Knockout Kings 2002

"Addictive and beautiful"

Boxing games are usually few and far between, and when a new one surfaces, there is always a group of gamers ready for it. Fortunately, the first boxing game for the Xbox does not let down, and boxing fans should be thoroughly pleased by EA's attempt.

KO Kings 2002 offers little more than the basics, but what it does offer is enough to fill a lot of quality gaming time. The options are rather basic: there are only a handful of venues and the Create-A-Boxer option, while nice, is too shallow. Audio is a good but lacking aspect of the game. There is an intro song that fits well, and the menu music doesn't become too annoying, but beyond those two areas there is no actual music in the game. Sound effects are well-done, though: you can hear every punch land, the sounds of footfalls on the canvas, and the roar and cheer of the crowd as you land a powerful punch. Perhaps the best part of the aural experience is the announcing, which does get a bit repetitive but does its job well and lets you know when you or your opponent is in dire straights.

The fighters' models are superb, as is in-game collision detection and camera movement--the camera very rarely positions itself so you cannot see both fighters. Lighting effects, when used, are impressive, and the sheen of sweat a fighter develops after a frenzied round is quite realistic. In comparison, though, EA has made a habit of making the crowds in its games look as inferior as possible, and KO Kings '02 is no exception.

Where the game truly shines, though, is in the fighting. A boxing game is, at the very least, a fighting game that should honestly reflect the true sport of boxing. Though there are some minor alterations (knock-down animations and taunts), this game comes as close to the real thing as we have today. You can bob and weave, crouch to throw body punches or lean back and launch a massive combination--anything that you should have been able to do in other boxing games is available to you now.

In closing, Knockout Kings '02 may not be the all-around best boxing game ever made, but it is the best boxing game both in its series and on the next-gen consoles. Once you start playing with your own character, you'll find that it's difficult to stop playing until you win the championship. If you feel that need for a good boxing game, then you need not look any farther.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/04/02, Updated 04/04/02