Skip to main content

Individual Controller Mappings for LaunchBox & Big Box Navigation

LaunchBox for Windows

Summary:

Add support for per-controller navigation mappings in LaunchBox and Big Box, allowing users to assign buttons independently for each detected input device 🎮.

Problem:

Currently, navigation mappings (e.g., select, back, start) are applied globally across all controllers. However, “Button 1” can mean different things depending on the controller—what’s “A” on an Xbox controller may be “B” on a Switch or DualShock controller. This inconsistency makes it confusing to navigate the interface, especially for users who frequently switch between controllers or use a wide range of input devices (e.g., arcade sticks, light guns, GameCube adapters).

Proposal:

Display a list of all detected controllers and allow individual navigation mappings for each one. This would eliminate guesswork and make the experience consistent, intuitive, and seamless—no matter which controller is picked up.

Benefits:

  • Removes friction from switching controllers

  • Provides a consistent user experience without needing third-party tools

  • Reduces accidental inputs or confusion caused by inconsistent layouts

  • Aligns with the needs of emulation-focused users who use multiple controller types regularly

Community Insight:

This is a long-standing request with multiple duplicates on BitBucket and consistent community support. Users emphasize that while external tools like reWASD or X360CE exist, this should be a native quality-of-life feature.

Posted by damageinc86 ·
Status: Open To Community5 comments

Log in to comment and vote

Comments5

  • Apollo255

    •

    Jun 13

    Might i make a suggestion? I dont know how difficult it might be but if devs were to add in a SDL compatibility layer like what retroarch already has, then that would allow bigbox to just know what controller is connected and automatically map the proper button config. In retroarch this allows a player to turn off an xbox controller and turn on a NSO Snes controller and the buttons just work, no manual mapping needed since they are all already properly mapped in SDL (i have to use SDL2 compat version) The current version of SDL2 compat has the wrong button mappings but sdl2 compat 2.32.60 version on github works flawlessly with every controller ive tried (NSO NES, NSO Snes, NSO n64, xbox one, and others) If it would be easier to integrate a SDL compatibility layer, i feel it would make it easier on the devs to just have all the mappings already done for them, and for the end user. (NOTE, ONLY version 2.32.60 of sdl2 compat has the proper mappings for all controllers right now. version 2.32.64 and all the ones after this version have incorrect button mappings for some controllers, like the NSO N64 controller) Anyways, just an idea!

  • Jazzy80

    •

    Jan 9

    This is an absolute must have for LaunchBox / BigBox. There appears to be quite a few requests for this over the last 12 months. In addition, there are many topics created about this issue in the forum or reddit dating back many years. I’m one of them.

    I’m not of a technical mindset when it comes to coding but RetroArch does it in a seamless way. LaunchBox / BigBox needs to evolve to include the same feature to enhance the user experience with simplicity in mind. The third party apps are a nightmare and causes all sorts of confusion when bouncing from one emulator to the next.

    I’d really like to open BigBox with a Wii remote oneday and have it work just as easily with a xbox 360 elite series 2 controller the next day.

    As my rom and emulator collection has evolved, i find myself needing different remotes to serve my purpose depending on what i want to play, i.e. using a wii remote as a light gun in Mame. In this instance i need the wii controller activated before i start Mame for it to work but this is not possible because i can only use the Xbox controller to start games in BigBox.

    Essentially, i’m finding BigBox is no longer serving its purpose and i have to use LaunchBox with a mouse / keyboard as the primary application - this is a shame as BigBox provides an amazing user experience.

    I don’t want to take anything away from the developers, they do an amazing job. However, badges aren’t a priority when compared to the overall importance of this feature.

  • AstroBob

    Team•

    Apr 10, 2025

    Thanks for posting this here, I’ve gone ahead and fleshed it out and releasing to the community for additional discussion