Samsung Gamepad: an accessory for fans to play and ... fly
I can not consider myself among the hardcore mobile gamers, but sometimes I really want to play something spectacular on a smartphone. For example, when the lights are turned off, or when the Internet suddenly disappears. And at night there is sometimes absolutely nothing to do on the train, while the snoring of the compartment neighbors keeps you awake. In this case, the “time killer” comes to my rescue in the form of a Samsung Galaxy S4 with several toys. Usually these are different versions of Angry Birds, as well as Asphalt 7 and 8 races. I would love to play different shooters, but I have the following feature: virtual (that is, displayed on the smartphone screen) sticks and buttons are very difficult to press with fingers.
Any Asphalt, where the main part of the control is assigned to the accelerometer, is not a question. But if this is a shooter where you need to go back and forth, and even look around - no, it’s not rolling. I can play for 15 minutes (and even that is not very successful: due to the low speed of the reaction, due to the need to move my fingers across the screen without feedback, I quickly get knocked down), and then my hands get tired and the game process solemnly ends. I will not hide: in connection with the situation described above, I was very happy when I found out that Samsung announced an accessory called Gamepad - this is such a joystick for Android smartphones. Well, when I managed to find it on sale in Ukraine for less than $ 100 - happiness knew no bounds. Of course, I bought this thing and drove it well. Now I share my impressions.
The first and, in my opinion, very important. If the Galaxy Gear family watches are exclusively compatible with Samsung smartphones, then in the case of its gamepad, the Korean manufacturer demonstrates the wonders of democracy. In Samsung Gamepad reviews, this moment is rarely mentioned, but the fact remains: the joystick works quite well with devices of other brands. For example, I was able to play with it on the 8-core Highscreen Thor : I ran Asphalt 8, everything works fine, and the settings were set automatically - and exactly the same as on SGS4.
Highscreen Thor is attached to Samsung Gamepad
With Dead Trigger 2 it is more difficult: the game reported (see screen below) that it had detected a joystick and offered to configure it.
It seems that I managed to configure the gamepad with the Highscreen Thor case, but the individual buttons in the game itself did not work for unknown reasons. In general, I personally do not guarantee the performance of absolutely all toys on devices of other manufacturers. But something on some models may go. So if your device is not from Samsung, but you really want to buy this accessory, I recommend putting as many toys as possible and heading to the store - testing. And if everything is OK with your favorite titles, then you can take it.
So, to the question of compatibility. So that users do not have a mess with versions of toys and their performance, Samsung suggests downloading them to their devices from a special subsection of the Samsung Apps store using the S Console application.
There are collected versions of games that are specially optimized for Samsung Gamepad. But here the situation is twofold: firstly, as can be seen on the occasion of Highscreen Thor, some games from Google Play are already sharpened by joysticks. Only you need to configure them yourself (which takes a couple of minutes), while the versions from Samsung Apps will be configured initially. Secondly, the collection of optimized games in Samsung Apps is not very large yet - only 54 pieces. There are no really fresh titles: Real Racing 2 (and not 3), Dead Trigger (that is, only the first part).
Thirdly, Samsung Apps is known for two unpleasant features. The first is the slow download speed of applications from there. (At least in the case of Ukraine.) For example, an infrequent 260 MB Sonic CD game was downloaded from there onto SGS4 for an hour (!). For comparison: Dead Trigger 2 (460 Mb) downloaded on Highscreen Thor from Google Play in 5 minutes. The second feature of Samsung Apps, which also cannot be classified as pleasant, is the low update speed of toys. I remember that Asphalt 8 on Google Play had already managed to upgrade to version 1.0.2, and in Samsung Apps it was still offered in version 1.0.0.
On the other hand, sometimes Samsung Apps has advantages: for example, the Critical Missions SWAT game costs 20 hryvnias in it, and more than 40 on Google Play. I read on the Internet that some games in the “joystick” section of Samsung Apps are offered for money, while on Google Play it’s available for free. Well I do not know. I checked 25 pieces and did not meet such a situation.
Critical Missions SWAT on Google Play and Samsung Apps
All this is what I’m doing: if you already bought a Samsung Gamepad, you can safely experiment and download toys from anywhere - both from the company’s catalog and from Google Play. This thing does not limit you in choosing a source, which, in my opinion, is good.
