With REMATCH finally hitting the hands of players in early access, one of the hottest debates has nothing to do with tactics or formations, but with controls. Should you stick with the keyboard and mouse, or is a controller the better choice?
Controller Feels More Natural (For Now)
Most players agree that REMATCH was clearly designed with controllers in mind. The movement, passing, and especially shooting mechanics all feel smoother and more intuitive on a gamepad. Dribbling with the left stick and pulling off precision shots with trigger sensitivity gives controller users a slight edge, especially when it comes to fluidity.
On Reddit and Discord, early access players have even said things like:
“Keyboard feels like a handicap right now.”
“The controller just works – the movement’s tighter and shooting feels less clunky.”
And if you are going with a controller I can’t resist myself and I have to recommend you getting one with Hall effect or TMR sticks so you don’t get stick drift after a few months of use.
Keyboard Is Playable, but not that great
That’s not to say keyboard and mouse is unplayable—it’s just clearly not the preferred method at this stage. Some players have reported stiff controls or awkward key layouts. Custom remapping helps a bit, but the default scheme makes quick reactions harder. Especially in a game like REMATCH, where timing and angles are everything, any delay can cost you the ball.
What Could Change?
Keep in mind that REMATCH is still early in development. With enough feedback, devs could refine keyboard controls or even add advanced customization tools and profiles to close the gap. It wouldn’t be the first football game to do that.
❓ Can you play this game with keyboard and mouse (KBM)?
Yes, you can — but it’s currently not recommended for the best experience.
🔧 Current state (early access / alpha):
- Controller is strongly preferred, especially for movement and dribbling.
- Shooting is often better with mouse, offering more precision.
- Keyboard controls feel awkward for many players due to:
- Lack of key rebinding.
- Strained hand positioning.
- Missing functions like proper dribbling or headers.
- Limited usability for advanced moves like 360 turns.
🎮 TL;DR – Input Comparison:
| Feature | Controller | Keyboard + Mouse |
|---|---|---|
| Movement / Dribbling | ✔ Much smoother | ✘ Clunky, hard to control |
| Shooting | ✘ Less precise | ✔ More accurate with mouse |
| Passing | ✔ Feels natural | ✔ Usable, but limited |
| Ease of use | ✔ Plug-and-play | ✘ Needs tweaks / remap |
| Rebinding | ✘ Not available yet | ✘ Also not available |
🗨️ Community sentiment:
- Many say controller is easier to pick up.
- KBM has higher skill ceiling for aiming, but hard to use without full rebinding.
- Some feel KBM could be great once controls can be remapped, but not yet.
✅ Recommendation:
If you love sports games and want the best experience now, use a controller when possible.
If you’re limited to keyboard and mouse, it’s playable, but expect a rougher time — especially with dribbling or positioning.
