| Playstation Review |  by Colin |
||
| Category | Sports | ||
| Players | 1-2 | ||
| Difficulty | Hard | ||
| Review Date | 11/99 | ||
| Publisher | Midway | ||
In an era where sports icons sell out left and right to be on McDonalds's cups
or to play rapping genies on the big screen, it comes as little surprise that
Buffer has entered the video game ring. Via his patented style and voice, Buffer
and Midway bring you Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, an arcade boxer that's a
lot of fun.
The music, while annoying, fits the game perfectly. The sound is also really well done. Each boxer has a 15-second introduction done by Michael Buffer, complete with little comments. The only problem is that you hear Buffer's patented "Ready to Rumble" line at the beginning of every single bout. As much as I like the man, I honestly never want to hear that line again.
The gameplay is the hardest part of the game to understand. Ready 2 Rumble is, very obviously, an arcade boxer. Taking goofy characters and wacky moves over realistic boxers, Ready 2 Rumble chooses to walk the trail blazed by games like Punch Out. Or so one would think . . .
As it turns out, Ready 2 Rumble has a number of very sim-like aspects to it. First off, it's really hard. This isn't a game where you just run in and beat the enemy down. Instead, you have to bob and weave, choosing when to strike the opponent and when the back away (Gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em...).
Even the Career mode is vastly more complicated than the recent "authentic" boxing game Knockout Kings. In order to go for the championship bout, you not only have to defeat a number of opponents, but you need to enhance your character along the way. Training your boxer involves a series of mini-games, each improving your boxer in different ways. There are a total of five mini-games: Rumble Aerobics, Sway Bag, Speed Bag, Heavy Bag, and Weight Lifting. These neat little games add a depth to Ready 2 Rumble that's not seen in most other boxing games.
All
notions that this game is sim-like, however, get tossed out the window by the
hilarious character design. From the big-haired Afro Thunder to the big-breasted
Lulu Valentine, the different boxers give new meaning to the term "over the
top." And I didn't even mention the boxer from the 1800's . . . (Pssst...you
just did - Ed.)
Unfortunately, the neat character design doesn't help the character balance, which needs a lot of work. Some of the boxers are just plain better than others, regardless of your skill level. This means that as you and your friends get better and better at the game, you have to declare some of the characters "off-limits" in order to keep things fair.
Another strange addition is the use of the RUMBLE technique. When characters land certain blows on the opponent, they gain letters to spell out the word RUMBLE. When that occurs, you simply press the two trigger buttons and your boxer freaks out. Then, by pressing A and B, you execute a number of fast moves on your opponent. While this is all well and good, it's absolutely useless during the game. Most CPU opponents simply block the entire exchange, leaving you open for a quick jab to your jaw after you're done.
The graphics of Ready 2 Rumble Boxing suffered when ported off the Dreamcast, though not as badly as the N64 version. Thankfully, the Playstation version still retains some of the smooth movement, and though it doesn't look as good as some other Playstation games, the graphics are acceptable. Though the Playstation version faired better than the N64 version, but you still have to ask the question: Why did they port this game without changing it drastically? The game was designed to be on the Dreamcast, and it should've stayed there.
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing is a strange, mixed bag of fun. Though some of the graphical quality was lost in the translation, this game is still worth a look. So, pull those gloves out of the closet and step in the ring, Michael Buffer wants to have a few words with you.
| Revolution Report Card |
| B- |
|
+ Neat Career Mode |