We all know the standard NES setup, the Control Deck, controllers, Zapper, and a game or two, but did you know that the NES was supported with a boatload of other hardware? From arcade sticks and circle pads to four-player controller adaptors and light guns, the NES had a wider variety of peripherals than pretty much any other console on the market—it even had a robot that would play games with you!
R.O.B.
R.O.B. (or your Robotic Operating Buddy) was created as a means to show retailers that the NES was more than just a gaming machine. Retailers were unnerved by the idea of putting more game consoles on store shelves, since they had become a very hard product to sell during that time. R.O.B. was meant to show retailers that their machine was, in fact, an “Entertainment System” as the name implied. It only worked for two games on the NES, but the plan clearly worked.
NES Max Controller
The NES Max was a variant on the standard controller that had a circlepad in place of the Directional Pad. The controller had more of a boomerang shape, as opposed to the rectangular look of the regular NES controller. It also had a Turbo function that could be used for rapid fire in-game.
NES Advantage
Nintendo went back to its roots with this controller—a joystick with two massive buttons for A and B and a flat bottom, perfect for placing on a flat surface and emulating the arcade experience. The controller also had turbo buttons, which made shooting games a breeze. As an added bonus, the Advantage also had a “Slow” button, which rapidly paused and unpaused the game, giving it the appearance of moving in slow motion.
Power Pad
The Power Pad was part of Nintendo’s ideology of making the NES more than a game console. It was used as a way to keep gamers active and also bring other non-gaming family members into the mix. Most of the games that were made for the Power Pad were fitness- and physical exercise-related.
Hands-Free Controller
This controller was created to allow Nintendo fans with disabilities to play the NES. Players moved characters in-game with a chin-controlled joystick, which was used as the Directional Pad. Players would sip and puff into a straw-like device attached to the controller to use the A and B Buttons.
Zapper
The Zapper was a light gun for the NES that allowed players to play games with shooting gallery mechanics. Games like Duck Hunt, Hogan’s Alley, and Wild Gunman provided different motifs, but still ultimately focused on firing the Zapper at targets on the screen.
NES Four Score
The Four Score was a controller bay that allowed for four total NES controllers to be plugged into the NES. This allowed for a total of four players on any games that supported it. The Four Score also had Turbo toggles, so all controllers plugged into the Four Score could benefit from Turbo buttons.
NES Satellite
Like the Four Score, the Satellite enabled four-player gaming on the NES. Where the Satellite differentiates itself is in its wireless functionality. The Four Score was wired to the NES, but the Satellite had an adapter that plugged into the NES and sent a signal to the actual control bay where the controllers were plugged in.