iOS Game Controller support

Unity supports a standardized Game Controller Input API provided by Apple as part of the standard Unity Input API.

Detecting attached Game Controllers

Calling Input.GetJoystickNames will enumerate the names of all attached controllers. Names follow the pattern: [$profile_type,$connection_type] joystick $number by $model. $profile_type might be either “basic” or “extended”, $connection_type is either “wired” or “wireless”. It could be used to detect the kind of connected controller. It is worth re-checking this list every few seconds to detect if controllers have been attached or detached. Here’s a C# example:

private bool connected = false;

IEnumerator CheckForControllers() {
    while (true) {
        var controllers = Input.GetJoystickNames();
        if (!connected && controllers.Length > 0) {
            connected = true;
            Debug.Log("Connected");
        } else if (connected && controllers.Length == 0) {
            connected = false;
            Debug.Log("Disconnected");
        }
        yield return new WaitForSeconds(1f);
    }
}

void Awake() {
    StartCoroutine(CheckForControllers());
}

When controllers are detected you can either hide on-screen touch controls or amend them to supplement controller input. The next task is to check for Game Controller input.

Handling input

The actual input scheme is highly dependent on the type of game you are developing. But it’s essentially about reading axes and button states. Take the following 2D game stage as a simple example:

The player controls the bean character, which can move right or left, jump and fire at the bad guys. By default, the Unity Input “Horizontal” axis is mapped to basic profile game controller D-pad and the left analog stick on extended profile controllers. So the code used to move the character back and forth is pretty simple:

float h = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
if (h * rigidbody2D.velocity.x < maxSpeed)
    rigidbody2D.AddForce(Vector2.right * h * moveForce);

You can set up jump and fire actions in Unity’s Input Manager.

• Access it from the Unity editor menu as follows: Edit > Project Settings > Input.

• Pick joystick button “A” for the “Jump” action and “X” for “Fire”.

• Open the following actions in the Unity Input Manager and specify “joystick button 14” for “Jump” and “joystick button 15” for “Fire”.

The code handling then looks like this:

if (Input.GetButtonDown("Jump") && grounded) {
    rigidbody2D.AddForce(new Vector2(0f, jumpForce));
}

if (Input.GetButtonDown("Fire")) {
    Rigidbody2D bulletInstance = Instantiate(rocket, transform.position, Quaternion.Euler(new Vector3(0,0,0))) as Rigidbody2D;
    bulletInstance.velocity = new Vector2(speed, 0);
}

The following cheatsheet should help you map controller input in the Unity Input Manager:

Final notes on Game Controller API support

Unity only includes the Game Controller framework in the project if a script in the project references Input.GetJoystickNames. Unity iOS Runtime loads the framework dynamically, if it is available.

Apple documentation explicitly states that controller input must be optional and your game should be playable without them.

• 2018–06–14 Page amended with limited editorial review