Fight Night Round 4

Last updated
Fight Night Round 4
Fight Night Round 4.jpg
Cover art featuring Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson respectively
Developer(s) EA Canada
Publisher(s) EA Sports
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Windows Mobile
BlackBerry
Release
  • NA: June 23, 2009
  • EU: June 26, 2009 [1]
  • AU: July 2, 2009
  • JP: January 28, 2010
Windows Mobile
  • NA: September 22, 2009
BlackBerry
  • NA: October 23, 2009
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Fight Night Round 4 is a boxing video game developed by EA Sports. It is the sequel to Fight Night Round 3 , released in 2006. It was released in 2009 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry. [2] The game's featured boxers are Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. [3] It contains 48 licensed boxers [4] as well as several new modes, such as Legacy mode. [5]

Contents

Marketing

Demo

On May 14, 2009, a demo of the game was made available to those that had pre-ordered the game from GameStop, although it was made available for everyone to download later that month via Xbox Live or PlayStation Network. The demo features a three-round exhibition match between Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao in the wake of their fight on May 2, 2009. A tutorial mode is also accessible at the beginning of the demo, which is featured in the final release.

On August 27, 2009, a new updated demo was released. It now features a ten-round exhibition match between Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, in addition to the previous Hatton vs. Pacquiao match. It also features the return of the classic control scheme for the game where players can use the controller buttons for most controls instead of the right analog stick. This control scheme was originally in all previous Fight Night games, and it was brought into Fight Night Round 4 after fans were complaining about using the new control scheme and sufferings form clusters. [6]

Downloadable Content

On July 27, 2009, the first piece of downloadable content for Fight Night Round 4 was released. It is free of charge, and includes a new training gym, new gameplay sliders, new equipment and an alternate version of Sugar Ray Leonard.

Additional trunks, gloves and shorts were released along with face button control support in a free update at the end of August. [7]

The next piece of downloadable content, the Boxer Pack, contained Oscar De La Hoya, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko, as well as alternate versions of James Toney and George Foreman was released on 27 August and can be purchased through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Marketplace.

In early December, a new pack including Bernard Hopkins, Evander Holyfield, Sonny Liston and two new modes (Old School Rules & Ring Rivalries) was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

PlayStation Home

On July 16, 2009, EA Sports released a themed game space for Fight Night Round 4 as an expansion to the EA Sports Complex in the European and North American versions of PlayStation Home. [8] The game space is called "Club Fight Night" and features a Club-DJ mini-game with rewards, two video screens and seating for avatars. In an update, there would be a robot boxing mini-game available to play. This space was released in the Japanese version on October 9, 2009. On November 25, 2009, two producers of Fight Night Round 4, Mike Mahar and Brian Hayes, were in the space for a live chat with the Home community. [9]

Features

Physics based controls, Career mode is redesigned and replaced with legacy mode, players Can use photo game face to more easily put the player in the game, boxers can only block high and low, More focus on counter punching, User controlled cutman is removed and replaced with a point system, and Downloadable characters. Fight Night Round 4 Also added Flyweight and Bantamweight weight classes for the first time in a game. New boxers to the franchise allowed recreations of fights such as Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi, Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns and Fernando Montiel vs. Nonito Donaire.

The game features 12 arenas, including Boardwalk Hall and the MGM Grand.

Reception

Fight Night Round 4 received "favorable" reviews on both platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. [10] [11] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of three sevens and one five for a total of 26 out of 40. [29]

GameSpot's Justin Calvert praised the game's fast action and its online play. [18] 1UP.com's David Ellis commented that the physics engine improved the gameplay, and made punches feel more realistic. [30] Game Revolution said "Its incredibly accurate physics system doesn’t just set a new bar for boxing games, but for all games across all genres." GameSpy's Will Tuttle noted the game's "stunning visuals", and praised the online gameplay. [19] GamePro's Andrew Hayward thought that the gameplay flowed better as a result of the frame rate, which ran at sixty frames per second. [16] IGN's Nate Ahearn felt that the game delivered "the best pure boxing ever seen in a video game." [24] Destructoid said "It doesn’t matter if you care about boxing; this superb game is worth a look from everybody; the game itself is a blast to play, and that’s what stands out." Eurogamer described it as "An intense, heart-rattling experience that gets more rewarding the more time you invest in learning the nuances. With incredible attention to detail, technical achievements are more than mere eye candy and a deeper, more rewarding fighting system than ever before, it's an essential purchase for boxing fans and fighting game aficionados."

