Editing Controllers

A guide of controllers for emulation.
;See for more: [https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller PCGamingWiki: Controllers]
For lists of console games that support less used input peripherals / controller features see:
* [[List of games with keyboard and mouse support]]
* [[List of games that support microphone]]
* [[List of games that support touchpad]]
* [[List of games that support tracked motion controllers‎]]
* [[List of games that support Pressure-Sensitive Face Buttons‎‎]]
* [[List of games that support touchscreen]]
* [[List of games that support HD haptic feedback]]
* [[List of games that support IR|List of games that support infrared technology]]
* [[List of games that support hybrid triggers]]

==Gamepads==
===Original controllers===
The best way to emulate a console is by using the actual controller for that console. Here are some different adapters that'll let you use those controllers on your PC:
*[http://amzn.to/1awfjsN Mayflash adapters] work well and are relatively cheap.
*[http://spawnlinux.ddns.net/Bliss-Box/ Bliss-Box] is made to order and probably the best adapters you can buy, but they don't come cheap.
*[http://bliss-box.net/ Bliss-Box 4-Play] is a mass-produced version of the Bliss-Box. It supports up to 4 controllers at the same time and it uses custom cables with an HDMI connector. With the new advent of the API, it now has native controller support. The API is open source. [https://sourceforge.net/projects/bliss-box-api/]
*[http://bliss-box.net/ Bliss-Box Gamer-Pro] This is a single version of the 4-play. 
*[http://www.retrousb.com/ RetroUSB], good adapters, not the best prices.
*[http://www.raphnet.net/electronique/index_en.php#1 RaphNet] for making your own controller adapters, can also be purchased pre-made.

===PlayStation===
====DualShock/Dual Analog Controller/PlayStation Controller====
:[https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:PlayStation_Controller PCGamingWiki: PlayStation Controller]
:[https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:Dual_Analog_Controller PCGamingWiki: DualShock/Dual Analog Controller]

====DualShock 2====
:[https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:DualShock_2 PCGamingWiki: DualShock 2]

====DualShock 3/Sixaxis====
{{main|DualShock 3}}

====DualShock 4====
{{main|DualShock 4}}

===Xbox===
:[https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:Xbox_Controller PCGamingWiki: Xbox Controller]

===Xbox 360===
:[https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:Xbox_360_Controller PCGamingWiki: Xbox 360 Controller]
The 360 controller does offer good ergonomics and many prefer its analog stick layout -though there are a lot who feel otherwise- over other controllers. However, the poor D-pad means it is lackluster when it comes to emulating older consoles.

For the wired 360 controllers, you simply plug it in, install the drivers, and play. For wireless, you will need a [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FAS1WDG wireless adapter] to use a wireless controller on a PC.

===Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S===
:[https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:Xbox_One_Controller PCGamingWiki: Xbox One/Xbox Wireless Controller]
:[https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:Xbox_Elite_Wireless_Controller PCGamingWiki: Xbox Elite Wireless Controller]
:[https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:Xbox_Elite_Wireless_Controller_2 PCGamingWiki: Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2]
:[https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:Xbox_Adaptive_Controller PCGamingWiki: Xbox Adaptive Controller]

The Xbox One controller is mostly similar to the 360 controllers except for a noticeably higher quality overall. Especially in regards to the d-pad which has gone from abysmal to pretty great, even using four mechanical switches for it.

Can simply be plugged in with any Micro B cable and it works as a standard XInput controller with no need for batteries.



===GameCube (GCN) Controller===
Arguably the best controller for Smash Bros and some people just like it generally. Various third-party adapters exist for using this on PC, for example [http://amzn.to/12H2JnV Mayflash] adapters. If you want that official feel, though, try the [http://amzn.to/1BkBkXl Official Wii U GameCube adapter]. While it's made mainly for Wii U compatibility, the community has made unofficial USB drivers for it, and [https://dolphin-emu.org/blog/2015/01/01/dolphin-progress-report-december-2014/#40-4594-native-support-for-the-official-nintendo-gc-controller-adapter-for-wii-u-by-skidau testing in Dolphin has shown that it's more accurate to the console than the Mayflash adapter.]

