Back to the Past! When Backbone Labs dropped their original controller, The Backbone One, in 2020, I was an excited early adopter. Cloud Gaming was on the rise, and I was (and still am) an avid remote player of all of my consoles. Since that release, there have been plenty of other innovative controller options designed for mobile gamers. Video games on mobile phones are a truly serious way to play these days; everyone has a console in their pocket. The choices don’t stop with standard controllers, though; now it’s a battle of the Pros. One thing is clear: most people only have one phone in their pocket, and there’s really only room for one controller in the other. Enter Backbone Pro. Is this the best option out there for cloud gamers? Well, to find that out, we have to go back… Backbone to the future.
Check out our quick hands-on video and then read on for our full review:
This Is Heavy, Doc
Backbone One was a super portable and lightweight mobile gaming controller. It actually fit in my other pocket, depending on the pair of pants. Travelling with that controller was a breeze. Backbone Pro is heftier visually and physically. This isn’t a bad thing, especially calling it a ‘pro’ controller. It feels solid and comes with many features not available on the Backbone One. Added M1 and M2 buttons on the sides are an essential feature for any Pro-level controller, and these are fully remappable. The sticks are lifted and full-sized now, too, which is excellent for more precision in core gaming experiences, especially FPS titles.
One thing to note is now that the sticks are taller, the A button is in closer proximity to the right thumb stick, and I constantly felt myself grazing the stick when pressing A. This was a bit distracting, and while not a controller-breaking experience, it is worth noting in this review.
Backbone Pro supports pass through charging as well as an 3.5mm auxiliary jack for any wired headphones players may want to use. It’s also one of the first mobile controllers I’ve ever used that truly allows players to game on any screen.
Make It Blue!
The controller is equipped with a dedicated Bluetooth button on the bottom left-hand side. That’s the biggest upgrade here that is worth mentioning many times. Backbone Pro is Bluetooth and USB-C equipped. It uses FlowState technology, which allows for seamless connectivity between all devices. This is really handy and well implemented. One of the most frustrating parts of using other gaming controllers is the frequent need to reconnect. This Bluetooth technology is slick and smoothly allows for multiple connections wherever I choose to play. Travelling and on the plane? Perfect, use your phone with the USB-C connection. Get to the hotel? Awesome, Bluetooth and play on the TV. The possibilities are endless, and this is an excellent feature. It also has a 40-hour battery life, so depending on use, of course, you will rarely need to charge the unit.
Backbone Pro could effectively be the only controller a Cloud gamer needs. The bigger sticks and overall bulkier feel give a console-like controller experience. Backbone Pro keeps the compact size of Backbone One, and while the bigger handles don’t allow it to be thrown into a trouser pocket anymore, it’s still compact enough to fit in most small bags. It even fits in the original Backbone official case, so if you’re upgrading and want to keep it snug and safe, you don’t need to buy a new case.
You Can Have It All… For a Price
There’s an app for this controller. I’m happy to report that it is one of the best controller apps available. The Backbone App compiles all of your games into one convenient location, recommends games based on play history, allows direct streaming to Twitch, features screenshots and support videos, and even comes with an emulator now. But this is all for an additional cost to players after purchasing the controller. While the app itself is free, players only have access to controller mapping, updates, and library compiling. Things like managing all games in one place, exclusive perks, personalized game recommendations, streaming directly to Twitch, Controller mapping, and more are only included with a subscription.
At launch, with the original Backbone One, players were given a one-year free trial for the app. With Backbone Pro, players are given a one-month free trial, and at the end of it, are also given a discounted membership fee for a year. The current cost at the time of this review is $39.95 CAD, or $29.95 with the discount. Granted, this is not an astronomical cost for a yearly membership, but the features, especially the locked mapping feature, are troublesome. It might be okay if the controller were cost-effective…
But sadly, this is a pro controller, with a pro-level price tag. Coming in at $169 USD, $239.99 CAD it falls in line with the comparable Razer Kishi V3 Pro controller coming in at $148.49 USD, $219.99 CAD. For the sake of this review, I will use the Razer controller as a comparison. This is where Backbone Pro falls relatively short.
Backbone Pro Vs. Razer Kishi V3 Pro
The Razer Kishi V3 Pro is a larger controller, features more ergonomic handles, more buttons, a free companion app that catalogs games into one place, and allows players to map buttons along with swappable sticks for comfort. But no Bluetooth.
The Backbone Pro is a more convenient size for travel, is more expensive, and charges you extra after purchase for the pro experience on the app. It’s a shame, truly, that there are additional fees here for content that should come standard for consumers that are purchasing the Pro model. But it’s Bluetooth.
To Backbone, or Not to Backbone? That is the Question
At the end of the trip through time, 2020’s Backbone One was the best mobile controller on the market and effectively replaced the claws and other workaround methods to game on the go. In 2025, there are simply better options out there for gamers to enjoy for mobile-only experiences. If players are looking for a ‘do it all’ device, though, then Backbone Pro is a solid option. What it lacks in form, it more than makes up for in function. But some of the function comes with a yearly subscription fee. Perhaps Backbone Labs will rethink the model, the subscription fee used to cost more in the past, after all, and when Backbone+ was ushered in, the cost came down. Only time will tell, but for now, it’s a great little controller with a not-so-great price tag in the present and future.
Backbone Pro Controller Review
Summary
The Backbone Pro controller is a compact pro device packed with a ton of great features. Unfortunately, many of its best features are locked behind a paid app. It also lacks some comparable pro controller features like swappable sticks. Having Bluetooth is an exciting feature, and it works flawlessly with the FlowState functionality. If you want to play on any screen, including comfortably on your phone, then Backbone Pro is a solid, albeit expensive option.
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