Turn Iphone Into Game Controller For Mac

Jun 05, 2019 iOS 13 Will Turn Your iPhone into a Mobile PS4 Thanks to DualShock 4 Support and the Remote Play App. Apple this week announced that iOS 13 and iPadOS will introduce full support for Sony's DualShock 4 controller, which is the main game controller for the PlayStation 4. Jun 27, 2013 “The iPhone can already do a lot of things, but here’s a new trick: An app released today by Rolocule Games pairs with users’ Apple TVs and turns the phone into a Wiimote-style motion. Jan 13, 2020 If you like to game on your Mac, these are the controllers to get. Gaming on the Mac isn't as big as on PC, but there's still some great games out there for Apple computers. In some cases you'll be OK using a keyboard and mouse, but for a lot of people, kicking back and using a controller is the way to game.

Gaming on a Mac is not what Apple is historically known for. However, with Apple delving into the fledgling virtual and augmented reality space, some traditional game interfaces and not so traditional interfaces (think HTC wands or Valve's knuckle controllers) now need to be supported on macOS to reap the VR/AR benefits to their fullest.

To ready you for some amazing VR pilot games such as Eve: Valkyrie that utilize a traditional game Xbox game controller, we're here to show you how to connect one to your Mac! In the past this method only applied to the Xbox 360 controller, but the latest version of the software you'll be using also now supports the Xbox One controller.

How to download and install the drivers

We're assuming that you already own a wired Xbox controller, but if you're needing to buy, a standard controller is about $50. You'll need to connect it to your Mac using a microUSB cable which, sadly, isn't included. If you buy a third-party wired controller you won't have to worry about this.

Next, follow these steps.

Launch Safari.
Navigate to https://github.com/360/Controller/360Controller/releases.
Download the latest release of the 360Controller driver. As of this writing, the latest release is 0.16.5.
Go to your Downloads folder in Finder.
Double-click the 360Controllerinstall_*.dmg file.
Double-click the Install360Controller.pkg that pops up in Finder.
Click Continue.
Again, click Continue.
Select to Agree the license agreement.
Click Install.
Agree to allow a restart of the computer by clicking Continue Installation.
Click Restart.
You can optionally have the downloaded file Moved to Trash.
Upon restarting the computer start System Preferences from the dock or the  menu.
Click on Xbox 360 Controllers.

How to connect your Xbox 360 controller

Once you've installed the drivers, you'll now logically see that there are No devices found, since we have yet to physically connect the game controller to the Mac.

Plug in your controller to your Mac. If you have a current model MacBook or MacBook Pro, you'll need a USB-C to USB-A adapter.
Click OK when the System Extension Blocked warning message pops up.
Go into System Preferences via the dock or  menu.
Click Security & Privacy.
Under the General tab click the Lock at the bottom left.
Enter your password and click Unlock.
Click Allow.

Your Xbox wired controller should now be connected!

Final thoughts

I am super stoked about developers climbing aboard the VR/AR hype train. As a mere consumer of VR, I can only hope for more and more creative minds to get on board. If you're a VR/AR developer, or even better yet, a macOS VR/AR developer, what other ways can Apple help promote virtual reality on their platform? Let us know in the comments!

Updated April 2018: Updated to reflect that this method also now supports the Xbox One controller.

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Complete with retro skins

When I first heard about the Joypad Legacy app, I admit that I was skeptical.

It's a (now) free app that allows a PC or Mac gamer to turn their iPhone into a fully customisable handheld controller.

Apple Iphone Game Controller

It sounded too good to be true.

But after giving it a whirl, I can now see it becoming an indispensable part of my desktop gaming.

Two steps to freedom

Wireless Game Controller For Mac

In order to make use of Joypad’s software, you need to download Joypad Legacy to your iPhone and then Joypad Connect to your PC or Mac.

Once both are downloaded and installed, make sure both devices are on the same wireless network and launch the desktop version. When it’s up and running, launch the app on your iPhone and the desktop version should automatically detect it.

Turn Iphone Into Game Controller For Pc

Once connected you can pick a pre-selected controller configuration for popular games like Portal 2 or Minecraft. If you’re more enterprising, you can create a custom controller configuration for almost any game you can run on your PC or Mac.

Some developers have also integrated the code into their iOS games, enabling you to control those specially-enabled iOS games such as League of Evil 2 and Super Mega Worm on an iPad or Mac, using your iPhone.

Skins and more

The eight retro gaming skins offered by Joypad Legacy aren’t just for aesthetics- although older gamers will surely be happy with the look of the iconic NES controller on their iPhones.

Simple games like DarkRunner (which I used for my custom test) work just fine on a FamiCom/NES Retro two-button controller but more involved games call for the six button inputs of the Genesis controller (eight, if you count Start and Select).

Best Game Controller For Mac

While Joypad Legacy isn’t a game itself, it will change the way you game on your PC or Mac at home with its simple, easy to configure controllers and a seamless interface.

Best Game Controllers For Iphone

If you’re looking for a way to give your keyboard and mouse a rest while gaming, Joypad Legacy might be the perfect solution for you.