000 00 000 00 000 00 000 00 000 00 000 00
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
000 0 000 0 000 0 000 0 000 0 000 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0000 0 0 0000 0 0 0000 0 0 0000 0 0 0000 0 0 0000
READY 2 RUMBLE BOXING: ROUND 2
FAQ in progress by Darrell Wong (DKW 001)
Table of contents
===============================
i. Stuff for CJayC
ii. Revision history
1. Introduction
2. Basic commands
3. General strategy
4. Boxers
5. Training and attributes
6. Championship Mode overview
7. Notes on higher difficulties
8. Codes
9. Miscellaneous/wish list
i. Stuff for CJayC
------------------
Date completed: 12/28/02
Version: 2.0
E-mail: wongd012@hawaii.rr.com
ii. Revision history
--------------------
1.0: Just the basics; my introduction, general commands, info on four of the
boxers, info on the trainings, and a Championship Mode overview. (Phew, if you
had any idea how long just THAT much took me...)
2.0: Mostly updates, because I just wanted to get something out. I'll have a
"real" update pretty soon. Hopefully.
3.0: Got a new Dreamcast joystick that's making this work *much* easier. I've
finally succeeded in covering everyone who's available at the outset. I also
took out the speed ratings, as there isn't a whole lot of difference in speed
between everybody. Instead, there's now a "chin" rating, which gives a general
indication of how much everyone can take. Don't expect another update for a
while, as I now have to beat Arcade Mode a bunch of times...
1. Introduction
---------------
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing was a boxing game like no other. The pugilists were
completely different from each other and boasted arsenals of punches that
ranged from mundane to ridiculous. There were few rules and no pauses of any
kind (between-round intervals took about three seconds); each fight continued
until one of the competitors couldn't continue. (Or it went the distance, but
you hardly even heard about that.) Furthermore, the boxers had a different kind
of arsenal; taunts, trash talk, wild boasts, and other verbal assaults designed
to infuriate their opponents. Which invariably resulted in the taunter getting
pounded, but hey, it's the thought that counts, right?
But while Ready 2 Rumble Boxing (or R2R1, as I now refer to it) had the
hallmark flash and trash of the late 90's, it was still old-school in many
ways. In particular, most of the fancy stuff was not only of limited use, at a
certain point it became less useful than the basic punches seen in dozens of
past boxing titles. And once word got out that taunts were not only useless,
but uncancellable (a very important point in most fighting games), no one with
any sense used them. And so we were left with the spectacle of Afro Thunder
keeping his mouth shut and battering his Gold class foes with lefts to the body
and straight rights.
What we were left with was a boxing game that was great fun...but for all the
wrong reasons. At least according to Midway.
Well, they've learned from their "mistakes", with the result that EVERYTHING
has changed in their long-awaited sequel. There are almost too many changes to
list, but here are the most significant ones:
* Arcade Mode and Championship Mode (which I'll refer to as the "regular modes"
in this FAQ) have the same structure now. You start out unranked and have to
win twelve fights to take the championship. The old classes, Bronze, Silver,
and Gold, are gone. The difficulty you select in Options remains the same for
your entire run. Also, the time and knockdown settings now affect Championship
Mode as well.
* Arcade Mode is essential for unlocking several of the boxers.
* There are two additional modes, Team Battle and Tournament (both adopted from
various fighting games).
* There are more training options and an additional attribute, Endurance.
* The entire game engine has undergone a massive overhaul. It's no longer
possible to jab your way to easy wins (usually), Rumble Mode is much more
complicated, taunts actually have a use.
* Championship Mode is *much* harsher on losing. You almost cannot afford to
lose at all now.
* Easter eggs: There are champion and holiday outfits and over a dozen rings,
including the championship and holiday rings.
With all these changes, it can be hard for even an R2R1 veteran to get a feel
for this game, much less win. That's what I'm here for. :-D
Standard notation:
F = forward Bk = back U = up D = down
/ = or; e.g. U/D = up or down
A, B, X, Y, L, R = corresponding buttons
Two directions next to each other indicate a diagonal; e.g. DF = down and
forward. Two buttons next to each other means you should push them at the same
time; e.g. XY = X and Y buttons.
Terms I use throughout this FAQ -
Vitality: The red bar. Once it runs out, the boxer goes down.
Power: The blue bar; determines how many punches the boxer can throw before
having to take a breather.
Knockdown taunt: A taunt delivered right after depleting the opponent's
vitality (the only time he/she can't stop you).
Abuse: Continuing to punch an opponent who's out of vitality. You can do quite
a bit of damage this way, as well as collect several Rumble letters.
Rumble Meter: The indicator in the corner of the screen that fills with Rumble
letters as you taunt or land hard shots.
L1 Flurry: A Rumble Flurry done in level 1 Rumble Mode (yellow letters).
Usually weak and easy to defend against.
L2 Flurry: A Rumble Flurry done in level 2 Rumble Mode (red letters). Usually
fast, powerful, and difficult to defend against.
Double jab: Two fast jabs thrown in succession. Only some of the boxers have
this. Unlike the previous game, there's a delay after the second jab, making
it impossible to throw more than two in a row.
2. Basic commands
-----------------
X: jab Y: straight right A: left body B: right body
F + X: advancing jab/lunging hook Bk + X: advancing jab/left uppercut
F + Y: lunging right/axe punch Bk + Y: right uppercut/overhand right
F + A: lunging left body Bk + A: left body
F + B: lunging right body Bk + B: right body
U/D + X: left hook U/D + Y: right hook
U/D + A: left body hook U/D + B: right body hook
DF + X: left uppercut DF + Y: right uppercut
In general, the left is faster but weaker than the right, and head shots are
slightly faster and weaker than body shots. Forward and back motions now
produce different punches. Pushing forward always produces a forward-moving
punch. Some of the boxers have other basic punches. There are no ranged
punches; every punch is the same regardless of distance.
L: high block R: low block L L: high parry R R: low parry
A successful parry leaves the opponent stunned for about 2 seconds.
