SKID ROW presents ABC'S WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS BOXING BOXER'S NOTEBOOK: QUICK-START GUIDE "AAAAAAAND IN THIS CORNER..." THIS HERE BOXER'S NOTEBOOK IS FOR YOU PUGILISTS THAT CAN'T WAIT TO CLIMB INTO THE RING. IT'S GOT ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO INSTALL AND CONFIGURE THE GAME - PLUS ALL THE JOYSTICK AND KEYBOARD COMMANDS YOU'LL NEED TO CONTROL YOUR BOXER. KEEP YOUR ELBOWS IN! YOU'RE TOO FLAT FOOTED! SHORTEN UP YOUR PUNCHES! STIFFEN UP THAT JAB! * KEEP MOVING AND DANCE, DANCE, DANCE... THE LONGER YOU STAY STILL, THE BETTER YOUR OPPONENT CAN SIZE YOU UP FOR A GOOD PUNCH. STAY DOWN DURING THE COUNT TO REST. BUT BE CAREFUL, STAYING DOWN TOO LONG IF YOUR STAMINA IS LOW MAY TAKE MORE THAN 1 COUNT TO GET UP. BEFORE STARTING A CAREER, FIGHT A FEW EXHIBITION BOUTS TO GET THE FEEL OF THE GAME. DON'T TELEGRAPH YOUR PUNCHES! DON'T WIND UP SHOOT YOUR PUNCHES STRAIGHT! STICK & MOVE BOB & WEAVE THE KEY TO LANDING PUNCHES IS LEARNING TO "MEASURE THEM" OR JUDGE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR OPPONENT FOR MAXIMUM EXTENSION OF YOUR PUNCH. KEYBOARD COMMANDS These are all the keyboard commands in ABC's Wide World of Sports Boxing: F3 = Pause Spacebar, F4 = Pause Off F5 = Sound On/Off F7 = Rope-Size Toggle (decreasing the rope-size will speed up the game. This feature is helpful on slower machines.) ALT-J = Re-calibrates joysticks (To re-calibrate joysticks while in the game, center the joystick and press ALT-J. You will hear a sound when the joysticks are re-calibrated.) Esc = Exit Menu or Game DON'T DROP YOUR LEFT! WORK HIS BODY! GETTING INTO THE GAME... COPY PROTECTION CRACKED BY SKID ROW... NEED WE SAY MORE! WHILE HE IS COCKED - WAITING TO THROW THE POWER PUNCH - YOUR BOXER IS UNCOVERED AND EXTREMELY VULNERABLE. MAIN MENU WATCH OUT FOR KILLER MODE!!! Following the game intro screens, you will see the following selections on the Main Menu. EXHIBITION Exhibition lets you fight against the computer or against another human- controlled boxer in an exhibition fight. This is the fastest and the quickest way into ABC's Wide World of Sports Boxing, so if you're anxious to climb into the ring right away. SELECT Exhibition and move ahead to the Exhibition Menu section of this Notebook. Exhibition fighting is also a great way to practice power punches and distance of punches. CAREER This selection takes you into the sports-role-playing level of ABC's Wide World of Sports Boxing. The intricate detail of this gaming level is quite involved and requires a more extensive explanation than found in the Boxer's Notebook. Starting a career lets you create your own boxer and guide him from the bottom of the rankings all the way to the championship belt - if you're able to get him there. DEMO This selection will automatically load a demonstration match between two randomly chosen computer-controlled opponents. QUIT SELECT QUIT to exit ABC's Wide World of Sports Boxing and return to DOS. THE JAB/STRAIGHT PUNCH IS FASTER THAN OTHER PUNCHES, USE YOUR JABS TO SET UP YOUR OPPONENT FOR A SLOWER, STRONGER PUNCH. THROW POWER PUNCHES - THEY ARE MORE EFFECTIVE AND IF YOU LAND ONE, YOU MAY GO INTO KILLER MODE. EXHIBITIONS OPTIONS MENU KEEP YOUR EYE ON YOUR STAMINA, IF IT STARTS GETTING TOO LOW, REST BY CLINCHING WITH YOUR OPPONENT AND THROWING FEWER PUNCHES. SELECT from the following options on this menu: FIGHT SELECT Fight to get immediately into the action. This selection will take you to the Fight Mode Menu, where you will SELECT between a Human vs. Human, Human vs. Computer, or Computer vs. Computer fight. You will then move on to the Exhibition Boxers Screen. KEEP YOUR HEAD MOVING! At the Exhibition Boxers Screen you will SELECT a boxer for Player 1 and another for Player 2. You can choose from among 10 Sparring Partners and 10 Specialists. You can also create 10 Open Exhibitioners. (Creating a boxer fully in the Career Guide.) Once you choose two boxers for your exhibition match, you'll go directly to the fight. See In the Ring Section of this Notebook to learn how to fight. IF YOU HAVE MONEY, BUY EQUIPMENT, THE MORE EXPENSIVE ITEMS ARE WAY COOLER THAN THE CHEAP STUFF. IF YOU HEAD OR BODY KNOCKDOWN GAUGES GO COMPLETELY BLACK - YOU'RE HISTORY! VIEW