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ON-FIELD
FOOTBALL
Activision,
£10.99 cass, £19.99 disk, joystick only
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O American
simulation: complex tactics, crunching tackles |
American
Football is the game in question, and this simulation
if for two players or one against the computer. Instead
of the normal eleven players you only have four a side,
but this is about all you can control.
To
start with you choose a quarterback, wide receiver and
tight end from the two of each on offer. These have
different characteristics and your choice will affect
the type of plays you should use.
Once
your team is chosen and you've selected the length of
the four quarters, you can get into the action. You
start with the kick-off and from there on the offence
(attacking team) always faces up the screen. If you
are receiving the kick, a player will automatically
catch the ball and you then control him to run back
down the field, while the computer controls your other
men.
You
will be tackled and two bodies will splat audibly to
the turf. You will now have possession and you can try
to move the ball upfield. You're trying to score points
by getting a touchdown (like a try in rugby) worth 6,
a fieldgoal (like a penalty or drop goal) worth 3 or
a safety worth 2. You can do this through a series of
running and passing plays.
The
two teams go into their huddle to decide
the next play.
Progress
is made in ten-yard sections and you have four attempts
or 'downs' to get more than ten yards -- if you make
it, you get another four attempts. There is a pause
before each down, when the teams go into separate huddles
to decide their next move. You must have the play called
and executed before a thirty second clock expires.
Once the play is underway, you control the quarterback
-- the other players will run their set routes and you
have to time when to throw the ball, or whether to run
with it instead. A pass will give you control of the
intended receiver who must move to catch the ball (you
hope) and run upfield with it.
Eventually,
you hope to get the ball into the opponents' end-zone
for a touchdown and the one point kick that follows.
You
can relieve tired players at the end of the third quarter
(there are four), and you also have three timeouts per
half to stop the game clock.
The
player graphics are fairly simple on the all-green screen
and there is only the occasional start, finish and scoreboard
tune to add to the tackle sound effect.
BW
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