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Boxing causes brain damage? I dunno what you mean 'Arry. It's an art, a sort of ballet with knockouts.

At least you won't get hurt playing Linel's version of the 'gentlemanly' sport. You are a young fighter with your sights set firmly on being WBC champion. To achieve this, you'll need to beat the existing champion. But he won't find you straight away, so you must defeat a number of lesser opponents before you get a title shot. After a couple of backstreet fights, you're spotted by a manager who'll train you in the gym with the sandbag, punchbag and skipping rope. How well you do here determines your 'condition' for the next fight.

During a bout, the boxer is controlled in typical beat-'em-up style and can win either by a knockout (by reducing the opponent's energy level to zero) or on points.

Why is it that everyone hates this game except me? Granted, for most of the time the gameplay is short on variety and doesn't take too long to master, but that's boxing all round, isn't it?

The Champ is an admirably-presented piece of software, although some of the features of boxing are missing - where are the dirty tactics?! 25 quid is also a bit steep but The Champ may be of some interest to well-off boxing fans.

After taking such a long time to appear, The Champ comes as something of a disappointment. I was hoping for a detailed simulation but this is really just an everyday beat-'em-up with hardly any strategy attached to it. I also found it far too easy to become world champion by repetitive use of a couple of moves.

Presentation 70%
Good manual including history of boxing.

Graphics 67%
Elegantly animated fighters.

Sound 60%
Okayish Rocky theme and mediocre effects.

Hookability 57%
Typically playable beat-'em-up action.

Lastability 44%
A shallow simulation.

Overall 52%
Certainly not a knockout.