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Knockout Kings 2000 Review
Noel Brady
00/12/0000
It would appear that replicating boxing as a videogame isn't easy.
Unlike the average beat-'em-up, boxing isn't some abstract creation that can be made up or modified to suit the twin demands of format limitations and gameplay. Why, the Marquis of Queensbury may have drawn up the rules over one hundred years ago but we are still waiting for a developer to apply them correctly to a game code on Playstation, or relatively any other console for that matter. Ready 2 Rumble may be a stunning game but it's hardly a true-to-life recreation of the real thing.
Slugfest represents the arcade portion of Knockout Kings 2000 -- much different from the exhibition and career modes, which are pure boxing simulators. Your objective in the slugfest is to batter an opponent until heās out for the 10-count. Every successful punch landed raises your power meter, found directly under the health bar. When the meter is full, youāll see a flashing glove, which means youāre ready to deliver a knockout blow. Press the triangle and square buttons simultaneously, and your boxer will throw the unblockable punch, usually an uppercut. Seeing the other guy flip over before hitting the mat is not only a terrific effect, but also rewarding.
No matter how you dissect this game, career mode is inevitably its most memorable feature. Compared to last yearās version, this one has loads of options. For instance, before creating a boxer, you must select one gym from the U.S., Japan or Europe for your training. In between fights, the boxer will fortify his skills, gaining points in non-interactive and interactive training. The latter enables you to learn more boxing techniques first-hand on a punching bag. If you have a good workout, youāll earn more points and increase your fighterās chances of moving up the rankings.
As far as creating custom players, the options have improved slightly from last year. Itās still not as good as wrestling games like WWF Attitude, which lets you personalise brawlers all the way down to their shades and tattoos, but itās getting there. Unique face wrap technology lets you get up close and personal with your fighter, whether you want a conservative Joe or a wild, multi-coloured afro pumpkin-freak.
When distributing skill points, try to spread the wealth in every category. In last yearās version, you could essentially ignore factors like speed, chin and heart, concentrating solely on power. There was no need to block your opponentās punches. If you were stronger, you could take him out and absorb his punishment at the same time. Out-slugging your opponent was a cheap yet effective way to win. That isnāt the case with Knockout Kings 2000. The AI gets better and smarter while your boxer moves up the ranks. If you havenāt learned to block by the time you fight the tenth best guy in your weight class, say goodnight sweetheart. The computer will knock you out in the first round. Learn to stick and move. Avoid a straight-up slugfest in career mode. Since its simulation, you must learn the art of boxing to be successful -- a refreshing and necessary change from Knockout Kings '99.
Like the majority of beat-'em-ups, Knockout Kings 2000 locks you on the same axis as your opponent, while punches are triggered by combining buttons with D-Pad moves. The shoulder buttons give access to body punches and vital defensive guards for both head and body, although this is where the most serious problem lies. Yes, there's a satisfying array of jabs, crosses and uppercuts-- as well as rabbit punches, head butts and low blows for the less scrupulous-- but actually having a tactical fight is nigh on impossible given the amount of buttons and the fingerwork involved. It's hard to go fast enough between punching and guarding to meet the demands of either the higher level opponents or your own reactions. The switch from defence to attack is just not instinctive enough.
The venues are well designed, from the meat-packing warehouse all the way to Caesarās Palace. Even the card-holding girls in between rounds look pretty real in their thong bikinis. Boxers have authentic faces, and unlike most sports titles for the PSX, the crowd does not stick out like a sore thumb. Action is focused in and around the ring, so the spotlight is centred on the fighters. The crowd is enveloped by shadows and hardly seen, especially from the TV camera angle. That leads me to my next point -- various camera angles and instant replays give us a true-to-life presentation. You have the option of picking cameras, from ring to overhead to side, but the TV angle is probably the most realistic.
There's much to enjoy in Knockout Kings 2000. Actually being Muhammed Ali, Jake La Motta, Sugar Ray Leonard and the other all-time greats is a lot of fun and the fights, although geared towards attack rather than defence, can be very satisfying. You can even relive classic bouts from the past, rewriting boxing history as you go. Your punches do have real weight and putting your opponent on the ropes is always gratifying. And when the appeal of taking a fighter up the ranks dulls, there are always two-player slugfests to entertain. The charms of multiplayer fighting game should never be underestimated.
