The Magus Circle accessibility and controls
Use slow/freeze-time drawing or button-press casting for comfort. Movement, abilities, button-press mode and controllers gained remapping in 1.1.0; 1.1.5 stops Shifting Tide projectiles while paused.
A drawing-based survivors-like lives or dies on input options. The Magus Circle ships with more of them than most in the genre: slow/freeze-time drawing, a full button-press casting mode, four input devices, and Steam-side accommodations like Playable without Timed Input. This page compiles every confirmed option plus the gaps demo players actually asked for.
Confirmed accessibility options (official)
| Option | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Slow time while drawing | Decelerates the Tide while you sketch a sigil | Steam store page |
| Freeze time while drawing | Stops the Tide completely mid-draw | Steam store page |
| Button press mode | Cast spells with a button instead of drawing; developer recommends it for controller play | Steam store page |
| Adjustable Difficulty | Steam feature tag | Steam categories |
| Playable without Timed Input | Steam feature tag — no reflex-draw pressure required | Steam categories |
| Playable at your own pace | Steam feature tag | Steam categories |
| Custom Volume Controls | Per-channel audio sliders | Steam categories |
| Save Anytime | Listed Steam feature; 1.1.5 adds Steam Cloud and keeps Anima rewards after unexpected exits | Steam categories + 1.1.5 |
| Family Sharing | Share the library | Steam categories |
Input device matrix
| Device | Status | Setup notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mouse | Recommended default | Works with no configuration. |
| Drawing tablet | Officially supported | Disable Microsoft Ink if strokes don't register (official fix). Demo players with 14h on tablet call it the best experience. |
| Touch screen | Officially supported | Listed on the store page; good for Steam Deck-style play. Patch 1.0.1 (Sep 25) fixed Steam Deck default controls. |
| Controller | Supported via button-press mode | Developer explicitly recommends pairing controller with the accessibility settings. |
Demo feedback and the current input options
Demo players asked for more flexible inputs and less drawing fatigue:
- Keybind remapping — answered in 1.1.0. The most-requested demo item: the October 7 update added settings tabs for rebinding movement, abilities, Button Press mode and controllers (details in the checks below).
- Drawing tolerance. Demo discussions asked for more forgiving shapes and more input options. Start with slow/freeze drawing or button-press mode.
- Fatigue management. Demo players described fatigue in long sessions; try slow/freeze drawing or button-press casting.
- Keyboard-only menus. A critical review reports several menus ignore keyboard input entirely.
Post-launch settings checks
Assist Mode: update to 1.0.6 if it casts the wrong spell; the developer lists that as a fixed bug. Do not assume every older input complaint has the same cause.
Damage numbers: 1.0.5 adds an option to turn them off. Use it when number clutter distracts from your drawing or path through enemies. Current patch log.
Keybind remapping: shipped in 1.1.0 (October 7) — new settings tabs rebind movement, abilities, Button Press mode and controllers.
Recommended setups
- Desktop + mouse: default; enable slow-time drawing if the late waves overwhelm you.
- Drawing tablet: disable Microsoft Ink first, then calibrate; keep strokes upright.
- Controller: switch to button-press mode (developer recommendation) and leave freeze-time off unless needed.
- Long sessions: alternate spell shapes to reduce repetitive strain; use Save Anytime to break.
Shifting Tide projectiles keep moving while paused?
1.1.5 fixes projectiles continuing to move while the game is paused. Update before retrying that situation. Slow-time drawing and button-press casting remain separate accessibility choices; choose those for drawing comfort.
The patch also removes FPS dependence from Wisp behavior and fixes a lingering slowdown after fireballing a jellyfish. Official 1.1.5 notes; current spell changes.
