You’ve probably seen the screen. The one that pops up right when you launch the game, gently suggesting that Hollow Knight is best played with a controller. Team Cherry put it there for a reason, but honestly? It’s caused more arguments in the Hallownest community than whether Zote is actually a hero.
Choosing your input method isn't just about comfort. It’s about how you feel the weight of the Knight. It’s about whether you can nail a pogo jump on a primal aspid without screaming.
Is Hollow Knight better on controller? The short answer is: mostly yes, but with some massive caveats that might make you want to stick to your mechanical keyboard.
The Case for the Controller: Why Most People Swear By It
Most of us grew up with a plastic pad in our hands. There is a specific kind of "thumb-memory" that comes with side-scrollers. In a game as atmospheric and punishing as this, ergonomics matter.
You can lean back. You can sink into your couch. When you’re forty tries deep into the Nightmare King Grimm fight, being able to physically relax your shoulders while your thumbs do the work is a godsend.
The D-Pad vs. The Analog Stick
Here is the first mistake people make. They use the analog stick.
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Don't do that.
Hollow Knight is built on a grid. It’s a 2D plane. Analog sticks are great for 3D games like Elden Ring where you need 360 degrees of movement, but in Hallownest, an analog stick is just a wobbly liability. If you tilt that stick slightly too far up while trying to dash right, you might accidentally fire a Vengeful Spirit into a wall instead of dodging a boss.
The D-pad is the king of precision here. It gives you those "clicky" cardinal directions. It’s binary. You’re either moving left or you aren't. For tight platforming sections like the Path of Pain, that lack of ambiguity is why the controller recommendation exists.
Is Hollow Knight Better on Controller for Speedrunning?
This is where the "controller is best" narrative starts to crumble. If you look at the top of the speedrunning leaderboards, you’ll see a surprising amount of keyboard players.
Why? Because of travel time.
Think about it. On a controller, your left thumb is responsible for everything movement-related. To switch from moving left to moving right, your thumb has to physically move across the D-pad or tilt the stick to the other side.
On a keyboard, you have three fingers dedicated to movement. You’ve got a finger on A and a finger on D. The "travel time" to switch directions is essentially zero. It’s instantaneous.
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The Quick Cast Advantage
Then there's the "Quick Cast" vs. "Focus/Cast" issue. Most casual controller players hold down the B or Circle button to heal, which also doubles as the spell button. But there’s a dedicated "Quick Cast" button that most pros bind to a shoulder bumper.
Keyboard players usually have this mapped to a separate key from the start. It allows for frame-perfect spell fires that don't wait for the button release. If you're playing on a controller, you have to remap your triggers to keep up with the high-level movement required for late-game Pantheons.
The Pogo Problem: Precision and Panic
Pogoing—hitting an enemy or environmental hazard from above to bounce upward—is the core skill of Hollow Knight.
On a keyboard, pogoing is almost trivial. You hold the down arrow (or S) and rhythmically tap your attack key. Since your fingers are already on those keys, there’s no room for error.
On a controller, especially if you’re using the analog stick, pogoing can feel "mushy." You might accidentally register a diagonal input, causing the Knight to slash sideways instead of down. This usually leads to you falling directly onto a bed of spikes or a very angry brooding mawlek.
When Keyboard Actually Wins
If you have a high-end mechanical keyboard with N-key rollover, you might actually have a better time than a controller player.
Older or cheaper keyboards have a "ghosting" problem where they can't register more than three or four simultaneous key presses. In Hollow Knight, you are often holding:
- A direction (Left/Right)
- Jump
- Dash
- Attack (or Crystal Heart charge)
If your keyboard dies when you try to do all that, you’re going to hate the experience. But on a modern gaming keyboard, the response time is objectively faster than a Bluetooth-connected Xbox or PlayStation controller. Input lag is real. A wired keyboard is the fastest way to get your thoughts onto the screen.
Practical Advice for Your Playthrough
So, what should you actually use?
If you’re a casual player who wants to enjoy the gorgeous music and the lore, use a controller. The rumble feedback alone adds a layer of immersion that a keyboard just can't match. Feeling the "thud" of a heavy hit makes the world feel more tangible.
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If you’re planning on tackling the Godhome DLC or trying to get the "Steel Heart" achievement, give the keyboard a serious try. Or, at the very least, use a controller with a high-quality D-pad (like the DualSense or a dedicated retro-bit controller).
Tips for Controller Players:
- Move to the D-pad immediately. It will feel stiff at first, but your platforming will improve by 50% within an hour.
- Remap Dash and Attack. Putting Dash on a trigger (like R2/RT) can free up your thumb to focus entirely on Jump and Attack.
- Bind Quick Cast. Don't rely on the default Focus/Cast button for combat. Put Quick Cast on a bumper (R1/RB) for faster spells.
Tips for Keyboard Players:
- Use WASD or Arrows. Don't try to use the mouse. Hollow Knight doesn't have aim-to-look or mouse-aiming. It’s a purely digital game.
- Bind "Attack" and "Dash" to your right hand. Using the NumPad or keys like J, K, and L allows you to distribute the work across both hands rather than cramming everything onto one side.
Ultimately, the game is a masterpiece regardless of how you play it. Team Cherry spent years refining the "coyote time" and jump buffers so that the game feels fair. If you die, it’s rarely the controller’s fault—it’s just the Hallownest tax.
Next Steps for Your Setup
Check your input lag settings in the options menu and ensure "Vertical Sync" is off if you feel any delay. If you’re on a controller, test your D-pad in a safe area like Dirtmouth to see if you can reliably down-slash while moving sideways without "misfiring" your direction.