Ring King

Last updated

Ring King
Ring king arcadeflyer.png
North American arcade flyer
Developer(s) Woodplace
Publisher(s)
Platform(s) Arcade
Nintendo Entertainment System
MSX2
Mobile phone
ReleaseArcade
Famicom/NES
  • JP: June 19, 1987
  • NA: September 1987
Arcade (VS. TKO Boxing)
MSX2
Mobile phone
Genre(s) Sports (boxing)
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade system Nintendo VS. System (VS. T.K.O. Boxing)

Ring King, known as King of Boxer [lower-alpha 1] in Japan and Europe, is an arcade boxing game developed by Woodplace. It was published in 1985 by Woodplace in Japan and Europe, and by Data East in North America.

Contents

Gameplay

The game continues the series' theme of comical sports as the player takes the role of a boxer who makes his way from his debut to become a world champion. Ring King, though perhaps unintentionally, is standard of the boxing creations of its era, via providing quirky monikers for opponents the player encounters; in its arcade release, these number eight (8): Violence Jo (this entry level fighter is the champion, in the NES version), Brown Pants, White Wolf, Bomba Vern, Beat Brown, Blue Warker (reigning champion, in the arcade version), Green Hante and Onetta Yank. Assuming the player wins the championship, arcade play continues cycling through only the last of the afore-listed three (Blue Warker, Green Hante, Onetta Yank).

The player can choose from several different types of punches and defensive maneuvers, along with unique special attacks. The player revives their stamina during the round interval by pressing the button rapidly. In the Nintendo port, the boxer's abilities are determined by three different stats; punch, stamina, and speed. The player can improve these stats using the power points gained after each match. Performing well in matches allows the player to create more powerful boxers. The player can save their game progress by recording a password, and two players can face off against each other in the two-player mode. Though the game is rudimentary, it is possible to counter-punch, and missing with too many punches causes the boxer's stamina to decrease.

Special attacks

The biggest characteristic of the game is the comical set of special attacks. These moves are activated when the player presses the attack button at the right timing and at the right distance. The attacks have the capability to instantly knock out the opponent, but being countered before a special attack causes an extraordinary amount of damage as well. The first special attack is a powerful hook which the boxer throws by spinning around like a top. The second is a straight punch that propels the opponent into the ropes when it connects. The third type is an uppercut that launches the opponent straight into the air. If thrown at the right timing, the uppercut can blast the opponent straight out of the ring, resulting in a technical knockout.

Ports

The game was later ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom in Japan) in 1987, which was published by Namco in Japan and by Data East in North America. This version was also released on the VS. UniSystem as VS. TKO Boxing in North America in 1987. Sony later ported it to the MSX2 exclusively in Japan in 1988. The Famicom and MSX2 versions were released as the third game of the Family sports game series, after Family Stadium and Family Jockey for the Famicom in Japan by Namco as Family Boxing (ファミリーボクシング, famirī bokushingu). The game was later converted into an i-mode mobile phone application and released exclusively in January 2004 by Namco.

Reception

Ring King's sales had surpassed 250,000 copies in the United States by 1988, for which it received a Platinum Award from the Software Publishers Association (SPA) in August 1988. [3] [4]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: キングオブボクサー, Hepburn: Kingu obu Bokusā

Related Research Articles

<i>Xevious</i> Vertical scrolling shooter arcade game released in 1983

Xevious is a vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco in 1982. It was released in Japan by Namco and in North America by Atari, Inc. Controlling the Solvalou starship, the player attacks Xevious forces before they destroy all of mankind. The Solvalou has two weapons at its disposal: a zapper to destroy flying craft, and a blaster to bomb ground installations and enemies. It runs on the Namco Galaga arcade system.

<i>Punch-Out!!</i> (NES) 1987 video game

Punch-Out!!, originally titled Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, is a 1987 boxing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Part of the Punch-Out!! series, it is an adaptation of the arcade video games Punch-Out!! (1984) and Super Punch-Out!! (1984). Differences from the arcades include the addition of undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson as the final boss. It received critical acclaim, and is retrospectively considered one of the greatest video games of all time.

<i>Punch-Out!!</i> (arcade game) 1984 video game

Punch-Out!! is an 1984 arcade boxing video game by Nintendo. It was the first in a series of Punch-Out!! games.

<i>Road Fighter</i> 1984 racing video game

Road Fighter is a racing arcade video game developed by Konami and released in 1984, and was the first racing game from the company. The goal is to reach the finish line within the stages without running out of time, hitting other cars or running out of fuel. The game spawned a spiritual successor, Konami GT (1986), and two sequels, Midnight Run: Road Fighter 2 (1995) and Winding Heat (1996). A Japan-only sequel was also released 14 years later, Road Fighters (2010).

<i>Boxing Legends of the Ring</i> 1993 video game

Boxing Legends of the Ring is a boxing video game for the Mega Drive/Genesis and Super NES consoles. The boxers are represented by 2D sprites seen from over the shoulder of one of the fighters. The title of the game refers to the famous boxing magazine, The Ring, which the game is licensed to associate itself with. The following famous middleweight boxers are represented in the game: Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Durán, Thomas Hearns, James Toney, Marvin Hagler, Jake LaMotta, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Rocky Graziano.

1988 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Dragon Quest III, Super Contra, Super Mario Bros. 2, Mega Man 2, Double Dragon II: The Revenge, and Super Mario Bros. 3, along with new titles such as Assault, Altered Beast, Capcom Bowling, Ninja Gaiden, RoboCop, Winning Run and Chase H.Q.

