NES Play Action Football FAQ Version 1.1 By chessjerk (John Kearsley IV) Created - June 2, 2007 Updated - February 18, 2012 Questions? Comments? Contact me: chessjerk@msn.com =============================================================================== Welcome to my NES Play Action Football FAQ. This football game has been around for a while, and despite some inherent problems with poor player movements, it's still a fun game. Enjoy! =============================================================================== Table of Contents: =============================================================================== I. The Object of the Game II. Controls III. Main Menu IV. The Teams a. Los Angeles Rams b. San Francisco 49ers c. Miami Dolphins d. Chicago Bears e. Denver Broncos f. Washington Redskins g. New York Giants h. Houston Oilers V. Scoring VI. Playing the Game VII. Strategies VIII. Credits/Disclaimer IX. Version History =============================================================================== I. The Object of the Game =============================================================================== It's pretty simple. Score more points than your opponent. It doesn't get much simpler than that, right? =============================================================================== II. Controls =============================================================================== In the menus: Select - change options Start - select an option In between plays: Start - pause B + A - go to the next page of plays available On offense: B (as quarterback) + left/right/up - throw the ball in the direction pressed B (as receiver with the ball) - dive in the direction facing B (as receiver without the ball) - jump in the air A (any player) - gain a small speed boost On defense: B (standing still) - jump in the air B + any direction - dive in the direction pressed A (any player) - gain a small speed boost B + A - switch to the closest player to the football =============================================================================== III. Main Menu =============================================================================== The following options are on the main menu: 1P vs. COMP - One player plays a single game against the computer. 1P vs. 1P - Two players play a single game against each other. 2P vs. COMP - Two players play a single game against the computer. 2P vs. 2P - Four players play a single game against each other, with two players on each team. (requires a Four Score or similar adaptor that allows four controllers to be used simultaneously) 1P PLAYOFFS - One player chooses a team and plays each of the other teams in the league in succession. This method of play features passwords that allow a player to save and pick up play at a later date. For single games against the computer, you can select the difficulty from Level 1 (easiest) to Level 4 (hardest). After the selections are made, the teams are chosen. If you are playing the computer, you also select what team the computer will be using. The teams are: Los Angeles Rams San Francisco 49ers Miami Dolphins Chicago Bears Denver Broncos Washington Redskins New York Giants Houston Oilers =============================================================================== IV. The Teams =============================================================================== Here is a list of the players and their statistics for each team. Stats are rated from 1 (worst) to 5 (best). Players marked with a * are the backups, so if a player gets injured or has lost a lot of energy, you need to replace them with someone else. Some positions do not have backups, so players in these positions will never get injured. As the game progresses, if you use a particular player too often, his energy will decrease, as will his effectiveness. Substitute fresh players in for tired players when necessary. Players on the bench slowly regain their energy as they rest. The different stats are as follows: Speed - A player's running speed Pass - A quarterback's throwing ability Power - A running back's ability to shake off tackles Hands - A receiver/defender's ability to catch/knock away/intercept passes Block - A lineman's ability to block the other teams' players Accur - A kicker's accuracy with his kicks Tackl - A defender's ability to tackle the ball-carrier And now, the teams: =============================================================================== a. Los Angeles Rams =============================================================================== Offense: Quarterbacks Speed Pass 11 Everett 5 5 09 Herrman* 