These 5 awesome Android games are looking for controller support

The distinction between PC, console and mobile gaming is more blurred than ever. On your phone, you can play ports of some of the best PC and console games, like Total War: Medieval 2 and Alien: Isolation, while streaming apps like Xbox Game Pass let you play AAA titles without expensive hardware . However, some of the best Android games lack controller support, a crucial feature that turns these games from good to great.

Controller support is vital to turning mobile gaming from casual entertainment to an experience that rivals PCs and consoles. While many Android games offer excellent controller support, here are some of the best games that should have it in 2024.

1 The influence of Genshin

It’s hard to imagine a game better suited for controllers

Mihoyo’s gacha games are controversial thanks to their aggressive monetization policies, but there’s no denying that Genshin Impact offers one of the best open-world experiences on Android. However, the lack of controller support is difficult; it’s hard to fully engage with its vast world with just a touch screen.

Genshin Impact’s lack of controller support feels especially important now that Mihoyo’s latest title, Zenless Zone Zero, comes with built-in controller support. It’s even weirder when you consider that the iOS version offers controller support. Genshin Impact’s gameplay is fast, fun and spectacular, marred only by the inexplicable lack of controller support on Android.

2 Kill the top

A controller would be the perfect way to get back with this deck building cheat

Mega Crit ported its excellent cheat deck builder to Android in 2021 with a brand new UI to support touchscreen devices. However, controller support was quietly dropped, and three years later, there’s still no sign of it.

While controller support isn’t as necessary for Slay the Spire as a game like Genshin Impact, it still needs to be there to make this mobile version equal to its PC and console equivalents. While it continues to receive updates, there is still no sign of controller support.

3 League of Legends: Wild Rift

Controllers would make this MOBA more convenient

League of Legends: Wild Rift is an excellent mobile adaptation of the hugely popular PC MOBA. It’s not a port, but a reimagining of the original game for touchscreens. However, despite the simplistic gameplay, the lack of controller support means you’ll tire your fingers during long gaming sessions.

The reasoning behind the lack of controller support is likely due to game balancing. Controller users would almost certainly have an advantage over touchscreen users, but still, its inclusion would go a long way to improving this excellent mobile MOBA. Maybe a system where touchscreen users can opt out of matchmaking with controller users? After all, it’s a system present in many popular cross-platform games.

4 Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2

These classic RPGs are in dire need of an update

In 2013, remastered versions of Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 – containing the base games and their expansions – were launched on PC and Mac, then on the App Store and Play Store a year later. However, none of these versions contained controller support. Controller support was added to the console versions in 2019, but it still hasn’t reached PC and mobile devices five years later.

The controller-friendly features introduced for Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 for consoles are fantastic, and in many ways, they feel more natural than a mouse and keyboard. Now that we know it’s possible, we hope to see the mobile version updated with this cool feature soon.

5 Tales of Monster Hunters

There is no good reason not to have controller support

Despite being a port of a 3DS game, the Android version of Monster Hunter Stories lacks controller support. While some buttons are recognizable, it’s impossible to move your character with the joystick, rendering your controller absolutely useless.

Monster Hunter Stories isn’t your typical Monster Hunter game, but it’s still an extremely fun RPG with turn-based battles and monster gathering. The Android port is great, but controller support would make it perfect.

Thankfully, these games are the exception, not the rule

Considering that many of these games have been on the Play Store for years with no sign of controller support in the development pipeline, we don’t expect this list to become obsolete anytime soon.

That said, if you’re keen to play these games with a controller now, there’s a great solution. Some companion apps for Android controllers, like the Razer Kishi V2, come with touch screen controller mapping to map your controller buttons to areas on the screen. It rarely works perfectly, but it’s a great solution.

Fortunately, most Android games already have controller support, although there will always be exceptions like the games above. Regardless of your gaming preferences, there’s a huge variety of touchscreen and controller games on Android for you to enjoy, so get out there and play them. You may find a new favorite.