F + L: duck Bk + L: sway back U/D + L: sway to side
F + R: duck Bk + R: jump back U/D + R: jump to side
LR: start Rumble Mode XY: Rumble Flurry
The duration of Rumble Mode now depends on the level of the mode, not stamina.
Boxers cannot be hit at all during a level 3 Rumble Mode. The level 3 Flurry
is the same for everyone; a slow uppercut that knocks the opponent out of the
ring for an instant win.
AX, BY, AY, and BX: taunts
Taunts add 1-4 letters to the Rumble Meter, but leave the boxer open to
anything for the duration. They cannot ever be cancelled.
Note: All these are Dreamcast controls, of course. If you're playing this on a
Playstation 2, just replace X, Y, A, B, L, and R with the PS2 equivalents. The
Replace All feature on your word processor works best for this (make sure you
have "whole words only" checked, though).
3. General strategy
-------------------
[to be completed]
4. Boxers
---------
I've divided them into three groups, the ones returning from Ready 2 Rumble
Boxing (Veterans), the new ones (New blood), and the ones Midway threw in for
fun/publicity/friendship/whatever (Guest stars).
Ten of the boxers have to be unlocked. Beating Arcade Mode on any difficulty
unlocks a boxer; I've placed the order next to their names. Rumbleman is a
little harder; I'll explain the conditions once his section is up.
I've changed my criteria a bit because the entire roster is a lot more balanced
now in many ways (especially comboability). For the taunts, I've put how many
letters they add and (in general) how much time they take.
....+Veterans+....
AFRO THUNDER
Power: Average
Range: Average
Chin: Average
Specials: Good (good mix of speed and power)
L1 Flurry: Average (quick, modest damage)
L2 Flurry: Average (same)
Best punches - lunging left body, lunging right
What's changed - Surprisingly, not much. While the double jab delay and the
toning down of his left body hurt him, he's also gained some new specials to
make him a more complete fighter.
It's ironic that one of the flashiest, funkiest, showboat-iest characters in
the history of video game boxing would be a straight-down-the-middle Joe
Average, but that's exactly what Afro is. His specials are reliable and do
decent damage, his basics run the gamut from fast to powderpuff, and his Rumble
Flurries take off a good but not tremendous chunk of vitality. He's best
suited to a quick attacking style with an emphasis on the Supa Stupid Funky
Punch, the Sucka Punch, and his fast lunging punches.
Taunts -
AX: "Unh! Unh! Unh! Nothin' but LOOOVE for ya!!!" 3, slow.
BY: "You can't stop the thunderbolt!" 2, fast
AY: "Pump up the volume!" 1, very fast
BX: "I *thought* I heard somethin'!" 2, fast.
Both BY and BX are good. AY is great when you only need one letter. Avoid AX;
it takes too long to get the first letter, so it's no good as a knockdown
taunt, and it's too slow to be of use elsewhere.
Special punches/combos -
Bk F + Y: His old Supa Stupid Funky Punch. Although it's a little slower now,
this is a good bread-and-butter special.
Bk Bk + Y: A *much* improved Sucka Punch; far faster and does a heap of damage.
Hitting Y a second time makes this even faster but weaker.
DF + Y X B: A fast straight right/jab/right body combo with good range.
X X Y Y Y : Two jabs, a straight right, and his Up Tempo. Not all that good
since the last part has bad range and is easy to whiff.
U/D + A Y: A left hook to the body and an overhand right. Fast, but you have
to be pretty close to connect with both.
SELENE STRIKE
Power: Average
Range: Good
Chin: Average
Specials: Average (aggregate; some good and some bad)
L1 Flurry: Horrible (ridiculously weak; barely any damage at all)
L2 Flurry: Horrible (less damage than most L1 Flurries)
Best punches - jab, left body, lunging left body
What's changed - Technical no more. She's a *lot* more straightforward now,
and what little fancy stuff she still has is all but worthless.
Boy, she must have taken that Mama Tua loss pretty hard. She's done a complete
180 from her old style; no Superwoman, no Cold Shoulder, not even her infamous
low blows, and most of her offense now hinges on combos. Stylewise, she's a
lot like Afro Thunder, of all people, and should be played the same way. Be
sure to make good use of her jab and left body, which are among the best in the
game. Her Rumble Flurries are pretty much worthless, so don't feel guilty
about saving to level 3.
Taunts -
AX: [no speech] 1, average
BY: "Think twice before you strike." 2, slow
AY: "Shake it, honey." 1, Somewhat fast
BX: "Take a good look." 3, slow
Not a whole lot to work with here. The AX is a backflip which leaves her in
the same spot; not too useful. AY is probably the best.
Special punches/combos -
Bk F + B: A downward backhand shot to the body; looks kind of like her old Cold
Shoulder. Fast, very good range, and decent damage.
X B A: A jab and two body shots. Also fast with good range, but weak.
F F + Y B X: A right uppercut, a right backhand to the body, and a left hook.
Easily her best combo; very handy if you can get the timing right.
Bk Bk + Y Y Y: A bunch of stuff with her right. Far too short-ranged to be of
any use (you'll almost always whiff at least one).
BORIS "THE BEAR" KNOCKIMOV
Power: Average
Range: Good
Chin: Somewhat tough
Specials: Crummy
L1 Flurry: Crummy (weak, weak, weak)
L2 Flurry: Somewhat crummy (not as weak, but still pretty weak)
Best punches - double jab, straight right, left body
What's changed - Good lord, what on earth happened to his specials? All of
them have been ridiculously toned down; even the Axle Combo barely does 15%
against most opponents. His original Rumble Flurry has also undergone a
serious power-down.
If he was Ryu in R2R1, he's more like Sakura now. By which I mean *grossly*
weakened specials and virutally nothing to compensate. Even his Rumble
Flurries are minorly useful weapons at best. It's much, much harder to win
with him now, and you'll be relying on straight right/left body barrages much
sooner than later. About his only saving grace is that he can take more
punishment than usual (so that "I am STEEL!!" comment isn't totally off base).
