4 Player Interface
Thinking beyond the standards is our strength. Protovision extends your C64's capabilities with the 4 Player Interface. Connected to the user port of your Commodore 64 or 128, it provides two additional standard joystick ports for you to connect. This enables up to four players - with four real joysticks! - to play together on one computer!
Ordering:
You can order your 4 Player Interface in our Online Shop.
Support:
BIOS/ROM Version: n/a
Manual: none
FAQ:
Q: Can I also use the interface with my Amiga?
A: No, the 4 Player Interface requires a male user port plug which only the C64/C128 have got.
Q: Can I also build the interface myself?
A: Yes, you can also build it yourself. Just refer to our building instructions. If you want to adapt or even code a game to make use of the Protovision 4 Player interface, you are welcome. Look at the source code example to see how easy it is.
Q: Does the 4 Player Interface serve 5V on the joystick connectors?
A: Yes, there is a 5V output to both the joysticks.
Q: Is the 4 Player Interface supported by emulators?
A: Yes, the 4 Player Interface can be emulated in VICE by selecting "Settings" -> "Userport joystick settings" -> "CGA userport joy adapter". "CGA" stands for "Classical Games".
At the moment the following games support the 4 Player Interface:
Protovision games:
Blast away in this 4 player tank battle! But beware, the tanks are heavy and unwieldy to maneuver. Download the full version of our little game for free from the CSDb. By the way, Czołgi is Polish for Tanks.
Bump and bounce through the mud in this super fast, single-screen arcade racer, Muddy Racers. Turn your car into the ultimate racing machine, or stock up on nitro boosts and oil slicks and choose your moments in the race. Up to four players can join the the fun, or you play the game as a single player challenge!
The Protovision 4 Player Interface was first introduced with our hit game Bomb Mania. Since its initial release in 1997, it became one of our most successful products ever, as it was the first game that enabled people to play the famous Bomberman/Dynablasters game concept on their Commodores with four people at the same time.
Snacks 4 Snakes is a new version of the classic Tron. However, this time there are no futuristic motorcycles running on life and death, but Snakes who must be fed with delicious snacks.
The object of Team Patrol is to put up a good race with two or four players. The Decathlon style gameplay takes place in splitscreen, but this time the players are Moon Patrol buggies rather than human runners! Waggling the joystick makes the buggy accelerate and the faster the movement the faster the vehicle goes.
Hockey Mania is a sports game for two or four players. Each player controls one hockey field player. He can snatch the puck, and can knock against the opponent team's players. In the 4 player mode, each team has 2 field players and a goalie, which is controlled by the computer.
In Tanks 3000, two to four players take to their tanks and battle against each other. The objective is to destroy your adversaries with your guided rockets and to be the last man standing. And to make sure this won't get boring even after a lot of play, we thought of some special features for Tanks 3000.
Pac It is a completely new interpretation of the classic Pac Man game. With great graphics, intro sequence, and... 4 Players at the same time! Fight against the ghosts together, eat blue and red pills and help each other with the strategic elements of the game. This game is still in development!
SNAFU '64 is a classic snake trap game by Megastyle and Protovision. SNAFU '64 offers a great soundtrack and some cool game variations like obstacles, diagonal moves or auto remove dead snakes.
Grab it from csdb.dk
Other games adapted to the 4 Player Interface: Please note that the downloads are only legal when you own the respective original. We can not provide you with links to some of these games, as the copyright is still held by the programmer/company.
Mashed Turtles by Angelsoft. The game idea is similar to Frogger - but here there are not frogs, but much slower turtles.
Grab it from: csdb.dk
Zatacka by Rabenauge a very slick tron-alike game.
Grab it from: csdb.dk
Tiger Claw by Lazycow is a nifty little "beat and run" game with a very complex and subtle steering to it. And: the new version has a "versus" mode that lets 4 fearless gamers compete against each
other - naturally with support for our 4 Player adapter!
