R36S Button Mapping: How to Remap Controls for Any Game
RetroArch's input remapping system lets you reassign any button on the R36S to any game function — globally, per system, or per individual game. This guide covers the full remapping workflow and solutions for common control issues.
Understanding the R36S Button Layout
The R36S uses a PlayStation-style button layout with some additions for retro gaming hotkeys:
| Physical Button | RetroArch Name | Default Function |
|---|---|---|
| Cross / South (bottom) | B / Retro B | Confirm / Jump in most games |
| Circle / East (right) | A / Retro A | Action / Run |
| Square / West (left) | Y / Retro Y | Secondary action |
| Triangle / North (top) | X / Retro X | Menu / Special action |
| L1 / L2 | L / L2 | Left shoulder buttons |
| R1 / R2 | R / R2 | Right shoulder buttons |
| SELECT | Select | RetroArch hotkey modifier |
| START | Start | Pause / Menu |
| Left analog stick | Left analog | Movement / directional input |
| Right analog stick | Right analog | Camera / secondary movement |
💡 Pro Tip
RetroArch uses two naming systems: the physical button names (Cross, Circle, Square, Triangle) and the SNES-style names (B, A, Y, X). The mapping between them is: Cross=B, Circle=A, Square=Y, Triangle=X. This matches the SNES controller layout that most classic games expect.
Remapping Controls in RetroArch
RetroArch has two levels of input configuration: the base controller binding (which physical buttons do what in RetroArch menus) and per-game remapping (which game buttons map to which physical buttons during gameplay).
Per-Game Input Remapping
This is the most common use case — changing controls for a specific game without affecting anything else.
- Launch the game you want to remap
- Press SELECT + START to open the RetroArch Quick Menu
- Navigate to Controls → Port 1 Controls
- You will see a list of game buttons on the left and the current physical button assignment on the right
- Use left/right on the D-pad to cycle through button options for each game action
- After making changes, go back to the Controls menu
- Select "Save Game Remap File" — this saves the mapping only for this specific game
Per-Core (System-Wide) Remapping
To apply a remapping to all games on a specific system (e.g., remap all SNES games the same way):
- Launch any game from that system
- Open Quick Menu → Controls → Port 1 Controls
- Make your changes
- Select "Save Core Remap File"
- This applies to all games using this emulator core
⚠️ Important
Game remap files take priority over core remap files. If a game has its own remap saved, it will override the core-level remap. To reset a game to the core defaults, delete its game remap file from the config/remaps folder on the SD card.
Common Remapping Scenarios
Fixing Swapped A/B Buttons
Some games (particularly Japanese games ported from Nintendo systems) have A and B buttons swapped compared to what you expect. This is common with SNES and N64 games.
The standard SNES layout has B as the primary action button (bottom of the diamond), but on a PlayStation-style controller the bottom button is Cross/B which maps correctly. If buttons feel wrong in a specific game:
- Open Quick Menu → Controls → Port 1 Controls
- Find "B Button (down)" and change it from "B" to "A"
- Find "A Button (right)" and change it from "A" to "B"
- Save as a game remap file
Mapping N64 Controls
The N64 controller has a unique layout with C-buttons and a Z-trigger that don't exist on the R36S. The default mapping works for most N64 games but first-person games like GoldenEye benefit from a custom layout:
| N64 Function | Default R36S Map | FPS Game Map |
|---|---|---|
| C-Up | Right analog up | Right analog up (aim) |
| C-Down | Right analog down | Right analog down (aim) |
| C-Left | Right analog left | Right analog left (aim) |
| C-Right | Right analog right | Right analog right (aim) |
| Z-trigger | L2 | R1 (fire) |
| Analog stick | Left analog | Left analog (move) |
Swapping Analog Sticks for Specific Games
Some 3D games work better with the left and right analog sticks swapped (e.g., games expecting left stick for camera and right stick for movement). Under Quick Menu → Controls → Port 1 Controls, find the analog stick assignments and swap left/right analog to preference.
Hotkey Configuration
RetroArch hotkeys are combinations held with SELECT. You can customize these from Settings → Input → Hotkeys in the RetroArch menu (accessed when no game is running, or via Quick Menu → Close Content first).
Default Hotkeys on R36S
| Hotkey Combination | Action |
|---|---|
| SELECT + START | Open RetroArch Quick Menu |
| SELECT + R1 | Save state |
| SELECT + L1 | Load state |
| SELECT + R2 | Next save slot |
| SELECT + L2 | Previous save slot |
| SELECT + X (Triangle) | Screenshot |
| SELECT + B (Cross) | Return to menu / Exit game |
| SELECT + A (Circle) | Reset game |
✅ Key Takeaway
Use Quick Menu → Controls → Save Game Remap File to fix button issues in specific games without affecting the rest of your library. For system-wide changes (e.g., fixing SNES button feel for all SNES games), use Save Core Remap File instead. Both types of remaps are fully portable with your SD card saves.