*[https://bitbucket.org/elmassivo/gcn-usb-adapter/src Windows]
*[https://github.com/ToadKing/wii-u-gc-adapter Linux]

For those who don't already have a GameCube controller at home, beware of the Chinese clones that have sprung up like weeds on eBay and Amazon: they are normally of very low quality and feel nothing like the real controllers. Your best option is either getting a used DOL-003 on eBay or checking local retailers for the official Smash 4/Smash Ultimate reproduction controllers. Expect to spend around $25 plus shipping when buying online, and ''always'' check the pictures for loose analog sticks or missing rubber tops. Failing that, the wired "Fight Pad" controllers have inferior build quality to original controllers and aren't plug-and-play in Dolphin, but will work with anything that's compatible with Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers.

===Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) Controllers===
Although not the original versions of the controllers, Nintendo offers wireless and USB-C versions of the original controllers for most of the consoles supported by the NSO emulators. Almost all of these controllers work perfectly fine on a computer and replicate the original feel of the controllers perfectly.

The NES controller doesn't have USB-C output but does work perfectly as a wireless controller, with the downside that the controller is impossible to charge unless you own a Nintendo Switch or a Joy-Con controller charging dock.

*[https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/nintendo-entertainment-system-controllers/] [[NES]] Controller
*[https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/super-nintendo-entertainment-system-controller/] [[SNES]] Controller
*[https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/nintendo-64-controller/] [[Nintendo 64]] Controller
*[https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/sega-genesis-control-pad-114295/] [[Sega Genesis]] Control Pad
*[https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/nintendo-switch-2-nintendo-gamecube-controller-120833/] [[GameCube]] Controller (Note: The GameCube controller is not natively supported by most programs currently, and additional steps are required to get it to work on computer.)

===Other USB Gamepads===


From Q1 2024, those Chinese-Manufactured Gamepads have been developed and improved so much that they outscored these obsolete Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X and Logitech Gamepads. Flydigi, Mojhon (BigBig Won), 8bitdo, Gamesir,... are some brands that I recommend.

==Arcade Sticks==
Arcade sticks mimic arcade controls. They are typically used by fighting game fans but can be used for emulation as well.

===X-Arcade===
http://www.xgaming.com X-Arcade sticks are designed primarily for MAME users but the controls can be easily mapped to any button. Generally considered tacky to use a prebuilt control panel with a homemade MAME cabinet but is acceptable to use as a standalone controller. Prices range from $99 to $250

==Mobile Gamepads==
Pretty much any [http://amzn.to/1iJqhhe Bluetooth controller] will work with an Android or iPhone for emulation. Some recommended controllers:
* [[DualShock 3]] ($40) Good quality controller
* [http://amzn.to/MsJLtf Nyko Playpad Pro] ($20) Cheap controller. Has similar layout as DualShock 3.
* [http://a.co/fFJ987j POWER A MOGA Hero Power Controller] ($26.99)
* [http://a.co/ebpLx29 POWER A MOGA Pro Power Controller] ($34.99) 
* [http://amzn.to/1eZ9ukJ Gametel] ($30) Smaller controller, comes with a clip to attach phone. Has similar to layout to NES controller
* [http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ipega Ipega] ($20-$30)  A series of cheap but sturdy Bluetooth controllers, in various styles ranging from small iControlPad style controllers to basically Xbox 360 controllers with clips.  No or unnoticeable latency.  Can be paired in four modes--keyboard, controller, iCade, and mouse.  Optional, difficult to find, poorly translated Chinese app allows them to emulate Moga input at the cost of adding latency.
* [http://a.co/eWmH2LG GameSir G3s] ($30.99)
* [http://a.co/3fJprFW GameSir T1s] ($39.99)
* [http://a.co/9HIz5PO GameSir G4] ($39.99)
* [http://a.co/9dDrsur GameSir G4s] ($49.99)
* [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078W7SVP2 8Bitdo N30 2.4G] ($24.99)
* [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0734MTKWQ 8Bitdo SN30 GP] ($29.99)
* [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HDVZP84 8Bitdo N30 Pro] ($39.99)
* [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GKLG3ZP 8Bitdo SN30 Pro] ($44.99)