Of his specials, the simple X X Y is now the best he's got, so make good use of
it.+
Taunts -
AX: "I feel no pain." 2, average
BY: "Nighty night." 2, slow
AY: "This can't be!" 3, very slow
BX: "This can't be all you got." 2, slow
AX is okay. The rest turn him into a stationary target. Stick with AX.
Special punches/combos -
U D/D U + A: The Justice Axle, now a little slower and VERY weak. Never use
this...it's almost embarrassing.
F Bk + Y A: The Axle Combo, cut down to two hits and about a fifth of the old
damage (for the first two hits). His second-best special.
X X Y: A very basic 1-2 with an extra "1". Easily his best special, and it's
fast enough to connect at the higher ranks.
F + A Y X: The Delta Axle. A little slower, and incredibly, it does even less
damage than in R2R1. Feh.
Bk F + B X X Y: A weird right body followed by two jabs and an overhand right.
His strongest combo, but not by much, and you usually won't connect with all of
it. Stick with the X X Y.
BUTCHER BROWN
Power: Good
Range: Good
Chin: Very soft
Specials: Great
L1 Flurry: Very good (Strong for level 1 and hard to block)
L2 Flurry: Good (Letter-for-letter, not quite as good)
Best punches - jab, straight right, lunging right, left body
What's changed - The good news: Always a combo machine, he has even more
options now. The bad news: He's lost some speed on nearly everything...and he
now *takes* more damage than almost everyone else!
Although he looks very good on paper, don't ignore that glass jaw. Yes, you
read right, he now takes more damage. A *lot* more damage. He's like Akuma to
Boris' Sakura. Worse, he's lost some speed, making him an easier target. So
you have to stay on the attack and make full use of his specials to win. Two
solid Rumble Flurries and a variety of effective taunts help round out his
offense.
Taunts -
AX: "C'mon." 1, very fast
BY: "Get up, fool." 2, Somewhat fast
AY: "Ah yeah ah yeah." 3, average
BX: "You goin' down NOW!" 1, average
Except for BX, these are all great. Use whichever one you need at any
particular time. AY is a great knockdown taunt.
Special punches/combos -
Bk F + Y: A modified Wild Ride, done with a big forward step and a little
slower. Pretty good damage for a single hit.
Bk + X B A: The Total Disrespect; nearly unchanged. Still his least useful
special.
Bk F + Y X B A: A big 4-hook combo. Very nice damage if you connect with all
four, which isn't too hard.
DF + Y Y Y: Three advancing right uppercuts. Good all-purpose combo.
Y X X: The Scrape The Gutter. Another dependable combo; still easy to land all
of it if you get the first hit.
Bk + Y X: I'm pretty sure this is his Disaster Blaster. It's still lame. He
has so many other options, you'll never need this.
ANGEL "RAGING" RIVERA
Power: Good
Range: Somewhat crummy
Chin: Average
Specials: Good (very dependable for the most part)
L1 Rumble Flurry: Very good (fast and weak/slow and strong mix)
L2 Rumble Flurry: Very good (stronger version of L1)
Best punches - jab, straight right
What's changed - Fancy new style? Sure doesn't look like it to me. He has a
slight speed-for-power tradeoff and more combos, but otherwise is still the old
reliable straight-ahead puncher we all know and love.
Of all the returning champs, he requires the least adjustment. His arsenal
really hasn't changed: good basics, one big gun, and some very nice special
combos. The Ghetto Blaster has been toned down enough so it's no longer a
viable first option, but his other specials more than make up for it. He's
pretty strong for a middleweight, and he has one of the best L1 Flurries in the
game. In later matches, you'll be relying heavily on jabs, with a few straight
rights and lefts to the body for variety. Oh, and if you can build to Rumble
level 3, always do so; he has a super-fast knockout punch that's virtually
impossible to avoid.
Taunts -
AX: [no speech] 2, fast
BY: "Check *me* out." 1, average
AY: "Aarite, I get to 'em." 1, average
BX: "You ain't got nothin' on me, homes." 2, average
AX is the one no matter what. Don't give the others a second thought.
Special punches/combos -
B F + Y: The Ghetto Blaster. Slower than before and the delay is longer.
Pretty much only useful as a "finishing" or abuse attack.
F Bk + B Y: A right body and a Ghetto Blaster. His basic combo.
F Bk + B B A B: This looks like Cruisin' or some variation. Way too little
damage to ever justify it.
F + X X A: A simple double jab/left body combo. Similar usefulness as Boris
Knockomov's X X Y and all the other simple combos.
U/D + A B X: Two body hooks and a left uppercut. Hefty damage.
U/D + Y X: Two punishing hooks. Angel's slowest but strongest combo.
JET "IRON" CHIN
Power: Somewhat crummy
Range: Average
Chin: Average (Ironic, huh? :-D)
Specials: Excellent (tremendous variety and some really hard hitters)
L1 Flurry: Very good (fast, good mix of attacks, plenty of damage)
L2 Flurry: Very good (stronger version of L1)
Best punches - jab, advancing jab, straight right, lunging right, left body,
right body
What's changed - No big changes, just lost a bit all around. Overall arsenal
is more well-rounded, especially the specials.
While no longer a raging typhoon of death, he's still one of the hardest
hitters in the R2R2, with the speed and versatility to match up well against
anybody. His well-stocked arsenal or specials and toned-down but still potent
Rumble Flurries help him maintain his place at the top. Don't ignore his
simple punches, too, particularly the much-improved jabs.
Taunts -
AX: [something in Chinese] 1, average
BY: [something in Chinese] 2, Somewhat slow
AY: [no speech] 1, average
BX: "Me champion!" 2, Somewhat slow
Hoo boy. You're better off letting his fists do the talking (and letter
getting).
Special punches/combos -
F F + Y: A big haymaker right. Okay damage, but too long a startup delay to
make it worth it.
Bk F + X: His Great Fang, now a little slower and weaker, like most of the rest
of his offense.
