Starting the game
First, highlight the "ESPN Darts" icon in the game menu on your phone. Once the game is highlighted, press 'Select' (OK) to start the game.
Menu
After the ESPN Darts intro screens, followed by main menu if it is the first time you start the game. Otherwise, you are presented with the option to resume a saved game or start a new one. You can access the Main Menu from the Resume screen. Use the up and down arrows of the D-Pad to navigate through the menu. Different items are available:
Quick Play
Play a quick game of darts under 3 game rules: X01, Cricket and Around the Clock.
Tournament
This option offers a simple storyline, progressive difficulty and various awards in the form of dart sets and trophies; only 501 game rules available in this mode.
Highlights
This option opens the "Highlights" section which contains statistics, your trophy room, awarded dart sets and a review of the tutorial screens.
Options
Within the "Options" menu you can select to enable or disable sounds, enable or disable vibration, enable or disable automatic aiming. This menu also contains the option to reset the game to its initial state.
Help
The "Help" section contains instructions on how the controls work in game, the different game rules, a list of the game options, a descriptive of the highlights menu, explanations on game setup for Quick Play and a glossary of terms.
About
Displays the copyright and development information.
Exit
Selecting this option allows you to exit the application.
Playing the Game
Read the "Help/About" section to learn all of the controls in the game. The D-pad is used to control the game at all times but all of the D-pad controls have numpad equivalents:
Up = 2
Down = 8
Right= 6
Left = 4
Fire Key = 5
Key | Context | Functionality |
D-pad | Menu | Navigates menus |
OK | Menu | Select menu item |
CLR | Menu | Back or quit from game's main menu |
Left soft-key | Menu | Back |
Right soft-key | Menu | Accept |
D-pad left and right | In Game / Aiming | Moves the aim highlight to different scoring numbers. |
D-pad up and down | In Game / Aiming | Moves the aim highlight to different scoring sections (triples, doubles, etc.) |
Right soft-key | In Game | Advance to the next step in the throw sequence |
Left soft-key | In Game | Pause / In game options |
Please Note: Controls may differ across handsets.
Saving / Resetting
The player's progress is saved every time a game is completed or the player exits the game through the pause menu.
Throwing Darts
Throw Sequence
The throw sequence is divided into 4 steps: aiming, vertical meter, horizontal meter, catch-up.
Aiming - Select the dart board zone you wish to aim at.
Vertical Meter - Set the vertical position of your throw, hitting the highlighted zone will help make your throw more stable on the vertical axis.
Horizontal Meter - Set the horizontal position of your throw, hitting the highlighted zone will help make your throw more stable on the horizontal axis.
Catch-Up - Select the precise spot where your dart will land. The closer your vertical and horizontal pointers to the original aimed area, the more stable the catch-up throw.
Game Modes & Rules
ESPN Darts offers 2 game modes: Quick Play and Tournament. Quick Play proposes 3 game rules: X01, Cricket and Around the Clock.
Game Modes
Tournament mode offers a simple storyline, progressive difficulty and various awards in the form of dart sets and trophies; only 501 game rules available in this mode.
Quick Play mode is all about playing a quick game of darts under 3 game rules: X01, Cricket and Around the Clock.
Game Rules
X01
X01 play starts with a score of 301, 501 or 901. The object is to get to exactly zero by throwing rounds of three darts and subtracting the sum of those darts from your current score.
Cricket
In Cricket, only numbers 15 through 20 and the bull's-eye count. To close a number, you have to hit three "marks". This is achieved by hitting three singles, or a triple, or any combination. You win by closing all of the numbers, in any order, and being ahead or equal in points.
Around the Clock
In this game, each player takes turns to throw 3 darts and is required to throw a dart in every segment starting from 1 up to 20, in proper order and finish with the bull's-eye.
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