The question of whetherLeague of Legendscould make it onto consoles has been one that fans have asked for a while. At the highest ranks of play, console players would have difficulty keeping up with the mouse and keyboard players, but this has never felt like a reason for the game not to get a port. With the release ofLeague of Legends: Wild Rift, an alternative has been provided, and one that works considerably well. WhileLeague of Legends: Wild Riftisn’t an exact port of the originalLeague of LegendsMOBA game, the differences in gameplay are aspects that make its current port to Android and iOS devices more palatable.
The same choices in game design that make it more accessible are also part of what will helpLeague of Legends: Wild Rifttranslate well to consoles. Its shorter match times and smaller map sizes are two of the most notable changes that should go over well onceWild Rifthas made the jump to consoles, but other aspects of the game are solid improvements as well. Gameplay, while not completely stripped, has been simplified, streamlining the general knowledge and skill players will need to enjoyWild Rift. This has helped to level the overall playing field along with othergreat features forLeague of Legendsnewcomers.
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Wild Rift’s Controls
With thedifferences betweenWild Riftfrom the originalLeague of Legends,it’s clear that a lot of work has gone into bridging the gap between fans that have played the original on PC and anyone that wants to get into the game following its newest releases. While controls aren’t quite as pinpoint as they are inLeague of Legendsfor PC, the changes made mean that gameplay is a bit more forgiving while also working well with mobile devices like phones and tablets. Even though the inputs on mobile devices are more than likely to differ from what’s being released on console, it’s still a good starting place and should be used as a benchmark.
Auto-targeting is probably one of the more prominent features alongside its complementary choice targeting to look at when considering this future move. On PC, intentional mouse clicks mean that most players don’t have to worry about attacking a champion instead of a minion even when usingweird bottom lane combos, but the sometimes-inexact inputs that happen on other hardware have been a concern when fans have discussed ports in the past. Currently, withWild Rifton mobile devices, this has been addressed by allowing players to tap different onscreen buttons that prioritize corresponding nearby targets, allowing for more precise plays in-game.
This approach cannot translate directly onceWild Riftis brought to consoles, but it does set up alternative options. With most controllers having a total of 12 buttons or a number that’s at least close to 12, there are plenty of ways to map out controls once Wild Rift does make the move. Movement will probably work best by being tied to analog sticks, but abilities and priority attacks could be easily mapped to any of the other buttons available. This keeps the spirit of the current control setup ofWild Riftalive while making it accessible to console players after those ports are released.
This accessibility is also part of whyWild Riftshould translate well to consoles once it’s ready. If given fully customizable button layouts, players ofWild Riftcan map their controls as they see fit, making for a more comfortable and personalized play experience. With smaller and shorter maps, it’s already clear thatWild Riftcould excel on the Nintendo Switch or theSteam Deck. However, the varying nature of control layouts means being able to tweak the experience to meet one’s needs on a traditional console or on the go will be important. If this is kept in mind forWild Riftand is combined with the other changes already made to the game, it could boom in popularity and introduce even more people to theLeague of Legendsfranchise through a new avenue.
League of Legends: Wild Riftis available now on Android and iOS devices.
