Boxing Video Games: The Title Contenders

Boxing did once have its own franchise, and it was called “Fight Night.” Until 2011, it was hugely popular amongst fight fans. The penultimate game in the series, “Fight Night Round 4,” was arguably the best. It featured a strong roster of 54 fighters, including Mike Tyson and Ricky Hatton, as well as Flyweight and Bantamweight weight classes for the first time in a game.

Each character had unique skills and traits, which made them feel authentic and sufficiently different to offer the sort of variation today’s gamer needs. The updated physics system from the previous instalments made this one massively fun to play. The next game in the series, “Fight Night Champion,” took a darker turn and wasn’t as popular – in fact, it even KO’d the series! It was a solid enough game, but it didn’t achieve the critical acclaim of Round 4, and the franchise was dropped not long after.

Punch-Out

If you’re a gamer who likes to sit with a controller in your hand, look away now; “Punch-Out!!” is a Wii game that uses motion as the core mechanic. It’s a reimagining of a classic arcade game, which, even in 2009, resonated with veteran retro gamers. Arcade games are great fun in their own right, and that’s where this title excels; it is a huge amount of fun to play. Be warned; it uses made-up characters, and the graphics are very arcade-like, but it was instantly playable. The control system made full use of the extra buttons and sticks on the Wii controller, putting this above the other Wii boxing title that felt fun, Wii Sports Boxing.

This wasn’t the first Punch-Out game; the franchise went back to the early eighties and is perhaps most fondly remembered for “Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out.” The Wii game broke new ground – it was the first title in the series to be 3D-rendered as well as the first to include a multiplayer option and optional motion-based controls.

Ready To Rumble Boxing: Round 2

One of the standout features of “Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2” was its colourful cast of characters. Players could choose from a diverse roster of boxers, each with unique personalities, fighting styles, and special moves. From the charismatic (but fictional) Afro Thunder to Michael Jackson and former President Bill Clinton –there was something for everyone.

It might be an old game, but it offered responsive controls that made it easy for players to jump in and start throwing punches. The game featured fast-paced, arcade-style action, exaggerated animations and over-the-top special moves that added excitement to every bout. Whether duking it out in single-player mode against computer-controlled opponents or facing off against friends in multiplayer matches, the game provided hours of fun and competitive entertainment.