Play calling

References

1. ^ abEach side picks one of eight slots. The offense's slot reads a play id (0 to 63) from its playbook, and before the snap the game reads the defense's play from a 64-row table: the row is the offense's play id, and the column is the defense's slot. In all 64 rows, the entry in column id ÷ 8, the play's group, is a defensive play that appears nowhere else in the table, one of 11 such plays (computed from the table by the atlas). The playbook-change screen offers slot k only the plays of group k (ids k × 8 to k × 8 + 7), so for a playbook set there, that column is the slot the offense called.Codebruddog/Tecmo_Super_Bowl_NES_Disassemblyrevised
   How we know

   3061P1_ON_OFF_LOAD_PLAY_INFO_PLAYER_RAM:           ; P1 ON OFFENSE LOAD PLAY INFORMATION INTO PLAYER RAM(A=PLAY SELECTED
   3062   LDX P1_PLAY_CALL                            ; LOAD P1 SLOT CALLED 
   3063   LDA P1_PLAYBOOK_EDIT,X                      ; GET ACTUAL PLAY CALLED USING SLOT AS INDEX TO P1 PLAYBOOK IN SRAM
   ⋮
   3089   TAX                                         ; 
   ⋮
   3092@get_def_reaction_based_on_off_play:   
   ⋮
   3095   LDY P1_PLAY_CALL                            ; LOAD PLAYER 1 PLAY CALL 
   3096   LDA P1_PLAYBOOK_EDIT,Y                      ; GET ACTUAL PLAY
   3097@multiply_by_eight_add_starting_offset:  
   ⋮
   3105   ADC #<DEF_REACTION_START_ADDR               ; = OFFSET PLUS DEFENSIVE REACTION LIST STARTING ADDR  0X1DC10= $BC00 
   ⋮
   3112   LDY P2_PLAY_CALL                            ; SAVE DEFENSIVE PLAY INDEX IN X
   3113   LDA (def_reaction_addr),Y                   ; 
   3114   TAX                                         ; 
   ⋮
   

   2979DRAW_SUB_PLAYS_IN_SCROLLING_WINDOW:                              ; DRAW SUBSTITUTE PLAYS (A= PLAY SLOT)
   2980	ASL                                                          ; SHIFT BY 8 SINCE 8 PLAYS PER SLOT
   2981	ASL                                                          ;
   2982	ASL                                                          ;
   2983	AND #$38                                                     ; MAKE SURE ADJUSTED PLAY SLOT IS 0 THROUGH 7 
   

   2885	LDA current_play_index_in_slot                               ; MAKE SURE PLAY INDEX IS BETWEEN 0 -7 
   2886	AND #$07                                                     ;
   2887	STA current_play_index_in_slot                               ;
   2888	CLC                                                          ;
   2889	ADC MENU_X                                                   ; + PLAY SLOT OFFSET
   2890	STA current_play_id                                                      ; = PLAY ID
   

   2812DEFENSIVE_PLAY_INDEX_TABLE:										; DEFENSE REACTION INDEX TO SET OF PLAYER POINTERS 
   2813	.DB $5B,$5A,$5A,$58,$58,$59,$59,$59							; REACTION TO T- FAKE SWEEP	
   ⋮
   2876	.DB $2A,$2A,$29,$29,$2B,$2B,$2B,$22	; REACTIONS TO RED-GUN SLANT
   

   Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

   Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.

   In the claim ledger

2. ^ abReactions 128 and 177 are player scripts used only by the 11 guess-only defensive plays (computed by the atlas over bank 4). Reaction 128 waits for the snap, sets the player's running-speed rating to 15, adds 48 to his max speed and 48 to his hitting power, moves, and then loops a runRush command; reaction 177 stands for 30 frames after the snap and then jumps into reaction 128's boosts. Execution 188, one of the 11, gives reactions 128 to 134 to its first seven players. The script command the disassembly's macro calls boostRS emits $E3, which the command table maps to the routine that adds to max speed.Codebruddog/Tecmo_Super_Bowl_NES_Disassemblyrevised
   How we know

   4811DEFENSE_PLAYER_REACTION_128:
   ⋮
   4814DEFENSE_PLAYER_REACTION_JUMP_059:
   

   5200DEFENSE_PLAYER_REACTION_177:
   

   5281DEFENSE_PLAYER_REACTION_191:
   

   258.MACRO PlayerCommandData.setRS value
   259    .DB $E0
   ⋮
   273.MACRO PlayerCommandData.boostRS boost
   274    .DB $E3
   

   350.MACRO PlayerCommandData.boostHP boost
   351    .DB $F7
   

   383	.WORD SET_RS_COMMAND_START-1                                       ; EO SET RS
   ⋮
   386	.WORD INCR_DECR_MS_COMMAND_START-1                                 ; E3 BOOST MS
   ⋮
   409	.WORD CHANGE_HITTING_POWER_COMMAND_START-1                         ; F7 BOOST HP 
   

   329.MACRO PlayerCommandData.stand time
   330    .DB $F3
   

   4321stand_frames = PLAYER_COMMAND_ARG1 
   ⋮
   4323STAND_COMMAND_START:                                              ; F3 STAND (TIME)
   ⋮
   4325	LDA stand_frames                                              ; LOAD # OF FRAMES TO WAIT
   

