Official documentation says this controller requires at least macOS Ventura 13.2 or above, and that USB wired connection is only available for macOS or iPadOS with USB-C ports.

Even if you can adapt a USB port to a Type-C on a PowerPC Mac and get a peripheral connected, a newer device is overwhelmingly likely not to work on such an old platform due to lack of drivers or even be incompatible with the older USB 2.0 spec.

Ventura 13.2 is an entire 13 versions of macOS newer than Mac OS X Leopard, yet the 8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth gamepad works A-okay when you use a proper USB-C cable connected to a USB-C port that was adapted from a USB-A port. This gamepad is desirable for its flexibility, compatibility, is a currently made device – and it works on a 22 year-old Mac. There’s s chance it’ll work on even older PowerPC Macs and perhaps just about any Intel Mac.

• See Article: Trying out USB-C on a PowerPC Mac

What works, and how does it work?
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• According to official documentation, macOS 13.2 Ventura is required.

Setting up Gamepad Companion
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• Download and install Gamepad Companion. This app allows you to use this controller in PPC Leopard on any game, but you must map out the buttons individually to each game. You may save the configurations under multiple profiles.
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  • GamePadCompanion.pkg.zip (Low End Mac Mirror, 418 KB)
  • Serial: j-583-9437-fzi-0621-05-1
  • (Software Index Disclaimer)
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  • Not all games/emulators need Gamepad Companion to work (Such as DeSuMe, a DS emulator), and in those situations it’s better to “stop” this service in System Preferences as to not interfere with the game’s native drivers/ability to connect with the controller.

When plugged in and set to “D” on the 4-setting rear switch, it should show up properly in system preferences and just like the above screenshot.

• When you press a button, it changes the “Selected element”. You have a number of options at your disposal as to how your controller’s buttons will map out.
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• Both joysticks can be configured, and the mouse sensitivity can be configured also. It is able to work in 360 degrees as it’s supposed to.
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• 3 buttons in particular don’t work at all for the time being – P1, P2, and the Star button. Sure it’s 3 less buttons, but the entire rest of it works. You will have to manually configure and test each button and make sure it works for the game you’re trying to play it on.
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• When configuring the Joysticks, Gamepad Companion’s “selected element” may be difficult to understand to translate into working controls. While controls vary from game to game, these worked for me to control properly in most games I tried:
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  • Side to Side: X axis (Left Joystick), Z-Rotation (Right Joystick)
    • when mapping action “Multiple keys”, map the lower value first and the higher value second.
      • Ex: Map the down/back for the first Keystroke, and up/forward for the second.
      • Ex: Map “D” then “A” for (for WASD)
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  • Up and down: Y Axis (Left Joystick), Z-Axis (Right Joystick)
    • when mapping action “Multiple keys”, map the lower value first and the higher value second.
      • Ex: Map the Right for the first Keystroke, and Left for the second.
      • Ex: Map “S” then “W” for (for WASD)
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  • Map Left joystick to Mouse or to “look around” instead of move:
    • X-Axis to Mouse X-Axis (Controller and system pref)
    • Y-Axis to Mouse Y-Axis (Controller and system pref)
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  • Map Right joystick to Mouse or to “look around” instead of move:
    • Z-Axis to Mouse X-Axis (Controller and system pref)
    • Z-Controller to Mouse Y-Axis (Controller and system pref)
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• Above: a brief example of using GamePad Companion to play Minecraft 1.8.9 using the method described in this article.
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• Other games tested:
  • Pokemon Black 2 (DeSuMe)
  • Super Mario World Super Mario Advance 2 (VisualBoy Advance)
  • Amnesia: The Dark Descent
  • Sonic Robo Blast 2 Mac

Other Uses

Since Gamepad Companion maps out directly from controller to keys or mouse controls, the possibilities go beyond mere games. It can be used as a way to interact with the computer without a keyboard or mouse.

In Conclusion

You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. Regardless of how much we upgrade or adapt our Macs, each one has a finite level of computing power it is capable of – there will one day come a time where no amount of upgrading can make it faster.

Hanging onto aging silicon and keeping it up in the modern world doesn’t always mean pushing what 2025 computers can do onto a 2003 computer – it is about the value it has to you, what you learned about it’s abilities and how you continue to use it.