Ready 2 Rumble Boxing

Midway Studios San Diego

Company type	Video game developer
Industry	Video games
Headquarters	San Diego , United States
Parent	Midway

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing is a boxing video game created by Midway Studios San Diego and released by Midway in September 1999 for the Dreamcast. Versions for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation, developed by Point of View, debuted in November 1999, coinciding with a separate Game Boy Color edition developed by Crawfish Interactive. The Dreamcast iteration's strong sales earned it a spot among the Sega All Stars lineup.

Critically, the game was well-received overall and led to follow-ups: Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 (2000) and Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution (2009).

Gameplay

Drawing inspiration from Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing showcases a diverse cast of vibrant characters such as Afro Thunder and Boris "The Bear" Knokimov. Unlike Punch-Out!!, however, this title employs 3D visuals, granting players enhanced maneuverability within the ring. Instead of facing predetermined opponents, players can select from an extensive roster of fighters.

Throughout bouts, a special RUMBLE meter accumulates as players deliver powerful punches, with the word "RUMBLE" displayed at the screen's bottom. Once filled, this meter enables execution of a distinctive "Rumble Flurry" combo that inflicts substantial damage on opponents.

A standout visual element is the progressive bruising on fighters as matches advance, adding a layer of authenticity and immersion. This feature, present in all fifth-generation console versions, was lauded for enriching the overall experience.

The Game Boy Color adaptation was notable for being one of the few titles on the platform to support built-in rumble functionality.

Certain boxers are exclusive to specific systems: Jimmy Blood appears only on Dreamcast, Gino Stiletto is unique to PlayStation, and J.R. Flurry is exclusive to Nintendo 64.

The game's ring announcer role is filled by Michael Buffer himself.

Development and release

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing was unveiled at E3 1999. Promotional commercials produced by MTV featured a style reminiscent of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, combining live-action footage with animated characters.

Reception

According to the review aggregator GameRankings, the game garnered "favorable" critiques across all platforms except for the Game Boy Color version, which received "mixed" feedback. Chris Charla from NextGen praised the Dreamcast original for its rapid gameplay, entertaining character designs, and impressive graphics, noting Midway’s expertise in arcade-style sports titles. Conversely, Adam Pavlacka found the Nintendo 64 port less impressive despite similar mechanics. In Japan, Sega published the Dreamcast version under a different title, earning a score of 28/40 from Famitsu.

Dan Elektro of GamePro highlighted the Dreamcast edition’s distinctive style and its appeal as a multiplayer experience, considering it a strong candidate for the console. Scary Larry regarded it as more enjoyable than both Punch-Out!! and Super Punch-Out!!, emphasizing its entertainment value over realism. While the Nintendo 64 version received praise for its audiovisual qualities and character charm, it was acknowledged as less refined than its Dreamcast counterpart. iBot recommended the N64 version to those without access to a Dreamcast, citing that it preserved much of the excitement despite some technical limitations. Major Mike described the PlayStation release as user-friendly and fun, though The D-Pad Destroyer noted it lacked some polish compared to the Dreamcast original.

Mark Green from N64 Magazine awarded the Nintendo 64 version an 81% rating, appreciating its humor and personality but suggesting it fell short when compared to titles like Knockout Kings 2000 and Smash Bros.

At the 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, hosted by the AIAS, the Dreamcast edition was nominated for "Console Fighting Game of the Year," but ultimately lost to Soulcalibur. It did secure victory in the "Best Boxing Game" category at the "9th Annual GamePro Readers' Choice Awards".