   3131SET_RS_COMMAND_START:                                             ; E0 SET RS
   3132	LOAD_CUR_PLAYER_RP_RS_INDEXES 
   3133	AND #$F0                                                      ; MASK OUT RS SKILL INDEX NIBBLE
   3134	ORA new_rs_value                                              ; = OLD RP INDEX + NEW RS INDEX
   

   3212INCR_DECR_MS_COMMAND_START:                                       ; E3 CHANGE MS (AMOUNT)
   3213	LOAD_CUR_PLAYER_MAX_SPEED
   3214	CLC                                                           ; 
   3215	ADC change_max_speed_value                                    ; + AMOUNT TO BOOST MAX SPEED
   3216	STA (CURRENT_PLAYER_ADDR),Y                                   ; SAVE PLAYER MAX SPEED
   

   4421CHANGE_HITTING_POWER_COMMAND_START:                               ; F7 BOOST HP
   4422	LDA hp_change_value                                           ; = AMOUNT TO BOOST HP + CURRENT HP
   4423	LDY #HP_INDEX                                                 ;
   4424	CLC                                                           ;
   4425	ADC (CURRENT_PLAYER_ADDR),Y                                   ; 
   

   3233LOAD_DEFENSIVE_CODE_ADDRESSES:                ; LOAD DEFENSIVE PLAYER POINTERS STARTING ADDRESS
   3234   LDA #SIZE_OF_ALL_PLAY_POINTERS              ; LOAD 11 PLAYERS * 2 BYTES PER PLAYER = 22 PLAY POINTER BYTES/ PLAY
   3235   JSR MULTIPLY_A_TIMES_X                      ;
   3236											   ; PLAY POINTER OFFSET + DEFENSIVE PLAY POINTER STARTING ADDRESS 
   3237   ADD_16BIT_CONST_TO_ZP[val_addr] $A000, play_ptrs_addr
   

   2252DEFENSIVE_EXECUTION_188:
   

   Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

   Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.

   In the claim ledger

3. ^ abA computer-controlled defense picks its slot at random, 0 to 7, except on third and fourth down. There, with under 25 eighths of a yard to the first-down line (3 yards or less), it calls a run slot (0–3) when a sum of random bytes is under 205 (computed: 80%) and a pass slot (4–7) otherwise. As the atlas reads it, the check meant to favor passes on longer yardage compares the distance's high byte with 57 ($39), and that byte is at most 3 on a 100-yard field, so every longer third or fourth down also gets a random slot.Codebruddog/Tecmo_Super_Bowl_NES_Disassemblyrevised
   How we know

   4342DO_COM_DEFENSIVE_PLAY_CALL:							                                    ; CHECK FOR COM DEFENSIVE PLAY CALL
   ⋮
   4345	LDA DOWN						                                                    ; IS DOWN = 3RD DOWN
   4346	CMP #THIRD_DOWN						                                                ;
   4347	BEQ @check_yards_less_three_third_or_fourth_down					                ; YES->CHECK FOR YDS TO GO <3 ON 3RD ANF 4TH DOWN
   4348	CMP #FOURTH_DOWN						                                            ; IS DOWN = 4TH DOWN
   4349	BEQ @check_yards_less_three_third_or_fourth_down						            ; YES->CHECK FOR YDS TO GO <3 ON 3RD ANF 4TH DOWN
   ⋮
   4354	AND #$07						                                                    ; MAKE RAND # 0 THRU 7 = EQUAL CHANCE OF ANY PLAY
   ⋮
   4359	LDA yards_to_go						                                                ; IS YARDS TO FIRST >= 3
   4360	CMP #$19						                                                    ;
   4361	LDA yards_to_go + 1						                                            ;
   4362	SBC #$00						                                                    ;
   4363	BCS @check_yards_to_go_greater_than_7					                            ; YES->
   ⋮
   

   4123HEAVY_RUN_80PCT_COM_PLAY_CALL:							                                ; HEAVILY RANDOMIZED PLAY CALL 80% RUN, 20% PASS
   ⋮
   4135	CMP #$CD						                                                    ; RAND # < 0XCD = 80% CHANCE RUN PLAY, 20% PASS
   4136	BCC @call_random_com_run_play						                                                    ; YES->CALL RANDOM RUN PLAY
   ⋮
   4139	LDA temp_rand_value + 1							                                    ; MAKE PLAY CALL = RANDOM PASS PLAY CALL(4-7)
   ⋮
   4150	LDA temp_rand_value + 1							                                ; MAKE PLAY CALL = RANDOM RUN PLAY CALL (0-3)
   

   4285CHECK_IF_COM_TAKES_TIMEOUT_ON_DEFENSE:							                       ; COM ON DEFENSE CHECK IF TIMEOUTS NEEDED
   ⋮
   4292	BPL DO_COM_DEFENSIVE_PLAY_CALL						                                ; NO->CHECK FOR COM DEFENSIVE PLAY CALL
   

   3468yards_to_go				= LOCAL_5
   

   1864yards_for_first			= LOCAL_5
   ⋮
   1918	SBC LOS_X
   ⋮
   1925	ADC #$50									                                      ; ADD 10 yards 
   ⋮
   1931	CMP #<FRONT_RIGHT_ENDZONE	
   ⋮
   1942	SBC LOS_X
   

   30FRONT_RIGHT_ENDZONE         = $0990
   

   Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

   Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.

   In the claim ledger