It also adds support for iOS and iPadOS apps’ highest resolutions when they are used in full-screen mode, and lets you use both the Xbox Series X & S Wireless Controller and Sony PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller with Mac games. Gaming has received other boosts with MacOS 11.3, which now gives an option to change a cross-platform app’s window size, which should help to limit the number of tiny app windows on your Mac. Note that Touch Alternatives and Controller Emulation cannot be used at the same time. The layout might take some getting used to, and you cannot as yet remap any of the keys, but it could enable you to enjoy iOS and iPadOS games on your Mac even if you do not have a controller. For example, Touch Alternatives lets you hold the Option key and use a trackpad as a touchscreen replacement.Ĭontroller Emulation, however, is better optimized toward games, as it remaps every button on an iOS-compatible game controller onto the keyboard. Like Controller Emulation, this allows you to use your mouse and keyboard instead of a touchscreen in apps that were designed for Apple’s mobile platforms.
For instance, with Apple’s new Controller Emulation feature, the W, A, S, and D keys swivel the left thumb stick, the space bar is the A button, and Tab is L1.Ī previous beta of the MacOS 11.3 update introduced a feature called Touch Alternatives for cross-platform apps and games. That means any iPadOS or iOS game that has been optimized for a controller will now play nice with your keyboard. Now, game controller buttons are mapped directly to keys on your keyboard and (optionally) your mouse. Apple has been steadily adding more capabilities to this feature, but the latest MacOS 11.3 update brings with it one of the most welcome changes yet. If you have a Mac with an M1 chip, you can run iPhone and iPad apps and games right on your Mac. (If it does not explicitly say "Mac compatible", please check compatibility.
In the configuration screen (2nd picture), just select the joystick input (buttons, axes, dpads) and the desired output (keyboard keys, mouse movement, scroll, etc). The main screen (1st picture) lets you select a list of previously saved configurations that are easily modifiable.
★★★★★ - "Just the app I was looking for!"Ī video showing the app working with a popular mac game:Īnother video showing the app working with a flash game inside a browser, and explaining briefly how to config the app: ★★★★★ - "The app is easy to use and makes a lot of sense." ★★★★★ - "If your a gamer on a mac, you want this app." In other words: This App will let you play any game or use any app with any mac compatible joystick or gamepad, even the ones that are not compatible with joysticks.
Joystick Mapper is an application for Mac OS X that lets you map keyboard keys, mouse axes, mouse buttons and mouse wheel to any mac compatible joystick or gamepad button/axis/hat.