multitap

A multitap is a video game console peripheral that increases the number of controller ports available to the player, allowing additional controllers to be plugged in simultaneously in a manner similar to a power strip or a USB hub. A multitap often takes the form of a box with three or more controller ports which is then connected to a controller port on the console itself.

The appeal of multitaps was focused mainly on sports games due to their multiplayer aspects, though some role-playing video games and first person shooters have taken advantage of multitap support as well. While historically strong, the demand for console-specific multitaps had largely vanished over the course of the seventh generation, where it became much more common for controllers to connect either wirelessly (removing the need for physical controller ports altogether) or through standard USB ports (allowing a USB hub to serve the same function as a multitap).