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I still play the origional!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 23
Date: January 28, 2002
Author: Amazon User

If they can make any improvements on it, even just better background music, I'd be more than happy to touch gloves with The Greatest.

A horrifying Dissapointment

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 15 / 20
Date: March 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Let me start off by saying that I bought the PS2 only because I was waiting to buy this game (thankfully NHL 2002, GTA 3, KO Kings 2001 & Victorious Boxers have made the purchase well worthwhile anyway)and have just ran out and bought it on it's first day of release.

My first inkling of something possibly being wrong occurred when I read the directions and saw that the career mode if you can call it that, no longer has training, and is limited to a pyramid shaped grid in which you have to defeat 4 boxers on the lower level, 3 on the next level, 2 on the next and wallah you fight for the title. There is no longer a list of 20 contenders with records who you must train and fight, and no real sense of a true career.

My next inking of something amiss was when i saw the controls and found out there is no actual button for an uppercut. instead of having an uppercut button, you have a right hook button, which any boxing person knows does not exist for a right handed boxer in real boxing. The uppercut is thrown by holding the R1 button and pressing another button....did I mention there's no options to configure the controls to make them more intuitive? So you have a straight right button and a right hook button that pretty much do the same thing...real realistic 'aint it?

Anyway, I was still looking forward to playing the game and just popped it in. The first thing I noticed was that the graphics are MUCH more primative then last year (a great game by the way) and the fighters all looked emaciated and stooped like they had a bad back. The punch animations were stiff and actually reminded me of the crummy first version of KO Kings...now for the really awful part..as if this failure of a game really needs more.....BODY PUNCHES...they do not exist!!!!! Actually they do exist but you have no control over them! You throw a right to the head and if the computer deems it better to go to the body then it simply becomes a body blow. There is no button to actually choose a body blow, just the computer deciding for you. Needless to say this gives the game a feeling of complete lack of control...what's more, you cannot even choose to block body punches...there is only a block button and if you opponent throws a punch the computer decides should go to the body, then you block it by pressing the same button you would to block a head shot. Even more ridiculous, the L2 button (which in previous versions allowed you to go to the body) now is the low punch button. So by hitting it you can always throw a low blow..the only problem being that you get disqualified after around 5 of them and just by accident your going to throw a few since instincively you hit L2 thinking you will be throwing a body blow...why Black Ops decided to give such an important button over to something that has so little use should just stand as an example of the ineptness of the bozos who designed this game. Pretty much this is a button mashing mess with no redeeming qualities that becomes repetitive after a few minutes...yes not much of a lasting value, unless you're on your deathbed, which is probably preferrable to playing yhis game.

From my review, I guess you can tell I was severely dissapointed with this game. I so wanted to like it, and based on last year's game, am in utter shock as to how this could have happened. I appreciate that they wanted to incorporate a new engine like Victorious Boxers, but that game based its system on realism, where you have to learn to counter, go to the body, and just plain box! This game is simply a watered down version of Teken, with subpar graphics and no kicking. I am returning mine tommorow (at a 15% penalty) so I never have to polute my PS2 with this garbage. I implore anyone looking for a boxing simulation to stay away from this, or the designers will not get the message that they cannot peddle [garbage]. Even if you are not looking for a boxing simulation, and are interested in a fighting game, you can do way better then this. Shame on Black Ops and EA Sports for releasing this disgrace.

Big Dissapointment

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: March 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Despite the very good graphics, this game falls very short on game play. The character movement is some of the worst I have ever seen. Combine that with unrealistic knock-downs, no training, very few choices for customizing your boxer, and once again only being able defend your title 5 times before reitiring, and you get a big dissapointment.

This is the worst game I have own

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: March 08, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I have played the N64 (KK2000), PS1 (KK2001) and PS2 (KK2001) games, and I was so excited to buy this new version because you would think this would be a better game. Well, it is definitely not a better game. Actually, it is the worst KK game of all.

First of all, the controls is a nightmare. You can not throw body punches, only one signature move, two ilegal punches, and use of analog stick (a nightmare!).

Second, no SLUGFEST. That was very fun when playing with your friends, but, not anymore.

Third, no Training in career mode. You fight, win, get Reserve Points, and move on. "Boring"

Fourth, No Ranking in Career mode. It is by levels (4 I think.)

Fifth, blocking punches is a nightmare.

Sixth, did I already mentioned no Slugfest.

I will return my copy today!!! It is a very big, huge disappointment.

disgrace for boxing fans

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 3
Date: March 09, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game is a total disgrace. This game is bad beyond belief. shame on ea sports. one for the garbage can. Dont waste your money.A real stinker.

