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Maim! Smack! Punch! Gouge! Kill! Boxing generally excites the baser instincts in men. If you like violence, all the fun of a good thumping is here, with much more besides.

In Pro Boxing Simulator, you can, indeed you are expected to, use foul moves such as head-butts, kicks, kneeings and groin punches. The ref periodically drifts away from the action, and your fouls indicator glows green, indicating that it's time to deliver an underhand blow.

Your opponent also cheats, mind, and all the time the crowd cheer for more. If it wasn't so tongue-in-cheek, it would be worrying. The pugilists' energy is measured by bars below the action. Reach zero and you're KO'd. You have five lives, but need to win each round to survive. Spotted fouls also lose you a life. As you beat each successive opponent, you fight a harder and meaner one, so there is an incentive to continue with the frenzied battering.

The graphics are great: the boxers look like (blocky) cartoon characters as they circle. The whole display is clear, with the hopeless ref wobbling amusingly around the ring.

The sound of the fights goes well with the fun graphics; it's like a martial arts bout, with snap and crack sounds every strike.

Overall, Pro Boxing Simulator is good fun. It is possible to beat the computer if you resort to nutting and kicking, but playing against another human is better. The only gripe here is that the keyboard controls are difficult to use because there are so many close together. Ultimately limited, as most fighting games are, this one will nevertheless make you laugh. One of the better budget games.

Nah, Nah, s'a good bout, reeeelly, nar'mean'arry?

Beat Mild Martin

Graphics 61%
P. The ref's great fun to watch.

Sonics 54%
P. Bruce Lee chopping noises.

Grab Factor 51%
N. Takes a while to master the fouls.

Staying Power 57%
P. Varying opponents get tougher.

Overall 58%
P. A smack-'em-in to make you laugh!