Android Phone as a Controller for PC Emulators — Free
RetroArch, Dolphin, PCSX2, Citra, RPCS3 — all support Xbox 360 / XInput controllers. Gamepad turns your Android phone into one, wirelessly over WiFi, completely free. Play your entire emulated library with a phone controller that costs you nothing.
Emulator Compatibility
Any emulator that accepts XInput or DirectInput controllers supports the Gamepad app automatically. This includes: RetroArch (all cores), Dolphin (GameCube/Wii), PCSX2 (PS2), DuckStation (PS1), RPCS3 (PS3), Xenia (Xbox 360), Citra (3DS), Cemu (Wii U), PPSSPP (PSP), MAME, and FinalBurn Neo.
In most emulators you simply open controller settings, select "XInput Controller 1" (or "Xbox 360 Controller") and the button mapping is pre-filled. For emulators that emulate PlayStation hardware, the button positions match DS3/DS4 positions even though labels show as Xbox.
Dolphin
GameCube and Wii games — map GCN controller or classic controller to your phone.
RetroArch
All console cores from NES to PS2 — RetroPad auto-maps to your phone controller.
PCSX2 / RPCS3
PS2 and PS3 emulation with full analog trigger support for driving and shooting games.
Setting Up for Emulation
Install the Gamepad Server on Windows — it registers ViGEmBus, which makes your phone appear as a real Xbox 360 controller. Open any emulator after connecting and go to its controller settings. Select XInput / Xbox 360 Controller from the dropdown. The mapping is automatic in most cases.
For RetroArch specifically, go to Settings → Input → Port 1 Controls → Device Type → "Xbox" — RetroPad handles everything else. For Dolphin, go to Controllers → Port 1 → Standard Controller → Configure, then click on each button and press the corresponding button on your phone.
Download Free and Start Playing
Free Android APK, iOS app, and Windows Server — all from one page.