diff --git a/controller.c b/controller.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..54979a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/controller.c
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#include <controller.h>
+
+#define VB_PWR 0x0001
+#define VB_SGN 0x0002
+#define VB_A   0x0004
+#define VB_B   0x0008
+#define VB_RT  0x0010
+#define VB_LT  0x0020
+#define VB_RU  0x0040
+#define VB_RR  0x0080
+#define VB_LR  0x0100
+#define VB_LL  0x0200
+#define VB_LD  0x0400
+#define VB_LU  0x0800
+#define VB_STA 0x1000
+#define VB_SEL 0x2000
+#define VB_RL  0x4000
+#define VB_RD  0x8000
+
+static uint16_t symToMask(SDL_KeyCode sym) {
+    switch (sym) {
+    default: return 0;
+    case SDLK_a:
+        return VB_SEL;
+    case SDLK_s:
+        return VB_STA;
+    case SDLK_d:
+        return VB_B;
+    case SDLK_f:
+        return VB_A;
+    case SDLK_e:
+        return VB_LT;
+    case SDLK_r:
+        return VB_RT;
+    case SDLK_i:
+        return VB_RU;
+    case SDLK_j:
+        return VB_RL;
+    case SDLK_k:
+        return VB_RD;
+    case SDLK_l:
+        return VB_RR;
+    case SDLK_UP:
+        return VB_LU;
+    case SDLK_LEFT:
+        return VB_LL;
+    case SDLK_DOWN:
+        return VB_LD;
+    case SDLK_RIGHT:
+        return VB_LR;
+    }
+}
+
+void ctrlInit(ControllerState *ctrl) {
+    ctrl->keys = VB_SGN;
+}
+void ctrlKeyDown(ControllerState *ctrl, SDL_Keycode sym) {
+    ctrl->keys |= symToMask(sym);
+}
+void ctrlKeyUp(ControllerState *ctrl, SDL_Keycode sym) {
+    ctrl->keys &= ~symToMask(sym);
+}
+uint16_t ctrlKeys(ControllerState *ctrl) {
+    return ctrl->keys;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/controller.h b/controller.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe9dabe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/controller.h
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#ifndef SHROOMS_VB_NATIVE_CONTROLLER_
+#define SHROOMS_VB_NATIVE_CONTROLLER_
+
+#include <SDL2/SDL.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+typedef struct {
+    uint16_t keys;
+} ControllerState;
+
+void ctrlInit(ControllerState *ctrl);
+void ctrlKeyDown(ControllerState *ctrl, SDL_Keycode sym);
+void ctrlKeyUp(ControllerState *ctrl, SDL_Keycode sym);
+uint16_t ctrlKeys(ControllerState *ctrl);
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/game.c b/game.c
index 4f756ee..6ecb687 100644
--- a/game.c
+++ b/game.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <assets.h>
+#include <controller.h>
 #include <game.h>
 #include <SDL2/SDL.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
@@ -43,12 +44,15 @@ int runGame(VB *sim, GraphicsContext *gfx) {
     uint32_t clocks;
     SDL_Event event;
     GameState state;
+    ControllerState ctrl;
     uint64_t ticks, prevTicks;
 
     state.gfx = gfx;
     vbSetUserData(sim, &state);
     vbSetFrameCallback(sim, &onFrame);
 
+    ctrlInit(&ctrl);
+
     gfxUpdateLeftEye(gfx, LEFT_EYE_DEFAULT);
     gfxUpdateRightEye(gfx, RIGHT_EYE_DEFAULT);
 
@@ -57,12 +61,19 @@ int runGame(VB *sim, GraphicsContext *gfx) {
         prevTicks = tickNs();
         vbEmulate(sim, &clocks);
         ticks = tickNs();
+        sleepNanos(((MAX_STEP_CLOCKS - clocks) * 50) - (ticks - prevTicks));
+
         while (SDL_PollEvent(&event)) {
             if (event.type == SDL_QUIT) {
                 return 0;
             }
+            if (event.type == SDL_KEYDOWN) {
+                ctrlKeyDown(&ctrl, event.key.keysym.sym);
+            }
+            if (event.type == SDL_KEYUP) {
+                ctrlKeyUp(&ctrl, event.key.keysym.sym);
+            }
         }
-        sleepNanos(((MAX_STEP_CLOCKS - clocks) * 50) - (ticks - prevTicks));
-        prevTicks = ticks;
+        vbSetKeys(sim, ctrlKeys(&ctrl));
     }
 }
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index ab15d20..ea33f24 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 build:
-	@$(CC) cli.c game.c graphics.c main.c assets/assets.s -I . \
+	@$(CC) cli.c controller.c game.c graphics.c main.c assets/assets.s -I . \
 		$(SHROOMSFLAGS) $(SDL2FLAGS) \
 		-D POSIX_C_SOURCE=199309L \
 		-o shrooms-vb \
diff --git a/shrooms-vb-core b/shrooms-vb-core
index 37b9a94..50903c7 160000
--- a/shrooms-vb-core
+++ b/shrooms-vb-core
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 37b9a943384a230b93089b7617d1b3f5344480d7
+Subproject commit 50903c7513b00cc62cb20a1578e7f6484914a9da