Amiga Power


4D Sports Boxing

Author: Gary Penn
Publisher: Mindscape International Inc
Machine: Amiga 500

 
Published in Amiga Power #9

4D Sports Boxing

I don't mind boxing. It's dull to watch, but I see no reason why two fighters shouldn't try to kill each other for money. I do mind 4D Sports Boxing though - on paper, it all looks hunky dory and interesting, but in reality it's painfully slow and much more boring than the real thing.

The authors have chosen to use arrangements of polygon shapes to represent human figures. In theory, this should allow for more realistic fighter behaviour and interesting viewpoints.

In practice it doesn't work. The boxers' movements are convincing (that said, they barely resemble human beings when static, as the detail is reduced to keep the action running at anything approaching a reasonable speed), and there's an ample supply of statistics and features (including those camera angles galore and a decent instant replay). It's been converted from a PC original, and it shows. I'm also not convinced that the vast number of available moves is a Good Thing (there are some three dozen accessible). A degree of content sensitivity would have made more sense.

My biggest bugbear is the sluggish speed at which it runs, though. It's like watching a slow motion action replay - watching, not playing, as the fighting doesn't feel particularly interactive. Nice try, but the result just doesn't cut the mustard.

The Bottom Line

Respect is due for the unique approach, but it's all to no avail. A comprehensive simulation with poor playability's as much use as a chocolate mouth-guard.

Gary Penn

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