4 3 Running Backs Speed Power 24 McGee 5 5 42 Bell 4 4 39 Delpino* 4 4 43 Gary* 4 3 Wide Receivers Speed Hands 80 Ellard 5 5 83 Anderson 4 5 84 Cox* 4 3 89 Brown* 3 4 Tight Ends Speed Hands 86 Johnson 5 4 81 Holohan* 3 3 Offensive Line Speed Block 75 Pankey 3 4 66 Newberry 4 5 56 Smith 3 4 61 Slaton 3 5 78 Slater 4 4 Kicker Power Accur 01 Lansford 4 3 Punter Power Accur 05 Hatcher 3 5 Defense: Linemen Speed Block 93 Reed 3 4 99 Wright 3 5 95 Piel 4 5 Linebackers Speed Tackl 52 Kelm 5 5 91 Greene 5 4 59 Jerue 4 4 54 Wilcher 4 4 Cornerbacks Speed Tackl 25 Gray 4 5 28 Hicks 5 5 Safeties Speed Hands 22 Newsome 4 4 23 Stewart 5 4 26 Newman* 3 4 47 Irvin* 4 3 =============================================================================== b. San Francisco 49ers =============================================================================== Offense: Quarterbacks Speed Pass 16 Montana 5 5 08 Young* 4 4 Running Backs Speed Power 33 Craig 5 5 42 Rathman 5 4 23 Tillman* 4 3 32 Flagler* 3 4 Wide Receivers Speed Hands 82 Taylor 5 5 85 Wilson 5 5 83 Greer* 3 4 88 Sherrard* 3 3 Tight Ends Speed Hands 84 Jones 5 5 81 Williams* 4 3 Offensive Line Speed Block 77 Paris 4 5 62 McIntyre 3 4 61 Sapolu 3 4 69 Collie 4 4 79 Barton 3 5 Kicker Power Accur 06 Cofer 5 5 Punter Power Accur 09 Helton 5 4 Defense: Linemen Speed Block 78 Holt 3 4 95 Carter 3 5 75 Fagen 3 5 Linebackers Speed Tackl 94 Haley 4 5 54 Millen 4 4 58 Turner 5 4 99 Walter 5 4 Cornerbacks Speed Tackl 22 McKyer 4 5 29 Griffin 4 5 Safeties Speed Hands 31 Brooks 5 5 42 Lott 5 5 40 Jackson* 3 3 26 Pollard* 4 3 =============================================================================== c. Miami Dolphins =============================================================================== Offense: Quarterbacks Speed Pass 13 Marino 5 5 09 Secules* 4 4 Running Backs Speed Power 25 Logan 5 5 33 Smith 4 4 27 Hampton* 3 3 36 Brown* 3 4 Wide Receivers Speed Hands 83 Clayton 5 5 85 Duper 5 4 82 Brown* 3 4 86 Banks* 3 3 Tight Ends Speed Hands 80 Edmunds 4 5 87 Hardy* 4 3 Offensive Line Speed Block 65 Dellenbach 3 4 61 Foster 4 3 63 Uhlenhake 3 4 62 Galbreath 3 4 74 Dennis 4 5 Kicker Power Accur 10 Stoyanovich 3 5 Punter Power Accur 04 Roby 5 3 Defense: Linemen Speed Block 95 Turner 3 5 70 Sochia 3 4 91 Cross 4 4 Linebackers Speed Tackl 55 Green 4 4 54 Junior 5 4 58 Krauss 4 4 56 Offerdahl 5 5 Cornerbacks Speed Tackl 44 Lankford 4 5 49 Judson 5 4 Safeties Speed Hands 25 Oliver 5 5 26 Williams 4 4 29 Hobley* 3 3 37 Brown* 4 3 =============================================================================== d. Chicago Bears =============================================================================== Offense: Quarterbacks Speed Pass 18 Tomczak 5 5 04 Harbaugh* 5 3 Running Backs Speed Power 25 Muster 5 5 35 Anderson 5 5 20 Sanders* 4 3 26 Suhey* 3 4 Wide Receivers Speed Hands 82 Davis 4 5 29 Gentry 5 4 84 Morris* 4 3 85 McKinnon* 4 4 Tight Ends Speed Hands 80 Thornton 5 4 86 Boso* 3 3 Offensive Line Speed Block 74 Covert 3 5 57 Thayer 4 4 63 Hilgenberg 3 4 62 Bortz 4 5 78 Van Horne 4 5 Kicker Power Accur 06 Butler 4 3 Punter Power Accur 09 Buford 4 4 Defense: Linemen Speed Block 95 Dent 3 5 76 McMichael 3 5 99 Hampton 4 4 Linebackers Speed Tackl 51 Morrissey 5 4 50 Singletary 5 5 59 Rivera 5 4 93 Armstrong 4 4 Cornerbacks Speed Tackl 24 Jackson 5 4 37 Douglass 4 5 Safeties Speed Hands 22 Duerson 5 5 23 Gayle 4 5 43 Lywch* 3 4 49 Tate* 4 3 =============================================================================== e. Denver Broncos =============================================================================== Offense: Quarterbacks Speed Pass 07 Elway 5 5 08 Kubiak* 4 3 Running Backs Speed Power 26 Humphrey 5 5 32 Bratton 5 5 23 Winder* 3 3 30 Sewell* 4 3 Wide Receivers Speed Hands 80 Jackson 5 5 82 Johnson 5 5 83 Young* 4 3 84 Nattiel* 3 3 Tight Ends Speed Hands 88 Kay 5 4 89 Mobley* 4 3 Offensive Line Speed Block 60 Perry 3 5 66 Juriga 4 4 72 Kartz 4 4 67 Widell 3 4 76 Lanier 4 5 Kicker Power Accur 03 Treadwell 4 3 Punter Power Accur 02 Horan 3 5 Defense: Linemen Speed Block 61 Townsend 4 4 71 Kragen 3 5 92 Carreker 3 4 Linebackers Speed Tackl 77 Mecklenburg 5 5 73 Fletcher 4 5 55 Dennison 4 4 56 Brooks 5 4 Cornerbacks Speed Tackl 34 Braxton 4 4 24 Henderson 5 4 Safeties Speed Hands 49 Smith 5 5 27 Atwater 4 5 48 Robbins* 4 4 25 Corrington* 4 3 =============================================================================== f. Washington Redskins =============================================================================== Offense: Quarterbacks Speed Pass 11 Rypien 5 5 17 Williams* 4 4 Running