-------------------
Soccer FAQ
v. 2.0
(c) Pegboy 2003
All rights reserved
-------------------
Welcome to my Soccer FAQ! This FAQ is copyright Pegboy (Derek Kader) 2003 and
should not be copied, stolen in whole or in part, sold for money, or changed
in any way, shape or form. If you want to use it on your website, all I ask
is that you ask me first. E-mail me at
[email protected] if you want to use this
on your site. Do not copy my guide, please, because that’s plagiarism, which
is illegal of course, and you don’t want to mess with that stuff. ;) Also,
don't change the words around and claim it as your own work, because that's
illegal too.
If you have anything to add, be it strategies, tips, tricks, e-mail me at
[email protected]. I will credit you with the info in the next update. That being
said, sit back, have a coke and enjoy the guide!
===============================================================================
TABLE OF CONTENTS
===============================================================================
I. Introduction
II. Version History
III. Controls
IV. History of the Game of Soccer
V. Rules of the Game
VI. Options
VII. How to Play
VIII. Teams
IX. Credits and Legal Stuff
*******************************************************************************
I. INTRODUCTION
----------------
Welcome to my guide on how to play the Nintendo game Soccer! Soccer is a first
generation game released by Nintendo in 1985 as a part of it's Sports Series.
As a launch title for the NES, it is a very simple game with a minimal amount
of options. It may not sound like much fun, but this game can actually be
entertaining every now and then. You can choose from several teams, but as
with most other early NES sports titles, no teams are better than the others
or very different, for that matter. Still, the game is fun and several other
sports games used this game as a basis for their game engine, but it's about
as basic as the game of soccer can get (on a video game, that is).
The real sport soccer has earned the posistion of the world's most popular
sport. On a side note, many people in America actually don't know that just
because it isn't as popular as football, basketball, and baseball, but it is
in fact the most popular in almost every other country. The Nintendo game
Soccer isn't quite as well known as the real thing, though.
*******************************************************************************
II. VERSION HISTORY
--------------------
v. 1.0 - February 24, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first version of this guide was released on 2/24/03.
v. 2.0 - April 21, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A big step up from 1.0, the guide was updated to 2.0 on April 21, 2003.
Several changes were made. First off, the basic setup of the FAQ was changed
slightly to make it look like my more recent guides. Also, some corrections
were made in section VIII, Teams, and the information was provided by Brian
Sulpher, a fellow writer (and a good one, at that). Thanks go out to him for
the info. The legal stuff has been updated a bit, and this Version History
section was added.
That's all for now. If you have anything else to add, feel free to e-mail me
at
[email protected].
*******************************************************************************
III. CONTROLS
--------------
Okay, the first thing you definitely need to know before you attempt to play
this game is how the controls work. They're simple enough, don't worry ;)
D-Pad:
------
Up - Moves cursor on menus, moves your player up, changes stance for
throw-in/goal kick, changes posistion of arrow for goal shot
Down - Moves cursor on menus, moves your player down, changes stance for
throw-in/goal kick, changes posistion of arrow for goal shot
Left - Moves cursor on menus, moves your player up, changes stance for
throw-in/goal kick, changes posistion of arrow for goal shot
Right - Moves cursor on menus, moves your player up, changes stance for
throw-in/goal kick, changes posistion of arrow for goal shot
Buttons:
--------
A - Kicks ball, throws the ball during throw-in
B - Passes ball, punts ball, changes which player you are
*******************************************************************************
IV. HISTORY OF THE GAME OF SOCCER
----------------------------------
For those of you who would like to know a little about the origins of soccer,
I have provided you with all the information that you can cram into your
brain! For starters, soccer is called futbol in other countries, which is
pronounced with the American sport of football.
Note, however, that I did not write this and I give full credit to
Grolier Inc. and this is from their New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. It is
(c) 1993. All references from where they got their information are also
copyrighted.
History
-------
Soccerlike games undoubtedly predate recorded history. Soccer historians find
its ancestry in the similar but unstructured games of medieval English village
life. When the London Football Association issued (1863) its first set of
rules, order was brought to the sport. All major innovations in soccer were
English, such as international matches (between England and Scotland, in 1872),
the introduction of professionalism (1885), and the first full-time league
(1888). Soccer was carried to continental Europe, South America, and India by
British sailors and settlers, and it gained instant appeal wherever it was
demonstrated. In 1908 the sport was made a regular Olympic Games event, and
since 1952, Hungary has won the most gold medals (three).
