by Wyatt "JOEDOG" Elliott
A lot has changed since Knockout Kings 2000 was king of the ring. The PlayStation is flooded with boxing games ranging from sequels to Contender and Ready 2 Rumble to rookies with the likes of HBO and Mike Tyson. Each and everyone of them vying for the title, but Knockout Kings is back too with a 2001 edition to defend its championship.
Personally, I loved Knockout Kings 2000 in a way a man shouldn't love a game. I believed there would never be another like it. it was the greatest of all time. I was right then and am still right now.
Knockout Kings 2001 is a far lesser achievement to its predecessor. It can still hold its own, but with brave new talent stepping into the ring this year; I feel its not good enough.
The graphics are not as astonishing as KK2000 was. True, they have identifiable detail in the boxers faces, but the bodies are weak. Each boxer looks more emancipated then hard bodied. Even Butter Bean looks trim. Most of them walk like Frankenstein and Tyson isn't even in this game.
The control is weaker as well. Knockout Kings 2001 does feature some improvements. Like the addition of Women boxers, a deeper career mode, and minus the lame WWF like create-a-fighter feature.
Knockout Kings 2001 is the only boxing game to pit the greatest of all time with the current greats, but it does it better in Knockout Kings 2000. Nobody does it better, apparently not even them.
PUBLISHER: EA SPORTS
GRAPHICS: 6.5 MUSIC & SOUND: 8 CONTROL: 5
SECRETS: N/A ORIGINALITY: 6 FUN & REPLAY: 6
OVERALL: 6