Controllers
Connect a controller.
Any Bluetooth gamepad that works with Apple devices plays Knee Down on Mac, iPad and Apple Vision Pro. Pair it once in Bluetooth settings and the game picks it up automatically. Analog triggers matter: they give real throttle and brake control, which the Riding School grades.
Which controllers work
| Controller | Mac | iPad | Vision Pro | Pairing mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Wireless (Series X|S, One with Bluetooth) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Hold the small pair button on top until the Xbox logo flashes fast |
| PlayStation DualSense / DualSense Edge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Hold PS + Create until the light bar flashes |
| PlayStation DualShock 4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Hold PS + Share until the light bar flashes |
| Nintendo Switch Pro Controller | Yes | Yes | Yes | Hold the sync button on top until the lights run |
| MFi Bluetooth gamepads | Yes | Yes | Yes | See the pad’s manual |
| USB-C wired (Xbox, DualSense) | Yes | Yes | No | Just plug in |
A Bluetooth controller remembers one device at a time. Moving it from the Mac to the iPad or Vision Pro means putting it back in pairing mode on the new device.
Pairing, step by step
Put the controller in pairing mode first (last column above), then:
Mac
- Open System Settings → Bluetooth (Bluetooth on).
- Wait for the controller under Nearby Devices, then click Connect.
- Optional: System Settings → Game Controllers shows it and lets you test buttons.
- Launch Knee Down and press any button; the game uses whichever controller was used last.
iPad
- Open Settings → Bluetooth.
- Tap the controller under Other Devices.
- Optional: Settings → General → Game Controller to test it.
- Launch Knee Down. The pad takes over as soon as you press a button; touching the screen switches back to touch controls.
Apple Vision Pro
- Open Settings → Bluetooth, look at the controller under Other Devices and pinch to select it.
- Launch Knee Down and pick Immersive Ride or Tabletop. With a pad connected you ride fully manually (you lean and steer). Without one, steering is assisted: pinch and hold to ride, drag down while pinched to brake, release to roll off and stop. The comfort setting Assist Ride keeps steering assisted even with a pad.
- Menus are easiest with look-and-pinch; the garage on Vision Pro doesn’t take pad input yet.
To move the controller to another device, put it in pairing mode again there. On the Mac you can also click ⓘ next to it in Bluetooth settings → Forget This Device.
Button map
Labels are Xbox / PlayStation. Throttle and brakes are analog. The right stick is the twist grip: roll on smoothly and evenly, as the coach asks; it springs back to a closed throttle when released.
| Action | Controller | Mac keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Throttle (twist grip) | Right stick up: push to roll on, ease back to roll off; or right trigger (RT / R2) | W or ↑ |
| Front brake | Left trigger (LT / L2) | S or ↓ |
| Rear brake | B / ○ (pressure-sensitive) | Shift |
| Lean / steer | Left stick, left–right | A / D or ← / → |
| Tuck | A / ✕ (hold) | Space |
| Shift up / down | RB / R1 · LB / L1 | E · Q |
| Camera | Y / △ | C |
| Restart | X / □ or View / Share | R |
| Pause | Menu / Options | Esc |
| Emotes (online) | — | 1–4 |
| Menus | D-pad or left stick, A / ✕ confirm, B / ○ back | Arrows, Enter, Esc |
The controller rumbles on knee-down, hard curb strikes, panic moments (wobbles, slides) and crashes. No pad? On iPad you can ride with on-screen controls or tilt the iPad to lean.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| Controller doesn’t appear in Bluetooth | It’s still paired to another device: put it in pairing mode again (the light must flash fast, not slow). |
| Paired, but the game ignores it | Press any button once in-game, or quit and relaunch Knee Down. |
| Bike keeps drifting to one side | Stick drift: the game ignores the inner 12% of stick travel; recalibrate or try another pad. |
| No rumble | Xbox and DualSense rumble; Switch Pro and most MFi pads don’t. Check the battery. |
| Vision Pro still steers for you | Turn off Assist Ride in the comfort settings. |
| Lag on Mac | Keep the controller within a few metres; USB-C wired is lowest latency. |
Still stuck? Contact support.