Backs Speed Power 37 Riggs 5 5 22 Morris 5 5 21 Byner* 4 4 30 Mickles* 3 3 Wide Receivers Speed Hands 81 Monk 5 4 84 Clark 5 4 83 Sanders* 4 3 80 Howard* 3 4 Tight Ends Speed Hands 85 Warren 5 4 86 Tice* 3 3 Offensive Line Speed Block 76 Simmons 3 5 63 McKenzie 4 5 53 Bostic 3 4 69 Schlereth 3 4 79 Lachey 4 4 Kicker Power Accur 08 Lohmiller 3 4 Punter Power Accur 04 Mojsiejenko 3 4 Defense: Linemen Speed Block 60 Stokes 3 4 99 Rocker 3 5 71 Mann 4 4 Linebackers Speed Tackl 58 Marshall 4 5 50 Caldwell 5 5 91 Manusky 4 4 77 Grant 4 5 Cornerbacks Speed Tackl 28 Green 4 5 45 Wilburn 5 5 Safeties Speed Hands 40 Walton 5 4 23 Bowles 5 5 31 Vaughn* 3 4 20 Welch* 4 3 =============================================================================== g. New York Giants =============================================================================== Offense: Quarterbacks Speed Pass 11 Simms 5 5 15 Hostetler* 4 4 Running Backs Speed Power 44 Carthon 5 5 20 Morris 4 4 30 Meggett* 4 3 24 Anderson* 3 3 Wide Receivers Speed Hands 86 Manuel 5 5 82 Ingram 4 4 85 Baker* 4 3 83 Turner* 3 3 Tight Ends Speed Hands 89 Bavaro 5 5 84 Mowatt* 4 3 Offensive Line Speed Block 72 Riesenberg 3 5 60 Moore 3 4 65 Oats 3 4 68 Johnson 3 3 66 Roberts 4 5 Kicker Power Accur 03 Nittmo 3 4 Punter Power Accur 05 Landeta 4 3 Defense: Linemen Speed Block 70 Marshall 3 5 74 Howard 3 4 77 Dorsey 4 4 Linebackers Speed Tackl 52 Johnson 4 4 58 Banks 5 5 56 Taylor 5 5 55 Reasons 5 4 Cornerbacks Speed Tackl 25 Collins 4 5 23 Williams 4 4 Safeties Speed Hands 48 Hill 5 4 43 Kinard 5 5 39 White* 4 3 37 Haddix* 3 3 =============================================================================== h. Houston Oilers =============================================================================== Offense: Quarterbacks Speed Pass 01 Moon 5 5 14 Carlson* 4 4 Running Backs Speed Power 30 Rozier 5 5 32 Highsmith 4 5 20 Pinkett* 4 3 44 White* 4 4 Wide Receivers Speed Hands 81 Givins 4 4 85 Hill 5 5 84 Jeffires* 3 4 80 Duncan* 3 4 Tight Ends Speed Hands 87 Mrosko 5 4 88 Verhulst* 4 3 Offensive Line Speed Block 77 Davis 3 4 63 Munchak 4 4 52 Pennison 4 4 74 Matthews 3 4 70 Steinkuhler 4 5 Kicker Power Accur 07 Zendejas 5 4 Punter Power Accur 09 Montgomery 4 4 Defense: Linemen Speed Block 71 Byrd 3 4 99 Smith 4 4 79 Childress 3 5 Linebackers Speed Tackl 93 Lyles 4 5 59 Grimsley 5 5 54 Smith 4 4 91 Meads 4 4 Cornerbacks Speed Tackl 24 Brown 5 5 29 Allen 4 5 Safeties Speed Hands 25 McDowell 5 4 31 Donaldson 4 4 21 Eaton* 4 4 22 Johnson* 4 4 =============================================================================== V. Scoring =============================================================================== There are 4 ways to score points: Touchdown: If a player with the ball gets into the opponent's end zone, that player's team scores 6 points. Extra Point: After scoring a touchdown, that team kicks a 20-yard or so field goal for 1 additional point. Field Goal: At any time (usually on 4th down or near the end of a half) a team can opt to kick the ball through the goal posts. If successful, they score 3 points, or else they turn the ball over to the opponents. Be wary of the skill of your kicker, however, as field goals over 30 yards away are very difficult to make if you have a kicker with poor stats. Safety: If a player with the ball is tackled inside his own end zone, the opposing team scores 2 points, and the defending team also receives the ball via a kickoff from the 20 yard line. =============================================================================== VI. Playing the Game =============================================================================== Before the game starts, a coin is tossed. Whoever wins the toss receives the ball first in the first half; whoever loses the toss receives the ball first in the second half. To kickoff, press A to stop the arrow moving side to side, then press A again to stop the power meter as it increases and decreases. If you kick the ball out of bounds, it is a 5-yard penalty and you must re-kick (in other words, you normally kick off from your 35 yard line, if your first kickoff goes out of bounds, you would kickoff again from your 30 yard line). If the kickoff is going to land in bounds, the receiver is automatically placed to receive the ball as it lands. If it is kicked into the endzone, the receiver has the option of kneeling down (press B to do so) for a "touchback", which takes the ball out to the 20 yard line, or the receiver can bring the kickoff out himself and advance as far as he can before being tackled. The kicking team also can