Control options for mobile games

Hi,

I am currently working on the mobile versions of two of my blockbuster games* Codename:NASIRO and Nasiro 2: The Empire Bites Back.

I am currently exploring the options for control, and would love to hear your thoughts on this.

At the moment, I am working with a virtual joystick on screen, although I may incorporate accelerometer support at some stage.

I was talking to my brother, and he was banging on about adding support for a Bluetooth controller, although I don't know if enough people actually use them to make it worth the hassle of integrating, and at this point, I am still thinking that this makes the game less "mobile" so I am still undecided, but swaying toward virtual joystick only.

Do you guys have any opinions regarding controller options for mobile devices, or any of the points I've raised above? If so I would love to hear them.

*In my opinion, although the feedback I have received has been really positive.

 

I know they exist, but I've never witnessed someone actually use a Bluetooth controller with a phone outside of a tech demo.

Maybe controller support for mobile games is an underserved niche market that would catapult your game to success by including support? Maybe they have regional popularity, and just aren't popular here in California? I have no data, but have my doubts.

 

I used Google Trends to do this search and found that the ratio of people who search "bluetooth iphone controller" or "iphone controller" to "xbox one controller" is about 4 to 33. So not very popular it seems.

California has the second highest interest for the search "bluetooth iphone controller" out of all of the states in the US. They are ranked number eight for interest in "iphone controller".

Well that was a good way to waste 10 minutes.

 

Thanks for the replies, guys, and apologies for the delay in replying. I decided to go with acceleremoter control for the Android version Codename:NASIRO and I have used a virtual joystick for Nasiro 2: The Empire Bites Back. The Windows version uses keyboard and mouse, and just mouse respectively.

If you'd like to check them out, and let me know what you think of my control choices, they are both available from my website www.johnvella.co.uk