Famicom Four-way Adaptor
Encyclopedia
Most models of the Nintendo Famicom are equipped with an expansion port for alternative controllers, such as keyboards and light guns. To support up to four players, the expansion port can be equipped with either an adapter to support two additional controllers, or a joystick equipped with a secondary expansion port that will route data from the fourth controller to the primary expansion port.
The NES was designed to accommodate the use of the light gun and robot that were already being used for the Famicom, without making the console more complicated. To accommodate this without redesigning their devices and programs, the ports of the removable joysticks were equipped not only with data line D0, but also D3 and D4. Unfortunately, this prevented games that used other methods of communicating with the Famicom expansion port, including keyboard and four player games, from being released on the NES without major modifications.
To accommodate four player gaming on the NES, Nintendo released the NES Satellite
and NES Four Score
, which requires games to support another method of reading the joystick ports (first eight reads come from the first controller on the port, second eight reads come from the second controller on the port, followed by another 8 reads that includes a signature, letting the game know whether or not a four-player device is plugged in).
The NES was designed to accommodate the use of the light gun and robot that were already being used for the Famicom, without making the console more complicated. To accommodate this without redesigning their devices and programs, the ports of the removable joysticks were equipped not only with data line D0, but also D3 and D4. Unfortunately, this prevented games that used other methods of communicating with the Famicom expansion port, including keyboard and four player games, from being released on the NES without major modifications.
To accommodate four player gaming on the NES, Nintendo released the NES Satellite
NES Satellite
The NES Satellite is a Nintendo Entertainment System accessory created by Nintendo, and released in 1989.The Satellite allows up to four players to play the NES anywhere in the room without the necessity of wires running from the NES to the players' controllers. To use, a small infrared receiver...
and NES Four Score
NES Four Score
The NES Four Score is an accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System created by Nintendo. It allows four-player gameplay on games that supported it. The Four Score was released in 1990....
, which requires games to support another method of reading the joystick ports (first eight reads come from the first controller on the port, second eight reads come from the second controller on the port, followed by another 8 reads that includes a signature, letting the game know whether or not a four-player device is plugged in).
Famicom Four-way Adapter Compatible Games
- Kunio Kun no Nekketsu Soccer League
- Nekketsu Street Basket: Ganbare Dunk HeroesNekketsu Street Basket: Ganbare Dunk Heroesis a sports video game produced by Technos Japan Corp. and this is the final Kunio-kun game for the Family Computer.-Summary:The Super Famicom would become mainstream during this era while the Family Computer software was beginning to go out of circulation permanently...
- Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu
- Ike Ike! Nekketsu Hockey Bu - Subette Koronde Dai Rantou
- Bikkuri Nekketsu Shin Kiroku! - Harukanaru Kin Meda
- Downtown - Nekketsu Koushin Kyoku - Soreyuke Daiundoukai
- Nekketsu Koukou Dodge Ball Bu Four player mode only available in Bean Ball Mode4 player compatibility was removed in the US version
See also
- NES Four ScoreNES Four ScoreThe NES Four Score is an accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System created by Nintendo. It allows four-player gameplay on games that supported it. The Four Score was released in 1990....
- NES SatelliteNES SatelliteThe NES Satellite is a Nintendo Entertainment System accessory created by Nintendo, and released in 1989.The Satellite allows up to four players to play the NES anywhere in the room without the necessity of wires running from the NES to the players' controllers. To use, a small infrared receiver...
- MultitapMultitapA multitap is a video game console peripheral that increases the number of controller ports available to the player, allowing additional controllers to be used in play...
- List of Nintendo Entertainment System accessories