As for the convenience. Played on the Samsung Galaxy S4 in Asphalt 8 using the joystick. Honestly, I didn’t catch the buzz: the controls in this game are so simple that the combination of “touch screen + accelerometer” seems to me much more convenient in this case.
Downloaded the game Dead Trigger from Samsung Apps. There is no limit to delight: finally, I was able not only to go “100 meters” and fill up 5 zombies, but to complete several missions. The same applies to Dead Trigger 2, which is not in Samsung Apps and which had to be downloaded from Google Play.
Dead Trigger 2
Well, here's the Sonic CD. It is also much more convenient than with a touchscreen. I would even say "at times."
Sonic CD
Lastly, something about the specs of the Samsung Gamepad. The location and purpose of the keys can be studied here in this picture:
The joystick is connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth, and the NFC interface is designed to speed up the process. The device can have a diagonal of 4 to 6.3 inches - a larger instance simply does not fit into the “holder” that extends behind the joystick. The latter, by the way, has rubber inserts in places of contact with the smartphone case - so that the latter does not scratch. You need to charge the Samsung Gamepad about once every 5 hours.
Yes, and another important point: during the game, the smartphone does not have to be fixed on the Gamepad. This means that the device can be connected via MHL / HDMI to a TV or monitor and use the accessory as a wireless joystick.
In general, I am pleased with the purchase and I can sincerely recommend the Samsung Gamepad to those who cannot control shooting games and other similar games from the touchscreen. You will definitely get pleasure, while paying not too much.
PS Not so long ago I bought myself a Parrot Ar drone. Drone 2.0 Power Edition. A wonderful thing, that's just to manage it from the touchscreen with me, again, it turns out average.
Parrot Ar. Drone 2.0 Power Edition
And even worse than in games: there you at least look at the screen and see virtual sticks, and here you need to kind of look into the sky and watch the drone. Because of this control from the display, I even had accidents and sudden crashes a couple of times.
So, Samsung Gamepad can very well be adapted to control the Parrot Ar. Drone 2.0 Power Edition - however, not using a proprietary application from Parrot, but through third-party developments. Here is the interface of the ARDrone Flight Pro program for 40 hryvnias from Google Play: you press the buttons on the joystick - and the corresponding keys obediently move on the screen. Testing showed that everything works fine, the convenience of controlling the drone has grown significantly.
ARDrone Flight Pro
So if you like to play on your smartphone, and even bought / plan to buy Parrot Ar. Drone 2.0, the Samsung joystick is a must-have for you.
Any Asphalt, where the main part of the control is assigned to the accelerometer, is not a question. But if this is a shooter where you need to go back and forth, and even look around - no, it’s not rolling. I can play for 15 minutes (and even that is not very successful: due to the low speed of the reaction, due to the need to move my fingers across the screen without feedback, I quickly get knocked down), and then my hands get tired and the game process solemnly ends. I will not hide: in connection with the situation described above, I was very happy when I found out that Samsung announced an accessory called Gamepad - this is such a joystick for Android smartphones. Well, when I managed to find it on sale in Ukraine for less than $ 100 - happiness knew no bounds. Of course, I bought this thing and drove it well. Now I share my impressions.
The first and, in my opinion, very important. If the Galaxy Gear family watches are exclusively compatible with Samsung smartphones, then in the case of its gamepad, the Korean manufacturer demonstrates the wonders of democracy. In Samsung Gamepad reviews, this moment is rarely mentioned, but the fact remains: the joystick works quite well with devices of other brands. For example, I was able to play with it on the 8-core Highscreen Thor : I ran Asphalt 8, everything works fine, and the settings were set automatically - and exactly the same as on SGS4.
Highscreen Thor is attached to Samsung Gamepad
With Dead Trigger 2 it is more difficult: the game reported (see screen below) that it had detected a joystick and offered to configure it.
It seems that I managed to configure the gamepad with the Highscreen Thor case, but the individual buttons in the game itself did not work for unknown reasons. In general, I personally do not guarantee the performance of absolutely all toys on devices of other manufacturers. But something on some models may go. So if your device is not from Samsung, but you really want to buy this accessory, I recommend putting as many toys as possible and heading to the store - testing. And if everything is OK with your favorite titles, then you can take it.
