How to play Shadowgun on an SGSII or an Asus Transformer using a PS3 controller

As many of you know Shadowgun from Madfinger Games is the current big hit title out right now on Android. Released last week for Tegra 2 devices, this game has already blown up on the charts and soon non-tegra 2 Android devices will be able to play it as well for those of you without root.

If you own a Samsung Galaxy SII (a.k.a SGSII) here is a great little set up for you to try out when playing Shadowgun. Of course this will work with most other newer Android devices that Chainfire3D and Sixaxis Controller supports. This example is using an SGSII though. Also, even though it doesn't require root or Chainfire3D, this will also show you how this looks on an Asus Transformer while playing it with a PS3 Controller. You can do this with any Tegra 2 device without root naturally since Chainfire3D isn't needed in the case of the Asus Transformer.

Steps:

1. Pair the PS3 controller to your Android device with the Sixaxis Controller app (guide for how to do that here)
2. In the Sixaxis Controller app hit the menu key to bring up it's settings, check the box next to bypass IME
3. Go to Input Mappings in settings and select 1st Controller Mappings
4. You'll now see a list of the buttons on the PS3 controller, pressing on anyone of them will allow you to map the appropriate key to that button
5. Here are the keys and their respective functions, you can map them to whichever buttons you like on the controller:
   1. Dpad Center=Fire
   2. 7 = Reload
   3. Dpad left, Dpad right, Dpad up, Dpad down = Left, right, up down respectively for the first  analog stick
   4. J, L, I, K = Left, right, up down respectively for the second analog stick
   5. A, D, W, S = the four weapon slot selection keys
   6. Back = Pause
6. Once you've mapped the keys you are all set (you won't need to  map any keys within Shadowgun itself under Gamepad in settings as you would do to use the PS3 controller as a USB gamepad)

As this uses a PS3 controller through bluetooth when playing Shadowgun (or any game in this fashion really), you do have a bit of a time delay in that once you stop hitting buttons or moving, you'll see your character in-game continue whatever it is you were doing for a second or two. That's just the delay from the signal from the controller to the device. Otherwise, the gameplay is much better with the controller for those of you used to playing these types of games with one. If you're used to touchscreen controls for playing these sorts of games, you should be fine on your own without doing this. You can see this all in action in the video above.

Side note: If you use a controller through USB, you don't have any of the little delay found when using bluetooth.

Thanks to our friends over at AndroidNZ for sending this in.

Android Market Links: Chainfire3D | Sixaxis Controller ($1.75) | Shadowgun ($4.99)