Soccer's international governing body, the FIFA, was formed in 1904 with the
objective of organizing championship matches between professional teams of
different nations. Professionalism arrived in continental Europe in the 1920s
and in South America less than a decade later. By 1930 the interest in soccer
was high enough to ensure the success of the first World Cup, even though only
13 countries entered.
Soccer arrived in the United States during the late 19th century, but its
first widespread nationwide sanction did not take place until the National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognized (1959) it as an official
collegiate sport with a national championship tournament. Soon after the
formation (1967) of the North American Soccer League (NASL), the sport became
the fastest growing in the United States for young people.
THE MODERN GAME
===============
Soccer outside the United States
--------------------------------
No team sport approaches soccer's popularity in both Europe and South America.
The professional leagues on these continents play from fall through spring in
domestic competition, after which the top teams take part in international
"cup," or tournament, play. The European Cup (1955) is the most prestigious on
that continent. The best tournament in South America is for the Liberator's
Cup (1960) and is usually won by a team from Argentina. Those two cup winners
then meet for the annual World Club Championship.
Professional soccer is big business. In 1981, for example, 20-year-old Diego
Maradona of Argentina was sold by one club to another for $8 million and four
players. In Europe and South America, star soccer players are celebrities for
life.
The ardor of soccer spectators, particularly during international matches,
sometimes results in violence. The worst soccer riot in history began when a
goal was disallowed in a 1964 Olympic qualifying match in Lima between
Argentina and Peru: 309 persons were killed and 1,000 injured. A 1970 World
Cup qualifying match between Honduras and El Salvador sparked a border war
between those two nations. At the 1985 European Cup final, held in Brussels
and played between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy, 38 fans were
killed and more than 200 injured when fighting erupted in the stands.
Many African nations, led by Zaire, Zambia, and Guinea, are close to producing
world-class soccer teams. The major international competitions in Africa are
the African Cup of Nations, held biennially between national all-star teams,
and the annual African Cup of Champion Clubs. Asia's best soccer, once in
Iran, is now in Japan and North Korea; the People's Republic of China joined
the FIFA in 1980.
Soccer in the United States
---------------------------
The critical turning point for soccer in the United States was PELE's joining
the New York Cosmos of the NASL in 1975. Perhaps history's greatest player
(he led Brazil to World Cup triumphs in 1958, 1962, and 1970), he attracted
fans in record numbers to NASL contests and inspired many young people to try
the game. They found it easy to learn, less injurious than U.S. football, and
equally enjoyable for both boys and girls. The Soccer Industry Council of
America estimates that at the end of the 1980s about 12 million Americans
under the age of 19 (37% of them girls) were playing organized soccer, ranking
third among all sports, behind basketball (first) and volleyball. For the age
group under 13, soccer participation ranked second after basketball. The NCAA
administers more than 700 collegiate men's and women's teams in all three of
its divisions and organizes a national tournament in each. The National
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) also has member
colleges--although many fewer--and organizes an annual tournament, as well.
For all of soccer's continued growth and popularity at the amateur level, the
U. S. professional game had led a checkered existence. The oldest professional
circuit in the United States, the American Soccer League (ASL), was founded in
1933. After surviving for 50 years, several of its 7 teams withdrew in 1983 to
form another organization, the United Soccer League (USL). The secession
caused the ASL's demise, but the USL folded as well, in mid-1985.
By far the most visible U. S. professional soccer organization was the NASL,
founded in 1967. It had as few as 5 teams in 1969, but had expanded to 21
teams by 1981, when attendance at league games averaged 15,000. During this
high-growth period, each team played a March-August 32-game schedule,
culminating in September's Soccer Bowl. The dominant team was the Cosmos, who
won the Soccer Bowl three times from 1977 to 1980, primarily because of their
importation of such foreign stars as Franz BECKENBAUER, Giorgio CHINAGLIA,
Pele, and Carlos Alberto (who was a teammate of Pele on Brazil's 1970 team).
