You could try using JoyToKey to trick the game into thinking the input is coming from a compatible controller or mouse and keyboard.

Originally posted by Wommy:

You could try using JoyToKey to trick the game into thinking the input is coming from a compatible controller or mouse and keyboard.

Well, thing is, the controller works. I have buttons set for camera change, look back, gesture, repair, and for boost. It's not like I can't even assign a button. And they all work. Even if I set the boost function to a button that works for one of those other functions, it still doesn't work in the game. It has been a while since I played this game but I don't remember having to do anything special for it to work, other than you had to make sure the little energy/speed indicator thing was all the way up and the little green light was on. I do that, and I push and hold whatever button I have assigned to boost... and nothing happens.

Are you charging the boost with nose down before trying to boost? On n64, it was joystick being pushed up. It indicates as orange instead of green for the light. On PC keyboard controls, it is "i" or up arrow for default controls

First off, boost isn't like in most racing games. You have to be racing at top speed when green light goes on, then hold pitch down (nose down), wait for boost meter to charge, then press boost

Setting up controls, including pitch, is tricky because game tries to assign them to axes and can get confused. Open controls config with text editor and check what's going on there. For example i had same half-axis bound to same action after trying to reassign stuff in-game. It's easier done manually with text file

Finally, try Xidi (dinput wrapper dll) or other similar libraries to remap modern devices to whatever game is expecting. I only have regular gamepads so can't help with that. But if you have dual throttles or two flight sticks you can set it up to control throttle and steering as if engines were separate

Had the same issue until I realised that you have to push up first until your boost charges and then press the boost button. I think I forget this everytime I play it.