WELCOME TO THE BIG TIME From the opening Face-Off it's six on six pro-style hockey at its best. Their are eight teams for you to captain: Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton, Minnesota, Toronto and Chicago. You can challenge a friend, or take on a multi-talented computer squad. You can also choose from three difficulty levels - Junior, College and Pro. T hroughout the game, you'll constantly be tested by every intense element of championship hockey, from Penalty and Overtime Scenes to Knockout Smash-Hit Fight Scenes. Speed, strength, quickness and instinct are talents you must possess if you plan to prevail, especially when the anger flares, gloves come off and fists start flying. It's hard hitting action at its toughest. And you'll soon learn that in this league nothing's ever given to you, and before you can reach your goals - you have to score them. You've gotta master the artful skill of a finesse player and the bone crushing brutality of an enforcer. You'd better be versatile as well, because you must skillfully control your forwards, centers, defensemen and even the goalie, who'll defend the net against unrelenting Power Plays (which will occur if you lose a fight and have your battered carcass banned to the Penalty Box). So strap on Blades of Steel, and prepare to make a name for yourself. Or be put on ice by the hottest hit men in hockey! How To Begin Blades of Steel consists of three grueling periods with non-stop action. Use the joystick to choose either (1) or (2) player mode, then hit the Fire Button. One Player Mode: If only one player takes the ice, you'll face off against tough computer competition. Begin by using the joystick for "Exhibition" or "Tournament" play. Press Fire Button to lock on your selection. Next, use the joystick to decide on one of three challenging levels - Junior (for beginners), College (for intermediate) or Pro (for advanced). Lock on your choice with the Fire Button. Finally, use the joystick to choose the team you wish to captain, and again lock on with Fire Button. Then select the team name for your computer opponent by repeating this step. Note: If you've chosen the Tournament mode, the computer will automatically select the opposing team. At the conclusion of the Tournament selection process, hit the START Button to display the standings. Two Player Mode: If you're challenging a friend, you both pick a team using the joystick, locking on with the Fire Button. In two player mode you cannot select Tournament play or Level. If for any reason you want to change your selections in either mode before the game begins, hit the [F3] Button to repeat the process. When all decisions are final, press the Fire Button to bring the teams onto the ice for a stick slashing good time! The Konami Arena This 70,000 seat mega arena is sold-out until the year 2010. Luckily, you've got the best seat in the house: Center Ice. Offensive Control Joystick Move joystick to maneuver player with puck in eight different directions. Passing Aim the player controlling the puck toward a teammate, then press Fire Button to make a precision pass. Shooting Press to shoot. Note: Shots are automatically aimed at the moving arrow in front of the defender's goal. Defensive Control Move joystick to maneuver flashing defender in eight different directions. Also press to control your goalie who should be kept in line with the moving arrow at all times. Note: Press UP and DOWN to move goalie left and right. Press LEFT and RIGHT to move him in and out. Press Fire to switch control of your flashing man to the defender nearest the puck. Rules Of Engagement Face-offs At the beginning of each period, and after icing calls, the ref will line up the teams for a traditional, quick wristed face-off. The first player to hit the Fire Button when the puck is dropped will get the first shot to strike offensively. Icing calls Icing occurs when a player shoots from his own territory and the puck slides the length of the rink, past the opposing team's goal, without being touched. When the opponent takes control of the puck from behind his net, icing will be whistled and a face-off will occur. Slashing & checking If a player gets too rough (if that's really possible in this sport) a fight will break out or a penalty will be called. This usually happens if you repeatedly check the opponent. If there's a fight, the screen will switch to a battle mode, and the loser of the fight will be sent to the penalty box for a set time. If there's a penalty called, a penalty shot will be awarded to the player who was victimized by the slasher. You Gotta Fight (For Your Right To Victory) Hockey greats are generally known to have short fuses, and in Blades of Steel, that stereotype explodes into full blown fight scenes when the fore-checking gets outta control! How to duke it out Get in your best shots by punching Fire Button. To cover up and protect your good looks, press Fire Button for the classic rope-a-dope stance. Also use the Joystick, moving UP or DOWN together with the Fire Button to throw blows to either the chin or stomach. And press together with the Fire Button to raise or lower your guard. By the way, if you lose the fight and get knocked on your tail, you'll be sent to the penalty box, giving your opponent a Power Play. Your team won't return to full strength until a referee blows the whistle. The Penalty And The Overtime Scene If a fight breaks out and the ref intervenes before fists are bruised, a penalty shot will be awarded. If a game ends tied, 5 overtime bonus shots are taken by each team, with the victor ultimately decided by the guy with the most extra goals. If the game remains evenly knotted after the 5 shots, it's on to a one shot Sudden Death finale! How to take control during penalties and overtime If you're the slap shooter, use the Joystick to aim your shot, then press Fire Button. If you're defending the net, use the Joystick together with the Fire Button to try and block the shot. NOTE: By using the Joystick, there are eight different points you can shoot at or defend.