Other foreign stars who played on NASL teams include George BEST, Johan
CRUYFF, Teofilo Cubillas, and Gerd Mueller. Despite these highly skilled (and
highly paid) players, by 1984 the league had shrunk to 9 teams, with
attendance down to 10,500 per game. The NASL's team attrition, decreasing
spectator interest, and near absence of television revenue caused the league
to shut down after the 1984 season.
Indoor soccer, begun in 1939, is played during the winter months by one
league--the Major Indoor Soccer League, formed in 1978 (the NASL had its own
indoor league from 1979 to 1984). Indoor soccer is played with a regulation
ball by five players and a goalkeeper on a hockey-rink-like AstroTurf field
surrounded with plexiglass. The goals are also smaller than those in outdoor
soccer, and substitutions are unlimited. The action is fast and continuous
over four 15-minute periods and, if necessary, one overtime period. The
spectator interest in indoor soccer has not abated.
Note again that I did not write this and I give full credit to Grolier Inc.
and this is from their New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. It is (c) 1993.
All references from where they got their information are also copyrighted.
History of Nintendo Soccer
--------------------------
This game was released in 1985 on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It
is a first generation game and a good one at that. Although it is one of the
lesser known NES launch titles, I still find it entertaining and a great game,
especially for collectors like myself. That's about all there really is to say
about this early classic.
Well, there is one thing to note about it. It is played more like indoor
soccer in that it only involves five people plus a goalie on the playing field
at one time and the field seems a bit smaller than normal size. Who knows.
*******************************************************************************
V. RULES OF THE GAME
---------------------
I am no soccer player myself, but I can tell you that the rules in the
Nintendo game Soccer differ a little bit from the rules in the real sport.
Here is a list of MLS (Major League Soccer) rules and a list of the rules from
Nintendo's Soccer.
MLS Rules
---------
- Each team has 11 players on the field including the goalie
- Goalie's wear jerseys that distinguish them from other players
- Games consist of two 45-minute halves, with two additional five-minute
"golden goal" halves added on if the score remains tied at the end of
regulation. If one team leads by one or more goals at the end of
regulation play, no overtime is played
- There is a halftime in-between the two regulation halves
- The ball is considered in play when it is located inside the boundaries
marked by the sidelines and the goal lines, whether the ball is on the
ground or in the air
- A goal is scored when the ball entirely crosses over the goal line in the
area defined by the inside edges of the goalposts and the crossbar, not
just part of it
- Throw-ins are used when the ball completely crosses the boundary
- The goalie is awarded a goal kick when the ball crosses into his territory
and he prevents the score
- If the ball crosses the goal line - not resulting in a goal - with the
defending team being the last to touch the ball before it crossed the
line, then the referee will award the attackers a corner kick
- The ball may not be touched with the hands except for the goalie
Nintendo Rules
--------------
- Each team has 6 players on the field including the goalie
- Goalie's wear jerseys that distinguish them from other players
- Games consist of two 45-minute, 30-minute, or 15-minute halves, and if the
score is tied at the end of regulation play, there is a shootout to
determine the winner. Nintendo's early sports titles, this one being no
exception, used what is referred to as "ticks" instead of actual time.
Ticks run faster than seconds/minutes
- There is a halftime in-between the two regulation halves
- The ball is considered in play when it is located inside the boundaries
marked by the sidelines and the goal lines, whether the ball is on the
ground or in the air
- A goal is scored when the ball entirely crosses over the goal line in the
area defined by the inside edges of the goalposts and the crossbar, not
just part of it
- Throw-ins are used when the ball completely crosses the boundary
- The goalie is awarded a goal kick when the ball crosses into his territory
and he prevents the score
- *If the ball crosses the goal line - not resulting in a goal - with the
defending team being the last to touch the ball before it crossed the
line, then the referee will award the attackers a corner kick
- The ball may not be touched with the hands except for the goalie
* - I'm not sure if this rule exists or not, as it has not happened to me, so
it probably does not.
*******************************************************************************
VI. OPTIONS
------------
Before you begin playing the game, you need to setup several options first.
These options can help customize your experience. To a degree, anyway.
The start screen when you first turn on the game is set up like so:
========
SOCCER
========
o 1 Player Game
2 Player Game
(C) 1985 Nintendo
Simply press the Select button to choose either to play a 1 player game or 2
player game and press Start. You can also use Up and Down on the D-Pad to move
the cursor.