Bk + X A B Y: The Arch Nemesis. Although it's been heavily toned down, this is
still one of his best combos. Beware, though; there's a heavy startup delay on
the first punch, and the timing is harder, especially for the A B.
U/D + XY, L + Y: A windmill punch followed by a Giving Order. Okay damage;
best used as a "finishing" combo.
F + X X X: Three rapid lefts. Because of its speed and simplicity (you can
even do it with rapid-fire on), this is probably the best combo in the game.
DF + X, L + Y: An uppercut-Giving Order one-two punch. Same function as the
other Giving Order combo.
LULU VALENTINE
Power: Crummy
Range: Somewhat crummy
Chin: Somewhat soft
Specials: Somewhat crummy
L1 Flurry: Average (Fast but on the weak side)
L2 Flurry: Average (same)
Best punches - straight right, left body, lunging left body, left hook, right
hook
What's changed - Man, has she taken a hit. Losing her unlimited comboability
alone has taken an enormous bite from her offense (her uppercuts, once her big
guns, are now a joke), and she's lost some speed to boot. All this, of course,
makes her lack of power even more glaring.
If you loved playing her in the previous game, be prepared for a rude
shock...not only is her overwhelming dominance long gone, you'll have to learn
her all over agian. In general, it's best to stick with her basic punches as
much as possible, sneaking in a special when you get the chance, and ending
each match as quickly as possible before her opponent turns the tables and
knocks her senseless. Never forget the ironclad mandate, "whatever works".
Against a foe with a lot of stamina, you might want to build up to an L3 Flurry
right off the bat.
Taunts -
AX: "Can't catch me!" 1, average
BY: "You stink!" 1, Somewhat fast
AY: "I'm so fast and pretty." 2, fast
BX: "Bring it on, [something]." 2, fast
Just think "diagonal" and you'll always get a good, fast taunt. AX no longer
makes her do a cartwheel (or any other useful movement); don't use it.
Special punches/combos -
Bk Bk F + Y: The Triple Upper, even slower and weaker than before. I doubt
you'll get much use out of this.
F + XY: I think this is the Springing Assault (never used it at all in R2R1 so
I can't tell for certain). Also not much use.
F + AB: A slow two-hook combo to the body. Might be of some use if your
opponent isn't expecting it at all. Don't bother otherwise.
X Y B B: One of better combos; this a Somewhat quick jab and straight right
followed by two body shots.
DF + X Y: A left uppercut followed immediately by a striaght right. Due to the
slowness of her uppercuts, you may have trouble connecting this.
F + A B B Y Y X: Unfortunately, I'm unable to provide a description of this,
insasmuch as I've never been able to pull it off. If you're in a situation
desperate enough to need something like this, best forget it and go for L3.
J.R. FLURRY
Power: Average
Range: Somewhat crummy
Chin: Average
Specials: Good (would be better if he had more range)
L1 Flurry: Good (quick, plenty of damage)
L2 Flurry: Good (stronger version of L1)
Best punches - jab, left body
What's changed - Never owned an N64, so I have no idea. Anyone care to fill me
in?
Easily the most straightforward, orthodox, conventional, standard,
unremarkable, bread-and-butter pugilist in R2R2, i.e. a good choice for
beginners. In fact, even experienced players will appreciate his simple but
effective offense that doesn't take forever just to memorize. Just find what
works for you and fire away.
Taunts -
AX: "Bring it on!" 1, Somewhat slow
BY: "I'm so unbelievably *good*!" 2, average
AY: "WHOO HOO!!" 2, average
BX: "I'm feelin' *good* now!" 3, average
BX is the one you want no matter what; it's best used as a knockdown taunt.
Special punches/combos -
Bk F + Y: A spinning straight right with a huge forward step. Best used to
"close the gap"; too slow and weak to justify otherwise.
F Bk + X: A vertical jumping uppercut. Don't bother; you need to be right in
your opponent's face for it to connect, and there things that work better at
that range.
B + X: A superfast overhand right/left uppercut combo. There's a big startup
delay, so you have to time it just right.
F + X A A X: A jab, two lefts to the body, and a left hook. A good combo,
although you'll usually whiff on the last part.
U/D + X Y A: His best combo; a left hook, right hook, and left hook to the
body. If the first hook connects, the other two will never whiff, and the
damage is very respectable.
Y Y: A straight right/right uppercut combo. The uppercut whiffs too much to
use this often, although it works fine if your opponent's against the ropes.
"BIG" WILLY JOHNSON
Power: Average
Range: Very good
Chin: Average
Specials: Very good
L1 Flurry: Very good (fast and powerful)
L2 Flurry: Bad (does only slightly more damage than L1)
Best punches - double jab, straight right, left body
What's changed - Of the returnees, he's the only one who's actually gotten
better. His range has improved dramatically (he's unlearned that stupid
leaned-back stance) and his specials pack a lot more punch.
Once a curiosity with little answer for the explosiveness of his R2R foes, he's
not only closed the gap, he's shot straight to the top. In a nutshell,
everything about him has improved, especially his once-pathetic range; with
nearly all his old rivals toned down, he's an undercarder no more. The one
thing you have to avoid is his L2 flurry, which is a total waste of letters;
either overwhelm your opponent with L1s or save up for the L3. If you can
connect with his big combos, it'll usually spell a very quick end to the match.
Taunts -
AX: "Let me show you how it's done." 3, very slow
BY: "Watch the hair." 1, average
AY: "Give it all you got." 1, average
BX: "That's the spirit!" 1, Somewhat slow
Willy, as you might expect, isn't too good at this newfangled trash talk thing.
His specials give him so many letters that you probably won't even have to
bother.
Special punches/combos -
F F + Y: Tea and Crumpets, now with three uppercuts instead of two. Damage
isn't as good as you'd expect, but it's still a reliable keep-away attack.
X X Y Y: Two jabs, a straight right, and an overhand right; your basic four-hit
combo.
