Kick Off 2 - Guide

  It`s surprising how many people don`t like Kick Off 2 because they
  seem to think it`s too hard. Kick Off 2 is the best video game in
  the world because of it`s playability. It`s takes months to master
  & you will find that the more time you spend playing Kick Off 2, the
  better you will become. It will take you a good 6 months before you 
  become brilliant at the game. The guide below details all skills
  (dribbling, passing, shooting, defending, free kicks etc)..  

  Chipping The Ball (Defensively)
  *******************************

  Chipping the ball can help immensly when defending or attacking. Run with
  the ball up or down the pitch now push the joystick in the opposite 
  direction & press fire. The ball should fly into the other half. 

  Example, you are attacking up field & your opponent has the ball in your
  half (down pitch). As soon as you gain possesion run up pitch & hit fire
  & down, the ball will now be chipped far into your opponents half. You can
  chip the ball in any direction just remember to push the joystick in the 
  opposite direction that you face & press fire. 
   
  Dribbling
  *********

  You must first learn to dribble, how do you expect to score when you
  can`t get possesion of the ball? There is no simple way to learn how
  to dribble, you have to practice. Try running with the ball then turning
  in the opposite direction, take the ball to the left or right wing and
  run diagonally with the ball, try running in circles with the ball, run
  left or right then immediatly run up or down etc, etc, etc. Basically
  be inventive. 

  Passing
  *******

  Chipping is a good way to pass as the ball is so high in the air, you have
  time to run towards it before it lands. Blasting the ball upfield is only
  recommended if you can time your runs to perfection.

  Pass in the box & try to make the keeper come off his line then shoot. To
  pass hold down fire just before you make contact with the ball, your 
  player will hold the  ball then move him towards the direction of the
  player you want to pass to & let go. 

  Try holding the ball just before you reach the box, if you get fouled then
  you are given a free kick! 
  
  Try holding the ball inside the box & if you get fouled then you get a
  penalty! Hold the ball in the box, when the keeper comes out, let go of
  fire!

  Holding the ball for penalties & free kicks is recommende if you are 
  playing someone that is crap & likely to foul alot.

  Defending
  *********

  Never try to slide tackle in the box unless your timing is brilliant. 
  The best way to defend is to try & dribble the ball away from your 
  opponent then chip it away from your goal or if you`re feeling confident
  make a run into your opponents half. Dribbling tha ball away from 
  opponents is better than using a sliding tackle, if you use a slide tackle 
  then you are on the floor, whereas when you are good at dribbling, you
  can take the ball off your opponent and leave him standing or chewing
  grass!

 
  After Touch
  ***********

  After touch is probaly what makes kick off 2 so good. By using after 
  touch you can chip & bend the ball.

  Position the ball to the extreme of either side of your foot. Run straight
  at goal & when you are in the box just before you reach the dot hit fire
  & either left or right.

  For example, put the ball towards the far right of your foot. Run at goal
  & hit fire  & right, the ball will swerve far right, if you hit fire &
  left, the ball will swerve far left. Decide where to place the ball 
  depending upon where the keeper is standing. 

  Another way to score goals by using after touch is to swerve the ball
  while you run from left to right or vica versa. Run towards the edge
  of your opponents goal line, make sure you don`t take the ball out of
  play, position the ball at the extreme of your left or right foot 
  then press diagonally towards the direction of goal & hit fire.

  Example. Run up pitch towards your opponents goal, You are on the left
  wing. Before the goal line, run towards the goal (right) & position the
  ball to the far left of your foot. Hit fire & right diagonally up about
  an inch away from goal. The ball should swerve towards the goal.

  Probably the hardest thing to master is the diagonal curl. Run diagonally
  towards goal. When you are in the box hit fire & diagonally towards the
  goal.

  Example : You are attacking down pitch. Run diagonally towards goal from 
  the left. When you are in the box, hit fire & diagonally down towards the
  goal, you may notice that the ball curls slightly. Always try to aim for
  the top corner. You will find that the ball may ricochet in off the post.