So, to the question of compatibility. So that users do not have a mess with versions of toys and their performance, Samsung suggests downloading them to their devices from a special subsection of the Samsung Apps store using the S Console application.
There are collected versions of games that are specially optimized for Samsung Gamepad. But here the situation is twofold: firstly, as can be seen on the occasion of Highscreen Thor, some games from Google Play are already sharpened by joysticks. Only you need to configure them yourself (which takes a couple of minutes), while the versions from Samsung Apps will be configured initially. Secondly, the collection of optimized games in Samsung Apps is not very large yet - only 54 pieces. There are no really fresh titles: Real Racing 2 (and not 3), Dead Trigger (that is, only the first part).
Thirdly, Samsung Apps is known for two unpleasant features. The first is the slow download speed of applications from there. (At least in the case of Ukraine.) For example, an infrequent 260 MB Sonic CD game was downloaded from there onto SGS4 for an hour (!). For comparison: Dead Trigger 2 (460 Mb) downloaded on Highscreen Thor from Google Play in 5 minutes. The second feature of Samsung Apps, which also cannot be classified as pleasant, is the low update speed of toys. I remember that Asphalt 8 on Google Play had already managed to upgrade to version 1.0.2, and in Samsung Apps it was still offered in version 1.0.0.
On the other hand, sometimes Samsung Apps has advantages: for example, the Critical Missions SWAT game costs 20 hryvnias in it, and more than 40 on Google Play. I read on the Internet that some games in the “joystick” section of Samsung Apps are offered for money, while on Google Play it’s available for free. Well I do not know. I checked 25 pieces and did not meet such a situation.
Critical Missions SWAT on Google Play and Samsung Apps
All this is what I’m doing: if you already bought a Samsung Gamepad, you can safely experiment and download toys from anywhere - both from the company’s catalog and from Google Play. This thing does not limit you in choosing a source, which, in my opinion, is good.
As for the convenience. Played on the Samsung Galaxy S4 in Asphalt 8 using the joystick. Honestly, I didn’t catch the buzz: the controls in this game are so simple that the combination of “touch screen + accelerometer” seems to me much more convenient in this case.
Downloaded the game Dead Trigger from Samsung Apps. There is no limit to delight: finally, I was able not only to go “100 meters” and fill up 5 zombies, but to complete several missions. The same applies to Dead Trigger 2, which is not in Samsung Apps and which had to be downloaded from Google Play.
Dead Trigger 2
Well, here's the Sonic CD. It is also much more convenient than with a touchscreen. I would even say "at times."
Sonic CD
Lastly, something about the specs of the Samsung Gamepad. The location and purpose of the keys can be studied here in this picture:
The joystick is connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth, and the NFC interface is designed to speed up the process. The device can have a diagonal of 4 to 6.3 inches - a larger instance simply does not fit into the “holder” that extends behind the joystick. The latter, by the way, has rubber inserts in places of contact with the smartphone case - so that the latter does not scratch. You need to charge the Samsung Gamepad about once every 5 hours.
Yes, and another important point: during the game, the smartphone does not have to be fixed on the Gamepad. This means that the device can be connected via MHL / HDMI to a TV or monitor and use the accessory as a wireless joystick.
In general, I am pleased with the purchase and I can sincerely recommend the Samsung Gamepad to those who cannot control shooting games and other similar games from the touchscreen. You will definitely get pleasure, while paying not too much.
PS Not so long ago I bought myself a Parrot Ar drone. Drone 2.0 Power Edition. A wonderful thing, that's just to manage it from the touchscreen with me, again, it turns out average.
Parrot Ar. Drone 2.0 Power Edition
And even worse than in games: there you at least look at the screen and see virtual sticks, and here you need to kind of look into the sky and watch the drone. Because of this control from the display, I even had accidents and sudden crashes a couple of times.
So, Samsung Gamepad can very well be adapted to control the Parrot Ar. Drone 2.0 Power Edition - however, not using a proprietary application from Parrot, but through third-party developments. Here is the interface of the ARDrone Flight Pro program for 40 hryvnias from Google Play: you press the buttons on the joystick - and the corresponding keys obediently move on the screen. Testing showed that everything works fine, the convenience of controlling the drone has grown significantly.
ARDrone Flight Pro
So if you like to play on your smartphone, and even bought / plan to buy Parrot Ar. Drone 2.0, the Samsung joystick is a must-have for you.