Boxing Games

Boxing games take you to the ring: you punch, dodge and cover up until the other fighter is out cold. There are about 55 games, from realistic matches to cartoon versions with funnier characters.

What to know about boxing in a game

Real boxing is fought in rounds, you only punch above the belt, and you win by knockout, by the judges' decision or because the referee stops the fight. The more realistic games, like Ultimate Boxing, Super Boxing Fight Night, Real Boxing Fighting Game and Boxing, follow that setup to a greater or lesser degree: there's a ring, rounds and an energy bar. The arcade ones, such as Punch Out, Counter Punch, Fisticuffs Boxing and Side Ring Knockout, simplify the rules and focus on the punching.

Punch-Out!! deserves a mention of its own. It was a Nintendo arcade game from 1984 that made the jump to consoles and remains one of the genre's reference points: boxers with recognizable patterns, beaten by learning when they attack and when they leave an opening. Many games on the list follow that logic, which is why watching your opponent matters as much as hitting.

Drunken Boxing, Rabbit Punch and Punch Tom Out go for humor. And Rocket Punch and Punch Box offer hitting challenges that leave the ring behind.

Controls and where to start

Most have separate keys for punching, blocking and dodging, and the fuller ones split head and body shots. The instructions screen tells you which is which. If you like learning an opponent's patterns, start with Punch Out or Counter Punch. If you'd rather have something closer to a real fight, try Ultimate Boxing or Real Boxing Fighting Game. The humorous ones, like Drunken Boxing, are more forgiving.

Tips

In boxing it pays to wait for your rival's punch and counter right after you dodge. The one who keeps swinging usually runs out of energy first. If the game has a stamina bar, don't spend it on punches that miss. Blocking in time beats trying to answer every blow.

Watch three or four of your opponent's attacks before you take a risk. Most arcade boxers repeat themselves, and once you recognize the moves you can see them coming.