Kishi, Kishi V2, Kishi Ultra: A Simple Guide to Razer's Phone Controllers
Razer has made more phone controllers than almost anyone, and the names do not make choosing easy. Here is how the Kishi family evolved, which model does what, and the patent fight with Nintendo hiding in its family tree.
If you have ever stood in an electronics shop trying to work out the difference between a Kishi, a Kishi V2 and a Kishi Ultra, you are not alone. Razer, the gaming-hardware brand best known for its green-lit keyboards and mice, has built one of the largest ranges of clip-on phone controllers in the world, and its naming has not always helped.
The idea behind every model is the same: wrap a proper controller around your phone so that games, cloud streaming and remote play feel like a handheld console. Here is how the family grew, and which one fits which player.
The original Kishi (2020): built with Gamevice
The first Razer Kishi arrived in 2020, first for Android and then for iPhone. It was designed together with Gamevice, a company that had been making phone and tablet controllers for years. The Kishi plugged straight into the phone's port, with grips that clipped onto each end of the handset and a flexible back that let it fold up when not in use.
Kishi V2 (2022): the mainstream model
The Kishi V2, released in 2022 for Android and iPhone, is the model most people mean when they say "Kishi". Razer redesigned it in-house with a sturdier sliding bridge, which made it fit a wider range of phones, and added extra programmable buttons and a button to launch Razer's companion app, Razer Nexus, which collects controller-friendly games in one place.
For Android players who wanted more, Razer later released the Kishi V2 Pro, which added haptic feedback and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Kishi Ultra (2024): full-size hands
The Kishi Ultra, introduced at CES in January 2024, is the big one. Instead of compact grips, it has full-size controls, closer to an Xbox or PlayStation pad, and Razer's Sensa HD haptics. It works with phones and small tablets up to about 8 inches, connects over USB-C, and suits players who play long sessions and want a controller that does not cramp their hands.
Which one should you buy?
- Kishi V2: the safe choice. Compact, widely available, works on iPhone and Android.
- Kishi V2 Pro: for Android players who want rumble and a headphone jack.
- Kishi Ultra: for comfort and small tablets, at the cost of size.
- Older original Kishi: only if it is cheap and fits your phone, as compatibility with newer models can be limited.
Before you buy, check that your phone's connector (Lightning or USB-C) and dimensions are supported, and whether your case needs to come off.
What to play with it
Like other clip-on controllers, the Kishi range shines with games that support controllers natively, such as Fortnite and many racing and action games; with cloud services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now; and with remote play from a PlayStation or Xbox at home. Touch-first games such as puzzle and gacha games often do not support controllers, so a Kishi will not help there.
Why it matters
The Kishi line shows how mobile gaming is splitting into two styles: the touch-screen games most people play on the bus, and console-style play on a phone, enabled by accessories. For the rival that helped popularise the category, read our Backbone story; for the phones built with gaming in mind, see our gaming phones history.