when. Also, the buttons can sometimes look arbitrary or unnatural, a problem that would be solved by assigning your own commands. In some games, the controls were seamless, and when we played ARK: Survival Evolved, we quickly forgot that it was a mobile phone port to the game, because we felt like we were playing on a console. . This has highlighted the usefulness of the Razer Kishi when it works as expected, and it's a shame you don't get this experience in all mobile games.
Should I buy the Razer Kishi?
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Buy it if:
You like games on the Razer Kishi compatibility list If you could comfortably play games on the Kishi compatibility list, the Kishi is a great purchase because it enhances the gaming experience when you use it. This includes those who want to play game streaming services on their phones. You need a robust controller The Razer Kishi feels more durable and sturdy than most competitors, which is a blessing given that many smartphone joysticks feel flimsy. The Kishi probably won't break or fall apart if you leave it at the bottom of a bag.
Don't buy it if:
Your range of games is too wide If you feel you can't follow Razer Kishi's curated list of games, you may find a better use from another mobile gamepad that will allow you to map the buttons yourself, such as you can use in many different games. You want an affordable controller The Razer Kishi is at the top of the mobile controller price range, and if you don't think its benefits are necessary for your enjoyment and just want cheap kit, you probably don't need the Kishi. First review: June 2020