Criticisms were mostly focused towards the single player aspects of the game. IGN's Nate Ahearn commented that the minigames found in the legacy mode were too difficult, a sentiment echoed by GameSpy and GameSpot. [18] [19] [24] Giant Bomb's Jeff Gerstmann criticized the legacy mode for being wrapped in "layers of unnecessary menus". [23] Official Xbox Magazine said "Despite the uphill difficulty curve, repetitive commentary, and long loading times, Round 4 is a force that topples its mind-blowing predecessor in every category." GamesTM said it was "A calculated and intelligent game that favours forethought and tactics over button mashing and impatience."

During the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Fight Night Round 4 for "Fighting Game of the Year". [31]

The game topped the UK sales charts for several weeks. [32] Total sales exceeded 1 million units. [33]

Related Research Articles

<i>Fight Night Round 2</i> 2005 video game

Fight Night Round 2 is the sequel to Electronic Arts' Fight Night 2004. It was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube consoles in 2005. It was the only game in the series to be released on a Nintendo platform. The GameCube version also contains Little Mac from Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series as a playable character. This was part of a deal Nintendo had with EA Sports to have Nintendo's intellectual properties appear in EA franchises.

<i>Fight Night Round 3</i> 2006 boxing video game developed by EA Sports

Fight Night Round 3 is a boxing video game developed by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to EA Sports' previous boxing title, Fight Night Round 2, which was released in 2005. Fight Night Round 3 was released on February 21, 2006, for the Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2. The mobile phone version was released on November 30, 2006, and the PlayStation 3 version was released five days later.

<i>Victorious Boxers: Ippos Road to Glory</i> 2000 video game

Victorious Boxers: Ippo's Road to Glory, known as simply Victorious Boxers, is a boxing video game developed by New Corporation for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It is based on the Hajime no Ippo franchise. The game was released in Japan by Entertainment Software Publishing in December 2000 and in North America and Europe by Empire Interactive in 2001.

<i>FIFA 08</i> 2007 video game

FIFA 08 is a football simulation video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports label. It was released on all popular gaming formats in September 2007 in Europe, Australia and Asia, and in October 2007 in North America. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game feature an improved game engine with superior graphics and different commentators and are dubbed "next-generation" by EA. On all other platforms—including the PC—the game utilizes an older engine. The Nintendo DS version features fewer teams, stadiums, game modes and kits due to the limitations of the machine's storage medium.

<i>NCAA March Madness 08</i> 2007 video game

NCAA March Madness 08 is the 2007 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. Former University of Texas and current Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant is featured on the cover. It was the only March Madness game available for the PlayStation 3 until the name change.

<i>Gears of War 2</i> 2008 video game

Gears of War 2 is a third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. It is the second installment of the Gears of War series, with lead design by Cliff Bleszinski. The game was released in North America, Europe and Australia on November 7, 2008, and was released in Japan on July 30, 2009. The game expands technically on the previous game by using a modified Unreal Engine 3. The development team brought in comic book writer Joshua Ortega to help write the plot for the game.

<i>Pro Evolution Soccer 2009</i> 2008 video game

Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 is a football video game in the Pro Evolution Soccer series, which was made by Konami. It is also the exclusive licensed game of the UEFA Champions League. The Wii version is known as Winning Eleven Play Maker 2009 in Japan. PES 2009 was succeeded by Pro Evolution Soccer 2010.

