First off i got IXdream for Mac OSX and when it asked for a date and time i tried to set it but i don't know the controls.

So this is the question Do you need a controller to play this?

No, and OS X version actually doesn't support joysticks. You can configure the controls in the second tab of the preferences (on the menu under lxdream > Preferences. The first controller should be setup by default, but you can change the key settings to whatever you like.

Cheers,
Nathan