F F Bk + X A B A: Clockwork with three body shots tacked on for good measure.
A powerful combo and difficult to defend against.
U D/D U + X X X X X: A fast windup punch, two jabs, a left body, and one more
jab. A great combo that does a heap of damage if you get all the hits.
---To be completed - Rocket Samchay [7th]
....+New blood+....
MAMA TUA
Power: Very good
Range: Great
Chin: Average
Specials: Crummy
L1 Flurry: Average (okay damage, but predictable and easy to block most of it)
L2 Flurry: Great (tremendous damage, fast, very hard to block)
Best punches - double jab, straight right, left body, right body, lunging left
body
The big Mama is a powerhouse, and surprisingly, she's got quite a bit of speed
in the basic punches as well. Her specials, however, are about as dangerous as
a trade wind; unless your opponent's a total sap, you're best off avoiding them
altogether. Think of her as a bulked-up Angel Rivera.
Taunts -
AX: "Don't make me do my [something] punches, ah?" 3, slow
BY: "Give it to me, braddah." 1, pretty slow
AY: "Ouch!" 2, pretty slow
BX: "Rummbllle bumble." 2, average
The best one is BX; use it even if you only need one letter. AX is okay only
if you have a lot of time.
Special punches/combos -
F F + Y: A bunch of windmill punches. Decent damage if you get all of it, but
too easy to block to be of much use.
B F + A: A shot from her...uh...butt. (Honestly, I couldn't make this up if I
wanted to.) Horrible startup time; anyone who's awake will block it.
B B + Y: A hard overhand right. Okay damage but *very* slow. Only useful in
the lower ranks.
B B F + Y: A headbutt with an *extremely* long delay. Also short-ranged and
doesn't do as much damage as it should. In short, useless.
U/D + X B: A left hook/right body combo. Reliable; not much else.
JOEY T
Power: Great
Range: Great
Chin: Very tough
Specials: Very good (powerful and dependable)
L1 Flurry: Crummy (slow and weak)
L2 Flurry: Fantastic (blazingly fast, *incredible* damage)
Best punches - jab, straight right, left body, advancing jab, lunging right,
lunging left body, lunging right body, left hook
Joey perfectly encapsulates the spirit of R2R2; not all that quick, but a ton
of power and can clean your clock with a single punch. He also has a number of
punishing specials, and his L2 Flurry is pure death (usually results in a
10-count and leaves your opponent ragged even if it doesn't). As if that
wasn't enough, he also has a tough hide and can take a real pounding before
going down. About the only thing you have to avoid his his nearly useless L1
Flurry, but you'll probably be racking up so many letters that this won't be a
problem. In a nutshell, he's a beast, and solidly within R2R2's top tier.
Taunts -
AX: "Bring it on. I could use a good fight." 2, Somewhat slow
BY: [no speech] 2, average
AY: "Fuggedaboudit." 1, fast
BX: [no speech] 1, Somewhat fast
AY is good if you only need one letter. Remember, it's important to build past
L1, so don't overlook it.
Special punches/combos -
F F + B: A low blow followed by a weird, extremely short-ranged headbutt. He's
got lots of better stuff, so don't bother with this.
Bk Bk F + A: This looks kinda like Tank Thrasher's Meatgrinder from R2R1. A
great special because it's fast and does a fistful of damage.
B + XY: Another "borrowed" attack from Tank, the Blitz. It's hard-hitting but
slow; best used only as a keep-away attack.
Y X X: A straight right and two left hooks; does a lot of damage for three
hits.
U/D + B A Y Y: Two body hooks followed by two lefts to the head. A powerful
combo.
DF + X Y: Two upppercuts. Almost never connects; too slow.
JOHNNY "BAD" BLOOD
Power: Very good
Range: Great
Chin: Somewhat soft
Specials: Excellent (every one has at least some use)
L1 Rumble Flurry: Good (a full-body assault that's hard to defend against)
L2 Rumble Flurry: Good (faster than L1; a little more damage)
Best punches - jab, straight right, left body, right body, advancing jab,
lunging right, lunging left body, lunging right body
He's got it all...speed, range, power, and defense. Needless to say, he's one
of R2R2's elite. His ability to keep his opponent at arm's length is alone
enough to win you a lot of fights. His only weakness is that chin, but as long
as he can avoid getting clobbered, there's not a fighter on the planet he can't
take. A great pick for players of all skill levels.
Taunts -
AX: "Let the onslaught begin." 3, average
BY: [no speech] 1, average
AY: "I've had enough of this." 1, average
BX: "Ahhh HOOOO!!" 1, somewhat slow
Because Johnny's offense is so powerful, you really shouldn't waste time with
his ineffectual taunts. The only one you should even consider is AX, and only
if you're trying to get L3.
Special punches/combos -
Bk Bk F + X: This looks vaguely like Faz Motar's Cruise Missile, only faster.
Not to mention a whole lot weaker. Use only occasioanlly.
F + XY: A series of rushing straight punches. Good both as an all-purpose
attack and a gap closer.
Bk Bk F + X: A crouching rush followed by an uppercut; avoids high punches.
Best used, obviously, to counter to a big, obvious head shot.
U/D + B X B: Three hooks; right to the body, left to the head, right to the
body. Heavy damage and at least one usually hits.
DF + Y X: A "4-3" (uppercut to left hook) combo. Nice damage if you can
actually land it.
X Y: His basic combo, a jab followed by a right hook. Dependable and easy to
pull out whenever you need it.
ROBOX RESE-4 [8th]
Speed: Good
Power: Great
Range: Very good
Specials: Very good (not much variety, but they hurt)
L1 Rumble Flurry: Very good (fast and devastating damage if you get all of it,
but it hits all high, so it's pretty much all or nothing)
L2 Rumble Flurry: Fantastic (even faster, almost ridiculous damage, easy
10-count if all of it connects)
Best punches - jab, straight right, left body, right body
This mechanized mauler was desgined for one thing: offense. It's an absolute
powerhouse that can put some opponents on the canvas with as few as two
specials. And once it racks up letters (which will happen quickly), few
opponents can stand up to either of its Rumble Flurries. Unfortunately, it has
a stamina handicap which is nearly as bad as Butcher Brown's, and its
overabundance of head shots makes its offense somewhat predictable. Not
surprisingly, Robox's best strategy is to flatten 'em first. In short, if
you're the type of player who loves to go all out, Robox is the man...er,
machine.
