Controls
Gamepad, keyboard, mouse, touch and the Siri Remote all fly the Sandviper. The same list is in the game: choose Controls in the main menu or the pause screen.
Use a gamepad
The game is designed around two analog sticks. With a gamepad you get:
- Twin-stick flying. The left stick flies; the right stick points the nose, so you can circle a target while firing at it.
- Analog speed. Ease the stick to hover low and slow over a pickup or the rescue ladder without overshooting.
- Every weapon at once. Gun, rockets, Hellfire and Strafe each have their own button and trigger.
- A clear screen. On iPhone and iPad the on-screen controls hide while you use the gamepad, and come back after 8 seconds without gamepad input.
- The full game on Apple TV. The Siri Remote has no buttons for the Hellfire or Strafe.
Which gamepad?
Any extended controller that works with your Apple device works with the game, on every platform:
Xbox Wireless Controller
Including the Elite and Adaptive controllers. Pair over Bluetooth.
DualSense and DualShock 4
Including DualSense Edge. Pair over Bluetooth.
Made for iPhone / iPad
Extended controllers such as the Backbone, Razer Kishi and SteelSeries Nimbus.
Pairing a controller
- Put the controller in pairing mode. Xbox: hold the pair button until the Xbox button flashes fast. PlayStation: hold Create (or Share) and the PS button until the light bar flashes.
- On iPhone or iPad open Settings › Bluetooth. On Mac open System Settings › Bluetooth. On Apple TV open Settings › Remotes and Devices › Bluetooth.
- Select the controller, then open the game. It picks the controller up as soon as you press a button.
Every control
Button names follow the Xbox layout. On PlayStation, A is Cross, B is Circle, X is Square, LB and RB are L1 and R1, and LT and RT are L2 and R2.
| Action | Gamepad | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch | Siri Remote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlyUp flies up the screen | Left stick D-pad | WASD or ↑←↓→ | Keyboard flies | Left stick | Touch surfaceSwipe and hold |
| Aim nosePoint the nose directly | Right stick | — | Pointer | — | — |
| Chain gunHold to fire | A RT | Space J | Left click | GUN | Click |
| RocketsSplash damage | X RB | K X | Right click | ROCKETS | Play/Pause |
| HellfireLocks onto the nearest target ahead | B LT | L C | Middle click | HELLFIRE | Gamepad only |
| StrafeHold to keep the nose on target | LB | Shift | Keyboard | STRAFE | Gamepad only |
| PausePause, restart or quit | Menu | Esc P | Keyboard | Pause button | Menu |
Flying tips
Up is up
Movement follows the screen, not the helicopter: push up and you fly up the isometric view, whichever way the nose points.
Keep the nose on target
The nose normally turns toward where you fly. Hold Strafe to keep it pointed while you slide sideways or back away. Strafing caps top speed at 80%.
Low and slow
The winch, the rescue ladder and the frigate's refuel all need you to hover low and slow. Speed off too early and the hook comes back empty.
Pick the right tool
The chain gun for light targets, rockets for splash damage on groups, and Hellfires that lock onto the nearest target ahead of you.
Notes per platform
iPhone and iPad
- On-screen stick on the left, GUN, ROCKETS, HELLFIRE and STRAFE on the right, kept clear of the screen edges.
- A connected gamepad hides the on-screen controls while you use it.
- With a hardware keyboard connected, turn Mouse: On in the menu to aim with a mouse or trackpad.
Mac
- The keyboard flies and fires out of the box.
- Mouse: On in the main menu or pause screen (off by default) points the nose at the cursor; left, right and middle click fire the gun, rockets and Hellfire.
Apple TV
- The Siri Remote flies, fires the gun and the rockets. Hellfire and Strafe need a gamepad.
- Graphics default to Low for a steady frame rate on Apple TV 4K.