Fight Night Round 3 (PS2, Xbox) 2006
This was the game that all boxing fans (hardcore sim and causal fans) were waiting for because it was a move into the Next Gen arena of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 area. The roster was set at 27 with the inclusion of 3 hidden fighters (Rey Mo LHW, Goliath and Big E (huge facepalm EA) that also had the double duty appearances of some fighters in different divisions. The soundtrack was arguably one of the best the series ever put out in my opinion. Online mode was a huge deal with the start of the next gen systems as many of the top players went online to compete against each other.
The Career mode was a nice step in the realms of authenticity as players started off boxing in the amateur circuit wearing headgears to avoid damage. Once they competed that circuit they moved on to the professional ranks. As they climbed the ladder, they were involved in rivalry fights . The game also included Classic mode thanks to ESPN broadcast time and the first-person view mode, a nod to a boxing gaming classic 4D Boxing.
The CAB system, in my opinion, was the best regarding the use of the analog sticks to manipulate the facial features of the boxer you were trying to create. Also, being able to add the type of punching and blocking style to your CAB was huge in trying to make boxers who were not in the final build of the game. TPC was still present as well as the addition or upgrades to three types of power punches for fighters: haymaker, the flash KO and the Stun punch. Most of these punches required “the good ole cranky” of the analog stick as the Stun punch was the only one that would put the person hit into the first-person perspective.
Fight Night Champion (PS3, Xbox 360) 2011
The very last boxing game from EA Sports before they packed up shop and moved over to UFC. For starters, Fight Night Champion looked amazing. Visuals are one of the major things that brings the people to want to play a video game, but those that look deep realize that gameplay was a deciding factor for many of us who were into boxing video simulation. TPC was gone and the introduction of the Full-Spectrum Punch Control was in full effect. The player was now able to only flick the right analog stick in a direction that produced a certain punch. There was also the addition of the power modifier button which allowed players to throw certain punches with extra power but kept players from trying to block and counter with it.
Blocking and leaning were still spot on and like the installments of old, giving the user the feeling of actually sticking and moving or creating angles to counter effectively. Online was giving a major overhaul as well with the additions of Online World Championship and gyms. But the biggest effort EA wanted to put out there was the Hollywood style presentation of the story mode entitled “Champion Mode”. This is where the player stepped into the shoes of Andre Bishop, a promising Amateur World Champion at Middleweight who is setup by a corrupt promoter and sent to prison and gets out to try and make a run at the Heavyweight Title. The story mode was fun for a few playthroughs, but faded fast after all the “conditions and plot twist” were played through.
The Create-A-Boxer system was advancement as users were able to make boxers with uploaded pictures to help other users online have the Floyd Mayweather or GGG they wanted to fight with. The roster was around 50 total fighters with some boxers being added in by DLC
Fighting in the Amateur World Championships after you went through the grind of building up your boxer from beginner to Open Class Boxer, and signing a deal with a promoter and moving along the ranks would have been such a welcomed and embraced addition by a lot of fans. The game is still played by a lot of users online to this day as they wait for EA to announce the return of a storied franchise. I would hope that day would come soon, but hope is a dangerous thing!
Mike Tyson’s Punch Out NES 1987
One of the greatest boxing video games to ever come out and to this day is still talked about by many boxing fans and casual fans alike.
With iconic characters and an underdog storyline, Mike Tyson’s Punch Out was a video game that, even though would not be considered a “simulation boxing game” by any means, still brought together people who weren’t even close to being boxing fans to the TV stand to try out and eventually take a shot at one of the most feared punchers on the planet in Tyson.
Punch Out was more of a patterned based fighting game where the user had to rely on cues and hints to beat the characters in the game. From King Hippo getting punched in the mouth to trigger his pants falling to Don Flamingo baiting you into punching him in the mouth and countering you with the nasty uppercut, the game was never short of entertainment for all who played it. Even though it lacked 3-minute rounds and, at times, believability (I mean, come on, I love Little Mac and that pink jumpsuit getting road work in behind Doc, but no way a tiny dude like that is beating a beefcake like Super Macho Man in real life with that Tornado Spin Punch let alone Mike Tyson), but what it lacked in realism it made up for with countless hours of fun for millions of people to enjoy.
That’s it for today’s list. Did you favorite boxing game make the list? Let us know in the comments below
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