1st Round K.O. (Ready 2 Rumble Boxing (DC))

Member Name:

Product:	Ready 2 Rumble Boxing (DC)
Date:	09/01/01 (1 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun DC Boxing Game

Disadvantages: Only 2 Players

"Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, lllllllllet's get ready to RUMBLE!!!!!!!"

The graphics are impressive and easily stand toe to toe with any other Dreamcast game. Though the characters don't move as smoothly and fluidly as in Soul Calibur, their facial features are just amazing. The boxers smile, grimace, yell, blow kisses, raise eyebrows, and show numerous other facial expressions. On top of that, the boxers continually get beat up during a match. Most victory poses are complete with broken-tooth smiles and black eyes.

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 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 To Rumble is 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.

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.

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.

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing is a strange, mixed bag of fun. Packed with lots of action, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing is a good boxing game. And what more can you ask for?

Summary: