The Complete FIFA 12 Manual

If you purchased a copy of FIFA 12, you probably noticed EA Sports left out the basic instruction manual for the first time ever. EA Sports has gone green! Goodbye printed instructions manuals forever.

According to Kotaku:

This is the last printed manual you’ll ever see for an EA Sports game. The publisher has joined Ubisoft in releasing games without an instruction booklet, and will instead include a version of instructions that gamers may page through from within the game.

A lot of first time FIFA gamers really need the help of the manual, but do not know how to locate it inside the game. Luckily, I sat down and copied the FIFA 12 In-Game Manual for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, iPhone, and PSP.

The Complete FIFA 12 In-Game Instruction Manual

Precision Dribbling

Precision Dribbling brings an unprecedented level of control to your dribbling by giving you the ability to move the ball with ultra responsive touches. Use Precision Dribbling to keep possession of the ball when close to the sidelines or goal and beat defenders when in traffic or tight spaces.

Precision Dribbling is automatically activated when the situation requires a soft touch. To manually activate Precision Dribbling, hold LB while dribbling. Be aware of your situation, and utilize Precision Dribbling to bring your game to the next level.

To view all the Gameplay Controls in FIFA 12 go to the in-game controls screen at Customise FIFA -> Settings -> Controls -> Button Help.

Tactical Defending

Push and Pull

When in a shoulder to shoulder challenge, Press B to use a standing tackle to knock them off balance with a shoulder challenge or a small thug. Be careful when you use standing tackles as a mistimed tackle can put you out of position.

Contain

Contain positions a defender in front of an attacker, but allows you to decide when the best time to launch a tackle is. “Teammate Contain” allows you to call a teammate to mark the dribller, but they will only launch a tackle when the opportunity is right.

Read our FIFA 12 tactical defending strategy guide for more tips.

Gameplay: Tips and Tricks

By hold RB down and pressing A or Y to pass to a teammate, if your player is skilled enough, your player will attempt to perform a flair pass. Similarly, by holding down LT and pressing B, your player will attempt a flair shot, such as a bicycle kick or diving header. These maneuvers look very spectacular, but they have a higher chance of missing their target.

Switch to Goalkeeper

When defending, you can press <- to take control of the goalkeeper. You can use this to defend against many situations. If you want to unlock from the goalkeeper, simply press <- to return to controlling the full pitch.

Quick Throw Ins

When the ball rolls out of bounds for a throw in, but is close enough to the line for a player to grab, they will quickly pick it up. You can press A to throw the ball to a teammate.

Goalkeeper Pick Up Ball

When your goalkeeper has trapped a ball that was played to him by an opponent, you can press RB to pick the ball up if you’re in the penalty area.

Career Mode

Every player, no matter how talented, eventually has to leave the action of the pitch. Career mode offers you the chance to expand your football career throughout three earas: player, player manager, and manager. Start as a player and progress through all three eras or begin your career as either a player manager or manager. Take Control of a professional footballer as you play in multiple league, cup and continental competitions.

Player Manager Career

Player managers must manage the line-up and starting players, as well as take to the pitch during key games.

Manager Career

You are in control of the team’s finances and must manage the budget, including transfers, negotiations, and player contracts.

Take Control

The decisions you make in Career Mode can have a direct effect on the morale of your players, leading to a change in their performance on the pitch. Form and energy also play a big part in your team’s performance, so view the squad report & squad ranking screen to stay up to date on everyone’s key indictators. Players can go beyong good or bad form into “extreme” good or bad form in their match ratings are also supported by key stats indictiators such as goals/assists/clean sheets per game. The captain you choose also has an effect on the organisation of your team on the pitch, so ensure you select a wise head to lead your team once they cross the white line.

Youth Academy

Having a healthy youth squad is integral to building a strong team. Send Scouting agents to locales all over the world to discover and hire new players.

Talk to Press

A good manager takes care of his team on every level. Before games, you have a chance to speak to the press. Use this time to make statements about individuals, teams, the opposing team or manager and affect their performance in the next game.

Transfer Deadline Day

Expect to see major transfers and a lot of excitement as star players shift teams as the clock counts down each hour.

My Live Season

Each week, My Live season updates FIFA 12 with real-time performances, including injuries, transfers and more.

FIFA Ultimate Team

Join the FIFA Ultimate Team online community by creating a new club with a free starter pack. Each club can contain multiple squads, giving you a chance to adjust your style of player as the situation requires. As you open more packs, ranging from bronze to gold, you can upgrade your squads with new and better players. You can also improve your squads by looking for new players on the auction market. Create your ultimate team and play against the CPU or an online opponent for more coins in any FUT online or Single player game mode.

EA Sports Football Club

EA Sports Football club allows you to earn XP as you play and increase your FIFA level. Share your gaming accomplishments and see what your friends have been up to in the news feed. Take part in new challenges that draw on the storylines of the real football world throughout the year. Prove who has the most passionate fans in the all-new Support your club. All of the XP you earn determines your personal FIFA level and gets contributed to the club you support.

Online Gaming

Ranked online play is brand new if FIFA 12 with seasons, promotions, and relegation. You have 10 games per season to earn enough points to get out of relegation and hopefully promotion to the next division. It wonn’t be easy, as higher divisions mean better competition and tougher promotions.

Playing in Cups

Every few weeks the cups open. Based on your current division, you will qualify for one of four possible cups. During the cup window, try to earn your silverware in 16 team dynamic tournaments.

Online Friendlies

Love playing your friends online, but want a way to track your rivalries? Online friendlies allows you to play your friends in 10 game seasons to prove who is the best. In the hub, see all your friends and their status, invite who you want to play, and try to get a win for 3 points. Earn the most points in 10 games to hoist the trophy, and then start all over again in the next season to try to defend your title.

Pro Clubs

Create a virtual pro and grow your skills online by playing with other FIFA gamers. Create or join clubs and participate in organized games in monthly seasons. Play on a club with friends to have fun or be competitive and take on the world. Personal and club glory is on the line. Can you become one of the best virtual footballers in the world? Can you and your teammates compete against the top clubs each month/ Pro clubs is the ultimate stage to show off your skills on the pitch as a player.

Creation Centre

Create, share, and bookmark players, teams, leagues and tournaments for download on your console then visit the creation centre gallery to view and download the bookmarked content. Downloaded teams can be used in tournaments, exhibition matches, be a pro matches and unranked head to head online. Downloaded players can be assigned to any club.

FIFA 12 Store

Purchase downloaded content in the FIFA 12 store. Order additional live season, and augment your creation centre experience with additional editing options, more download slots and the ability to bring creation centre leagues into career mode.

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