STATS This option takes you to the Exhibition Boxers Screen - when you SELECT one of the boxers here, you will get a look at the fighter's dossier and personal statistics. (A Full interpretation of all this data is explained in the Career Guide.) To return to the Exhibition Boxers Screen, press either BUTTON 1 or 2. You can then either SELECT another boxer to view or SELECT Exit to return to the Exhibition Options Menu. CREATE BOXER This selection allows you to create a new boxer for the Open Exhibitioners list. Press the ESC key on your keyboard to abort the boxer creation process and return to the Exhibition Options Menu. Note: Creating a new boxer requires a basic understanding of the process detailed in the Creating a New Boxer section of the Career Guide. P.S.: Boxers created with this option can only fight Exhibition matches. For a shot at the title you must start a career. See "Starting a Career" in the Career Guide. DELETE BOXER To make room for new boxers on the Open Exhibitioners list, SELECT Delete Boxer. SELECT the boxer you wish to remove from the Exhibition Boxers Screen. Note: Specialists and Sparring Partners are permanent; you can only delete boxers you've created. MAIN MENU This selection will take you back to the ABC's Wide World of Sports Boxing Main Menu. IN THE RING RULES OF THE RING o In Exhibition mode you can select the number of rounds, 1 through 12. In career fights, the number of rounds depends upon your boxer's ranking. o The rounds are clocked 3 minutes. o There is a 10-point MUST system. (Judges award 10 points to the winner of a round, and fewer to the loser.) o 3 knockdowns in one round is a technical knockout. o Depending on the referee, 3 or 4 cuts stop the fight. o A boxer has until the count of 10 to get up after a knockdown. A boxer who is knocked-down cannot be saved by the bell. IF YOUR BOXER IS RIGHT-HANDED, PUNCHES THROWN WITH HIS LEFT HAND HAVE MORE RANGE THAN PUNCHES THROWN WITH HIS RIGHT HAND. OPPOSITE FOR SOUTHPAWS. BOXERS ARE NOT EQUAL IN THEIR CHARACTERISTICS; HOW FAST YOUR KNOCKDOWN GAUGES GO DOWN DEPENDS ON YOUR RATINGS AND YOUR OPPONENT'S POWER. SLUGGING IT OUT JUDGES FAVOR HOOKS, CROSSES AND UPPERCUTS. o Once your opponent comes into punching range, the view will change from top-down to up-close and personal. o Joystick LEFT and RIGHT moves your boxer either away from or toward your opponent. o Joystick UP and DOWN controls whether your fighter stands up or crouches down. A punch thrown while standing will be directed toward your opponent's head and one thrown from a crouch will go to his body. - WAIT FOR YOUR OPPONENT TO THROW A PUNCH - THEN COUNTER. The diagram below shows all the punches you can throw by pressing Action Buttons 1 and 2 and moving the Joystick: Button Joystick Right Hander Left Hander 1 LEFT Left Jab Left Straight 1 RIGHT Right Straight Right Jab 2 LEFT Left Hook Left Cross 2 RIGHT Right Cross Right Hook 1 & 2 LEFT Left Uppercut Left Uppercut 1 & 2 RIGHT Right Uppercut Right Uppercut THROWING POWER PUNCHES Along with basic individual punches, you can throw power punches. The steps to throwing a power punch are: 1. Press the button(s) and joystick to throw a normal punch. 2. While holding the button(s) from the last punch, move the joystick UP or DOWN to put your boxer into the desired position (standing or crouching). He will then cock the arm opposite the one used in Step 1. Now release the button(s) and joystick. 3. Press the button(s) to throw the punch you want. Notes: To end a power punch without throwing the second punch, simply release the button(s) and move the joystick LEFT or RIGHT. Power Punches do more damage than normal punches, but your boxer is more vulnerable when throwing one. If you can land a good power punch, your boxer might sense his opponent is hurt and could go into "Killer" mode which is determined by your boxer's Killer Instinct rating indicated by the boxer's name flashing. In Killer Mode, your punches have maximum impact, so go for the knockout right away. (See example) YOU CAN ONLY DELETE A BOXER WHICH YOU HAVE CREATED. EXAMPLE: A right-handed boxer is in the standing position. Press button 2 and LEFT to throw a left-hook to his opponent's head. Continue to hold down button 2, move