Taunts -
AX: "Goodness gracious me." 2, Somewhat slow
BY: "No no no no no no no no." 3, Somewhat slow
AY: "Your fighting style does not compute." 2, Somewhat slow
BX: [no speech] 3, Somewhat slow
BY and BX are good knockdown taunts. Robox's strength should earn you enough
letters that you don't have to waste a lot of time taunting.
Special punches/combos -
F B + Y: Yet another jumping uppercut. Useful only in combos.
B F + Y: An almost exact copy of the Supa Stupid Funky Punch. An even better
all-purpose special than Afro's due to Robox's power.
F B + X: A terrific special; two very strong rolling punches followed by a
jumping uppercut. Does as much damage as some L2 Rumble Flurries.
U/D + A B Y: Two body hooks followed by an SSFP. Slow but powerful.
---To be completed: Freak E Deke [1st], G.C. Thunder [3rd], Wild "Stubby"
Corley [4th], Freedom Brock [6th]
....+Guest stars+.... (not selectable in Championship Mode)
MICHAEL JACKSON [2nd] - to be completed
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL [5th] - to be completed
MR. PRESIDENT [9th] - to be completed
THE FIRST LADY [10th] - to be completed
RUMBLEMAN [special] - to be completed
5. Training and attributes
--------------------------
Real-life boxers often spend months preparing for a big fight. While your
stable won't be quite as studious, you will spend a considerable amount of time
in training. And, just like in the previous game, how well you train goes a
long way in determining your boxers' chances of winning. Unlike the previous
game, training is more comprehensive now, and the exercises address a wider
variety of needs. The overall benefit from the exercises is also more balanced
(Rumble Aerobics and Sway Bag are no longer useless), so there's no one good or
bad exercise for any attribute.
However, that still doesn't mean that all trainings are created equal. You'll
still favor some over the others, just not as much. One you'll probably not
want to use at all, and it's one you'd probably never expect.
Your training sessions are geared toward these attributes:
Strength: How much punch your boxer packs; the more strength, the more damage
per hit. You'll always want to keep this high, which isn't hard.
Stamina: He can dish it out, but can he take it? This determines how much
vitality your boxers loses per hit. Not the most important attribute (you'll
usually be too busy pounding your opponents to worry about being hit), but
you'll definitely want this high for the later matches.
Endurance: Same function as stamina in R2R1; this determines how fast the power
bar recharges and how much power each punch costs. If it's too low, you won't
be able to do some specials. This is probably the most important attribute of
all...and, not surprisingly, the hardest to raise.
Dexterity: How fast your boxer moves. By far the easiest attribute to raise;
you'll probably max it out several times per Championship Mode run. (The
reason you'll do it several times instead of just once is the training buffer.
Details on this old enemy below.)
I have no idea what experience does. I'm not even certain how much certain
trainings, not to mention the fights, increase it. The only thing I know for
sure is that it increases much more slowly than in the previous game, and
chances are very likely you won't hit 100%.
Overview -
When you select a training, the attribute window will show you the attributes
that will be increased (indicated in green), the ones which will decrease
(indicated in red), and the amount. Note that the stated increase assumes
that you get the *highest possible score* for the exercise, which is 100% plus
10% times the level (straight 100% if you choose automatic). The decreases
never change. The longer you train, obviously, the greater the gains and
losses.
Vitamin Training and Rumble Mass take no time, only money, and hence incur no
losses. However, you still can't use them if you have a title fight scheduled
for that day; you always have to fight those immediately.
If you get a perfect score on level 5 or higher, "Training Mode" will appear on
the main menu; you can use it to practice the trainings.
Jump Rope
Gains: A little stamina, endurance, and dexterity
Objective: 1- and 2-button commands, representing jump rope maneuvers, will
descend toward the flashing "bucket". You have to hold down the appropriate
button(s) until they reach the bucket; when done right, you'll hear a click and
the button icons will bounce off the screen. Remember to *keep the buttons
held down* until this happens! If you hear a buzz, you got it wrong, and the
miss bar on the top of the screen will decrease. Once it's empty, you lose a
chance. The exercise ends when you've used up three chances or filled the
success bar at the right of the screen. Higher difficulties have more and
faster commands, wider buckets, and greater penalties for misses.
Recommended level - 9 or 10
This is a great multipurpose training and easy to master. It's best used as an
all-purpose trainer when your stamina, endurance, and dexterity are at least
Somewhat even. It's also good when your stats get high and you just need to
get to the next fight in good shape. Level 9 gives you 4 misses per chance
while level 10 allows only one. If you're good enough to clear Jump Rope on
10, do so; otherwise 9 is the best level.
Speed Bag
Gains: Moderate strength and endurance
Objective: Hit the bag with repeated straights and/or hooks, getting it to hit
the ceiling as many times as possible. There's no limit to the number of
punches you can throw, but be careful not to miss the bag. The emphasis is on
speed, not timing. (This exercise is more realistic than it was in the
previous game.) You must fill the score bar in the time allowed for a Rumble
Master rating; the difficulty level determines how much time you get.
Recommended level - 10
If your controller has the rapid-fire feature, you already have this game in
the bag; just hold down X or Y and sit back as the bar fills all the way. If
not, it's still a good idea to use either straight punch repeatedly. It's
*incredibly* easy to miss the bag, and every wasted moment hurts you. Note
that unlike the previous game, each hit will send the bag to the ceiling
regardless of whether it's moving toward you or away from you, so don't waste
time timing your shots. Even without rapid-fire, the benefits make this
training worth mastering. Always take it on 10 no matter what.
