Knockout Kings 2003
★
5.1
3 user ratings
★
5.1
3 critic ratings
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VOTES
3
ESRB
Summary
Knockout Kings is a line of boxing video games developed by EA Sports for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Color, and GameCube, released annually from 1998 to 2003. Prior to the launch of the first Knockout Kings, Electronic Arts introduced its first 3D boxing title, Foes of Ali, on the 3DO in 1995. While the two games share some elements, Foes of Ali was developed by a separate team, Gray Matter, and is not considered a direct predecessor. The Knockout Kings series allows players to face off against a variety of real-world boxers, including Muhammad Ali, Eric Esch, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Larry Holmes, Jake LaMotta, Roberto Durán, Alexis Argüello, and Ray Mancini. The length of a round can be set to either 90 seconds or 3 minutes. In the "slugfest" mode, boxers can be knocked out at any time or endure up to six or seven knockdowns and still complete the fight. There are several differences between Knockout Kings, Knockout Kings 2000, and Knockout Kings 2001, with the most significant being the visual improvements. In the original Knockout Kings, the boxer characters, while unique, do not accurately reflect the faces of their real-life counterparts. Championship matches are limited to 10 rounds, unlike the 12 in real boxing or the 15 in earlier times. Between rounds, players only see a ring-card girl. In Career Mode, a boxer is forced to retire immediately after winning a title and defending it once. A custom boxer can compete in Career Mode and Slugfest Mode, but not in Exhibition Mode. Although there is a basic training mode in Career Mode, it is quite limited. However, two features present in Knockout Kings that the later games lack are the referee’s mandatory eight-count when a fighter is down, which is skipped in the sequels, and the display of fight results as front-page newspaper headlines in Career Mode. Knockout Kings 2000 for the PS1 features boxer sprites that for the first time accurately resemble their real-life equivalents. Championship matches can now last up to 15 rounds. The PS1 version also allows players to adjust sound and music volume in the Options menu. Between rounds, players may see a ring-card girl, a replay of part of the previous round, or their boxer at the corner with match statistics. Facial injuries are visible, and a mouthpiece may fly out after a hard hit. A custom boxer in Career Mode can now compete in all game modes. The training mode is more detailed, allowing control over the boxer during training sessions, and in the PS1 version, players can choose the location of their gym. Each boxer in the PS1 version enters the ring before a match. New features include a mode for viewing statistics and biographies of all real-life boxers in the game, and a mode for reliving classic matches. The PS1 version has a different user interface and intro theme compared to the N64 version, includes more boxers, and features similar visuals on both platforms. Knockout Kings 2001 builds on the improvements of 2000 and adds new elements. While previous games featured only "boxer" or "slugger" styles, 2001 introduces "boxer," "slugger," "freestyle," and "crab" styles, which are clearly reflected in the gameplay. Commentary in 2001 is more vocal than in earlier titles. During Career Mode, the trainer occasionally speaks and offers advice between rounds as the player progresses. A boxer in Career Mode now retires after winning the title and defending it multiple times. Knockout Kings 2001 is also the first in the series to include CPU vs CPU matches and "fantasy match-ups" between boxers from different eras, as well as the introduction of women’s boxing, which is playable in Exhibition Mode. The PS1 and PS2 versions of Knockout Kings 2001 are nearly identical. Knockout Kings 2002 introduces several changes to the series, such as requiring players to complete a number of matches to unlock new fighters. Following Knockout Kings 2003, the series was rebranded as Fight Night (EA video game series).
