Boxing Fever: Information from Answers.com Mobile

Boxing Fever

Release Date: October 11, 2001
Genre: Sports
Style: Boxing
Similar Games: Super Punch-Out!! (Super Nintendo Entertainment System), Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 (Game Boy Advance)

Game Description

Published by Majesco Sales, Boxing Fever brings first-person arcade-style boxing action to the Game Boy Advance. A stable of eight ethnically diverse fighters (composed of both male and female pugilists) are available to choose from, each of whom has their own particular strengths and weaknesses. The larger characters are slow, but powerful, while the more agile fighters do less damage. The accompanying venues and theme music correspond to each character's wacky, yet stereotypical personality.

Characters are capable of performing right and left punches, which can be directed at either the face or body of your opponent. Holding the corresponding button down will allow your fighter to charge up punches for increased effectiveness, but doing so will leave him or her vulnerable. Knocking an opponent to the canvas a total of three times will see you emerge victorious. Throwing a series of punches without restraint will wear your fighter down, causing subsequent attacks to take longer. The shoulder buttons enable your fighter to weave either left or right in order to avoid your opponent's blows.

The Championship mode pits players against a number of increasingly difficult opponents en route to the title belt. A password is provided to keep track of progress through the four tiers. The Single Fight and Survival modes provide for fights against a single opponent and multiple waves of opponents (one after the other), respectively. A Training mode is included that teaches players the title's basic play mechanics. Lastly, a two-player mode enables head-to-head competition between two human combatants. Both players require a copy of the title, however.

~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

Many games are hyped for months, even years, only to disappoint upon their eventual release. Then there are games like Boxing Fever, which fly in under the radar and completely surprise you. Created by first-time GBA developer Digital Fiction, Boxing Fever is an impressive fusion of stunning graphics and solid gameplay, making it a serious contender for the best arcade-style boxing game since Super Punch-Out!!

A more realistic take on the concepts introduced in the Punch-Out!! and Ready 2 Rumble series, Boxing Fever manages to blend serious boxing strategy with a colorful cast of characters that avoid becoming caricatures. These strikingly detailed boxers are so large they nearly fill up the entire screen, and unlike many portable games, there's never a moment where you have to struggle to see the action or make out necessary details.

Everything is all right there in your face, with motion blur effects helping you feel the impact of a particularly nasty hit. The sound effects and music also add a lot to the experience -- each environment has its own soundtrack, your punches sound sturdy, and the announcer who yells "uppercut!" and "body blow!" is an obvious homage to the memorable voice from Punch-Out!!

The surprisingly successful first-person perspective works because you and your opponent essentially stay stationary in the ring (although you are able lean to the left or right). This setup alleviates many of the problems that would normally arise in a first-person game, since you always know where your body stands in relation to other boxer.

The controls are responsive and easy to learn, thanks to a helpful training mode that allows you to practice the movements necessary for various punches and combinations. Boxing Fever is one of the rare games that emphasizes visuals but doesn't fall short when it comes to gameplay. You might initially be drawn in by the graphics, but you'll stick around for the powerful pugilistic action.