controllers

description
Supported, Classified and Rated Controllers/Gamepads

Controllers

• 🖲 Controller Types
  • MFi
  • Steam
  • iCade
• 🕹 Controller Forms
• 🎮 Controllers · Supported, Classified & Rated
• 🎛 Controls

Controller Types

MFi Controllers

Certified MFi Controllers are the standard complying to Apple's Gamepad profile(s). They are the easiest and most compatible controllers to use not just for Provenance, but iOS and tvOS in general.

MFi Profiles

MFi controllers exist in a few different formats made distinct as profiles in Apple's SDK.

Profile	❚❚	✜	A	B	X	Y	--	==	ⓁⓇ	③③	◀︎	▶︎
Micro	●	●	●	●
Standard	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
Extended	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
Extended2*	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●

{% hint style="info" %} Technically, there is only one Extended profile in the SDK, but we make the previous generation (which excluded L3 and R3) distinct within Provenance and refer to the updated profile as Extended2. {% endhint %}

Due to Apple's shortsightedness, all MFi controllers lack certain buttons to be equivalent to any modern gaming standard (PS4, Xbox, etc…) made accessible in Provenance in various ways:

1. For systems without trigger buttons:
   • L2: Select, R2: Start
2. For PSX, N64, and on…
   • MFi+ Combos
   • UI Buttons within Pause Menu
3. Missing Buttons Always On-Screen (iOS only) Beta, not all systems supported

Steam Controller (pseudo MFi)

Valve's Steam Controller uses its own protocol different from MFi, and not a virtual keyboard hack like iCade types, but we can conform it to the MFi Extended Gamepad protocol and still obtain input from the extra buttons as a sort of MFi hybrid, however limited to use only within the app (cannot navigate the system such as MFi can do with tvOS).

{% hint style="info" %} Currently, Steam Controller will not reconnect automatically, requiring app relaunch. {% endhint %}

Profile	❚❚	✜	A	B	X	Y	--	==	ⓁⓇ	③③	◀︎	▶︎
Extended2+	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●

Trackpad Modes:

• Button Mode (default): like d-pad, c-buttons
• Touch Mode: like touch analog

Stick Modes:

• Analog Mode (default)
• D-Pad Mode

L-Pad Toggle = ◉ L-Pad Click + ◀︎ (Back)
R-Pad Toggle = ◉ R-Pad Click + ▶︎ (Forward)
Stick Toggle = ◉ Stick Click + ◀︎ (Back)

Currently, ◀︎ (Back) / Select and ▶︎ (Forward) / Start will work with PSX, and N64 via MFi+ (full support coming later…)

{% hint style="info" %} Requires Steam Controller BLE firmware via Steam Beta program. {% endhint %}

iCade Controllers

Before MFi, there were various controllers using non-standardized virtual keyboard hacks to get gamepad input. Because of this they are not as fluid or as granular as you can get from MFi or a Steam controller as they are using key mappings and not variable numerical data (as would be needed for thumbstick coordinates and trigger sensitivity, etc…), however they tend to have more buttons available. Another drawback is that you cannot use two iCades simultaneously, as Apple only allows one 'keyboard' connected at a time…

{% hint style="warning" %} iCade and MFi can not be used together simultaneously without conflict/bugs, currently. {% endhint %}

• iCade control maps coming later…

Controller Forms

Form-fitting

Form fitting controllers attach to your devices, in either a PSP sort of way (GameVice) or with a clamp that mounts the device above the controller. Some are powered by the device, others self-powered via battery and connect over bluetooth. Great for iPhone. Decent for iPads. Generally useless for Apple TV, unless you have a bluetooth device with remove-able or collapse-able clamp.

Standalone

Standalone controllers are familiar to that of Playstation or Xbox. Recommended for iPads, and the absolute for Apple TV.

Controllers

Profiles

Key: ● = Supported

Profile	❚❚	✜	A	B	X	Y	--	==	ⓁⓇ	③③	◀︎	▶︎
Micro	●	●	●	●
Standard	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
Standard+	●	●	●	●	●	●	●				●	●
Extended	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
Extended+	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●		●	●
Extended2	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
Extended2+	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●

Controllers

Key: ● = Supported / Ideal | ○ = Supported

Controller	iPhone	iPad	aTV	Type	Profile	Rating
Razer Kishi Controller for iPhone	●			MFi	Extended2+	●●●●●
GameVice: iPhone Xʀ not supported	●			MFi	Extended	●●●●○
GameVice: iPad Pro 12.9"		●		MFi	Extended	●●●○○
GameVice: iPad Mini		●		MFi	Extended	●●●◐○
Rotor Riot	●	●	●	MFi	Extended2	●●●●◐
Steam Controller	○	●	●	pMFi	Extended2+	●●●●◐
SteelSeries Nimbus + clamp	●	●	●	MFi	Extended	●●●●◐
SteelSeries Stratus XL: iOS	○	●	●	MFi	Extended	●●●●◐
SteelSeries Stratus XL*	○	●	●	iCade	Extended+	●●●◐○
SteelSeries Stratus	○	●	●	MFi	Extended	●●●○○
Horipad Ultimate	○	●	●	MFi	Extended	●●●◐○
8bitdo N30 / F30^*	○	●	●	iCade	Standard+	●●◐○○
8bitdo SN30 / SF30^* + clamp	●	●	●	iCade	Standard+	●●◐○○
8bitdo N30 / F30Pro^* + clamp A , B				iCade	Extended+	●●●◐○
8bitdo Zero	○	●	●	iCade	Standard+	●●○○○
Logitech Powershell 5/5s/SE/iPod5T only	○			MFi	Standard	●●◐○○
MOGA Ace 5/5c/5s/SE only	●			MFi	Standard	●◐○○○
MOGA Rebel^	●	●	●	iCade	Extended	●●●◐○
Mad Catz Micro C.T.R.L.i^	●	●	●	MFi	Extended	●●○○○

^ Discontinued, some can still be obtained.
* Requires legacy firmware to work with iOS/tvOS.

{% hint style="info" %} Check out the controller phone mounts made by UtorCase. {% endhint %}

⭐️Later adding specific controller reviews, pros/cons, retro-nostalgia recommendations…

Controls

A full list of mapped controls for Standard and Extended MFi gamepad profiles per system can be found in MFi Controls.

iCade control maps coming later…