The most important thing when playing with an emulator on Android is the comfort when playing with touch or with a Gamepad, and also knowing how to configure and make it work. Let’s see how to do it.
How to Connect Bluetooth Controller Android
In this section, we will go through all the steps to make it work properly.
Connection via Bluetooth:
“What we’re about to discuss is really important, but it doesn’t apply to console gamepads like PS4, PS5, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch. It only applies to generic controllers, perhaps those made in China.
Most generic controllers have 3 or more types of connections.
Note: Not all Bluetooth controllers have these modes; some only have 1 or 2 at most. You should read the manual that came with your controller or search for the manual online.”
- ANDROID MODE: This mode allows the gamepad to work in native Android games that have gamepad support. However, this mode may not be compatible with all emulators and may not allow button mapping. “May not”
- MOUSE MODE: As the name suggests, your gamepad will be able to control your mobile screen like a mouse pointer controlled by one of the joysticks. Obviously, it won’t be useful in an emulator.
- XBOX / XINPUT MODE: This mode is highly compatible as it emulates an Xbox controller. Both Android and emulators recognize it perfectly.
Others: This depends on the controller you purchased.
How to switch between connection modes on your Bluetooth Controller? Typically, these controllers follow a common rule to switch modes using specific button combinations:
- Power Button of the Gamepad + A Button
- Power Button of the Gamepad + Y Button
- Power Button of the Gamepad + X Button
- Power Button of the Gamepad + B Button
However, this is just a general guideline. To accurately determine the function of each button combination, you should refer to the manual of your Bluetooth gamepad.
Which one should I use?
The two modes you should try are the Android mode and the Xinput/Xbox mode.
What about Original or Replica Console Controllers?
In this section, the Xbox controller is excluded as it tends to work without issues. However, for other controllers, there’s a requirement: The emulator must support or make the controller compatible with it.
Typically, emulators that are frequently updated don’t have this issue.
A sign that it’s not compatible is when the emulator doesn’t recognize it, you press any button and there’s no response. Or when you try to map buttons and nothing happens. It could also be that some buttons work while others don’t.
In this situation, you just have to wait for the emulator to provide support.
Mapping or Configuring Buttons in PPSSPP with a Bluetooth Controller
- Open the PPSSPP emulator on your device.
- Connect your Bluetooth controller to your device.
- Once the controller is connected, navigate to the PPSSPP settings.
- Look for the “Controls” section in the settings menu.
- In the controls section, select the option to configure or map buttons.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to assign each button on the Bluetooth controller to the corresponding function in PPSSPP.
- Make sure to save the configuration once you have finished mapping all the buttons.