Once you've selected to play against the computer or against a friend, you'll
be greeted by a screen that looks like this:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
| SELECTIONS |
---------------------
TEAM SELECT
_o_
|
/ \1
USA GBR FRA FRG BRA JPN ESP
_
SKILL LEVEL |1| 2 3 4 5
__
HALF TIME |15| 30 45
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Select
-----------
You can choose to be one of seven teams, either USA, GBR, FRA, FRG, BRA, JPN,
or BRA. For the full name of the team, see section VI. It doesn't matter what
team you choose, because they're all the same. Also, you can not choose who
you are playing against.
Skill Level
-----------
Next, set the skill level of the computer opponents you will be facing. Move
box over the skill level you would like to compete against.
1 - Extremely easy. The A.I. is slightly smarter than your average dung beetle.
2 - Easy. They still aren't good and play more like 6-7 year olds in little
league.
3 - Normal/Average. They actually put up a fight now and can be sort of a
challenge.
4 - Difficult. They are tough and you have to really play hard to win. If you
do win, it won't be by much.
5 - Extremely difficult. I've never beat the computer on this difficulty, so I
don't know if anything happens afterward. I'm guessing, though, that nothing
does actually happen. The A.I. on this difficulty level won't ever let you get
a goal in. Thats why there so difficult, it's not so much them scoring on you,
it's trying to score on them that is the problem.
Half Time
---------
Next, you need to choose how long each half of the game will be. To calculate
how long the entire game will be, simply multiply whatever time you choose
(either 15, 30, or 45) by 2. So, if you choose 15, the total game time will be
30, if you choose 30 it will be 60, and if you choose 45 the game will endure
for 90 minutes. It's actually hard to explain; the game won't last 90 minutes
or however long you choose, it will be about half that time or even less, as
ticks are much faster than seconds.
Once you've got everything set up and ready to go, hit Start and get ready to
play Soccer!
*******************************************************************************
VII. HOW TO PLAY
-----------------
The field is set up like so:
4____________________________________________________________________4
|_| | |_|
|______ | ______|
___|__ | __|__ | __|___
| | | |\ / | \ /| | | |
| | | . | | | - | | | . | | |
|___|__| |/ \__|__/ \| |__|___|
|______| | |______|
|_ | _|
| | | | |
4--------------------------------------------------------------------4
*NOTE: Some lines on the field are supposed to be more round than they are,
but one can only do so much with ASCII ;)
Game Overview
-------------
When you start, the computer randomly generates who will kick off first.
You control one member of your team at a time, and you have a cursor with a 1
that appears over your head. Any time you want to switch players, simply press
B. Whichever player on your team is closest to the ball when you make the
switch is who you will become. To travel along with the ball, simply run into
it, and the game will automatically kick it very lightly ahead of you.
One tricky thing about controlling your team is that while the goalie is
visible on the screen, you control both the player you currently have
highlighted and the goalie at the same time. So, if the other team is close to
your goal, you should focus more on controlling your goalkeeper than anyone
else.
The time runs down as you play the game (it is kept in ticks). When the time
runs out for the first half, everybody stops and then runs off the field in
the direction of their current goal.
Five Cheerleaders in pink uniforms will then run out onto the field. They go
through their routine and when they finish, they run back off the field. Then,
your players magically appear back at the middle line and resume play again.
At the end of the game, both teams assemble in the middle of the field on
their respective side.
If a team wins, there is no tie, then that team will do a
little dance while the other team sits there in shame. Actually, I bet the
players dancing are more ashamed of themselves than the other team. :)
Scoring
-------
Scoring can only be accomplished one way, and that is by kicking the ball into
the goal. Simple, right? Well, not all of the time. You have to move the ball
up the field and then when you feel the timing is right, shoot for the goal
hope the goalie misses it. There are some things you can do to increase your
chances of successfully scoring.
First, there is an arrow pointing into the goal which can be moved up or down,
and you move it by using the corresponding buttons on the D-Pad. But this is
somewhat hard to do as the arrow moves every single time you press up or down.
If you manage to aline the arrow in a good posistion, simply kick the ball and
it will move in that direction. Easy enough.
