Heres a tutorial on how to use a gamepad for the Steam version of Smash Legends
Hopefully the developers over time solve the issue ingame but until then this works very well.
The only program so far ive found that works is

JoyToKey Download[joytokey.net]

click the link its straight to the download no need to find anything.

























Complete the setup process, if you've done one you've done them all, click agree click next etc

Plug in your gamepad or connect it via bluetooth.



Open JoytoKey, Click Create and enter a profile name and hit ok
Press keys on your gamepad to make sure the program is responding. (You should see yellow flashes on keys as you're pressing)
Double click the function area for each button you wanna set . (All we need to set is wads or arrows, jkl or zxc, Space and F1-F4 if you want emojis. All you have to do is double click by the button under function press the key you want to assign and then hit space and move to the next button.
Once you're done setting buttons go to file save to complete that part.

Next go to settings associate profiles with applications
make sure the middle option at the bottom is selected (switch to the last etc) then click Add
Under Application Name put whatever you'd like etc Smash Legends
Click the down arrow under Associated Profile and click your profile.




Now we need to fill in Based on Path or Filename.







To find out pull up steam and locate Smash Legends in your library
Right click smash legends go to properties










Now under properties click Local Files and hit Browse,






Now from here right click the smash legends icon and once again go to properties


You need to select the line where it says Location: Starting with C: you click and hold before the C: and drag your mouse to the right until you see Smash Legends. With that line still selected hold ctrl+ press c, go back to the window for the path or filename field right click inside of it and paste.

It should look similar to this but note at the very end you need to type \Smash_Legends.exe

All the info should be filled and just hit ok.
Now I suggest you go ingame and go to the legends menu and try out your controller. If you set the right joystick of your controller to mouse settings you'll be able to see it working sooner but this works too.
Thank you and Enjoy.