Xiaomi’s retro handheld phone case is the best, and worst, way to game

What is this, a D-pad for iPods?

Have you ever thought your favourite mobile games would beryllium improved by awkward ergonomics, a dreadful D-pad, and a mates of camera lenses blocking a 3rd of the screen? Then ohio boy, does Xiaomi person the telephone for you.

Today it announced its flagship 17 bid phones successful China, led by the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max (any naming similarity to Apple is resolutely not a coincidence). Those 2 Pro models mostly basal retired for the inclusion of a 2nd surface connected the back, which stretches crossed the wide camera island. It tin beryllium utilized to framework selfies, acceptable timers, and power euphony playback, but each I tin deliberation astir is Xiaomi’s authoritative accessory to person the telephone into a ratchet Game Boy.

The ¥299 (about $40) Retro Handheld Console Case includes 4 look buttons, a circular D-pad that looks much similar an iPod Click Wheel than thing else, and a 200mAh artillery that Xiaomi says should present 40 days of gameplay, astatine 3 hours a day. It adjacent comes with Angry Birds 2.

The sole downside — isolated from what I tin lone presume is an incredibly awkward, cramped gaming acquisition ruined by the 2 lenses connected the surface — is that you can’t usage the phone’s wireless charging portion the lawsuit is successful place.

No connection yet connected if, oregon when, the 17 Pro phones volition motorboat successful Europe oregon anyplace other extracurricular China, but let’s anticipation the retro lawsuit comes with them erstwhile they do. Maybe this is simply a motion that the huffy scientists successful Xiaomi’s accessory laboratory are cooking up thing adjacent weirder for the fourth-generation photography case for adjacent year’s 17 Ultra.