Some SNES games originally supported 4 players with a special “multitap” device, http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/super_multitap I’m trying to get the game Smash Tennis to work with four joysticks.
I found this post which says about the snes9x core
multitap now works on that core by setting the second input to being a multitap
Can someone explain in detail what to do make that setting?
Load the core and some content, go to settings > input > player 2 binds, set user 2 device type to multitap.
Got it, thank you. When I first enable per core settings and then set the player 2 input to multitap and quit (to save) I get the file \config\snes9x_libretro.dll.cfg The relevant line there is
input_libretro_device_p2 = “257”
Can the core configs be “incomplete” so that RA uses the default cfg values for everything except the lines that are included in the core specific config? >I’d then only keep the quoted line with 257 in snes9x_libretro.dll.cfg and trim the rest. Changes in the default config would then apply to snes9x automatically, except the multitap difference. I tried to trim out all but the quoted line but then got a crash. Perhaps I need to flick some other setting on first.
core overrides can do what you want, i think, but they’re mutually exclusive with core configs.
@radius
ah, nice. I had no idea 
Waking this for a follow up question.
How to set a per game override that automatically enables multitap for this game?
Background: I have been using the method suggested by Radius above with success. In case anyone else looks for it here it is step by step. Use the core Snes9x (snes9x_libretro.dll) for the SNES game Smash Tennis. Load the game in RetroArch. Open the RetroArch game menu (menu/big X button on Xbox 360 controller). Go down to “Core Input Options” and change “User Device 2 Type” from “SNES Joypad” (or whatever it is) to “Multitap”. Press game menu button again to get back into the game. 4 player matches can now be played inside the game.
But I now want to set a per game override cfg to automatically have “User Device 2 Type” as “Multitap” when the game loads. From reading other posts by Radius I think these things are needed for that:
1 in settings > configuration set these values configuration per-core = OFF use per-game core options = ON load override files automatically = ON (If configuration per-core is ON then that blocks out the per-game overrides)
2 create an override file for the specific game. Based on what Radius wrote in another thread the format is \config<core name><game name>.cfg The example Radius gives there is config/Nestopia/Megaman 2.cfg
However nothing happens when I make this file config/Snes9x/Smash Tennis.cfg with this line in it input_libretro_device_p2 = “257”
Radius (or anyone!) is the error here in the path/filename? Or in the RetroArch setting? Or in the line in the override .cfg file?
Edit: Solved it! config/Snes9x/smashten.cfg with the line input_libretro_device_p2 = “257” works
The path format here is \config<core name><game filename without extension>.cfg
Radius, can you comment on the format? Is it different (game name vs game filename) for different cores? Or was there a format change in some RetroArch update a while back?
Hi, I’m sorry but can you explain this to a dummy like me? I registered an accountant just to ask this question. What do you do to load a core? Where are the settings located? I have been trying to google enabling multitap forever now but the couple answers I have found seem like they are in another language to me. I would be very grateful. I just really want to play SNES 3 player
That just means “get into the game”. Once you’re in the game, go back into the menu (the default keyboard shortcut is F1) press ‘cancel’ (defaults to retropad B and either keyboard ‘z’ or keyboard ‘backspace’ depending on whether you’re using 1.3.6 or a nightly build, respectively) a couple of times until you’re at the main menu. From there, navigate to settings > input > player 2 binds. In there, one of the settings is ‘device type.’ Change it from snes gamepad or retropad or whatever to ‘multitap’. Then, map your p2 and p3 inputs, if necessary (you may not need to do this if your pads are autoconfigured; in that case, just plug them in). That should be it.
Thank you so much. I was able to get it working. I was getting so frustrated before. Thanks again.
np! Glad you got it going
Hi, just to resurrect this thread. I have an Intel Nuc with a 4 port usb hub connected to it. All 4 usb controllers are recognized when inserted but I cannot get them to work in a 4 player game such as Mario Kart or NBA Jam. I have followed the above instructions but it wont work at all. I have the latest version of Lakka installed. I have Player 2 set to Multitap and not SNES controller but it does nothing.
Any advice much appreciated.
Jumping on an old dead horse here, I’m using bsnes mercury, three Xbox One controllers and one 360. Retroarch is detecting all four of them with no problems, they can all be used to navigate menus. But in any SNES game, only the first two do anything. Games are recognizing the multitap, because that’s the device type I have for input 2, and adding third and fourth players, but the only option for device type on inputs 3 and 4 is RetroPad, and I can’t get players 3 or 4 to do anything.
Same behavior here. It works in Snes9x, though, so I would use that for your 4-player games in the short term. I’ll try to look into it with bsnes/mercury, though.