iOS 17.1 and other related updates allow you to connect Nintendo’s Switch N64 controller to play games on your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.
The official remake of the original Nintendo 64 controller that was all the rage in 1996, the N64 is currently offered to the Switch Online subscribers for $50.
The reworked version includes features not found in the original, like USB-C charging, wireless connectivity and built-in rumble support.
Nintendo’s Switch N64 controller now works on the iPhone
X user @aaronp613 has managed to unearth strings from the iOS 17.1 code, indicating that support has been added for the N64 controller.
Apple usually enables support for third-party gaming controllers across the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV simultaneously, so the N64 will almost certainly be available in iPadOS 17.1, macOS Sonoma 14.1 and tvOS 17.1
You can pair and connect a compatible third-party controller using the Bluetooth menu on an iPhone, iPad or Mac. You must press and hold one or more buttons on your controller to put it into pairing mode before selecting it from the Bluetooth settings on your Apple device.
Customizing controller settings
You can customize button functions to your liking in Settings > General > Game Controller on iOS and iPadOS; System Settings > Game Controllers on the Mac; and Settings > General > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth on your Apple TV.
Apple currently supports Sony and Microsoft controllers. Sony’s DualShock 4 and DualSense and Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth, Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive controllers are all supported natively.
Apple’s platforms also support Nintendo’s Joy-Con and Switch Pro and any third-party controllers that have passed MFi certification.
For further information, read Apple’s support document.