Knockout Kings 2003

"A boxing game worth buying"

Finally the cube gets a boxing game that is actually worth looking at. Even though it's more like KK 2002 1/2. PS2 and Xbox got Knockout Kings 2002, but the GC didn't for some unexplained reason. Lets look at some of the factors in this game. Knockout Kings 2003 is only available for Game Cube at this time. It's the one with Lennox Lewis on the cover.

Graphics 9/10 :
It seems like the player models have been a little more smoothed over from what I've seen. The fighters actually look like the fighters for a change. If you are a graphics person, then this one might catch your eye. The animations can be very eye-catching too. The wide screen instant replays of knockdowns are amazing, you should check them out. I would have given it a perfect 10, but the connection animations are kind of off. Sometimes it looks like the gloves go through you enemy's head.

Sound 9/10 :
The sound is great in this game. Even the commentary makes you feel like your actually there. It would help even more if you had an external sound source. You will feel like you are actually at a real fight. The knockdown sounds are kind of fictional, but are very nice. The music is great too.It seems like a lot of old school rap. My personal favorite was ''Black Sheep''.

Controls 8/10 :
The controls are EASY to learn. You could learn the control scheme in a matter of minutes. There is no complicated control scheme for this game. If someone doesn't want to learn how to fight effectively, that person will end up with a sore hand from button mashing. You could learn how to fight effectively in a matter of minutes. That's a very quick learning curve if you ask me. You could even come up with you own custom combos.

Replay Value 8/10 :
Once you get this game, you are going to be playing it for a good while. Or maybe until the next version hits stores. It's even more exciting when you play against human players. If the CPU gets too easy, then crank up the difficulty for a challenge. Try career mode, and win some titles. Career mode can sharpen your skills.

If you don't have this game, I suggest you go out and get it RIGHT NOW. Take my word for it. It IS worth the buy. A game with high replay value is always worth it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/10/03, Updated 02/10/03