NES Advantage

The NES Advantage

The NES Advantage is an arcade style controller released by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. The device is meant to rest on a flat surface at a comfortable level, such as a tabletop or the floor, with the player seated behind it. This way, it could be used like an arcade game joystick—with the left hand using the joystick and the right hand operating the buttons.

Design

The NES Advantage features adjustable turbo controls for the A and B buttons which could be toggled on or off with a button; users can adjust the rate of the turbo (i.e., how quickly the A or B button is pressed) by adjusting the respective turbo dials located above both buttons.^[1]

It features a pseudo–slow motion feature in which users can toggle on and off by pressing the "slow" button. However, the slow motion feature does not work with all games, and it does not work with games compatible with the NES Zapper or R.O.B.. The slow button works by very rapidly pressing the start button, which could lead to problems when the player attempts to do an action while the game (e.g., jumping or firing). This feature was not compatible with games with start menus or pause screens.^[2] The slow motion feature was unique at release, though it became a popular feature on later controllers.

The device has two wires to plug into both controller ports. By toggling a switch between "Player 1" and "Player 2", the Advantage can be shared with another player for games where two players alternate gameplay.^[1]

In pop culture

In the film Ghostbusters II, an NES Advantage was used to control the Statue of Liberty.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} NES Advantage Instruction Manual, Redmond, WA: Nintendo, 1987, p. 3 
2. ^ NES Advantage Instruction Manual, Redmond, WA: Nintendo, 1987, p. 4