Boxing (Atari 2600) review "Boxing by Activision, is one of the first boxing video games ever created (if not the first) for the home video game console. The game play is simple, yet enjoyable. You play as a Boxer 1 (AKA White Lightning) who challenges Boxer 2 (AKA Black N’ Decker) to a friendly exhibition match."

Boxing by Activision, is one of the first boxing video games ever created (if not the first) for the home video game console. The game play is simple, yet enjoyable. You play as a Boxer 1 (AKA White Lightning) who challenges Boxer 2 (AKA Black N’ Decker) to a friendly exhibition match.

You move around the ring using the joystick while punching with the fire button. Your punches are based upon… however the Atari feels at the moment. Maybe you’ll throw a right. Maybe you’ll throw a left. Only the computer knows, but that’s the fun of boxing on the 2600.

The boxing is entirely random and you have no clue whether your boxer will constantly jab one direction or use a flurry of left and right punches. The punches are two dimensional, so there is no way to punch your opponent in the arm or the gut. The only hit that counts in this game is a punch to the face. Unfortunately, it takes a rather large multitude of hits to K.O. your opponent who won’t even fall down when is he K.O.ed. He just stands there stunned for a moment. I guess due to loss of brain function. If you can’t K.O. your opponent, then the match is decided by the amount of hits earned by a boxer within the time limit.

Even with the game’s graphic limitations, the fast paced game of punch, dodge, and punch again provides a good solid time for anyone in love with boxing or are truly sick of Pong and Combat. The game provides a Player Vs CPU mode for single players and allows two players to duke it out in Multiplayer mode.

In order to help promote the game, it appears Activision tried to purchase a Popeye license, which apparently fell through as both of the Popeye look alike characters are now silhouettes. I like to think of them as Popeye versus the evil alternate dimension version, Shadow Popeye in a fight to decide which one of them gets Olive Oyl. If Popeye doesn’t win, his girlfriend will be taken to the Shadow Zone to live in an eternity of darkness for the rest of her life. Now, that’s a reason to play Boxing, right there.

Graphically, the game doesn’t need touchups to be appealing. Control wise, the game plays better than most FPSes, and sound wise… Well, there’s only minimal scratchy sounds, so that leaves something to be desired, but you know you’re just going to get out your old Rocky III cassette tape and play Eye of the Tiger at fully volume anyway, right?

Boxing is available on the Atari 2600 as well as the Activision Anthology collection available for the PC, PS2, GBA, & PSP. Pick up a copy (in any format) and beat your opponent black and… uh… well… blacker.

Community review by japanaman (March 30, 2011) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.