Input devices

The NES has two general-purpose controller ports on the front of the console, as well as a (rarely used) 48-pin expansion port underneath.

The Famicom’s standard controllers are hardwired to the front of the unit, and a special 15-pin expansion port is commonly used for third-party controllers. The AV Famicom, however, features detachable controllers using the same ports as the NES.

The NES and Famicom have a set of I/O ports used for controllers and other peripherals, consisting of the following:

• One output port, 3 bits wide, accessible by writing the bottom 3 bits of $4016.
  • The values latched by $4016/write appear on the OUT0-OUT2 output pins of the 2A03/07, where OUT0 is routed to the controller ports and OUT0-OUT2 to the expansion port on the NES.
• Two input ports, each 5 bits wide, accessible by reading the bottom 5 bits of $4016 and $4017. Reading $4016 and $4017 activates the /OE1 and /OE2 signals, respectively, which are routed to the controller ports and the expansion port.
  • On the NES, only D0, D3, and D4 are connected to both controller ports, while all of D0-D4 are connected to the expansion port.
  • On the original Famicom, the two ports differ: $4016 D0 and D2 and $4017 D0 are permanently connected to both controllers, while $4016 D1 and all of $4017’s D0-D4 are connected to the expansion port.
  • On the AV Famicom, only D0 is connected to the controller ports. The expansion port is unchanged.

• Controller reading

• Controller port pinout
• Controllers
  • NES Standard controller
  • Arkanoid controller (also see prototype version)
  • Bandai Hyper Shot
  • Coconuts Pachinko
  • Doremikko Keyboard
  • Exciting Boxing Punching Bag
  • Family BASIC Keyboard
  • Four Score, NES Satellite 4-player adapters
  • Hori 4 Players Adapter for Famicom
  • Jissen Mahjong controller
  • Konami Hyper Shot
  • Miracle Piano
  • Mouse (SNES Mouse, Subor Mouse, Hori Track, etc.)
  • Oeka Kids tablet
  • Partytap
  • Power Glove
  • Power Pad, Family Trainer, Pokkun Moguraa Tap-tap mats
  • RacerMate Bicycle
  • SNES controller
  • Top Rider Bike
  • U-Force
  • Virtual Boy controller
  • Zapper lightgun
• Infrared controllers

• Famicom 3D glasses
• Family BASIC Data Recorder
• R.O.B.
• Battle Box
• Turbo File
• Barcode Battler
• TV-NET controller
• TV-NET Rank 2 controller
• FAM-NET Keyboard
• Family Computer Network Adapter
• Famicom Network System controller
• Super Famicom NTT Data Keypad
• Namco Serial Checker Interface
• Namco IPL Interface
• Port test controller

1. ↑ /OE1 is activated by reading $4016.
2. ↑ /OE2 is activated by reading $4017.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Controllers using NES ports can be plugged into either port, using that port’s /OE and data lines. However, games may expect a controller to only be in a specific port.
4. ↑ The Famicom controller 2 has a microphone that sends audio input over $4016 D2. This is not affected by OUT0 nor /OE2.
5. ↑ A Famicom expansion controller may connect the audio output signal to a headphone jack (for example: IQ502 joypad).
6. ↑ The Casel Zapper plays audio when the trigger is pulled, but this is done entirely by the controller independent of the console’s audio out.

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