Here are the pros and cons of using a controller vs. a mouse and keyboard to play Minecraft Dungeons.
How easy is it to switch between both?
Minecraft Dungeons does a great job of letting you easily switch between controller and mouse/keyboard. It will quickly auto-switch for you when you press any button on your controller, mouse, or keyboard.
But which should you actually use for your dungeon crawling adventures?
Mouse and keyboard
Mouse and keyboard is the bread and butter choice for anyone playing on PC.
Pros of using a controller:
- Better precision when aiming your ranged weapon - point & click a specific enemy to shoot
- Faster quickchat in multiplayer - just pressing a hotkey sends a ping
Cons of using a controller:
- Keybind options are currently very lacking - players who want to bind abilities to "QWE" instead of "123" will find themselves also sending constant quickchat messages to allies, which are (currently) unable to be re-bound to other keys
- Character turn speed is more noticible, since you can move your mouse around faster than your character can turn to match it (a headache for mouse/keyboard players who are used to having no turn speed a la League of Legends and Diablo 3)
Controller
Minecraft Dungeons is available on PC, Xbox, PS4, and Nintendo Switch, so the majority of Minecraft Dungeons players will be using controllers.
Pros of using a controller:
- Easier and more relaxed gameplay with ranged auto-aim
- Character turn speed feels more natural and less prohibitive since it matches the movement of the joystick
- Easy and sensible button layout (I'm a habitual "change all the buttons" person, but didn't feel the need to change anything about the default layout)
- Button re-mapping doesn't cause issues like on mouse/keyboard
Cons of using a controller:
- Not everyone has a PC controller (but connecting an Xbox controller or Stratus Duo are the easiest options)
- Less precise ranged aiming with the joysticks (auto-aim can be either your friend or your enemy)
Conclusion
The lack of ability to re-bind quickchat messages off of "QWE" suggests that not enough attention was given to the needs of mouse/keyboard players. Until this is fixed (or if you're okay with the default keybinds), I would strongly recommend a controller for Minecraft Dungeons.
Being released on all consoles, unsuprisingly it feels designed to be played very comfortably on a controller. With it's accessible gameplay style, Minecraft Dungeons is a great game to just sit back in your chair or couch and play for hours.
Good luck against the Arch-illiger!
Read more
- How Minecraft Dungeons Enchantments Work
- How to Get More Emeralds in Minecraft Drungeons
- Minecraft Dungeons Beginner Tips
- How to Increase Your Power Level in Minecraft Dungeons
Chat about your controller opinion and more on the SteelSeries Discord server.