3 1/2...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: March 10, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I understand what my fellow reviewers had to say about this game, and do agree with most of their complaints... For example, the Career mode is WAY inferior to that of even the original KO Kings... There is no way to block a body punch, and throwing one is very difficult (although not random, as another reviewer suggested) The graphics are a tad inferior to last year's game, although still pretty impressive... However the games is much more fluid than last year's game, and the fighters move better around the ring (I, for example, using De La Hoya, out-pointed Fernando Vargas over 12 rounds, with no knockdowns, by sticking and moving... last year's model would not have allowec me that luxury)... My main beef with this game, however, is the fact that there are ONLY TWENTY-ONE FIGHTERS!!! The manual says there are 45 fighters, but, in reality, 24 of those are FAKE FIGHTERS!! Why?!?!?! And if you're going to have as few fighters, at least include Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Julio César Chávez, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Shane Mosley, etc... And why the heck are Oba Carr and Butterbean here?!?!? On the plus side, pound-for-pounders Bernard Hopkins and Tito Trinidad are here, along with the Klitschko's, Johnny Tapia, and Pittsburgh Kid Paul Spadafora... The play-by-play is a little repetitive, but it does feature Max Kellerman, and the TV-style presentation is a big plus, as is the inclusion of real-life venues such as Caesar's (oudoor arena), Wembley Arena, and Dortmund in Germany.

All in all, for die-hard boxing fans like me, who complaint that mainstream media doesn't give a hoot about our sport, at least I'm thankful to EA Sports for the attention... I'll also buy the Mike Tyson Boxing game when it comes out, as it features Mike, and Larry Holmes, and David Tua, etc...

This game is a JOKE!

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 4 / 8
Date: March 10, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game has NO realism in the world of boxing whatso ever. Last years knockout kings at least had a strategic gaming method and a training mode. This year, no training, and requires no strategy at all. Ive mastered Knockout Kings 2001, all my friends would come over and get killed. But this year, all you have to do is MASH buttons to win fights. Wheres the stratedy in that? The boxers look great, but the gameplay ... I like that its quiker n' everything, but its just not realistic. If i wanted a game like this, i could have gotten Ready 2 Rumble, or some other ... games like that. If your looking for a game 10x's deeper than this piece of ... game, i say go for HBO BOXING. I know the graphics ..., but its alot deeper than this. Hopefully, HBO Boxing will come up to a follow up. ... NBA Live series went to .., Madden got killed by NFL 2k2, and Knockout kIngs 2002 might as well be a liscensed boxer Ready 2 Rumble follow up. ...

don't bother

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: March 10, 2002
Author: Amazon User

the older version is actually better, very rare phenomena...

Pure garbage!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: March 10, 2002
Author: Amazon User

With the popularity of Ready 2 Rumble and other extreme fighting games, EA Sports weighed the profits scale and decided to completely revamp the format of this game. I was so looking forward to KK2002, anticipating its realism. Instead what I got is a game from EA sports so gumball it's ridiculous! There is no training, no walk to the ring, no introductions, no announcing of the decision, no showing of the final scores. You would figure if they didn't put much time in the extras, they would instead put more time in the fight itself. Wrong! No boxer's bio, blocking is sporadic (and you can only block head shots), the boxers all look like bodybuilders instead of sporting their true physiques, controlled body punching is EXTREMELY difficult, no coaching between rounds, the scoring system is ridiculous (a fairly close round will be called 10-10. Whoever heard of someone winning a fight 2 rounds to 1 with 9 rounds even?!), the real boxer selection is poor, and what's with these John Woo slo-mo replays? Also, when a boxer commits a foul in a real life match, many times it's because he's in trouble. When the referee stops the action to warn the fighter, he uses that time to regain his senses (a la Felix Trinidad vs. Fernando Vargas). When is EA sports going to add this feature? There are still no standing 8 counts or TKO stoppages on anything other than cuts. In other KK games, you had the option of going down to one knee if you saw your health was going critical. That's no longer there. Obviously, realism has taken a back seat to marketing.
If there are any good points, the fighters' movements around the ring are pretty good, facial expressions have improved, but that's it.
Each new version of a game should improve on its predecessor not regress, especially with PS2's memory capacity. For those of you who have not bought yours yet and are not convinced by this review, rent it first and see for yourself. This is one of EA Sports' biggest letdowns.

A Big Letdown

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: March 11, 2002
Author: Amazon User

After playing both PS versions of Knockout Kings 2001. I was
looking forward to version 2002. What a huge letdown. Instead
of improving on the game, they have chosen to almost redesign
the game. The fighters do not look as realistic as they did
in the previous version, yes the eye problems are taken care of,
however the fighters all have the same body shape, skinny waist
and big shoulders. And they all fight the same style. Were is
Muhammad Ali's ring movement ?. Here he jumps around the ring,
giving the viewer the impression he is running backwards.
Players who enjoy simple slugfests may enjoy this game. However
anyone looking to employ any skill or strategy is better off
sticking to 2001. The graphics are also a let down. With very
muted or toned down colors, nothing vivid sticks in the imagination. The decision to go with two announcers is also a
mistake, as the two either babble on, or worse repeat themselves
as they make the same comments about each fighter during the same
round !!. The punching motion is improved,however the game is
simply too hard. Players will have to spend quite a bit of time
just trying to survive, never mind trying to win. And the ' new '
career mode is not much fun either. Limiting the amount of times
you can lose, or defend the title is a bad choice. The players
of the game should decided how long THEY want to control their
careers. The only good thing I can say about this game is :
The round card girls are the best thing about this game. Oddly
enough, they look the most realistic thing on this game.
They may have enhanced the girls, but they certainly didn't
enhance the game any with the new changes. I hope they listen
to the fans and make some serious changes for 2003.

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