  Free Kicks
  **********

  You have a free kick up pitch towards your opponents goal, about 30 yds
  away, & dead centre on goal. Tap the button for a second, let go of fire,
  then push the joystick from diagonally far left to diagonally far right.
  Let go just after you make contact. The ball should bend viciously & dip.
  Pushing diagonally dips the ball. The longer you hold down fire, the more
  powerful your shot will be. Free kicks are probably the hardest to master
  so be patient. The only way to practice free kicks is to play in 2 player
  mode & set the 2nd players joystick on auto fire. If you haven`t got an
  auto fire joystick then buy one or get a mate to foul you!

  Penalties
  *********

  When the arrow is dead centre hit the button hard for a split second, as
  soon as you hit the button let go.

  There is no easy way to save penaltiesthat bullshit about replaying a 
  penalty before it`s taken doesn`t work, there is no way to predict where
  your opponent will place the ball but it`s best to try & dive short left
  or right (diagonally down & left or right if your opponent is shooting 
  down pitch), or just stay in the centre & hit fire & up or down (depends
  where opponent is attacking).

  Headers
  *******

  You can only head the ball after it has been chipped. To chip the ball
  a short distance run one way and push the joystick in the opposite 
  direction very fast. 
 
  Example. You are attcking upfield. Run upfield, when you  are 1.5 inches
  away from the goal push down very quickly. Continue running upfiled. When
  the ball bounces over the keeper, try to head the ball into goal. 

  It`s usefull to chip the ball a short distance left or right when you 
  are near goal as you can get a player to run onto your cross & hopefully
  smash the ball into the net. Run left then push right very fast, the ball 
  will be chipped left, now try to get a plyer to head the ball.


  Chipping The Ball (Attack)
  **************************

  Whenever you get kick off you have a golden opportunity to score. First 
  I will describe how to chip from the half way line and score. You are
  scoring upfield. Run up the pitch with the ball, make sure the ball is
  dead centre of both of your feet. When you reach the end of the 
  semi-circle of the half way line push the joystick down & press fire
  The ball should fly over towards your opponents goal. It takes a lot
  of practice but it`s worth it. You may get kick off & within seconds 
  you could be 1-0 up! If your opponent scores you can equalize immediately! 
  It is also possible to score by chipping the ball diagonally. Run close
  to the wing about 1/2 inch past the half way line, start running diagonally
  towards the goal &  push in the opposite direction that you face & press
  fire.

  Example, you are attacking down pitch. Run as close to the left wing as
  possible, turn diagonally just past the half way line push diagonally to 
  the opposite direction you face (top left) and hit fire, the ball will be 
  chipped diagonally towards the goal. 

  After you have mastered both these methods of chipping the ball, try to
  chip the ball from a shorter distance, chip the ball in the same way but 
  don`t push the joystick & hit fire with as much force. 
   
  To do a curled chip, place the ball on the extreme left or right of your
  foot then push diagonally left or right in the opposite direction & hit
  fire. 

  Example, you want to do a curled chip when the ball is on the far left of
  your foot. You are running down field. Push down diagonally towards the 
  left & hit fire. The ball will fly high in the air, curling right.

  Taking On The Keeper
  ********************

  When you are brilliant at dribbling, run diagonally towards your
  opponents goal & when the keeper comes off his line shoot diagonally
  or curl diagonally. Another way to do this is to let the ball run, when
  the keeper runs out off his line run & blast the ball towards goal. 
  This method of attack requires timing more than anything else.

  Tactics
  *******

  Select 4-2-4. If this isn`t working out after 2 minutes (you arn`t having
  much attacking play) then switch to 4-4-2. 4-3-3 isn`t very usefull & I
  only advise 5-3-2 is you are getting hammered (not that it will help 
  much!). If your opponent scores or you get kick off, switch to 4-2-4 & 
  try to chip from the half way line. 

  Conclusion
  **********

  Kick Off 2 is difficult to master, I have made this player`s guide after
  nearly 18 months of experience! Always develop skills in practice mode
  with after touch on at international level. Practice for 10 mins then
  play in a match. Remebr to be inventive.

  Over 30 fabolous goals scored on Kick Off 2 are available from WACK PD.
  These can be loaded into most Versions of Kick Off 2, Final Whistle &
  Return To Europe and are immensly useful in order to note technique.

  ---
  Typed by Dynamo Of The Shining Path December 1991