OC Mapping ZX Spectrum controls with Onion OS on your Miyoo Mini or Miyoo Mini Plus - a guide

As with other home computers, the ZX Spectrum came with a built-in keyboard and could use an optional joystick. This gave game designers manifold options when it came to their chosen control scheme.

Choose the main input device type

Most games supported the Kempston joystick and this makes for a good default.

1. In-game, press FUNCTION + SELECT to bring up the RetroArch menu
2. go to Controls -> Manage Remap Files and choose Save Core Remap File if that option is available (this means that the change will affect all ZX Spectrum games)
3. back up a menu level pressing B
4. go to Port 1 Controls, then set the Device Type to Kempston
5. close the RetroArch menu with FUNCTION + SELECT

The change has now been saved and should take effect straight away.

A few games did not support the Kempston. For those, you can choose an input type that the game does support. Repeat the above process with the following changes:

• in step 2, select Save Game Remap File (means that the change will only affect this game)
• in step 4, select the input type that the game supports (Sinclair Joystick, Cursor Joystick, etc.)

To get you started, you can download a zip file we've prepared. This sets the default to Kempston for Spectrum games, and to Sinclair 1 Joystick for RoboCop 3. Extract the contents to Saves\CurrentProfile\config\remaps\fuse on the SD card (make a backup first).

Mapping additional keyboard input

It wasn't uncommon for Spectrum games to use keyboard as well as joystick input. For those games, follow these steps:

1. In-game, press FUNCTION + SELECT to bring up the RetroArch menu
2. go to Core Options -> Manage Core Options and choose Save Game Options (this means that the changes will be specific to this game)
3. back up a menu level to Core Options by pressing B
4. select each button you want to map and choose the corresponding ZX Spectrum input
5. close the RetroArch menu with FUNCTION + SELECT

The changes have now been saved and should take effect straight away.

Do not map the SELECT button. Otherwise, you may not be able to quit the game.

To get you started, you can download a zip file we've prepared. This contains keyboard input configurations for many ZX Spectrum games. Extract the contents to Saves\CurrentProfile\config\fuse on the SD card (make a backup first). If you create a control mapping for a game we haven't included, or improve upon one we have, please let us know in the comments below.