How to use RetroArch to improve the way certain games are controlled

I will start with two cool ‘tricks’. Please share yours if you have any : )

Gran Turismo 1&2: in these games, you can analogue accelerate and brake using the right dual shock stick. So if you have a controller that has analogue triggers, you can play them like a modern racer (progressive R2 accelerate/L2 brake) by swapping the right stick for the triggers and then use the right stick to shift gears, or look behind PGR style, or change the view or whatever you like. For XBox-type controllers (I use an xbone elite), these lines in the games’ cfg files will do the trick.

input_player1_l2_axis = "-3"
input_player1_r2_axis = "+3"
input_player1_r_y_minus_axis = "+5"
input_player1_r_y_plus_axis = "+4"

Shenmue 1&2: I find it very convenient and much more natural to walk and turn using the left stick and look around with the right one. A simple remap + input_player1_analog_dpad_mode = “1” is enough in this case.

2 Likes

That’s a really good idea for a game like Shenmue. If I hadn’t just recently played the remastered version I’d give that a shot.

I like making extensive use of individual game remaps as well. I like how allows you to play around and experiment with different control setups without the hassle of redoing your main config every time. Recently I replayed Metal Gear Solid for PS1 for the first time in nearly twenty years, and having become accustomed to using R1 for first-person view in subsequent MGS games, my brain just wasn’t going back to using the Triangle button for it anymore.

What’s also nice is after setting up an arcade stick autoconfig, using it for systems that never really had that option on native hardware. I’ve gone back and revisited GBA, NDS, and PSP games with an arcade stick and rediscovered games all over again.