Game Description

Despite the cartoon-inspired appearance of its fighters, Agetec's Boxing is a simulation boxing title similar in style to EA Sports' Knockout Kings. The game features a total of 12 different fighters, and various modes including Ranking, Scout, Vs., Note, and Record. In Ranking mode, the game allows players to fight their way to the championship match in three weight classes on four different levels of difficulty. At the game's onset, three of the fighters are available, while the rest of the fighters can be unlocked by defeating them in the game mode titled Scout. Once unlocked, these fighters become available in Ranking and the game's two-player mode, Vs. In Note mode, gamers can learn how to perform moves with each of the game's characters, while in Record mode gamers can view their records and titles for both one-player and two-player matches.

To reach new weight classes and difficulty levels, players must attain a certain number of points to advance. The game's weight classes are lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight. Each weight class can be played on a local, national, world or ? level. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Review: Enjoyment

Simplistic controls make the game very easy to pick up. A good game to play when pressed for time. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

In coming up for a name for their boxing title, Agetec kept things basic. The appropriately titled Boxing doesn't bog down gameplay with unnecessary bells and whistles, and does a very good job remaining true to the actual sport.

The key to Boxing's gameplay is its simplistic controls. Gamers need only use the digital pad, the square button and the X button to gain complete control of their fighter. Different punches are determined by a combination of pressing the direction pad with the punch button (square). For instance, down and square provides body shots, while up and square unleashes nasty hooks. Similarly, high and low blocks are accomplished by pressing the X button along with the D-pad. As for other moves, such as ducking and bobbing, these movements are accomplished simply by tapping the d-pad in different directions. The only disappointing aspect of the game's controls is the special moves. While one of Agetec's selling points on the back cover of the game is to "master the special attack for each boxer," there is really nothing to it. For each of the game's fighters, gamers simply need to press back, then forward and then press the square button.

On top of being simple to perform, each of the game's different maneuvers comes across in a very convincing manner. In many boxing titles, including EA Sports' Knockout Kings series, punches and blocks suffer from poor collision detection, where punches seem to go through boxers or do not appear to make the impact on opponents they should. Thankfully, Agetec did an admirable job avoiding such a problem. Punches in the game are believable and make players feel like they are in an actual boxing match.

Although Boxing's controls are relatively simple, the game's main "Ranking Mode" is actually quite deep. The mode starts with players fighting in lightweight matches in local tournaments. Here gamers must beat three fighters to win the title belt. To advance to higher weight classes (middleweight and heavy weight) and bigger venues (nation, world, and "?") gamers must accumulate a certain amount of points, which usually requires winning a title with several fighters. At first, Ranking Mode seems relatively easy. Local bouts are a breeze, requiring gamers to simply be awake to defeat three to four sorry excuses for opponents. In later matches, however, gamers will need to take advantage of all of their boxer's skills. Computers controlled boxers in world tournaments and beyond require gamers to effectively block and avoid onslaughts.

Outside of Ranking Mode, the game also offers Scout Mode, in which gamers must defeat boxers to make them playable characters. In this mode, gamers simply need to defeat the boxer once to make him/her available, which is then followed by a new character to challenge. To prevent gamers from immediately attaining all 12 of the game's characters (of which three are available from the get go), the game sometimes requires gamers to build their fighters to a certain weight class before they can challenge new opponents. For this reason, gamers are required to play through quite a bit of the game's Ranking Mode.

On a down note, there is little motivation to obtain all the game's characters in Scout Mode. Outside of the appearance of each fighter, which seem to be influenced by Namco's Tekken series, each fighter plays relatively the same. While some fighters are little faster or a little stronger than others, the game's simplistic controls do not make them feel much different. Additionally, Boxing does nothing to promote the personality of each character. Whether the boxer is a model or an alien, they all act identically in the ring.

The game's final playable mode, and perhaps the most entertaining, is the game's two-player Vs. Mode. Due to the simple control scheme of this sports title (a la Sega's Virtua Tennis or Nintendo's Ice Hockey), anyone can become pretty good in a few matches, and strategy becomes a must. While gamers will initially slug it out against each other, in time they learn that defensive strategies are the key to success.

In the end, Boxing is a pretty solid sports title for the PlayStation. Despite being rather dull in appearance and featuring lackluster sounds, the game offers plenty of replay value for boxing fans by way of its different game modes. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Review: Graphics

Characters look similar to fighters from the original Tekken game. Good collision detection. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Review: Sound

Sounds like a boxing match in a low rent venue. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Review: Replay Value

Between Ranking and Scout Mode, gamers will have to play through the game with each fighter several times. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Review: Documentation

Descriptive, yet dull in appearance. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Boxing	Boxing Boots
boxing	Boxing Glove