==Motion Controller==
===Wiimote===
For emulating Wii games, this is an option if you want to use the real controller. You can connect your Wiimote to your PC using [https://dolphin-emu.org/docs/guides/configuring-controllers/#Real_Wiimote this guide]. If your computer does not have Bluetooth you will need to get a compatible [http://wiibrew.org/wiki/List_of_Working_Bluetooth_Devices USB Bluetooth adapter], [http://amzn.to/1fb1xJo this one] has been known to work. In order for the Wiimote pointer to be detected, you'll need a [http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Wireless-Sensor-Bar-Wii/dp/B004C4XNI6/ wireless sensor bar] or 2 candles.
Another option is using the [https://www.amazon.com/Mayflash-W010-Wireless-Sensor-DolphinBar/dp/B00HZWEB74 Mayflash DolphinBar], it's a Wii sensor bar with integrated bluetooth. Even Dolphin developers recommend it. 

However, if you want to use your Wiimote as a general purpose controller and a pointing device, and not only for Dolphin but lots of other games, get those [http://www.julianloehr.de/educational-work/hid-wiimote/ custom Windows drivers] and you'll be able to map its various controls in other emulators and games.

===PS Move===
[https://github.com/MooseTheBrown/psmoveinput Psmoveinput] is a userspace Linux input driver that gives users ability to control mouse pointer movements by moving PSMove controller and map PSMove keys to common keyboard keys. It's based on the unofficial [https://github.com/thp/psmoveapi PSMove API].

==Light Gun==
Traditional light guns rely on the behavior of CRT monitors and TVs to function. There are light guns that do not rely on the monitor for positioning but behave more like Wiimotes using IR light. The accuracy is not as good but most people can adjust fairly quickly. Within most emulators, the sensor in the light gun behaves like a mouse and usually require no special drivers for setup.

===AimTrak===
http://www.ultimarc.com/aimtrak.html

Works with all monitors including CRT, LCD, and plasma. The package comes with both the USB gun (an infrared receiver) & a USB-to-infrared transmitter bar that sits on top of the screen. The calibration software for Windows XP/Vista/7 is available on the Ultimarc website, but it's also been confirmed to work on Windows 8 (no drivers are required; the unit works as a mouse). The gun kit is also designed to work on PlayStation 2 & 3 consoles as well as in Linux (again, as a mouse,) though there are no official calibration programs for Linux.

==Racing wheels==
<p class="parseasinTitle ">[http://gaming.logitech.com/en-us/product/driving-force-gt-gaming-wheel Logitech Driving Force GT Racing Wheel]</p>

<p class="parseasinTitle ">[http://gaming.logitech.com/en-us/product/g27-racing-wheel Logitech G27]</p>

<p class="parseasinTitle ">[http://eu.fanatec.com/index.php?route=module/configurator Fanatec Racing Sim Kit]</p>

==Using Controllers in Emulators / Games Not Supporting Them==
Sometimes, the application you use simply doesn't recognize the newly plugged-in controller, be it a standard PC Gamepad or a Console Controller. Often, it's just the bare minimum keyboard and mouse controls are supported. For these situations there are third-party tools which convert each gamepad button press to a preset keyboard/mouse input, thus allowing you to use your controllers at all times.

Remember to open those with administrator privileges when used with programs opened as administrator, or else the button presses won't register.