the joystick DOWN, and release the button. He then crouches down and cocks his right arm. Press both buttons to throw the power punch - a strong uppercut with his right arm. We strongly recommend that you practice throwing power punches in two- player mode. Properly used, power punches can turn a good boxer into a great one. KNOCKDOWN GAUGES 4 CUTS - TKO! At the bottom of the screen, below the fighters' names, are three Knockdown Gauges, these will indicate how close each boxer is to being knocked-out. Scoring in each round is more than just how much damage has been done. (Scoring is discussed in the Judges section of the career guide.) 1. STAMINA Stamina is worn away every time you get hit and every time you throw a punch, especially when you miss. You can replenish Stamina by avoiding contact. Stamina is also restored significantly between rounds - amounts vary by boxer, depending on his Conditioning rating. 2. HEAD Punches that land to your head will reduce your Knockdown Head Gauge. Levels on this gauge are restored only between rounds, again based on Conditioning. GET YOUR SHOULDER INTO THE PUNCH! 3. BODY The Knockdown Body Gauge operates exactly like the Knockdown Head Gauge. KNOCKDOWNS As your Knockdown Gauges are worn away during a fight, you may run the risk of getting knocked down. When you go down, it's not always "for the count." You can encourage your boxer to get up by pressing BUTTON 1 while the referee is counting. The longer you wait to get up, the more Stamina you'll regain. Naturally, if the ref hits "10" before you've regained your senses... it's all over. ANTICIPATE THE OTHER BOXER AND THROW PUNCHES TO WHERE YOU THINK HE WILL BE. REMEMBER, TIMING CHANGES BASED ON HANDSPEED. BEFORE ENTERING A BOUT, ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR TRAINER FOR NEXT FIGHT STRATEGY, THE BETTER YOUR TRAINER, THE MORE INFORMATION YOU'LL GET ABOUT YOUR OPPONENT. * DURING THE RING ANNOUNCER'S SPEECH, NOTE WHO IS THE "HOMETOWN" BOXER SINCE SOME JUDGES WILL FAVOR THIS BOXER SLIGHTLY. SURVIVAL TIPS For practice, choose Human vs. Human mode. Since there will be no one controlling your opponent, he won't move. In this condition, he makes an excellent practice dummy. To Learn the controls, fight a human vs. human exhibition match. Move the boxers closer until you see the side view. Practice each punch and some power punches. Move the second boxer into position and get a feel for range and sounds. Note: In order to select a boxer for Player 2, you will need to set up the configuration for Player 2 in the Install Program. To throw a punch hold down the Button (S) and press the joystick LEFT or RIGHT. Don't pound on the buttons, but learn to press and release them evenly as you plan your punches. Each punch has a different range. Practice using punch ranges to hit your opponent as he moves in and out. Following are punches in order of longest to shortest range for a right-handed boxer: Left Jab, Right Straight, Left Hook, Right Cross, Left Uppercut, Right Uppercut. After creating your boxer in New Career, fight a few Exhibition matches. This will help you get used to the range and speed of your boxer. Before deciding on an opponent, check out your opponent's stats by looking in the Magazine. Note how he has won and lost his fights (i.e. KOs or points). Also take note of his trainer since each trainer adds points to two of the boxer's ratings. When moving on to next month's fight, watch the videos of computer vs. computer fights of boxers near your ranking; you will probably end up fighting one of these boxers so scout them out first. When in Training Camp, don't hesitate to fight an exhibition match. These bouts won't affect your ratings. You can change trainers according to your boxing style. You should hire trainers that will work with you on ratings you wish to improve. Hitting an opponent in the body reduces his stamina more than hitting his head with the same type of punch, but landing one to the head might cause a cut or a quick knockdown. If any of your knockdown gauges get low, go into defensive mode: back away from your opponent, mimic his stance so he can't land a punch, or move in and get into a clinch. SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW