Walkthrough :
In soccer there are four things that will make you a better player,
practice, practice, practice and more practice. To this end we have
assembled a guide to getting the most out of the Gremlin Soccer Series,
without all that hard work.
Get in the right frame of mind:
Actua Soccer is not another simple arcade game. You cant just keep
pressing the fire button until the ball flies into the back of the
net. You have to develop that most elusive of attributes, a
footballer's brain. How else will you know how to create space, when
to hold, when to release and when to give their winger a grass
sandwich. To help you here are a few points to bear in mind.
Defending:
i. Keep the opposition's shooting opportunities to an absolute minimum.
Live by the footballer's maxim "If in doubt, boot it out".
ii. Look out for rebounds from the Goal Keeper. Opposing teams will always
maintain an attack until the ball is in his hands.
iii. Turn the 'offside' option on. This means that your defenders will
always stand a chance of blocking a shot.
Passing:
i. The key to successful passing is creating space. Don't be tempted to
pass when a player is right on top of you. Either release the ball
quickly, or twist and turn until you're clear.
ii. Aim for the gaps, and look for players in space. Remember that you
don't always have to be facing the player you want to pass to. If your
player has good vision he will pass to the man in the best position.
If your team isn't one of the best you will have to think for
yourself.
Tackling:
i. Try not to pull players out of position to make a tackle. If you do
you may be leaving an opposing player unmarked.
ii. Don't lunge at every player feet first. Sliding tackles should be used
only when you're sure of coming away with the ball or as a last
resort.
iii. The most successful approach is to run into a player, shouldering him
off the ball.
iv. Be aware of which referee is in charge of the game. One too many
tackles with a strict Ref. and it's time for an early bath.
Shooting:
i. One touch shots are very difficult to perform from short passes.
Therefore only attempt them when you have the time to set it up.
ii. Try and shoot with the one touch feature. Don't give the goalkeeper
time to get into position.
iii. Always be on the look out for rebounds from their keeper. The best
time to score is when the goalie's still on the floor.
iv. Always put after touch on a shot if you can.
v. When taking a penalty select the "wire" camera. Aim your player at a
corner of the goal and use the power shot to keep the ball hard and
low.
vi. Don't panic!! The best players stay cool when the ball's in the area.
Practice:
i. Select 'practice mode' in order to master your technique without the
other team bothering you.
ii. You must practice the one touch passing and shooting moves.
iii. If you're having all the possession, but aren't scoring many goals.
then this is the part of the game you need to work on.
Formation & Tactics:
i. Know your squad and the strengths and weakness of the opposition. Plan
your game accordingly. For example, if you're playing weak team
against Germany, play with a packed defence, stick to a long ball game
and use forwards with good controlling skills rather than those with
good pace or flair.
ii. A lot of problems can be sorted out by getting the formation right.
For example, if you're losing out in Midfield, try adopting a 4-4-2 or
4-5-1 formation. Remember that the default formation may not be the
one which suits your style of play.
If you still can't win....CHEAT!!!
[N.B.] Cheat is for PC version of Actua Soccer only.
Run the game from DOS by typing:
SOCCER -01142475549
This allows you to select the Gremlin Showbiz XI, (a truly gifted
team).
You will also be able to edit this team's stats. in 'Practice' and
'Friendly' matches.
