Much of Android’s power comes from its relatively open nature and developer-friendly versatility. If you wish to create an application that performs a particular task, you can do so. And once created, you can upload it to the Google Play Store or simply sideload it to your device. This has lead to some interesting use cases, such as using your Android smartphone or tablet as a wireless gamepad for your PC.
There are a few apps available in the Play Store that turn your Android device into a PC gamepad, there is a motion-sensing and customizable option for those looking to dual purpose their Android devices. The aptly titled Mobile Gamepad gives you a virtual D-pad and six buttons (square, triangle, circle, cross, pause, and start) that can be mapped to any keyboard key on your PC. These can be assigned to various profiles.
Unlike many other options, Mobile Gamepad also allows you to use your device’s accelerometer in place of the directional keys. To do this, simply enable motion mode, and then place your finger where the D-Pad once was. Finally, Mobile Gamepad not only allows you to control your PC once in the game. It also allows you to launch games directly from the mobile app—quite useful for when you connect your PC to the big screen and it is out of reach.
To get started, head over to the application thread and give Mobile Gamepad a shot.