You Call the Plays It's fourth and long with less than a minute remaining in the game. The winner gets a wild card berth in the playoffs. You're down by a field goal. Your quarterback makes a perfect pass, your receiver is wide open, and then you see the referee's arms fly up signaling the touchdown. You're going to the playoffs. Getting Started Press the fire button to skip the title screen and show the game options screen. Press A,B or C to select player vs. player, player vs. computer, or a computer vs. computer game. Then select the length of the quarters in the same way. A game referee appears, flips a coin, and declares who receives the kick off. If you are playing against the computer and are receiving the kickoff, the game automatically begins. If you are kicking off to the computer or another player, you must press the fire button to kickoff. Press [SPACE] to pause a game. Press it again to resume play. PLAYING THE GAME Offense If you are playing offense, you will be asked to select a formation for your team, a pass pattern for each of your receivers, and a blocking direction for your blockers. Each of the nine directional control positions represents a formation or pass pattern. (Remember: eight directions plus one for the "home" position). If you activated the game delay penalty selection when starting, then the offensive play must be selected within 30 seconds. If a play is not selected within that time, then a penalty is declared against the offense. The box above the offensive players shows the current pattern or formation. Change the selections by moving the controller to any other of the nine positions. To conceal your selection from your opponent, hold down the fire button as you move the controller. Your choice will not show on the screen, but you will know what it is by the position of the controller. To select that pattern for play, keep pushing the controller in the appropriate direction as you release the fire button. You can also choose from three blocking directions for the lineman in the same way you choose formations and patterns. Once you have select the formations and patterns, your players will break huddle and take their positions in the formation. To snap the ball, press the fire button. Audibles: If you don't like the look of a defense when you reach the line of scrimmage, you can call an audible. To do this, hold the controller in any direction and press the fire button. You can then choose a new formation as well as pass patterns and blocking patterns. When you choose an audible your selections will not be visible to you. The defense will get a chance to change its formation as well. Running the Ball: As soon as the ball is snapped you gain control over the Quarterback. To run the ball, use the controller to move the QB to where you want him to go. When the QB crosses the line of scrimmage, he gets an extra burst of speed. Passing the Ball: As soon as the ball is snapped, you gain control over the Quarterback. If you want to pass the ball, move the QB back by using the controller. Press the fire button twice to pass to the receiver closest to the top of the screen or once to pass to the receiver closest to the bottom of the screen. Once the QB has thrown the ball, control changes to the receiver you have thrown to. Since the receiver probably won't be in position, be ready to move him in to catch the ball. Don't try to pass to a receiver who is assigned to block - a blocking reciever is ineligible to catch a pass. Defense You can choose from nine defensive formations, one for each of the nine positions of the controller. (Remember: eight directions plus one for the "home" position). There are no patterns for individual defensive players. The box above the defensive players tells you the currently selected formation. You can change the current selection by moving the controller to any of the nine positions. (See diagrams for the formations and the corresponding controller positions). If you want to conceal your selection from your opponent, hold down the fire button as you move the controller. The selected formation will not be visible on the screen, but you will know what it is by the position of the controller. To select the formation for play, keep the controller pushed in the appropriate direction as you release the fire button. If the offense breaks huddle before you can call a defensive formation, the formation will automatically default to Zone defense. The computer will also select the appropriate formation for you on field goal attempts and punts. Audibles: If the offense calls an audible, you will have a chance to change your formation, but you will not be able to see your selection. As for the offensive audibles, you will be able to determine your selection by the controller position. The only defensive player you can control with the controller is the free safety. As in pro football, he is free to move around at any time. The Kicking Game Kickoff: If you are the kicking team, press the fire button to kickoff after all the players have taken their positions on the field. The receiver can catch the ball or pick it up on the bounce. Touchback and safeties are both possible. Punt: When in doubt, punt. You can punt the ball at any down by selecting the Kick formation from the offensive options, and then selecting the Punt option. To punt, press the fire button once to snap the ball from the center, and press it again when the kicker receives the ball to punt. If you choose, the kicker can run with the ball instead. Field Goal: Select the Kick formation. Then select the Field Goal option. Press the fire button to snap the ball to the kicker. The kick is automatic. Extra Point: The computer auto-selects the formation. Press the fire button to snap the ball, then move the kicker forward with the controller. The kick is automatic. Blocking a Kick: The defense can block any field goal or extra point with a rushing attack. Selecting a blocking formation for a punt will increase your chances of blocking a punt, but it eliminates any chance of a runback (if one is possible). PENALTIES There are two 5-yard penalties that can be called by the referee and cannot be declined: Offense: Delay of Game (the game delay penalty called only if the 30-second clock is active) Defense: Offsides STRATEGY TIPS When the computer is playing defense, it can remember (for a short time) any plays you call frequently. If it spots a familiar pass play, chances are you'll be intercepted. So keep the computer player "on its toes" and mix up your offensive plays. When playing the running game, follow your blockers and run to daylight. When you are playing the game for the first time, use the Shotgun formation and the Streak pass patterns a few times to get used to the passing game. When playing defense, play bump and run with the receivers. Try a trick play. An effective one is the fake punt. It's possible - and embarrassing to the defense when it works. PLAY SELECTION The Home team always starts from the left side of the field in the first quarter of a game. At the end of each quarter, the teams automatically switch sides. The next three pages show the defensive plays (offense moving from left to right), offensive plays (offense moving from left to right) and offensive passing and blocking plays you can use. When the defensive and offensive action shifts direction, the play formations will then be mirror images of the plays show. To pick the center play, do not move the controller. To select a different play, move the controller in the direction of the arrow pointing to the play you want to use. Select an offensive kick play by moving the controller down and pressing the fire button. Then select the play you want to use by moving the controller in the direction of the arrow. The defensive kick play formation is an automatic selection when your opponent selects an offensive kick play. SCORING Touchdown.......6 points Extra Point.....1 point Field Goal......3 points Safety..........2 points