Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Round 2 (PlayStation 2)

The original Ready 2 Rumble Boxing offered an arcade-style slant on the sport of boxing with cartoon-like characters and over-the-top action. Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 continues Midway's franchise with a number of new enhancements.USED VIDEO GAME

The first change is in the visual presentation. While smoke and lighting have been added to increase the realism, the most notable improvement is in the definition of the characters. Characters in the game sport more animation in their clothing and hair, and have additional texture for their skin tones.

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 contains the original 11 boxers in new attire, and adds an additional seven contenders. Seven boxers, that is, to choose from. It will be up to you to find the hidden characters. Each boxer in Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 will have new phrases before fights and new victory animations. As well, fans of the first title will be delighted to learn there are new taunts, combos, and rumble combos.

While Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 mimics the same arcade feel of its 1999 predecessor, certain areas in the realism department have been tweaked. You'll find characters have more feints, parries, grapples, a brand new countering system, and improved collision detection. The enemy AI has also been adjusted, allowing for much more strategy-oriented fighting than in the original.

The training mode has also undergone some modification, as it now walks you through moves and combos. The traditional weight sets, speed bag and other training instruments from the first still remain, but there is added variety. With passive opponents to try new moves on and the aforementioned technique tutorials, this game goes further to teach you the ins-and-outs of boxing.

Trivia buffs take note: both Michael Jackson and Shaquille O'Neal visited the development house and had themselves digitally captured and put into the game. Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 was a title that both idols were personally interested in being a part of.