Machine Party Wiki

Subject intake / basic operation

How to play Machine Party: controls and first match

Start with the rule card, not muscle memory. This page covers controls, round briefings, and the normal first-room flow. If a room ID or Steam invite fails, switch to the dedicated online room-join fix.

Published August 1, 2026Updated August 25, 2026Current Steam build

Control reference

Common inputs

Controls vary by minigame. The table is a practical launch-build reference, not a universal binding sheet. Use the keys or buttons displayed before and during your current trial.
ActionKeyboard & mouseController
MoveWASDLeft stick
Look / aimMouseRight stick
Primary actionLeft click or the prompted keyRight trigger or prompted face button
Interact / pick upE or the prompted keySouth face button (A / Cross) when shown
JumpSpace when enabledSouth face button when enabled
Pause / backEscMenu / Options button

First-room setup

Host your first room

  1. Launch the game through Steam while Steam is online.
  2. Choose the online or host option from the main menu and create a private room.
  3. Wait for the lobby to display its long numeric room ID. Copy it carefully.
  4. Send the ID to two or three friends, or invite them through the Steam overlay if the lobby exposes an invite action.
  5. Confirm every subject has loaded, choose your trial selection, and start the session.

First-room join

Join your first room

  1. Get the room ID directly from the host.
  2. Open the join-room option from the main menu.
  3. Paste or type the complete numeric ID without spaces, then submit.

If this normal join flow fails, stop repeating setup steps and use the online room-join fix for invalid IDs, missing invites, version checks, and connection troubleshooting.

Before the timer starts

Read the briefing

Each minigame has its own objective and may replace normal movement with a rhythm, timing, aiming, or assembly control scheme. The briefing screen answers three things: what you can do, what kills you, and what counts as winning. If a button icon in this guide disagrees with that screen, follow the screen.

Invite friendsNormal room creation, ID sharing, and Steam invite basics.Room join not working?Invalid IDs, missing Steam invites, and connection checks.Learn the trialsRead all 15 objectives and normal win conditions.Fix a controllerWork through Steam Input and device detection checks.

Player count, controller support, and platform claims are checked against the official Steam listing. Round prompts shown in-game take priority over any static key reference.