Knockout Kings

Steamer Trunk | home

Knockout Kings

Who'd win in a fight between Jack Dempsey and Joe Frazier? Find out with Knockout Kings 2001. This is one of the many Classic Match-ups that's featured in the game, complete with pre-fight festivities.

If this were a Dreamcast game the graphics would look pretty nice, but since it is a PS2 game they come off a little disappointing. Although the models are substantially better looking and more curvilinear than its PlayStation predecessor, and the characters are bigger and more realistic looking. The most substantial features of these great looks manifest in two parts, the textures on the body and clothes and the facial features. With up to 10,000 polygons per boxer, Knockout Kings takes full advantage of PS2's computer entertainment system technology to deliver incredibly true-to-life boxing action. After stepping into a CyberScanning machine, Knockout Kings 2001 features the most perfectly replicated and most realistic boxers ever seen. The textures on the fighter show definition where there was none before, muscles where there was only flat shades, and muscles and curves where they should be on a human body, giving each boxer, whether it was Muhammad Ali, or Lennox Lewis, a some what lifelike appearance.

Adding to the realism there is the pre-fight introductions, including Showtime announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr., alas no Michael "Let's get ready to RUMBLE" Buffer and several of the top referees packed into the game. You also get to fight in several of the world's top venues like Ceasers Palace, Madison Square Garden, and Wimbley Stadium among other. In between each round you get advice, which is usually worthless, from your trainer and cut-man. Taking a cue from Midway's Ready to Rumble Boxing, Knockout Kings 2001 shows the boxers' faces changing, depending on how hard they are hit and how much damage they take. For example, pound your opponent with several jabs to the eye and in the next round that eye will appear reddened and swollen. Hit him a few more times in the same eye and a cut will open up and blood will start to trickle from it.

The game sorely lags in the sound department. The commentary and analysis from boxing experts Al Bernstein, Teddy Atlas and Max Kellerm is often repetitive or not even connected with what is going on in the fight. The music is decent featuring tunes from the Blackeyed Peas, among others. The sound effects during bouts, however, are pretty sharp. You can here the thwacks of a jab landing on your opponents head and the grunts as you unload and well placed combination of punches to his stomach.

Probably one of the best things about this game is how well it's controls are set up. It's hard to imagine that a PS2 controller can pack in this many moves, combos, and more, but Knockout Kings pulls it off with ease. The game is simple to start playing, and, with practice, you'll unlock a lot of depth. Knockout Kings 2001 features a Dynamic Punch Control that allows you to create your own combinations by smoothly flowing together punches in a series, and to control every punch in a combination for incredible realism.

The game is very deep with Classic Match-ups, Exhibition, Slugfest, and Career modes. Career is probably the hardest. You get to create you own boxer right down to what trunks he wears to if he has tattoos or not. Then pick your trainer out of three of the top in the boxing business. You then go into training and try and work your self into Heavyweight Champion of the World. It's pretty tough, there are also three different weight divisions to choose from and a collection of the top boxers out their today with the notable exceptions of Roy Jones Jr. and Mike Tyson who are no where to be found. There are also several of the top women boxers to choose from and fight with, but you can not use them in the Career mode.

The game is a lot of fun to play and very challenging. Once I got to the top five boxers in the heavy weight division it was almost impossible to win, which is probably the most frustrating thing about this game, it just gets TO difficult. Overall, Knockout Kings is a good game, and after seeing a handful of boxing games in the last few years it is light years ahead of the competition.


	Steamer Trunk \| home stuff about me \| album reviews \| PS2 game reviews \| pictures \| web watch \| getting in touch NCAA Final Four 2002 \| Grand Theft Auto \| EA NHL 2002 \| Dave Mirra BMX \| Nascar Heat 2002 \| Crazy Taxi \| Madden 2002 \| NCAA Football 2002 \| Madden 2001 \| Triple Play \| Knockout Kings \| NBA Live 2001 \| ESPN Hockey Night \| NCAA Final Four Knockout Kings Who'd win in a fight between Jack Dempsey and Joe Frazier? Find out with Knockout Kings 2001. This is one of the many Classic Match-ups that's featured in the game, complete with pre-fight festivities. If this were a Dreamcast game the graphics would look pretty nice, but since it is a PS2 game they come off a little disappointing. Although the models are substantially better looking and more curvilinear than its PlayStation predecessor, and the characters are bigger and more realistic looking. The most substantial features of these great looks manifest in two parts, the textures on the body and clothes and the facial features. With up to 10,000 polygons per boxer, Knockout Kings takes full advantage of PS2's computer entertainment system technology to deliver incredibly true-to-life boxing action. After stepping into a CyberScanning machine, Knockout Kings 2001 features the most perfectly replicated and most realistic boxers ever seen. The textures on the fighter show definition where there was none before, muscles where there was only flat shades, and muscles and curves where they should be on a human body, giving each boxer, whether it was Muhammad Ali, or Lennox Lewis, a some what lifelike appearance. Adding to the realism there is the pre-fight introductions, including Showtime announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr., alas no Michael "Let's get ready to RUMBLE" Buffer and several of the top referees packed into the game. You also get to fight in several of the world's top venues like Ceasers Palace, Madison Square Garden, and Wimbley Stadium among other. In between each round you get advice, which is usually worthless, from your trainer and cut-man. Taking a cue from Midway's Ready to Rumble Boxing, Knockout Kings 2001 shows the boxers' faces changing, depending on how hard they are hit and how much damage they take. For example, pound your opponent with several jabs to the eye and in the next round that eye will appear reddened and swollen. Hit him a few more times in the same eye and a cut will open up and blood will start to trickle from it. The game sorely lags in the sound department. The commentary and analysis from boxing experts Al Bernstein, Teddy Atlas and Max Kellerm is often repetitive or not even connected with what is going on in the fight. The music is decent featuring tunes from the Blackeyed Peas, among others. The sound effects during bouts, however, are pretty sharp. You can here the thwacks of a jab landing on your opponents head and the grunts as you unload and well placed combination of punches to his stomach. Probably one of the best things about this game is how well it's controls are set up. It's hard to imagine that a PS2 controller can pack in this many moves, combos, and more, but Knockout Kings pulls it off with ease. The game is simple to start playing, and, with practice, you'll unlock a lot of depth. Knockout Kings 2001 features a Dynamic Punch Control that allows you to create your own combinations by smoothly flowing together punches in a series, and to control every punch in a combination for incredible realism. The game is very deep with Classic Match-ups, Exhibition, Slugfest, and Career modes. Career is probably the hardest. You get to create you own boxer right down to what trunks he wears to if he has tattoos or not. Then pick your trainer out of three of the top in the boxing business. You then go into training and try and work your self into Heavyweight Champion of the World. It's pretty tough, there are also three different weight divisions to choose from and a collection of the top boxers out their today with the notable exceptions of Roy Jones Jr. and Mike Tyson who are no where to be found. There are also several of the top women boxers to choose from and fight with, but you can not use them in the Career mode. The game is a lot of fun to play and very challenging. Once I got to the top five boxers in the heavy weight division it was almost impossible to win, which is probably the most frustrating thing about this game, it just gets TO difficult. Overall, Knockout Kings is a good game, and after seeing a handful of boxing games in the last few years it is light years ahead of the competition.