<i>Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit</i> 2008 video game

Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is a fighting video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 based on the anime Dragon Ball Z. The game was developed by Dimps and published in North America and Australia by Atari, and in Japan and Europe by Namco Bandai under the Bandai label. It was released in Japan on June 5, 2008, in Europe on June 6, 2008, North America on June 10, 2008, and in Australia on July 3, 2008.

<i>Don King Presents: Prizefighter</i> 2008 video game

Don King Presents: Prizefighter is a boxing video game for the Xbox 360. It was developed by Venom Games, published by 2K and released in June and July 2008. A Wii and Nintendo DS version, called Don King Boxing, was released in 2009. Players will take on the role of a boxer as they participate in fights and build their careers. This includes balancing training commitments, overcoming adversity and finding the right promotion balance. The storyline of the game is told in a sports documentary-style, with the ultimate goal being to win the title belt.

<i>Tom Clancys H.A.W.X</i> Arcade flight video game

Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X is an arcade flight video game developed by Ubisoft Bucharest and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and by Gameloft for BlackBerry PlayBook, iOS, Palm Pre, Android and Symbian^3. It was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in North America on March 3, 2009, for Windows on March 17, for iOS on December 9, for BlackBerry on January 8, 2010, for Palm Pre on April 2, for Android on September 13, and for Symbian on January 16, 2011. A Wii version was announced, but was ultimately canceled. In September 2010, a sequel titled Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X 2 was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The Microsoft Windows and Wii versions were released in November 2010. In November 2018, Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X was added to the Xbox One's Backwards Compatibility list although only through physical media as it is not available on the Xbox Marketplace.

<i>FIFA 09</i> 2008 video game

FIFA 09 is a football simulation video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports label. It was released in October 2008 for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360 and Zeebo. It was later in November 2008 released for the N-Gage 2.0 and mobile phones.

<i>NBA Live 10</i> 2009 basketball video game

NBA Live 10 is the 2009 installment in the NBA Live series, developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts. Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is the cover athlete. It was released in 2009 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PSP, and iOS. NBA Live 10 was to be followed by NBA Elite 11 which was cancelled in late 2010. The NBA Live series was discontinued for four years until NBA Live 14 in 2013, and was the last installment available for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PSP.

<i>The Bigs 2</i> 2009 video game

The Bigs 2 is a baseball sports video game developed by Blue Castle Games and published by 2K for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, and PlayStation Portable. The game serves as the direct sequel to The Bigs. The first trailer for the game revealed players like Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, Roberto Clemente, and Reggie Jackson and a number of other Hall of Famers. Milwaukee Brewers All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder is the cover athlete chosen by 2K Sports. For the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii editions of the game, the English play-by-play announcer is Damon Bruce while the Japanese announcer is Kasey Ryne Mazak. It was released in 2009.

<i>Vancouver 2010</i> (video game) 2010 video game

Vancouver 2010 is the official Olympic video game of the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was developed by Eurocom, and published by Sega.

<i>NCAA Basketball 10</i> 2009 video game

NCAA Basketball 10 is a basketball video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts. It was released on November 17, 2009 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Former University of Oklahoma and Former NBA forward Blake Griffin is featured on the cover.

<i>NBA 2K9</i> 2008 basketball video game

NBA 2K9 is a 2008 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K. It is the tenth installment in the NBA 2K franchise and the successor to NBA 2K8. It was released in 2008 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics is the cover athlete of the game. NBA 2K9 is the predecessor to NBA 2K10 in the NBA 2K series.

<i>Major League Baseball 2K10</i> 2010 video game

Major League Baseball 2K10 or, in short, MLB 2K10, is an MLB licensed baseball simulation video game published by 2K. MLB 2K10 was available for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, and Nintendo DS. The game was released on March 2, 2010.

<i>Madden NFL 11</i> 2010 American football video game

Madden NFL 11 is an American football video game based on the National Football League, published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 22nd annual installment in the bestselling Madden NFL video game franchise. It was released in 2010 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, BlackBerry, and iOS platforms. The PS3 and Xbox 360 demos were released July 27, 2010.

