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Ready to Rumble Boxing: Round 2 for PlayStation 1READY 2 RUMBLE: Round 2 is the perfect sequel. The designers kept the intuitive gameplay, outstanding design and animation, and cast of...
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READY 2 RUMBLE: Round 2 is the perfect sequel. The designers kept the intuitive gameplay, outstanding design and animation, and cast of characters from the first READY 2 RUMBLE, and they've delivered updated moves and boxers that result in a lot more fun. Just like before, players have low and high punches, lefts and rights, and they can attack with combinations and flurries. Building up a character from scratch consists of taking part in seven real-life boxing exercises: jumping rope, the heavy bag, the speed bag, the sway bag, rumble pads, lifting weights, and aerobics. These exercises are actually mini-games, which you can't slough off; you've got to do them well to get the benefit of the exercise. In the ring you can land a series of solid punches and build up your RUMBLE power. Once all the letters of RUMBLE are lit, you can punch your opponent out of the ring and practically into the parking lot.
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7 Reviews from Shopping.com
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Afro Thunder hits a jab, but misses the uppercut with this sequel.
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Pros: Fast, simple, arcade-style fighting action; Adrenaline-filled bouts; Detailed character models; Good sound effects
Cons: repetitive gameplay; little strategy involved; auto-training; Way too easy
The Bottom Line:
A button-masher that aims to keep you interested for about ten minutes a pop. Good with a friend, but for solo gaming, look elsewhere.
Where else can you see Michael Jackson and Bill Clinton go toe-to-toe in the middle of a boxing ring and beat the living crap out of each other? Nowhere, that's where! Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 is a sequel to the Midway boxing/ fighting/ arcade game Ready 2 Rumble, whose claim to fame was fast, fun, and simple fights, and that premise continues in the sequel. Yes, you can unlock Michael Jackson and Bill Clinton, but that's not the only thing offered up here.
In Arcade Mode, the goal is to beat everyone thrown at you, and in Tournament Mode, your goal is to earn money, trophies, and rankings by beating other competitors. You can also use training mini-games to build your stats.
Ready 2 Rumble has rumble flurries that, when released, can deal some serious damage to your opponent. As far as in-ring action goes, there's not much beside those aforementioned rumble flurries. Some decent particle effects follow punches, and sound effects are good, perfectly complementing the fights. The fights are full of adrenaline and can be pretty exciting. This is a Midway game after all, and who else but Midway offers up wacky action like this?
Ring intros by Michael Buffer (his catchphrase is there, of course) are well-done, and the character models look great (girls even have jiggling... I think you understand), ands really add to the experience...
So.. sounds good doesn't it? Fast, fun fights with good graphics, sounds, and a deep Tourney Mode make this a must-buy right? Wait a second.. I'm not done here....
Three fatal flaws make this game nothing but a rental...
First off, this game is way too repetitive. Unlike other fighting games where you have a tone of moves, counters, reversals, parries, special attacks, etc., all you get here is a few punches and your rumble flurries.
Going hand in hand with that, the game has little strategy elements. Unlike KK2001, where every punch counts, here, you can basically mash buttons to defeat your opponent. Whoever gets the most punches out there wins. Blocking is useless because you don't get a chance to counter after your opponent's attack.
And, finally, the auto-training in Tournament Mode kills it, because doing the mini-games is the point of gaining stats, but with auto-training you can rest assured you'll get a 100% guaranteed, with no effort on your part. Is that really interaction?
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 is a simple arcade game that is too shallow too pose a serious threat to either fighting games or simulation-boxing games, so where this game ends up is right back on your shelf to collect dust until your friends come over. Knockout! Only ten minutes of this is enough for one day.
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