3D Boxing

Copyright : Amsoft | Reviewed by : Ritchardo

Now enter the ring as a contender for the most prestigious computer boxing title - THE AMSOFT BELT!

From the comfort of your armchair you can partake in one of the world?s most gruelling and bloody sports via this superb 3D graphics sports simulation.

The way to the title is long and blood thirsty as you can take on some of the top fighters in the game, each with their own specialities and characteristics:-

Graphics

Crudely drawn and just as crudely animated, 3D Boxing is another one of those Amsoft games that were starting to look a little dated at the time of release and is now almost archaic in style and presentation.

One staid background is all you get as the two identical pugilists slowly lumber their punches at one another. Not only are the two boxers in the ring identical, all of the opponents on your quest for the title are identical? even for 1985 standards it was a little poor.

Menu presentation is also basic and playing the game for too long is liable to give you a migraine.

Sound

Accompanying the menu screen, the title tune is a kind of bastardised version of The Entertainer and it plays continuously until the ?action? starts. Not bad in itself but far from exciting. The sound effects are pretty abismal, however, with the only sound of note being the chime of the ring bell. A real missed opportunity and something that deeply hampers the overall enjoyment of the game.

Gameplay

Already second best to Frank Bruno on release and quickly knocked out of the boxing games ring by Barry McGuigan, 3D Boxing has not improved with age.

The main problem with 3D Boxing is the lack of any depth as despite each of the six opponents having a different fighting style listed in the game?s instructions, it is nigh on impossible to actually notice any change in attack or defensive style from one bout to the next.

The other major flaw with 3D Boxing is that after only a few tentative try-outs most gamers will stumble upon a technique to beat all of the other boxers in fairly short shift and then, obviously, the little appeal that the game has, soon dissipates.

A pretty poor game at the time, despite inexplicably favourable reviews in the gaming press, 3D Boxing has nothing to offer either boxing or computer game fans in terms of challenge or interest. Poor.