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.

Programmer's reference

• Controller reading

Hardware

• Controller port pinout
• Controllers
  • NES Standard controller
  • Arkanoid controller
  • 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)
  • Oeka Kids tablet
  • Partytap
  • Pokkun Moguraa Mat
  • Power Glove
  • Power Pad
  • RacerMate Bicycle
  • SNES controller
  • Top Rider Bike
  • U-Force
  • Virtual Boy controller
  • Zapper lightgun
• Infrared controllers

Other I/O devices

• Famicom 3D glasses
• Family BASIC Data Recorder
• R.O.B.
• Battle Box
• Turbo File
• Barcode Battler

Usage of port pins by hardware type

signal	output			Joypad 1						Joypad 2						audio output
	OUT2	OUT1	OUT0	/OE1	D4	D3	D2	D1	D0	/OE2	D4	D3	D2	D1	D0	AUDIO
access method	write $4016				read $4016						read $4017
available at
NES controller port 1			yes	yes	yes	yes			yes
Famicom controller 1 internal connection			yes	yes					yes
AV Famicom controller port 1			yes	yes					yes
NES controller port 2			yes							yes	yes	yes			yes
Famicom controller 2 internal connection			yes				yes			yes					yes
AV Famicom controller port 2			yes							yes					yes
NES expansion port	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Famicom expansion port	yes	yes	yes	yes				yes		yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
used by
Controller 1			yes	yes					yes
Controller 2			yes							yes					yes
Famicom expansion controller 1			yes	yes				yes
Famicom expansion controller 2			yes							yes				yes
NES Four Score controller 1 & 3			yes	yes					yes
NES Four Score controller 2 & 4			yes							yes					yes
Hori 4 Players Adapter controller 1 & 3			yes	yes				yes
Hori 4 Players Adapter controller 2 & 4			yes							yes				yes
NES Zapper in port 2											yes	yes
Famicom Zapper											yes	yes
NES Power Pad in port 2			yes							yes	yes	yes
Family Trainer Mat	yes	yes	yes								yes	yes	yes	yes
NES Arkanoid controller in port 2			yes							yes	yes	yes
Famicom Arkanoid controller			yes					yes		yes				yes
Family BASIC Keyboard	yes	yes	yes								yes	yes	yes	yes
Famicom 3D glasses		yes