I've always had a thing for portable game consoles.

It started with my original yellow Game Boy (which I still actually have) and continues with the Switch 2, ROG Xbox Ally X, and the multiple retro-inspired handhelds I've bought over the past few years, including the Analogue Pocket, the Chromatic, the Anbernic 34XXSP, and more. There's just something so visceral about holding a modern physical handheld that resembles the Game Boy and Game Boy Color I spent so much time with as a kid.

While I use these devices a lot at home, I find myself not taking them on the go as much as I would like. Part of that comes from me being too busy with life in general and my eight-month-old son, but it's also because I often don't take a handheld with me when I'm out and about and actually have time to kill. I already carry so many things in my satchel that I don't need to throw an Analogue Pocket or Chromatic into the mix (I do sometimes take the 34XXSP on the go, though).

I always have the Pocket Taco on me now

It's so small that it's easy to toss into a bag

This is where GameSir's Pocket Taco comes in. I view it this way: I've always believed the best camera is the one you have with you, and for me these days, that's my iPhone 17 Pro. Now, the Pocket Taco fills the same role, but on the gaming side. I can easily slip the small controller into my bag and pull it out whenever I want to play Pokémon LeafGreen, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Donkey Kong, or Blades of Steel, or whatever retro game I want, for a few minutes.

The Pocket Taco is a tiny, well-made gamepad that connects to iPhone and Android devices via Bluetooth and slides over the lower half of the screen, turning your smartphone into a makeshift Game Boy, complete with the classic gray-and-purple look. While the design isn't that important for a device like this, I really appreciate GameSir's efforts to make the Pocket Taco look like a classic Game Boy.

The Pocket Taco's hinged mechanism sort of bites onto your smartphone, so it works with a wide variety of devices. The silicone pads on either side securely grip your phone without scratching it, and overall, the gamepad feels pretty securely locked in place, even if you're using a case or your phone is particularly top-heavy. It's not as ergonomic as a standard controller, but the Pocket Taco isn't uncomfortable either, and I appreciate how it replicates that old school Game Boy feel.

The button layout is pretty straightforward and ideal for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games (the screen is cut off with the GBA given the aspect ratio, but this doesn't bother me). There are D-Pad, A, B, X, and Y buttons, Select, Start, and two sets of shoulder buttons. At least on the iPhone, the Menu button doesn't seem to do anything, and the Home Button takes you to Apple's Games app, which is pretty useless (I haven't been able to successfully reprogram the Menu or Home button on iOS).

For such a cheap gamepad (it only costs $35), the buttons have a surprising amount of pop to them that I've come to really appreciate. Even the D-Pad manages to replicate the somewhat mushy feel of the original Game Boy, while still offering the precision and responsiveness you'd expect from a more modern controller. The built-in battery also feels like it lasts roughly 30 hours, and in my time with the gamepad so far, I've only charged it twice.

This controller is perfect for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games

I mostly used the Pocket Taco with my iPhone 17 Pro and Delta

The experience isn't perfect, though. I've spent most of my time using the Pocket Taco with my iPhone 17 Pro because that's the phone I have on me most of the time, and it took me a while to figure out how to connect to it. Like Gamesir's other gamepads, the Pocket Taco has different modes for the various devices it supports. While the controller isn't officially iOS-compatible (likely because Gamesir didn't want to pay Apple for MFi licensing), I couldn't get the gamepad to connect over Bluetooth in the way that I expected.

Instead, I needed to download the Gamesir app, update the Pocket Taco, and connect to my iPhone 17 Pro through the app. After that, the Pocket Taco connected to my phone right away, and I didn't encounter further issues. I briefly used the Pocket Taco with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and the initial connection experience was far smoother, so this seems to be an iOS issue.

But what about the games? Given the Pocket Taco's throwback design, it's not surprising that the controller is best used with emulators rather than mobile games. For me, that means primarily playing my Delta library of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games, but you could also just as easily play Sega Genesis, SNES, and NES titles if you don't mind a less-than-ideal aspect ratio. There are dozens of emulators out there, even on iOS now, so pick the one you're most comfortable with. I like Delta because it's simple and keeps my ROM library organized with great-looking box art.

With Delta specifically, I need to set up a second player with touch controls, so the emulator doesn't shift the game display down, which covers the gamepad and is a bit annoying. Similar to my Bluetooth issues, once I made this change, everything worked fine. You can solve the above issue by using a custom skin, but I haven't found one that works for me because many of them make the screen smaller and more accurate to the original Game Boy Color or Game Boy. That said, DeltaStyles and Delta Skins are a great source of skins for Delta.

With that in mind, I found it pretty difficult to navigate my phone's screen with the Pocket Taco attached. Instead, I start by popping it off my phone while keeping it open with one finger, since that turns the gamepad on and maintains the Bluetooth connection. Then, at the same time, I select whatever game I want to play in Delta with my other hand on my smartphone's screen. It's a bit awkward, but after doing this a few times, it became second nature.

If you're looking for a cheap way to play retro games, this is it

At $35, it's difficult to beat this controller's price

As dedicated handhelds get increasingly expensive and harder to find amid the ongoing memory crisis and tariffs, GameSir's Pocket Taco is a solid alternative that's a clear step above smartphone touchscreen controls, and it doesn't break the bank. I've started just leaving it in my bag all the time (it comes with a solid case, too), so I always have it on me when I'm out and have some time to game.