EA Sports released Knockout Kings boxing games for PlayStation, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Color, and GameCube between 1998 and 2003. Before Knockout Kings, Electronic Arts released Foes of Ali on the 3DO. Foes of Ali, developed by Gray Matter, is not a prequel. The Knockout Kings series lets players fight Muhammad Ali, Eric Esch, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Larry Holmes, Jake LaMotta, Roberto Durán, Alex Argüello, and Ray Mancini. Rounds last 90 or 3 minutes. In “slugfest” mode, fighters can knock each other out at any time or survive 6 or 7 knockdowns. Knockout Kings 2000 and 2001 differ most in appearance. Knockout Kings’ boxers look different. Championship fights last 10 rounds, not 12 or 15. Only a ring-card girl is visible between games. Boxers must retire after their first title defense in Career Mode. The exhibition is not available for generated fighters. Career Mode offers basic training. Knockout Kings’ referee counts to eight when a fighter is knocked down, unlike the sequels.
In the sequels, the referee stops the count immediately after a soldier gets up from a knockdown, and Career Mode shows the fight’s outcome as front-page newspaper headlines. Knockout Kings 2000 for PlayStation 1 features realistic boxer sprites for the first time. Championships can last 15 rounds. Change music and sound volume in Option Mode. You may watch a ring-card girl, a replay, or your boxer in his corner with the bout’s statistics between games. Heavy punches can damage boxers’ faces and mouthpieces. Career Mode fighters can fight in all modes. Career Mode training is more specific. In the PS1 edition, you can control your fighter during practice and choose your gym location. The PS1 version shows each soldier entering the ring before the fight. The player can also view the statistics and biographies of all real-life boxers in the game and re-enact classic battles in a New Mode.
The PS1 version has more boxers, a different user interface, and an intro theme. Knockout Kings 2001 has improvements from 2000 and new ones. KO Kings and KO Kings 2000 have “boxer” and “slugger” fighters, but KO Kings 2001 has “boxer,” “slugger,” “freestyle,” and “crab” fighters. These stylistic differences are apparent during bouts. KO Kings 2001 also has louder commentary. Career Mode trainers may advise you between rounds. In Career Mode, boxers must retire after multiple title defenses. KO Kings 2001 is the first game in the series to feature CPU vs. CPU bouts, “fantasy match-ups” between legendary fighters from different eras, and women’s boxing in Exhibition Mode. Knockout Kings 2001 for PS1 and PS2 are nearly identical—Knockout Kings 2002 changes many of its predecessors’ ideas, like unlocking new fighters after several battles. After Knockout Kings 2003, Fight Night was renamed.
