I wasn’t even looking for a boxing game, I just downloaded this one on a whim. Really fun. They really captured something interesting in “gamifying” boxing. It’s not Punch-Out, in that it’s not just a game about hitting the other guy until his meter runs out. There’s a lot going on under the hood, hidden from the player. The punches that will stun you, the strength of your opponent in taking your punches, rhythm, random chance; all of these things must be calculated when stepping into the ring. You can’t just mash punch and win through sheer force, you really have to box. That’s interesting to consider with how simple the game and its controls are. Jabs don’t do damage, they help measure out distance and push your opponent into a corner. Blocking takes a step back, like a dodge, but takes you out of range, unless the opponent takes a wild shot, in which case you can counter with a devastating uppercut. Like I said, it’s all about timing and rhythm. Knocking a guy out doesn’t just mean emptying his health bar, it means hitting the opponent when he’s open, but at the same time managing not to take too many hits yourself. Heck, even matches that end up in a decision are fun to win, as you spend each rounds recovery considering how ahead or behind you are.
Entertaining, stimulating, challenging!