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

1. With your Atari 7800 set up, insert the Touchdown Football cartridge into
the console and plug a controller into the left port. For two players, plug
another controller into the right port.

2. Turn on your television and pres [Power] to turn on your Atari console.
The Touchdown Football title screen appears.

3. Press [Select] or the fire button to skip the title screen and show the
game options screen. Move player 1's directional control to highlight the
game options you want. Move the handle up or down 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. To activate the game delay
penalty, select it as well.

4. Press [Reset] to start the game.

5. 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.

6. Press [Pause] to pause a game. Press it again to resume play.

7. Press [Select] to start a new game by returning to the game options screen.
Any games in progress at the time will be cleared. Press [Reset] to start
the game over using the same options as the previous game.

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 inthe 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

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the product documentation
in this manual. However, because Atari Corporation is constantly improving
and updating its computer 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(R), the Atari logo, and 7800(TM) are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Atari Corporation. Touchdown Football(TM) is a trademark of
Electronic Arts. Copyright(C) 1985, Electronic Arts.

Reproduction of all or any portions of this manual is not allowed without
the specific written consent of Atari Corporation.

ATARI(R)
Copyright( C) 1988, Atari Corporation
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
All rights reserved.

Printed in Hong Kong. B. T. 1 . 1989 C300018-023 Rev. A