Customer Reviews

Ready 2 Rumble 2

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The Game Boy Advance version of Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 is set up very similarly to the Dreamcast and PS2 versions of the game. There are three gameplay modes: arcade, championship, and survival. The arcade mode lets you pick any of the game's 11 boxers and fight through a series of matches. The championship mode has you pick only one boxer and train him from a small-time fighter to world champion. This mode is set up exactly like the one in the PS2 and Dreamcast versions of the game--you'll be able to train your boxer between matches to raise his fighting stats. The training sessions are set up like minigames--some have you inputting different D-pad commands with precise timing, and some have you simply pounding buttons as fast as you can before a timer expires. Finally, the survival mode lets you pick any one boxer and fight a series of fights using the same health bar to see how many fighters you can take down before you finally fall.

The game has most of the characters from the PS2 and Dreamcast versions but is missing a few important names. Popular boxers such as Afro Thunder and Lulu Valentine return for the GBA version, but fan favorites Boris Knockimov and Butcher Brown are surprisingly absent from this version. However, the game does have a fighter named Rumble Man, who looks and sounds amazingly like Michael Buffer, the voice of the Ready 2 Rumble series.

While the basics of the gameplay haven't changed since the Dreamcast and PS2 versions of the game, the control scheme had to be adjusted a bit. The GBA's face buttons represent the left and right hands of your boxers, and the type of punch will now depend on what direction you press the D-pad when you throw the punch. The shoulder buttons are now the block buttons, and hitting them simultaneously will activate your rumble power if your rumble meter is full. Unfortunately, the game is very slow at this point, and there is a huge delay between when you input a command and when that command is carried out in the game. Also, the game uses a stamina meter like the one in the Dreamcast and PS2 versions of the game. After each punch, the meter will deplete, and your speed will decrease. Since the meter is simply too slow at this point, there's no way to string together combos, as throwing one punch after another is simply impossible. Additionally, the game's AI is way too hard--it would often finish us before we could get a punch in. Hopefully Midway is already hard at work addressing these issues, and there's a good chance that all the gameplay quirks will be ironed out before the final game ships.

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 has a very different look on the Game Boy Advance. The game appears to use polygonal models for the boxers, which move on a static ring with a slightly animated background. The boxers don't animate particularly well--the animation is often choppy and unrealistic and, at this point, makes the game very hard to play. The game's only perspective looks at the ring from a sideways perspective. As the boxers move across the ring, the perspective will actually zoom in and will occasionally rotate to provide a better vantage point on the action. Unfortunately, this rotation effect is extremely poorly done and actually pauses the action for a moment while the camera readjusts itself. The sound of the menus and of Buffer screaming his patented line sound good enough, but the in-game sound effects are a little on the weak side.

At this point, the GBA version of Ready 2 Rumble doesn't really live up to the series' standard. With fairly poor gameplay mechanics, overly powerful AI, and some serious graphical problems, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 is one of the weaker GBA games we've seen. Still, the game has at least two months of development time to address all the issues we found in the early build. We hope that Midway will be able to refine the game before it ships alongside the US launch of the GBA.

This games graphics are fantastic but it lacks good gameplay. The gameplay is probably the worst ive ever played on a GBA. This game just doesnt fit in with the other great realeases for GBA. The controls are not responsive and the gameplay is sloppy. But training a boxer is pretty fun, and they have some creative characters. Try renting this game. I got tired of it after the first 20 minutes.

[....] The game is a bit boring at first but once you learn the combo's and stuff it becomes very very fun. So dont be fooled you'll have a blast!

It doesn't seem that Midway had the Gameboy Advance's screen in mind when they designed this game. The characters are far too small; some of their movements barely register. I felt more like I was simply twitching on the buttons and hoping something would happen. If you're a fighting game fan (as I am), you'll be better off waiting for the Street Fighter II port.

Ready 2 Rumble - mini-review I tried it out for about 10 minutes at a store and that was more than enough. I was bored and went back to playing Iridion.

- Mediocre graphics that don't make good use of the GBA's abilities. - Boring repetitive gameplay. - Static looking characters and background.

Don't waste $... on this game - there are lots of others that will be a better investment. Believe me, if you spend $5 to rent this game for a night, you'll probably think even that was too much.

this game is pretty wicked awesome! if you want to play ready to rumble on a handheld, its here! just like the dreamcast version(well... almost)
ratings all out of five
graphics=4
sound=4
control=4
overall=4
this is a good game!

this game is pretty wicked awesome! if you want to play ready to rumble on a handheld, its here! just like the dreamcast version(well... almost)
ratings all out of five
graphics=4
sound=4
control=4
overall=4
this is a good game!

Not the best graphics or controls. If you want a decent fighting game, look into Tekken Advance.

Contrary to other reviewers, I think this is my favorite game on GBA. I found the game challenging, but not overly difficult; I got knocked out quite a few times before I found my groove. Championship mode is great, and when you beat everyone in championship or arcade mode, you get the "password" to some secret fighters: Michael Jackson (complete with one glittery boxing glove) and Shaquile O'Neal. I got all the way through to the last round of the championship mode with Shaq, and the last fighter was "Rumble Man", a 400 pound behemoth with a 120 inch reach who proceeded to pummle me into the ground. He'll take a while to beat (and when I do beat him, I be able to play AS him).

Great game!

I think that Ready 2 Rumble Boxing 2 is the greatest game that is out on Gameboy Advance.It has many different levels you can compete on.At most places you can get it for a low price.If you buy the game you will definitly have fun.Many people will buy this game. I am sure of that.