ATARI 2600 TM Game Manual SUPER FOOTBALL TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 Scramble for the Touchdown 1 Getting Started 1 PLAYING THE GAME 3 Buckle Down and Score 3 The Scoreboard 4 Running the Play 5 Passing 5 Running 5 Selecting Plays 6 Super Football Playbook 7 Offensive Plays 7 Defensive Plays 9 SCORING 11 INTRODUCTION Scramble for the Touchdown Super Football offers 3-D football action. On screen, you get a full view of the field from above and behind the offensive team. And you control the action as the players line up, kick, run, pass, and score. You can play Super Football on any one of four game levels. As you advance to higher levels, game play lasts longer and the action heats up. You'll even select formations and patterns to run the game your way. To win, your five-player team has to score more points than your opponent's, with touchdowns, extra points, and field goals. During game play, the clock runs continuously. There are no time-outs, fumbles, penalties, safeties, or running out of bounds in Super Football, so your game continues uninterrupted while you rack up points. With Super Football, it's nonstop gridiron action until the final whistle! Getting Started 1. With the television turned on, insert your Super Football cartridge into your Atari 2600 (or 7800) as explained in your Owner's Manual, and then turn on your console. The Super Football title screen appears. 2. Plug a joystick into the left controller port for a one-player game; plug a second joystick into the right controller port for a two-player game. 3. Press [Selectl or push the left joystick handle in any direction to see the selection screen. On the scoreboard at the top, the game level is displayed in the top row on the left and the number of players is displayed on the right. Push the joystick handle left or right to choose a game level. Push it forward or back to select a one-player or two-player game. (You can also press [Selectl to make your choices.) You can choose a game level from 1 to 4. The higher level games are more difficult and last for a longer time. Level Time 1 (Novice) 3 minutes per quarter 2 (Standard) 7 minutes per quarter 3 (Advanced) 10 minutes per quarter 4 (Expert) 15 minutes per quarter 4. Press [Resetl or the left joystick fire button to start the game. 5. If you are using an Atari 2600, you can pause during a game by moving the TV-type switch to BW. Move the switch back to COLOR to resume play. 6. During a game, you can press [Reset] to restart the game or press [Select] to return to the selection screen. PLAYING THE GAME Buckle Down and Score The game begins with both teams running onto the field and taking their positions on the scrimmage line. Player 1's team (left joystick control) wears red jerseys, and the computer's or player 2's team (right joystick control) wears green jerseys. Once the action starts, the man currently under joystick control on each team will have a slightly different-colored jersey. The defensive (red) team faces you. The green team kicks off to the red team, and the red team's receiver catches the ball. The red receiver is now under player 1's joystick control. Move your joystick in any direction to maneuver him up the field toward the end zone, while avoiding the greenteam's players. When the receiver is tackled, the two teams take their positions on the scrimmage line, with the offensive team at the bottom of the screen. With both teams at the scrimmage line, you have an opportunity to choose your plays. (See Selecting Plays.) Then the action continues. The Scoreboard The scoreboard at the top of the screen shows both teams' scores on the top line. On the second line, the number on the left shows which yard line the ball is currently on. The number on the right shows how many yards the ball must be moved in order to get a first down. The down that's underway is indicated by one to four flags in the center of the scoreboard. The quarter indicator in the lower left corner shows which quarter the game is in by displaying one to four vertical bars. The clock on the bottom line keeps track of time remaining in the quarter. The scoreboard is red when the ball is in the defensive half of the field and blue when the ball is in the offensive half. The game begins with the green team kicking off to the red team. Play stops at the end of the second quarter (halftime), and then the red team kicks off to the green team. The game ends when the clock reaches 00:00 in the fourth quarter. At the end of a game, press [Reset] to play again with the same number of players at the same level, or press [Select] to make a different game selection. Running the Play With both teams at the scrimmage line and the plays selected, the offense can press the joystick fire button to hike the ball. (The ball will automatically be hiked after about four seconds if the fire button is not pressed.) Once the ball is hiked to the quarterback, both teams carry out their plays. The defensive rusher will rush the quarterback, the offensive receiver will run the selected pattern, the halfback (or tight end) will try to block the rusher, the linemen will block, and the cornerback and safety will try to cover the receiver. When the quarterback has the ball, he is under joystick control. The quarterback can either run with the ball or pass to the receiver, depending on the play selected. PASSING Wait until the receiver is "open" before throwing the ball to him; then press the fire button to initiate a pass. You can move your joystick handle left or right to make the quarterback "lead" the receiver and throw the ball in that