Heavy Bag
Gains: Moderate strength and stamina
Objective: The trainer will call out a punch, which you have to do. Getting
the punch right will earn 5 to 10 points; if you enter a wrong punch or time
runs out, it's a miss. The exercise ends when you score 100 points (Rumble
Master) or run out of chances. The level determines how much time you have,
how many chances you get, and how many points you get per correct punch. You
have 3 chances from levels 1-5, 2 chances from levels 6-8, and 1 chance for
levels 9 and 10.
Recommended level - None; this just plain isn't worth it. See below.
Veterans of the last game will be in for a rude surprise; what was once the
best exercise has become the worst. You get *extremely* little time on the
higher levels, making it really easy to mess up. Starting from level 6, you
also only get two chances, so an early mistake (which is likely) can kill you.
The less said about levels 9 and 10, the better...you have one chance and about
half an eye blink to respond. Anything above 150% in this exercise is
absolutely phenomenal. Also, strength and stamina will rarely be your top two
priorities, and even then, there are far better exercises for increasing those.
I strongly recommend that you NEVER pick this badly broken exercise. I doubt
you'll need much convincing.
Sway Bag
Gains: Moderate stamina and dexterity
Objective: Memorize the series of sways given to you by the trainer, then do
them. You initially start with just a jab, then a jab and a sway. From that
point, the trainer will add a new sway to the sequence every time you
successfully complete one. Remember to hold the joystick in the appropriate
direction until you actually do the sway; you can keep it held for multiple
sways. The exercise ends if you make a mistake at any point or complete a
15-sway sequence. Higher levels have a faster bag and two or even three sways
added per new sequence.
Recommended level - 10
This one's a snap if you do it right. First, make sure you have pencil and
paper handy. Write down the sway(s) as the trainer calls them, then do them
(it always starts with a jab, so don't bother writing that down). For the next
sequence, write down the added sway(s) and do the whole sequence. Don't even
look at the screen, just listen for the sound of the bag and do the next sway
motion as soon as you hear it. Once the sequence gets a little long, you may
find it easier to just count the number of calls that appear and write down the
new one(s) after that. Once you get the hang of this, even level 10 is a
cakewalk.
Rumble Pads
Benefits: A little endurance, considerable dexterity
Objective: Up, left, down, X, B, and A each correspond to one of the pads in
this exercise. The object is simple; hit the pads as quickly as possible when
they pop up. (If you've played Whack-a-Mole or similar games, you have the
idea.) Take too long and the pads will go back down and be registered as
misses. At the end of the exercise, each of the pads will have a letter next
to it; you must hit the letters in the order of R-U-M-B-L-E. Your score is
determined by your hits and misses; the "errors" (entering a command with no
pad) don't count against you. The higher the level, the less time you have.
Recommended level - As high as you can manage
If you want to get a good score on this, it's a good idea to write down the
order of the pads, which never changes. The exercise becomes *much* harder on
the higher difficulties, and you just can't rely on reflexes alone. All in
all, this training really isn't very useful. It's the second most difficult to
get a decent score on (after Heavy Bag), and the main benefit goes to a stat
that already gets a lot of help.
Rumble Aerobics
Gains: A little dexterity, considerable endurance
Objective: Julie will call out a series of button presses and/or joystick
movements, which correspond to actual actions by your boxer. On her signal,
you have to repeat that sequence from memory (the steps disappear after control
switches to you) to the tempo of the aerobics music. Level 1 has just two
buttons and two joystick movements; higher levels include the other buttons and
have more complicated sequences. The tempo is constant no matter what the
level.
Recommended level - 10
Easy. All you need is a little rhythm and a reasonably good memory. Level 10,
surprisingly, isn't much harder than level 1. You should manage 200% almost
every time. Since this exercise really builds up the attribute that's the
hardest to increase, you'll be using it a lot. Use this anytime your endurance
needs a good boost.
WARNING: For some weird reason, the calls are really screwed up for Boris
Knockimov, so you might want to take it on automatic with him.
Weightlifting
Gains: Strength...lots and lots of strength
Objective: Hold down the A button to raise the left indicator bar and release
it so it reaches its peak in the green area, then do the same with the B
button. The bar continues to move a split second after you release the button,
so the timing is a little tricky. Get both in the green and the exercise
advances to the next level, which has smaller green areas. Get both in the red
and you're sent down to the previous level. Hitting black on either weight
does nothing. You have to reach a level equal to the level of the exercise for
a Rumble Master rating. On higher levels, the bars move faster and both the
green and black areas are smaller.
Recommended level - At least 5, but no more than 8 (it gets *really* painful at
level 9). I usually do my best on 7.
This isn't the easiest training, but it's worth getting good at. You gain so
much strength from this that it doesn't matter if you're less than perfect;
150% is a fine score anytime. It's best to use this before concentrating on
your other attributes, so you don't suffer too much for not working them. Set
the level as high as you're comfortable with. There aren't any tricks to doing
this; you just need to have good timing and be patient.
Vitamin Program ($10,000)
Fixed gains: Stamina 10%, Dexterity 5%
Buy at least one as soon as you can afford it, two if need be. This is a good
way to supplement your regular training, allowing you to spend more time
building up strength and endurance. This is always best used early in a
boxer's career, where it'll do the most good.
Rumble Mass ($25,000)
Fixed gains: Strength 30%, Endurance 7.5%
Your boxer will already be quite strong by the time you're able to afford this,
but don't forget the boost to your hardest-to-increase attribute. In effect,
Rumble Mass permits you to neglect strength training altogether, and it reduces
the Rumble Aerobics time you'll need. This is best used later in a career,
when you can plan for when you'll need it.
The training buffer (back with a vengeance) -
So, with so many options, it shouldn't be too hard to build everything up,
right? Well, while getting an attribute high might not be a problem, *keeping*
it high is another matter. You guessed it, the training buffer is back...and
even more insidious than before.
