This magnetic controller brings Game Boy-style controls to your smartphone

Abxylute, a company known for its Android-based handhelds, has announced a new compact mobile controller for smartphones. Unlike controllers from companies like Backbone and 8BitDo that use an expanding mechanism to clamp onto phones, Abxylute’s smaller and lighter M4 Snap-On controller uses a Q-shaped mount to magnetically attach to mobile devices that are compatible with Apple’s MagSafe or the Qi2 standard, which now includes Google’s Pixel 10 series.

Like clamp-on controllers, Abxylute’s new game pad is designed to be used with phones in a horizontal orientation, but it positions the controls beneath the screen, instead of splitting them up on either side. Those controls include a D-pad, ABXY action buttons, a pair of shoulder buttons, two tiny joysticks, and additional navigation buttons including quick access to a home screen.

Abxylute says the controller’s rechargeable battery will be good for up to 13 hours of use, and that magnetic mount can be removed entirely if you want to use the M4 as a standalone wireless controller with other devices. Exactly which devices and consoles the M4 will be compatible with aren’t known yet, but more details will be revealed when the company launches a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in early November. Pricing for the earliest backers is expected to be as low as $39, according to Notebookcheck, but The Verge has reached out to Abxylute to confirm what pricing will be for those who’d rather wait until general availability, and will update this story accordingly.