direction. Release the fire button to pass the ball. Note: The quarterback cannot pass the ball once he crosses the scrimmage line. RUNNING You can decide either to make the quarterback run with the ball or pass to a receiver, depending on the play selected. Once the ball is thrown, joystick control switches to the receiver. Move the joystick handle to get the receiver in a good position to make the catch. Maneuver your ball carrier up the field. Move your joystick to make him avoid defensive players, and use your blockers as shields. When the ball carrier is tackled, the teams go to the scrimmage line for another play selection. The offensive team has four "downs" to advance the ball 10 yards. If it is the fourth down, you can punt the ball or try for a field goal (if you are within 50 yards of the goalline). If the offense misses a field goal, the defense takes the ball. If a punt is kicked into the end zone, the defense takes over at the 20-yard line. A touchdown is scored when the ball carrier crosses the goal line in the end zone. The teams then run onto the field to try for the extra point. After the extra point try, the offense kicks off to the defense. Note: The ball carrier cannot be tackled between the 5-yard line and the goal line. If the defensive team intercepts a pass thrown by the offensive quarterback, the defensive team becomes the offense and attempts to move the ball up the field toward the goal at the top of the screen. No runback is allowed onan interception. Selecting Plays When the teams go to the scrimmage line, you select a play by moving the joystick. Once you have made yourselection, lock it in by pressing the fire button. Note: At game level 1 (Novice), plays are automatically selected. At the fourth down, either a punt or a field goal will take place. The offense has about 25 seconds to select its play and lock it in. If no play is locked in, the previous play will be used. After the offense selects its play, the defense has two to four seconds (depending on the game level) to select its play. Again, if no play is locked in, the previous play will be used. The plays you select appear on the scoreboard, in place of your score. When both teams' plays are locked in, the scores reappear and play resumes. Super Football Playbook OFFENSIVE PLAYS The offense can select both a formation and a pattern (the route the receiver will run). The formation number appears as the left digit of your score and the pattern number as the right digit. Move the joystick handle left or right to choose a formation (from 1 to 9). Move the joystick handle forward or back to choose a pattern (from 1 to 4). Once the play is under way, use the joystick to control the quarterback or the receiver, depending on which man has the ball. On motion plays, the halfback will go into motion before the ball has been hiked. When the ball is hiked, the halfback will begin the pattern from that point if he is the receiver. On run plays, the quarterback still has the optionto pass. Offensive Formations H = Halfback W = Wide receiver Q = Quarterback X = Oher players T = Tight end 1 Run right X X W option pass H Q 2 Wide right X X W H Q 3 Run left W X X option pass H Q 5 Halfback pass X X X motion left H Q 6 Halfback pass X X X motion right H Q 7 Tight end pass T X X fake motion right H Q 8 Punt formation 9 Field goal formation Note: When the offense selects either formation 8 or 9, the defense auomatically selecs the same formation. Offensive Patterns The receiver (wide receiver tight end or halfback) will start the play by running up the field (to the dotted line indicated below). At that point the receiver will run to points on the field depending on the pattern you selected. Point 2 X Point 1 Point 4 Point 5 Point 3 X X X X .................. ______________________ XX ___________________ Scrimmage Line 1 Run to point 2, point 3, point 4 then improvise 2 Run to point 2, point 1, point 5 then improvise 3 Run to point 1, point 5, then improvise 4 Run to point 3, point 4, then improvise DEFENSIVE PLAYS The offense selects a formation, and the formation number appears as the left digit of your score. Move the joystick left or right to choose a formation (from 1 to 9). Once the play is under way, use the joystick to control the cornerback. On a blitz, the defense will rush two players. The safety plays a deep zone and will track either the wide receiver or the quarterback. Defensive Formations C = Cornerback X = Other Players S = Safety 1 Wide coverage S left C X X X 2 Wide coverage S right C X X X 3 Motion prevent S defense C X X X 4 Bliz corner S right C X X X 5 Blitz corner S left C X X X 6 Run right S defense C X X X 7 Run left S defense C X X X 8 Punt formation 9 Field goal formation Note: When the offense selects either formation 8 or 9 the defense auomatically selects the same formaion. SCORING Touchdown 6 points Field goal 3 points Extra point 1 point Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the product documentation in his manual. However because Atari Corporaion isconstantly improving and updating its compuer hardware and software it is unable to guarantee the accuracy of printed material after The date of publication and disclaims liability for changes errors or omissions. Atari, the Atari logo, Super Football, 2600, and 7800 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Atari Corporation. Reproduction of all or any portions of his manual is not allowed without the specific written consent of Atari Corporation. ATARI Copyright (c) 1988 Atari Corporation Sunnyvale CA 94086 All rights reserved. Printed in Hong Kong C300016-154 Rev. A