<i>Fight Night Champion</i> 2011 video game

Fight Night Champion is a boxing video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts. It is the fifth and last entry in the Fight Night series and was released in March 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game takes a drastic turn from its predecessors, depicting a "grittier", "darker" setting with animations and player damage that "truly conveys the brutality of the sport of boxing." The violence and strong language in the game's story mode earned it a Mature rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the first EA Sports title to do so.

References

  1. ↑ Ellie Gibson (May 12, 2009). "Get early access to Fight Night 4 demo". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  2. ↑ "FIGHT NIGHT Round 4". Electronic Arts. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  3. ↑ Nate Ahearn (March 9, 2009). "Tyson and Ali on Fight Night Round 4 Cover". IGN . Archived from the original on September 14, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  4. ↑ "FIGHT NIGHT Round 4 Boxers". Electronic Arts. Archived from the original on April 6, 2009. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  5. ↑ Nate Ahearn (June 15, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4: Legacy Mode Revealed". IGN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  6. ↑ Tim MaCdonald (August 27, 2009). "New FEAR 2/Fight Night Round 4 DLC Demos Online". NigHtmares. Archived from the original on August 29, 2009. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  7. ↑ Jim Reilly (August 12, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 Getting First Boxer Pack". IGN. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ Locust_Star (July 15, 2009). "This Week in PlayStation Home: BUZZ! and Fight Night Space Launches, and More!". PlayStation Blog. SCE. Archived from the original on September 20, 2009. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  9. ↑ Locust_Star (November 25, 2009). "This Week in PlayStation Home: New Red Bull Space + Event, Fight Night Producer Chat & More". PlayStation Blog. SCE. Archived from the original on November 28, 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  10. 1 2 "Fight Night Round 4 for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Fight Night Round 4 for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  12. 1 2 Samit Sarkar; Anthony Burch; Brad Nicholson (July 10, 2009). "Review: Fight Night Round 4". Destructoid . Archived from the original on September 22, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Fight Night Round 4 (X360)". Edge . No. 204. August 2009. p. 103.
  14. ↑ Kristan Reed (June 25, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 (X360)". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  15. 1 2 Matthew Kato (August 2009). "Fight Night Round 4: Round 1". Game Informer . No. 196. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  16. 1 2 3 Andrew Hayward (June 23, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4". GamePro . Archived from the original on June 26, 2009. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  17. 1 2 Jesse Costantino (July 2, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 Review". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Justin Calvert (June 29, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Will Tuttle (June 25, 2009). "The Consensus: Fight Night Round 4 Review". GameSpy. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  20. 1 2 "Fight Night Round 4: Review". GameTrailers. July 1, 2009. Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  21. ↑ Michael Lafferty (June 24, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 - PS3 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on June 28, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  22. ↑ Steven Hopper (June 24, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 - 360 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on June 28, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  23. 1 2 3 Jeff Gerstmann (June 23, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 Review". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  24. 1 2 3 4 Nate Ahearn (June 23, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 Review". IGN. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  25. ↑ Ryan McCaffrey (August 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 [Incomplete]". Official Xbox Magazine . p. 64. Archived from the original on June 27, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Review: Fight Night Round 4". PlayStation: The Official Magazine . August 2009. p. 64.
  27. 1 2 Joe Roche (July 3, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 (PS3, Xbox 360) Review". 411Mania. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  28. 1 2 Tom Hoggins (June 26, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on March 20, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Famitsu Scores 1/20/10 End of Eternity Edition". NeoGAF. January 20, 2010. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  30. ↑ David Ellis (June 23, 2009). "Fight Night Round 4 Review". 1UP.com . Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  31. ↑ "2010 Awards Category Details Fighting Game of the Year". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences . Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  32. ↑ "EA Titles Dominate U.K. Charts, as Fight Night Wins Again". 6 July 2009. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  33. ↑ "These console games each sold over 1 million in 2010".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.