The first Flydigi product I reviewed, the Flydigi Wee 2T, was promising in that it was compact and the company developed a dedicated app to map touch controls to the gamepad’s physical ones for games that don’t natively support gamepads. However, the build quality wasn’t really appealing and would have made for a much enticing option should the company invest in better hardware. With the WASP 2 Elite under review today, it seems like Flydigi has picked up on those cues and delivered a better overall product. Let’s take a closer look!

Coming at $56 on Amazon at the time of writing, the Flydigi WASP 2 Elite comes with the following:

• Flydigi WASP 2 Elite controller
• ‘M’ back paddle
• Extra joystick head 
• Carry case
• USB-C charging cable
• User manual

 

Just by unboxing it, I was surprised by the product presentation and quality. Included is a carry case for the controller and its accessories. I haven’t seen any mobile controllers that are delivered with an included carry case and it’s very handy to have; especially considering the small/protruding parts of such accessories. Moreover, the carry case of the Flydigi WASP 2 Elite feels rather classy, bearing the company’s logo in front and packing dedicated slots for each part. There's also the option to swap the thumbstick cap to your preference (convex/concave). These options, included in the package gives the device an overall premium appeal and the impression of a well-designed product.

   

This appeal carries on to the hardware build. While lightweight, the WASP 2 Elite is sturdy and packs a nice matte finish. The back of the device where your fingers rest features a bump and a textured rubber pad for better grip. Adding to the ergonomic use is the ‘M’ back paddle key. It is detachable, making it easy to store in the case, and being curved makes it easily accessible with the middle finger which rests right on top of this extra button. There are also paddings where your phone’s back and sides get in contact with the device, although I wish that it was also present where the top of your phone meets the device.

 

Fitting your phone in is easily done by pulling on a trigger to release the holder that freely lets you adjust it to your phone’s size. The WASP 2 Elite controller supports phones of width up to 86mm and around 10mm thickness. Once fitted in, your phone is secured and won’t fall unless you really try to pull it off the accessory. However, I wish that there was a recess for camera bumps as these tend to be common (and larger) these days.

    

Before gaming away with the WASP 2 Elite, you’ll need to download the Flydigi Game Center app. This will let you pair your phone to the device as well as enable touch control mapping on games that don’t natively support physical controls.

On Android, there are a few extra hoops to go through before using the device. You need to connect the WASP 2 Elite to your phone via the concealed USB-C cable to enable USB debugging and use over Bluetooth. Its a fairly easy and quick process but here lies a missed opportunity for Flydigi. Since they included a USB-C cable, they might as well have made it telescopic (or included an extension) to use the controller with the phone over a USB-C connection. Having such an option would help to bypass potential latency issues altogether; while the Bluetooth connectivity would be a nice-to-have for non-competitive games.

 

However, while in use, I haven’t come across any connectivity issues with the WASP 2 Elite. The buttons are responsive and easily within reach. The triggers are snappy and provide audible feedback; and the back paddle is simply a joy to use with its easy reach and ergonomic aspect. The (clickable) joystick and face buttons (A/B) are also accessible, although it might take some getting used to use/access the A/B buttons as those are not conventional controller layouts. But given that this is a one-handed controller, having those buttons is handy, especially when mapping to touch screen controls. In total, you’ll have 7 physical keys to map (A, B, L3, LB, LT, M and the Flydigi logo key) as well as some key combos.

While the touch controls definitely enhance the experience, I am not a fan of the one-handed layout. In addition to packing an unfamiliar layout, not having both sides of a controller means that you still obstruct part of your phone’s screen with your hand and eventually end up with fewer buttons than a traditional controller. This especially becomes an issue when you are running emulators as you will essentially have access to half of a controller. While it works, a two-handed approach might be better.

  

Nevertheless, the Flydigi WASP 2 Elite looks and feels good while in use. It is responsive and comes with some handy goodies. I just wish that Flydigi would use the same approach (quality hardware, back paddle, swappable thumbsticks and carry case) on a new version of the double-handed Wee 2T. But if you decide to get it, the Flydigi WASP 2 Elite will deliver on the quality and features; especially considering that you’ll have access to a dedicated app to map touch controls to physical buttons and this does enhance the gaming experience.