Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Boxing?

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Release Date: 1980
Publisher: Activision
Controller: Joystick
Players: 1 – 2
Genre: Sports
Alternate Title: N/A
Model #: AZ-002
Rarity: 2
Programmer: Bob Whitehead

Despite being simplistic and straightforward, this is a fairly accurate video game portrayal of the sport of boxing.

Well, maybe a vintage Mike Tyson boxing match, since the entire fight never lasts more than two minutes. So for those of you hoping to see some blocky ring girls, you are out of luck since there is only a single two minute round, although once you get the hang of it you will be getting KO’s well before the bell rings.

The concept is simple, once you hear the bell you gain control of your boxer and head off into the center of the ring to lay a whoopin’ on your opponent. When you press the button your boxer will throw either a right or left jab, and then alternate fists after that. This is both good and bad. It can be frustrating to have your punch lined up only to throw one with the wrong hand, giving the opposing boxer an opportunity to smack you right in the face. That said, it can work to your advantage if you can work your way to the edge of the ring and can bounce your opponent off the ropes repeatedly with a barrage of blows.

With each successfully landed punch you gain either one or two points, depending on if it was a long punch (1 point) or a short forceful jab (2 points). If you are able to beat a hundred points out of your opponent, you will score a KO and win the match. If nobody hits a hundred then whoever has the highest score at the end of two minutes wins.

The action is viewed from the top down perspective, and since this was a game from Activision and not Mystique I’m going to go ahead and assume that that is their nose and that they aren’t really excited about getting into a fight. If you are looking for a fast paced boxing game for the 2600, this is a great option.