In the previous game, the buffer slowly undermined the effectiveness of your
training so it cost more to get the same effect. Here, the buffer actually
reduces your attributes. Every day, each is reduced by a fixed amount; .1% at
the start of Championship Mode. Hardly a problem, right? Well, that's why the
penalty *increases* the higher you build your stats. By the time you reach
around 90%, you're fighting a .5% buffer! Needless to say, if all your
attributes are taking such a hit, it can be a challenge just to stay even, much
less improve.
That's where the optional fights, i.e. prize fights, come in handy. Their stat
improvements aren't affected by the buffer, and they can be a lifesaver when
your hard-earned attributes are draining away. Jump Rope is also a good choice
for stemming the tide, provided you have a way of counteracting the lost
strength (don't overlook Rumble Mass).
Always pay attention to your endurance! Once it gets high, it sometimes
*decreases* after you win a fight. Be aware of this and get very familiar with
Speed Bag and Rumble Aerobics.
6. Championship Mode overview
-----------------------------
[Important note: You can only play one boxer at a time in Championship Mode.
So once you've selected a boxer, *do not* ever choose "Select New Boxer" unless
you want to end your current game!]
The journey begins when your boxer arrives on the front steps of a
recently-purchased gym which has seen better days. Life will consist of lots
of hard training, punctuated only by prize fights in small, local venues and
high-profile prize fights in packed arenas. It's a long road which will end in
either a championship and immortality...or humiliating defeat and the end of a
career. No silver medallists (or Silver class, for that matter) in this harsh
game, only the great and the fallen.
The first order of business is developing a sound training regimen. At the
onset, everything will demand improvement, and you only have so many days
before you have to rumble, so concentrate on the stat you can build up in a
hurry, strength. Always spend the whole time prior to the first prize fight in
Weightlifting. Since your other stats are already low, they won't suffer much.
Speed Bag is a also a good choice, but only if you can get 200%.
For your first prize fight (and the next several fights), the best strategy is
to use your most powerful special repeatedly. Don't bother with fancy combos;
you don't have the endurance for that yet. Since your stamina is also low,
stay on the offensive and end the fight as quickly as possible. (Depending on
your knockdown and time settings, you may want to bypass level 1 and 2 Rumble
Flurries altogether and build to level 3).
Winning a prize fight gives you attribute boosts as well as cash. Dexterity
and stamina get a big push, strength is helped somewhat, and endurance gets
nothing. Endurance isn't much of a concern in the early stages, so don't worry
about it. Your strength should be close to 50% after the first prize fight;
increase it to at least that amount for the first title fight. Remember, the
training buffer gets worse the higher you go, so you don't want to get too high
just yet. Spend the remaining time before the first title fight in Jump Rope
and/or Sway Bag.
After winning title fight #1, build strength to at least 80%; from this point
on, never enter a fight with less than 80% strength. Also get as much Jump
Rope time as possible and buy a Vitamin Program at the first opportunity.
After your third or fourth win, now's the time to concentrate on endurance.
Because this determines how much power your punches use up, it's *extremely*
important. Once your endurance is high enough, you can fire nonstop punches,
something you *will* need in later fights. Spend lots of time in Rumble
Aerobics and try to keep endurance as high as stamina and dexterity (if not a
little higher). Remember that endurance can decrease after a win, so keep an
eye on that attribute. Speed Bag is very useful for building endurance while
also keeping strength high. And of course, remember to do *all* the prize
fights (there should be two per title fight now). If your stamina starts
lagging, you might want to pick up another Vitamin Program.
From the third title victory and beyond, try to keep your attributes as even as
possible; only a well-rounded athlete can expect to make it to the top.
Stagger your regimen so you enter each fight with everything at 80% or higher.
Your opponents will always be lacking in one area or another (usually
endurance); if you're high in everything, you'll always have an advantage. As
you progress through the ranks, you should be relying on your fancy specials
much less and your simple, dependable, and *fast* basic punches a lot more.
Late in your championship run, simply keeping everything high will be a
challenge. (How I wish there were an all-purpose training...) The best way to
"stop the bleeding", so to speak, is to alternate Weightlifting and Jump Rope.
It'll take longer and it's riskier than using just one training, but it's worth
it to go into the next title fight without any big weaknesses. Be sure to make
some time for Rumble Aerobics as well, and don't forget to take a prize fight
once in a while.
Finally, you'll come face-to-oversized grinning face with the champ himself,
Rumbleman. There's one surefire tactic against him: SPEED. Hit him fast, hit
him hard, and hit him until he can't take any more. Crowd him every second to
take away his range advantage, and pound him with the fastest punches you got.
Don't worry about Rumble letters; his stamina and defense make Rumble Flurries
all but useless. He'll do his "super taunt" every time he thinks he has an
opportunity; this takes forever to complete but give him a full level 3 Rumble
Meter if it does. *Don't let it*! Defensively, the two things you have to
watch out for are his big combos and rapid body shots special. Block low to
stop the latter. If you're still standing after it ends, you have all day to
punish him. Against the combos, you're best off simply avoiding them, then
rushing in and dishing out some offense of your own. Do your best to *never*
let him enter Rumble Mode; even his L1 Flurry is death (and nearly impossible
to defend against).
If you're really daring, you can try to beat Rumbleman with a "taunt duel".
Make sure you're a good distance away so he doesn't try to pummel you, then do
a Somewhat slow (but not *too* slow) taunt. It may take a while to get the
right taunt and timing. He'll go into his super taunt (he never does any other
taunt, BTW). Stuff it, back away (jumpbacks really help here), taunt again,
watch for the super taunt, and repeat. Keep it up until you have a level 3
meter charged, then go for the kill. This is obviously a risky ploy, so don't
use it unless you really want the satisfaction of blasting the champ out of the
ring. Which just might be worth it.
7. Notes on higher difficulties
-------------------------------
[to be completed]
8. Codes
[to be completed]
9. Miscellaneous/wish list
[to be completed]
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FAQ in progress copyrighted (C) 2002 by Darrell Wong.
Homepage - http://home.hawaii.rr.com/dkwff