perform what is called an "onside kick". This involves kicking the ball to one side or the other with very little power. If the ball is kicked very softly, a receiver is not automatically placed to receive it. If the kicking team recovers the kick, then the kicking team keeps possession of the ball. Now, the offense and defense can select plays to run. At the top, the options "Offense", "Time Out", and "Substitution" are available. "Offense" leads to a menu of plays to select, "Time Out" calls a time out and stops the clock (each team gets three time outs per half), "Substitution" allows you to bring in new players if your current ones are getting tired. Each screen of plays has eight plays on it, one for each combination of a direction and A or B. Press B + A together to move to the next page of plays. Once a play is selected, the defense gets its turn to select plays, call time out, and make substitutions. After that is done, the players line up. Press A to snap the ball, and the play starts. Each team has 30 seconds to select their plays and make substitutions, unless a "time out" has been called, in which case the teams can take as long as they like to make their selections. If the offense takes longer than 30 seconds, a "delay of game" penalty will be called, and the offense will be forced back five yards (without a loss of a down). If the defense takes longer than 30 seconds, a defensive formation will be chosen at random, and the play will begin. The offense has four plays, or "downs" to advance the ball ten yards, or else they turn the ball over to the defense. As a general rule, if you do not advance ten yards in the first three plays, you should either kick a field goal (if you are in range) or punt the ball to the opponent. Punting gives the ball to the opposing team, but much further downfield than if you were to turn the ball over on downs. There are four quarters in a game, with each quarter lasting 15 minutes, although time advances very quickly, so it's probably about five minutes of real time per quarter. At the end of the second quarter, the teams rest up during halftime, and then whoever lost the opening coin toss will receive the kickoff, regardless who held the ball at the end of the first half. Whoever has scored the most points at the end of the fourth quarter is the winner. =============================================================================== VII. Strategies =============================================================================== - Generally, running the ball is easier to accomplish, but gains less yards, while passing the ball is harder, but has the potential for big plays. Know your team's strengths and utilize them as best you can. - On offense, watch the defense's formation for the potential exploitation of weaknesses. For instance, if you see a lot of players bunched up at the line of scrimmage and you have a pass selected, try to pass as quick as possible, since someone is bound to be open, and let them run free. - On defense, if the screen zooms out after the ball is snapped, it is a pass play, if not, it is a running play. This will help you know whether to cover receivers or rush in to tackle a running back. - If the computer lines up for a field goal or a punt and you do not see an arrow for the direction of the kick, watch out! It is a fake punt or field goal, so be ready for it. - When trying to defend a pass play, stay back and cover receivers and let your computer controlled linemen rush the quarterback. If you see a lineman closing in, quickly switch to him and tackle the quarterback for an easy sack. - If you are running downfield and the defense is about to tackle you, remember you can dive forward at the last second to get those extra one or two yards before being tackled. =============================================================================== VIII. Credits and Disclaimer =============================================================================== This FAQ is copyright 2007/2012 by John Kearsley IV. This FAQ may be distributed freely as long as it is not altered and I am credited for its existence. Thanks go to everyone else involved with the NES FAQ Completion Project, of which I am proud to be a part. Also, thanks go to GameFAQs.com and SBAllen for hosting a great site. Keep up the good work! =============================================================================== IX. Version History =============================================================================== Version 1.0 - Original FAQ submitted Version 1.1 - Minor spelling/formatting changes