Game review: Don King Boxing

Published on Thursday 30 April 2009 14:46

(Wii, £19.99-£24.99)

BOXING GAMES REALLY ARE AT home on the Wii thanks to the brilliant combination of Wiimote, Nunchuck and Balance Board peripherals. In Don King Boxing, players can throw a range of jabs, uppercuts and hooks at their opponent, while weaving in and out of their rival's flourishes using the balance board. It's clear developer 2K games has thought of ways to move the genre beyond the furious yet scattershot boxing mode on Wii Sports.

You play as fictitious boxer The Kid and story mode tells your rags to riches tale, with footage of real boxing personalities, such as King himself, talking about your rise to fame. Between fights, workout regime minigames can be played to improve your stamina and fighting ability, while the bouts themselves are enjoyable.

In fights, the camera sticks behind you, so you can anticipate your opponent's attacks thanks to handy see-through effects . While you may wish to play the game tactically, the familiar method of swinging everything as hard and fast as you can often results in victory, almost removing the need for real skill.

However, gamers who want to play the game seriously will find that a subtle blend of well-timed defence and varied attack patterns is the key to victory. This is a likeable title at a budget price, with riotous multiplayer battles.