Games Database
PlayStation
Sport: Boxing
| Also for: | PS2 | ||
| Viewed: | 3D Third-person, floating camera | Genre: | Sport: Boxing |
| Arcade origin: | No | ||
| Developer: | Black Ops Entertainment | Soft. Co.: | Electronic Arts |
| Publishers: | Electronic Arts
(GB/US/JP) |
Released: | 1 Dec 2000
(GB) Oct 2000 (US) Unknown (JP) |
| Ratings: | 11+ | ||
Summary
EA Sports’ games always come with an unwritten guarantee of quality and though the sports included in their portfolio may have you running for cover – the confusing long-windedness of American Football springs immediately to mind – there’s little room for argument regarding their sports sims. They truly are the best at what they do, and what do you know, they’ve done it again with the sequel to Knockout Kings. Yup, the best selling PlayStation boxing game of all time is back in the ring, so to speak, and if you rated its predecessor, then this will (ahem) knock you out.
To say that Knockout Kings 2001 is in-depth boxing a-go-go is a major understatement, as EA have packed so much into one disc. Outside of the ring, there are a host of goodies that add to the realism: Trainers and ‘Cut Men’ to provide between-round strategies and stop the bleeding so you can finish the fight, commentary and analysis from boxing experts Al Bernstein, Teddy Atlas and Max Kellerman and enhanced Classic Fights mode, with colour, black and white, and sepia tone graphics giving you classic old-school battles. Inside the ring, well, you can slug it out in a quick fix punch-up if you want, but to enjoy the definitive Knockout Kings 2001 experience, career mode or creating your own boxer is where it’s at. Train up your own boxing creation and you can choose from four different fighting styles, pick a song to pump up the crowd and psyche out your opponent as you make your way to the ring. As you get deeper into training your man, signature moves and taunts can also be acquired.
Knockout Kings 2001 features lots of famous names such as Lennox Lewis and Oscar de la Hoya, but it’s not a solely testosterone-fuelled experience: the ladies get a look in too, with the likes of Mia St John and Lucia Rijker available for selection. Whether this is EA’s stab at a boxing title that appeals to a female audience, or simply for the sake of realism (women like to fight too, you see) remains to be seen. What is for sure is that KK 2001 is the definitive boxing sim for the PSX and, given EA Sports’ track record, is bound to be a big seller.
To say that Knockout Kings 2001 is in-depth boxing a-go-go is a major understatement, as EA have packed so much into one disc. Outside of the ring, there are a host of goodies that add to the realism: Trainers and ‘Cut Men’ to provide between-round strategies and stop the bleeding so you can finish the fight, commentary and analysis from boxing experts Al Bernstein, Teddy Atlas and Max Kellerman and enhanced Classic Fights mode, with colour, black and white, and sepia tone graphics giving you classic old-school battles. Inside the ring, well, you can slug it out in a quick fix punch-up if you want, but to enjoy the definitive Knockout Kings 2001 experience, career mode or creating your own boxer is where it’s at. Train up your own boxing creation and you can choose from four different fighting styles, pick a song to pump up the crowd and psyche out your opponent as you make your way to the ring. As you get deeper into training your man, signature moves and taunts can also be acquired.
Knockout Kings 2001 features lots of famous names such as Lennox Lewis and Oscar de la Hoya, but it’s not a solely testosterone-fuelled experience: the ladies get a look in too, with the likes of Mia St John and Lucia Rijker available for selection. Whether this is EA’s stab at a boxing title that appeals to a female audience, or simply for the sake of realism (women like to fight too, you see) remains to be seen. What is for sure is that KK 2001 is the definitive boxing sim for the PSX and, given EA Sports’ track record, is bound to be a big seller.
