Ah, the quirks and surprises of retro gaming, right? Take Zelda II, for example. It’s packed with its own unique set of bugs and glitches. Ever heard about the one where you can dash through levels and zip past locked doors by pressing left and right at the same time? Sounds like a neat trick, doesn’t it? Well, there’s this fantastic video that dives deep into this “acceleration” glitch, but here’s the catch – pulling this off on the original NES hardware is pretty much a no-go. Why? Simply because the NES controller wasn’t designed for your thumbs to be magicians that press left and right simultaneously.
NES uni-tap, prototype 2
Two controllers become one with just:
– 2 NES extension cords
– 2 Schottky diodes
– 1 Resistor – 4.7 ohm#nes_uni_tap pic.twitter.com/QxfFHazKAR— Robert Dale Smith (@RobertDaleSmith) March 27, 2024
Enter the hero of our story, Robert Dale Smith, who’s crafted something rather clever – the ‘NES Uni Tap.’ Picture this: a gadget that hooks up two controllers to the same port on your NES. It’s a Frankenstein’s monster of sorts, made from two NES extension cords, a pair of Schottky diodes, and a 4.7-ohm resistor. What does this mean for gamers? You’ve guessed it – the left and right buttons can now be pressed at the same time, bringing the once elusive acceleration glitch into the realm of possibility on your very own NES.
In Zelda 2, pressing Left and Right at the same time will glitch you through locked doors. ?????#nes_uni_tap pic.twitter.com/skcC61WN7m
— Robert Dale Smith (@RobertDaleSmith) March 26, 2024
But wait, there’s more! Think the ‘NES Uni Tap’ is a one-trick pony? Think again! There’s potential here for other gaming hacks and tricks. Got any ideas on how this device could be used? Who knows what other gaming secrets we might unlock together?