;[https://github.com/AntiMicro/antimicro/releases AntiMicro]:Free and open-source alternative to Xpadder. Current versions are forked from an [https://emulationrealm.net/downloads/file/3374-antimicro-windows-64bit earlier version] by different people and under active development after the original developer quit due to online harassment. Arguably the best tool available out there for this task. Supports macros and a wide range of controllers (including the Xbox One controller).
;[https://inputmapper.com/downloads-beta/inputmapper InputMapper]:Project to support various console controllers in games, which started with the DualShock 4 and expanded to other controllers.
;[http://ahkscript.org AutoHotKey]:One of the more powerful key scripting language tools available out there. You can for example map complex hotkeys (like Ctrl+Alt+Del) or sequences of hotkeys and/or keypresses (like the Konami Code) to a single key in your keyboard... or gamepad. It's like a scripting language on its own, which though simple may be too much effort for the average user.
;Xpadder: Has been freeware until version 5.3 when it went shareware. The original gamepad mapping utility, but a bit underwhelming compared to other alternatives.
;[http://joytokey.net/en/ JoyToKey]:Shareware, but has a free version. Includes macros, a shift function (to map more keys than the number of buttons on the gamepad) and a turbo function for mashing keys quickly.

===Mouse Injectors for Emulators===
External applications that injects cursor input data directy into game memory with the help of protocols (e.g. [https://wiki.rpcs3.net/index.php?title=Help:IPC_Protocol IPC]) for precise mouse tracking and movement.[https://pcsx2.net/blog/2024/pcsx2-2-release#pine-isnt-a-tree-its-a-protocol] {{YouTubeVideo|oNXcOkMSWng|Demonstration}}

*[https://github.com/garungorp/MouseInjectorDolphinDuck MouseInjectorDolphinDuck]
*[https://github.com/isJuhn/KAMI/ KAMI]
*[https://github.com/bkacjios/MouseInjectorDolphin/tags MouseInjectorDolphin]
*[https://github.com/marinesciencedude/xenia-canary-mousehook xenia-canary-mousehook]
*[https://github.com/AdrianCassar/xenia-canary/tree/netplay_canary_experimental#netplay-mousehook xenia-canary-netplay-mousehook]
*[https://github.com/DottierGalaxy50/rdr-pc-controls-xenia xenia-rdr-pc-controls]
*[https://github.com/emoose/xenia/releases emoose's xenia fork]
*[https://gamebanana.com/scripts/11752 Mouse aim control injector for Ryujinx]
*[https://github.com/makidoll/melonPrimeDS?tab=readme-ov-file#melonprimeds melonPrimeDS]

:See [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php?search=%22%23Enhancements|Enhancements%22&title=Special%3ASearch&limit=500&profile=default&fulltext=1 #Enhancements sections] in each page for "Mouse Injector Compatible" support for emulators.

===True/dual analog control===
Using emulators with these patches and hacks adds dual analogs capability to [[Wikipedia:PlayStation_Analog_Joystick#List_of_games_with_partial_Analog_Joystick_support|previously/originally incompatible games]]; provides actual analog processing for turning and looking up/down with using right analog stick.

[https://github.com/VanLaser/analog-controls-for-armored-core-ps2 True analog control hacks for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PSP titles]
:See [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php?search=%22%23Enhancements|Enhancements%22&title=Special%3ASearch&limit=500&profile=default&fulltext=1 #Enhancements sections] in each page for "True/dual analog control" support for emulators.
:See [https://github.com/TheOfficialFloW/RemasteredControls TheOfficialFloW's RemasteredControls collection] or [https://github.com/Freakler/psp-camera_patch_lite Freakler's psp-camera_patch_lite plugin].

==See also==
*[[Computer specifications]]
*[[Input lag]]
*[[Displays]]
*[[Toys-to-life emulation]]

[[Category:Controllers| ]]