GameSir Pocket Taco turns any smartphone into a Game Boy-style handheld

GameSir’s Pocket Taco is a clamp-style Bluetooth controller that aims to recreate a Game Boy-like portrait handheld for roughly $34.99 to $35. The controller uses a hinged clamp that, in a hands-on, “for lack of a better description, bites onto the bottom half of your smartphone,” and GameSir markets it as a way to “turn your phone into a true handheld console.”

The Pocket Taco’s physical specs are compact: it weighs 62.2 g (2.2 oz) and carries a 600 mAh rechargeable battery. Its hollow-bottom design includes a passthrough so you can charge a centered charging port while playing; as one reviewer put it, “A passthrough hole on the bottom of the Pocket Taco lets you plug in a power cable, assuming your device’s charging port is centered.” GameSir’s copy also highlights a “Smart Power - On/Off - Open to play | Close to rest” feature that powers the unit when opened and powers it down when closed.

Controls are intentionally old-school. Kickstarter campaign text notes: “we intentionally removed complex sticks and kept only the most intuitive controls: the D-pad and ABXY buttons,” and GameSir lists “Cushioned Membrane ABXY & D-pad” plus “Tactile Switch Triggers & Bumpers.” The Verge observed that “The Pocket Taco’s controls look and feel very similar to the original Game Boy’s, but with a few more buttons,” while GamesRadar summed the design philosophy as the phone acting “like the filling, sandwiched between a front Game Boy button panel and a back slab with shoulder buttons on top.”

Connectivity and platform support vary between sources. GameSir’s marketing promises the device will “seamlessly connect via Bluetooth and enjoy smooth gaming across platforms.” NewAtlas explicitly states it “connects to Android and iOS phones over Bluetooth,” while The Verge noted that “GameSir doesn’t list iOS as being officially supported, only Android, but I was able to connect to the Pocket Taco and my iPhone recognized it as a ‘DualShock 4 Wireless Controller.’” The Verge also reported it “was easy to pair with the Switch 2,” demonstrating the controller’s standalone Bluetooth pairing beyond phones.

Battery and standalone use are practical selling points. With its own 600 mAh battery the Pocket Taco will not drain your phone, and The Verge confirmed that “The Pocket Taco turns on automatically when attached to a phone, but it can also be powered on manually and used as a portable standalone wireless gamepad.” The Verge further noted, “The Pocket Taco turns off automatically when you remove it from your phone. It powers up and reconnects quickly,” which supports quick pick-up-and-play sessions.

GameSir ships the Pocket Taco with a PP storage box or hard plastic carrying case, a 0.5 m cable, lanyard, sticker, and user manual. Reviewers flag pocketability as a caveat: despite the “compact & ultra-lightweight” 62.2 g marketing, The Verge said “A hard plastic carrying case is included, but the Pocket Taco is a bit too thick to be comfortably pocketed.” Kickstarter and GameSir position the device for commuters and quick retro sessions, with campaign copy stating the project’s goal “To create a truly portable controller for everyone, whether you’re new to gaming or a seasoned player looking to enjoy a quick session anytime, anywhere.”

The hardware is available to preorder from GameSir at US$34.99, with early-bird discounts reported at about $29.99, and a Kickstarter campaign showing $68,242 pledged of a $10,000 goal from 1,901 backers as of the campaign snapshot; the campaign is listed to end Fri, March 13 2026 9:48 PM EDT and includes a limited Atomic Purple edition starting near $30. GamesRadar’s verdict captures the trade-offs: “The GameSir Pocket Taco makes for a tasty way to turn your phone into a Game Boy... While there are certainly better mobile gamepads out there for playing anything outside the realm of Nintendo's handheld back catalogue, this one is both a space saver and a surprisingly comfortable and authentic tribute to a classic handheld.”