Questions
How to play Undertale with a controller on a Mac
Undertale has a Mac version on Steam, and Steam's store page lists no controller support for it, so I would not count on a pad working out of the box. If yours already does, use that. If it does not, the fix is small, because the whole game is seven keys: the arrows, Z, X and C.
Steps
- Connect the controller and open InputConfig.
- Make a new preset and choose Automatically insert available inputs.
- Give the D-pad and left stick the arrow keys, A / Cross Z, B / Circle X, Y / Triangle C.
- Press Activate and start Undertale.
Undertale's keys
The arrow keys move, and in a fight they move your soul. Z or Enter confirms, X or Shift cancels, and C or Control opens the menu. Holding Escape quits the game, so keep Escape off the controller.
The layout
| Controller | Sends | Why |
|---|---|---|
| D-pad | Arrow keys | Precise dodging |
| Left stick | Arrow keys | For people who prefer a stick |
| A / Cross | Z | Confirm |
| B / Circle | X | Cancel |
| Y / Triangle | C | Menu |
In InputConfig, make a new preset, choose Automatically insert available inputs so every control gets a row, then give these rows their keys and leave the rest empty. It takes a couple of minutes, once. Add Undertale to the preset's auto-switch list, and with automatic switching on in Settings, Advanced, it turns itself on when the game is in front.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
Stick or D-pad in the fights
The bullet boxes want small, exact moves, and a D-pad is four switches, which is exactly what the arrow keys are. A stick bound to arrows works too; if the soul creeps when you let go, raise the stick rows' inner deadzone a little. Diagonals come from two arrows at once, and both the D-pad and the stick send them.
Steam Input can do this too
If you launch Undertale from Steam, Steam Input can also map a controller to keyboard keys for that game, and if it works for you, you need nothing else. A mapper outside Steam is for when Steam Input does not take on your Mac, or when you want the same pad to work in games from other places.
Deltarune and other keyboard games
Deltarune uses the same keys, so a copy of this preset works there if it runs on your Mac. So do a great many small keyboard games; the guide to playing any Mac game with a controller covers the rest.
Questions
Can you play Undertale on a Mac?
Yes. Steam lists a Mac version, and it runs on Apple silicon Macs through Rosetta 2.
Does Undertale have controller support on Mac?
Steam's store page lists none, so do not count on it. Map the controller to the arrow keys, Z, X and C with a mapper and every controller works the same.
Which controllers work?
Any controller the Mac connects to: PS5, PS4, Xbox, Switch Pro, 8BitDo and most others. The game only ever sees key presses.
Related
Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.