Boxing games have always been a mixed bag—some are engaging simulations of the sweet science, while others feel more like a secret government experiment gone horribly wrong. In this particular bout, we have *Mike Tyson Boxing*, a game that would make even the most die-hard boxing fan cringe.
First off, let's talk about the gameplay. You'd expect some exhilarating punching and dodging, perhaps a few dramatic knockouts. Instead, it's more akin to watching a slow-motion version of a toddler trying to catch a butterfly—with an alarming number of collisions and an equal amount of confusion. Boxers shuffle around the ring like they just discovered the four basic food groups and can't decide which direction to face. Controls? Let's just say they are ‘unique’ to the point that pressing a button might lead to something akin to a two-step dance rather than a punch. Timing a jab is as effective as trying to time the traffic lights in New York City during rush hour. Good luck with that. You have single-player and multiplayer modes, which sounds enticing until you realize multiplayer means just more opportunities for frustration—and probably a fight with your friend over who gets to play next. If you manage to forget about the frustrating controls, you'll find some... interesting visuals. Let's just say the character models look like they were built with the same care as a college art project completed the night before the deadline. But beyond the wacky movements and odd graphical choices, if there’s anything that keeps you going, it’s the sheer joy of knocking out your opponent—at least until the animation kicks in and makes it look more like they fell asleep than lost a fight.
Graphics in *Mike Tyson Boxing* are reminiscent of melting ice cream on a hot summer day—fluid, but not necessarily in a good way. The colors are vibrant, almost as if trying to distract you from their awkward character models. You know those infamous “glitches” you hear so much about in less-than-stellar games? Imagine the game actually *wanting* you to experience them as a part of the charm. Add in the pixelated textures that might get you nostalgic for the PlayStation 1 days, and you’ve got yourself a treat...if by treat you mean something that expired a while ago but you still want to finish.
In the grand tournament of video games, *Mike Tyson Boxing* might not even make it past round one. It's the kind of game that leaves you muttering 'What was that?' as you attempt to process what you just played. In a world brimming with diverse boxing games—some filled with dramatically animated punches and realistic physics—this game feels like a balloon that deflated long before it reached the party. For anyone hoping for a boxing experience that leaves them pumped up and excited, it's best to hold off on getting in the ring with this one. For a game that shares its name with one of the most notorious fighters in history, it’s astonishing just how many punches it missed.