Second, try if at all possible to have two men down the field at once. That
way, when one man takes it up the field and it looks as if he is going to go
for the goal, he will have as many as three me guarding him. Then, pass it to
the player that came with you and he will have an open shot for an easier goal!
Throw-In
--------
A Throw-In occurs whenever the ball goes out of bounds completely. The team
opposite the one who kicked it out gets control of the ball, and the last
player on that team to touch it before it went out throws it in. To perform a
Throw-In, simply move the cursor over the player on the field you wish to
throw it in to and press A.
Corner Kick
-----------
I don't know if this can happen in the game as it has never happened to me. If
you know that this is in the game, e-mail me at
[email protected] with the
details!
Goal Kick
---------
Whenever a team attempts to score a goal and the goalie guarding the goal
grabs the ball and prevents them from scoring, the goalie may then take a goal
kick. To do this, move the cursor in the direction of the
Shootout
--------
If the game ends in a tie, there will be a shootout to determine the winner.
Both teams will assemble in the middle of the field as usual, and then one
player from one team will head up to the opposing team's goaline. He will then
fire the ball at will in an attempt to get past the goalie and score. Whenever
he is done (it doesn't matter if he scored or not, not yet, anyways) he will
take his posistion back on the line and a player from the other team will do
what he just did.
This happens until all five players from each team have taken their turn. The
team who got the most goals in wins the game. If it ends up in a tie, either
it is determined to be a draw or there is another shootout held, I don't know.
This has never happened to me so again, if you know anything e-mail me at
[email protected].
*******************************************************************************
VIII. TEAMS
------------
There are seven teams in the game, none better than the other in any way,
shape, or form, but I just thought I'd list them here anyway.
o-----------o------------------o------------------o
| Symbol | Full Team Name | Uniform Colors |
o-----------o------------------o------------------o
| USA | United States | Red |
| | of America | Black |
o-----------o------------------o------------------o
| GBR | Great | Blue |
| | Britain | Brown |
o-----------o------------------o------------------o
| FRA | France | Orange |
| | | Brown |
o-----------o------------------o------------------o
| FRG | Federal Republic | Black |
| | of Germany* | Brown |
o-----------o------------------o------------------o
| BRA | Brazil | Beige |
| | | Black |
o-----------o------------------o------------------o
| JPN | Japan | Purple |
| | | Black |
o-----------o------------------o------------------o
| ESP | Spain | Green |
| | | Black |
o-----------o------------------o------------------o
* I'm not totally sure on the name, but this game came out while Germany was
still split and before they came back together, but I'm not for sure. If you
have any idea, suggestion, or just to tell me that I'm right about the name,
e-mail me at
[email protected].
*******************************************************************************
IX. CREDITS AND LEGAL STUFF
----------------------------
This FAQ is copyright Pegboy (Derek Kader) 2003 and should not be copied,
stolen in whole or in part, sold for money, or changed in any way, shape or
form. If you want to use it on your website, all I ask is that you ask me
first. E-mail me at
[email protected] if you want to use this on your site. Do
not copy my guide, please, because that’s plagiarism, which is illegal of
course, and you don’t want to mess with that stuff. ;) Also, don't change the
words around and claim it as your own work, because that's illegal too.
If you have anything to add, be it strategies, tips, tricks, e-mail me at
[email protected]. I will credit you with the info in the next update.
If you have friends who actually need or want this guide, don't be a jerk and
charge them for. Give it to 'em for free, for goodness sake.
I would like to give credit to the following people/sites/corporations:
CJayC - For hosting this and all of my other FAQs.
Nintendo - For releasing this awesome game on their classic system, the NES.
www.mlsnet.com - For providing me with the rules of the real game of soccer,
free of charge.
Grolier Inc. - I got most of my information on the history of soccer from
their New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Most of that info is copyrighted to
them and their sources.
Brian Sulpher - He found an error in the team name listings, that GBR is
indeed Great Britain and not Germany. Thanks for the info, man.
Also, anybody who helped me develop my writing ability or got me interested in
writing FAQs, guides, and reviews for games.
The newest version of this guide can always be found at www.gamefaqs.com.
Have fun playing Soccer and have a great day!
(c) Pegboy 2003
