Thursday, June 20, 2019

"Boxing Champs" Review


Boxing games, be them arcade-style or serious sims, are rare to the point of near-extinction these days. With the "Fight Night" and "Punch-Out" series having gone on indefinite hiatus for nearly a decade, there was a massive opening for a new contender.

"Boxing Champs" takes advantage of the opportunity with a flurry of jabs and uppercuts. With far more in common with "Punch-Out" than "Fight Night," its cartoonish characters take big swings, bite the canvas hard and get back up with a "Rocky"-style gusto.

Despite the exaggerated animations, rapidfire punches, counterpunches and blocks, there is quite a bit of strategy nad technical mastery at play. With multiple, simultaneous control options available, you can adapt your technique to whatever feels right to your style.

Outrageous character models, names and mannerisms draw joyous inspiration from the likes of Glass Joe and Piston Honda. You'll need to adjust your playstyle to the various exaggerated techniques of your opponents, turning each match into a pseudo puzzle.

Australian dev Raz Games sweetens the deal with dozens of customization options, an extensive career mode and a swift tempo, thanks to three-round bouts.

Couch multiplayer comes day one, with online multiplier promised in a future update. While I'm never a fan of a game releasing without its full intended feature set, there is plenty to sink your gloves into before the update comes along.

"Boxing Champs" may not make people forget about either "Punch-Out" or "Fight Night," but until Nintendo or EA find the ability to pull their franchises off the canvas, "Boxing Champs" gets to raise its gloves in undisputed triumph.


Publisher provided review code.

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