1985 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Super Mario Bros. and Kung Fu, along with new titles such as Commando, Duck Hunt, Gauntlet, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Gradius, Hang-On, Space Harrier, Tetris and The Way of the Exploding Fist. The year's highest-grossing arcade video games were Hang-On and Karate Champ in the United States, and Commando in the United Kingdom. The year's best‑selling home system was the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom) for the second year in a row, while the year's best‑selling home video game was Super Mario Bros.

<i>Urban Champion</i> 1984 video game

Urban Champion (アーバンチャンピオン) is a fighting video game developed and published by Nintendo in 1984. It was first released for the Famicom and Nintendo VS. System for arcades in 1984, and later released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America and Europe in 1986. It was inspired by the 1984 Game & Watch game Boxing. It is Nintendo's first 2D fighting game, eventually followed in 1993 by Joy Mech Fight, released exclusively in Japan for the Famicom.

<i>Super Punch-Out!!</i> (arcade game) 1984 video game

Super Punch-Out!! is a 1984 arcade boxing game by Nintendo. The sequel to Punch-Out!!, it follows the same format while adding several new features and characters. Along with punching, blocking and dodging, players also have the ability to duck. The game also saves and displays the three fastest knockout times, while the game's difficulty is increased.

<i>Super Punch-Out!!</i> 1994 video game

Super Punch-Out!! is a boxing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released on September 14, 1994 in North America and again in the same region in 1996. It was released in Europe on January 26, 1995 for the same console and in Japan in 1998 for the Super Famicom through the Nintendo Power flash RAM cartridge series. The game is also included in the GameCube version of Fight Night Round 2 as an extra game due to the inclusion of Little Mac in the game. The game was released for the Wii's Virtual Console in Europe on March 20, 2009, in North America on March 30, 2009, and in Japan on July 7, 2009. The game was also released on the New Nintendo 3DS eShop on May 5, 2016. Nintendo re-released Super Punch-Out!! in the United States in September 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition. It is the fourth game in the Punch-Out!! series, taking place after the Punch-Out!! game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

<i>Pac-Attack</i> 1993 puzzle video game

Pac-Attack, also known as Pac-Panic, is a 1993 falling-tile puzzle video game developed and published by Namco for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis. Versions for the Game Boy, Game Gear and Philips CD-i were also released. The player is tasked with clearing out blocks and ghosts without them stacking to the top of the playfield — blocks can be cleared by matching them in horizontal rows, while ghosts can be cleared by placing down a Pac-Man piece that can eat them. It is the first game in the Pac-Man series to be released exclusively for home platforms.

<i>Fatal Fury 2</i> 1992 video game

Fatal Fury 2, known as Garō Densetsu 2: Aratanaru Tatakai in Japan, is a 1992 fighting video game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms, and later ported to several other home systems. It is the sequel to Fatal Fury: King of Fighters (1991) and the second game in the Fatal Fury franchise. Its updated version, Fatal Fury Special, was released in 1993.

<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>Final Blow</i> 1988 video game

Final Blow is a boxing arcade video game released in 1988 by Taito. The name remained the same for all ported platforms, except for the Sega Genesis versions, which Sega released outside Japan as James 'Buster' Douglas Knockout Boxing featuring Buster Douglas himself in 1990 immediately after his upset victory over Mike Tyson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Mac</span> Main character of the Punch-Out video game series

Little Mac is a fictional boxer and the protagonist in Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series of video games. He first appeared in the Arcade game Punch-Out!!. He is the smallest and youngest of all the boxers in the games, being only 17 years old across all Punch-Out!! games. His signature attack is the "STAR Punch". His design was changed for the SNES Super Punch-Out!!, but reverted to his original design in the Wii title. In the NES and Wii games, Little Mac is accompanied by Doc Louis, his trainer.

<i>Punch-Out!!</i> Video game series

Punch-Out!! is a video game series of boxing created by Nintendo's general manager Genyo Takeda, and his partner Makoto Wada. It was originally created, because Nintendo had too many TV screens lying around in their warehouse, due to buying an abundance of them after the success of the Donkey Kong. Genyo Takeda was consulted as to what to make, and he suggested a boxing game. Thus Punch-Out!! was born.

Punch-Out!! is a series of boxing video games created by Genyo Takeda and Makoto Wada, and published by Nintendo. The main protagonist and player character of the series is Little Mac, a short boxer from the Bronx who climbs the ranks of the fictional World Video Boxing Association (WVBA) by challenging various opponents. These opponents come from different countries and feature various ethnic stereotypes associated with their place of origin.

<i>Boxing</i> (1990 video game) 1990 video game

Boxing (ボクシング) is a boxing video game, developed by Tose and published by Tonkin House which was released in 1990.

<i>The Final Round</i> 1988 video game

The Final Round, released in Japan as Hard Puncher, is a boxing arcade game released by Konami in 1988.

<i>Cosmo Gang the Puzzle</i> 1992 video game

Cosmo Gang the Puzzle is a 1992 falling block puzzle arcade video game developed and published by Namco worldwide. The third game in its Cosmo Gang series, succeeding that year's Cosmo Gang the Video, players stack groups of blocks and aliens known as Jammers in a vertical-oriented well. The objective is to clear as many objects on the screen before they reach the top of the screen. Blocks are cleared by aligning them into complete horizontal rows, while Jammers are cleared by defeating them with blue-colored spheres.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 17, 114–5. ISBN   978-4990251215.
  2. ↑ Petska-Juliussen, Karen; Juliussen, Egil (1990). The Computer Industry Almanac 1990. New York: Brady. pp. 3.10–11. ISBN   978-0-13-154122-1.
  3. ↑ Staff (November 1989). "Chart-Busters; SPA Platinum". Game Players . No. 5. p. 112.
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.