Monster Train - Controls

Monster Train is much easier to play once you know how its controller navigation works. Unlike an action game, most inputs are used for moving between cards, train floors, menus and combat information. The important controls are selecting cards, changing floors, ending the turn, checking the map and previewing what combat will do before you commit.

The guide below covers the standard controller behavior used on PlayStation, Xbox and supported PC gamepads, plus the native keyboard shortcuts available on PC.

Monster Train PlayStation Controls

Action	PlayStation Control
Navigate cards and menus	Left Stick
Move between train floors	Right Stick Up / Down
Select / Confirm / Play Card	X
Cancel / Go Back	Circle
End Turn / Context Action	Square
Access top HUD information	Triangle
Combat Preview	L1
Show Map	R1
Pause / Settings	Options

The Right Stick is the control that tends to confuse new players. During battle it lets you move the focus between the different floors of the train, while the Left Stick is primarily used for navigating your hand, units and interface elements.

Monster Train Xbox Controls

Action	Xbox Control
Navigate cards and menus	Left Stick
Move between train floors	Right Stick Up / Down
Select / Confirm / Play Card	A
Cancel / Back	B
End Turn / Context Action	X
Access top HUD information	Y
Combat Preview	LB
Show Map	RB
Pause / Settings	Menu Button

Monster Train added full gamepad support after launch, so the entire run can be completed without a mouse. Xbox controllers are also the reference layout used by the PC version, which means button prompts may appear in Xbox style when using some other gamepads.

How to Play Cards With a Controller

Use the Left Stick to highlight a card in your hand, then press X on PlayStation or A on Xbox. If the card requires a target, move the selection to the appropriate friendly unit, enemy or floor and confirm again.

Unit cards also require an available train floor with enough capacity. If the floor you want is not currently selected, move between floors with the Right Stick before confirming the placement.

How to Move Between Train Floors

Move the Right Stick up or down to change the active train floor during combat. This is useful when placing units, targeting spells or simply checking what is happening on each level.

Remember that enemies normally enter from the bottom and climb upward if they survive, eventually reaching your Pyre. Thinking vertically is a major part of Monster Train, so learning this control early makes battles much easier to read.

How to Preview Combat

Use L1 on PlayStation or LB on Xbox to view the combat preview. This shows the expected result of the upcoming exchange before you end your turn.

Check the preview whenever a wave looks dangerous. It can reveal that an enemy will survive with a tiny amount of health, that one of your important units is about to die or that damage will leak through to the Pyre.

How to End the Turn

Press Square on PlayStation or X on Xbox when you are ready to finish playing cards and begin combat.

Before ending the turn, quickly check your remaining Ember, available cards and the combat preview. Monster Train rewards careful planning far more than rushing through turns.

How to Open the Map

Press R1 on PlayStation or RB on Xbox to access the map where available. The map is especially important between battles because each side of the route can contain different shops, unit banners, artifact rewards, card removal opportunities and Pyre healing.

Plan ahead rather than choosing a route only for the first reward you see.

Monster Train PC Keyboard Controls

Action	Keyboard Control
Confirm / Activate	E or Enter
Cancel / Settings	Esc
Close Panel	Q or Backspace
Navigate	WASD or Arrow Keys
Floor Up / Down	Page Up / Page Down
Jump to Start / End	Home / End
End Turn / Context Action	F
Combat Preview	Left Shift
Toggle Battle Speed	N
Show Deck	Z
Show Draw Pile	X
Show Discard Pile	C
Show Consume Pile	V
Show Map	M
Access HUD	Tab
Select Card Slots	1 to 0

PC has significantly more direct shortcuts than console. If you like checking draw piles, discard piles or individual card slots frequently, keyboard controls can be particularly convenient.

Can You Remap the Controls?

Keyboard controls on PC can be customized from the settings menu. Controller rebinding is more limited, although Steam Input can be used on PC if you want to create a custom gamepad layout.

For most players the default controller setup works well once the difference between Left Stick navigation and Right Stick floor movement becomes familiar.

Does Monster Train Support PlayStation Controllers on PC?

Yes. The PC version has full gamepad support and has been used successfully with PlayStation controllers as well as Xbox and Switch Pro controllers.

If a DualShock or DualSense controller is not responding correctly through Steam, enabling Steam Input for Monster Train can usually resolve the issue.