'Controller to Keyboard translation
 '---joystick/Gamepad specific settings
 '   Settings for Game*Mite
Sub init_game_ctrl
 Local i%
 ' Initialise GP8-GP15 as digital inputs with PullUp resistors
 For i% = 8 To 15
   SetPin MM.Info(PinNo "GP" + Str$(i%)), Din, PullUp
 Next
End Sub

Function contr_input$()
 If Not game_mite Then Contr_input$="":Exit Function
 Local  n,ix% = Port(GP8, 8) Xor &h7FFF,cs$="",bit
 Local m$(7)=("DOWN","LEFT","UP","RIGHT","SELECT","START","BUT-B","BUT-A")
 ' which buttons are currently pressed
 For n=0 To 7
   bit=2^n:If ix% And bit Then Inc cs$,m$(n)+" "
 Next
 Contr_input$=cs$
End Function

'>>>>>>>NEW<<<<<<<<<<
'Controller to Keyboard translation
Function c2k$()
Local c$,tmp$
c$=contr_input$()
If c$<>"" Then
 If c$="DOWN " Then c2k$=Chr$(129)
 If c$="UP " Then c2k$=Chr$(128)
 If c$="LEFT " Then c2k$=Chr$(130)
 If c$="RIGHT " Then c2k$=Chr$(131)
 If c$="BUT-A " Then c2k$=" "
 If c$="BUT-B " Then c2k$="z"
 If c$="START " Then c2k$="m"
 If c$="BUT-B BUT-A ")Then c2k$=Chr$(9)
EndIf
End Function

...
'main player input loop -----------------------------------------
 Do
   'player input through keyboard, clearing buffer, check loop time
   k$="":Text 290,0,Right$("00"+Str$(Timer,3,0),3)
   Do
     tmp$=Inkey$
     If tmp$<>"" Then k$=tmp$  'keep last valid key

   Loop Until Timer>h_beat
   Timer =0
'>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ADD HERE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
   If Game_Mite And k$="" Then k$=c2k$()
'-----------------------
   ky=Asc(k$)

   'player controls movement of player character