Grab it from RGCD: https://rgcddev.itch.io/tiger-claw/purchase
Shotgun by ZeHa is a little game with support for our 4 Player Interface.
The game mechanics appear to be simple, but they are really fun!
Frogs by ZeHa is a partygame right in the pond.
Depending on the game mode, different tasks need to be accomplished.
Jam It by Throwback Games is a basketball simulation game in the style of epic sports games. The game features a clever basketball steering and stunning CPU players that you can compete against if you do not have 4 real players at hand.
Our musician Joachim "Yogibear" Wijnhoven together with Roland Hermans has created the loader tune for Jam It!
Kim Pong - the Fair and Democratic Tele-Football by Technische Maschinenfabrik is a follow-up model of the "PONG MACHINE" for 1-4 players! Check out the 108 variations of difficulty (ball speed, bat speed, bat size, goal size) and some other options and effects!
Race by Sokrates is a small but nice little racing game. It was released as part of the RGCD 16k game competition #4. Of course it supports our Protovision 4 Player Interface!
Bomberland by Samar Productions. In addition to the regular gameplay with 1-4 players, Samar Productions' Bomberland offers a 5 player mode (using 4 joysticks and the keyboard)! You can buy the game from RGCD in form of a cartridge or download.
Space Lords (Centaurus) by P1X3L.net is somewhat similar to Breakout for 4 players, and is based on the 1980 arcade classic Warlords. Download Space Lords (Centaurus) here or buy it directly from RGCD.
FunkPaint is not a game, but an extensive multi-format picture editor by the Singluar crew! It makes use of the 4 player interface to enable you to use an Amiga mouse at port 3. Download it directly from CSDb.
Icon Run is a small, funny party game by Evil Joe. Who will snatch the most icons from the other players? Released at BCC Party #6, the game won 5th prize in the mixed compo.
An adapted version of the classic game M.U.L.E. supporting our 4 Player Interface has been released by Peiselulli.
Square Attack is a little freeware game by Prof. Pi^2. Four persons are required to play it cooperatively. The players’ task is to keep the moving square in the middle. The game was released at BCC Party #5 and scored 1st place at the Mixed Competition.
The freeware title Alone in the Green has been made by Edikles at BCC Party #3. This game requires four persons to play. The players' task is to get through a maze and reach the right side of the screen. Their radar screens help them to find their way.
Garrison is an adapted release by Nostalgia. Also in this case the third character has been controlled via keyboard in the original game. Now this can also be done via joystick. Next to our 4 Player Interface the one from Digital Excess & Hitmen is supported, too.
Nostalgia have released Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off Road. The game can be played with 1 to 3 players simultaneously. Whilst in the original, the 3rd player could participate via keyboard only, this version additionally supports our 4 Player Interface to control truck 3! The DXS & HIT 4-Player Joystick Adapter is supported as well. Invite two friends and let the fun begin!
Triad also released the game Amazing Maze and adapted it to the Protovision 4 Player Interface. From now on you can search for the way to the exit of the labyrinth with three joysticks.
Hack n' Trade released the freeware game Tour de France 2005 at LCP 2005. The game innately supports four joysticks. At this game you waggle the joysticks in a foursome and by doing so you try to reach the goal first.
Phong is a little four player Pong by Instinct. Originally designed for paddles, Triad additionally patched the game for the Protovision 4 Player Interface.
Nostalgia released Marble Madness as four player version! Originally released as a two player game, what most people didn't know was that this game had some unused code to support four players and, with some small modifications and a large amount of testing, this new version runs as it was originally intended.
Do you like International Karate Plus, two players and one computer opponent? Ready for you right now: IK+ Gold, adapted by The Dreams to use the Protovision 4 Player Interface. It's possible to play the blue fighter now, too! Enjoy endless battles with your friends!
The Dreams also released Rampage Gold. For three joysticks/pads and with many new features.
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