Ready 2 Rumble by Midway.

Ready 2 Rumble by Midway ($49.95)
The moment players hear the booming pipes of announcer Michael Buffer and his trademark phrase, they will be blown away by the intensity and animated imagery of this boxing extravaganza. Sort of based on the old Nintendo game Mike Tyson's Punch-Out (although no recognizable names are associated with this game), players work their way to the top by pummeling each another. One mode, Arcade, allows the choice of boxers and the battle begins. The Championship mode requires the player to pick a contender and prepare him to become a champion. The game features 16 distinct characters, over the top styles, a wide-range of punches and customizable boxers. The developers also cut down the amount of finger-blistering combination moves so, children of every age, can enjoy the violent simplicity of destroying another being.

Joseph Szadkowski writes on various aspects of popular culture and is a columnist for The Washington Times.