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Xiaomi Gamepad 2.0 makes its Black Shark look a lot like Nintendo Switch

Android gaming, Nintendo-style.

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The Gamepad 2.0 turns the Black Shark phone into a portable gaming console.

Black Shark

Xiaomi showed off the Gamepad 2.0 accessory for its Black Shark gaming phone on Monday, and it sure looks familiar.

The Chinese smartphone giant's original Gamepad -- which turns the Black Shark into a gaming console -- launched alongside the Android phone in April. But the updated version creates a setup that closely resembles the Nintendo Switch.

The images shown on the official site suggest the pieces slide onto the left and right sides of the phone when it's held horizontally, just like the Switch's Joy-Cons attach to the sides of the Switch console screen. The previous Gamepad only attached to the Black Shark's left side, Android Authority noted.

The Gamepad 2.0's left accessory has a joystick and D-pad, while the right one has a touchpad and ABXY buttons -- the same letters as the Switch buttons, in a different configuration. Both have two triggers on top, and all the buttons can be customized.

It's a pretty obvious clone of Nintendo's wildly popular system, but it could offer some fun options to Android gamers looking to avoid playing with touchscreen controls.

It's available in the company's UK and EU stores for £70/80 euro (around $89/AU$120). However, you can get 20 percent if you bundle it with the Black Shark phone, which costs £360/420 euro (roughly $455/AU$630).

Black Shark was formed in August 2017, with Xiaomi as one of its main backers

Up close with the Nintendo Switch

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