''4D Sports Boxing'' is a 3D

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

of the ''4D Sports'' series, with motion capture animation, developed by

Distinctive Software Distinctive Software Inc. (''DSI'') was a Canadian video game developer established in Burnaby, British Columbia, by Don Mattrick and Jeff Sember after their success with the game ''Evolution''. Mattrick (age 17) and Jeff Sember approached Sydney ...

. The game is part of the ''4D Sports'' series along with '' 4D Sports Driving'' and '' 4D Sports Tennis''.

Gameplay

The game features stylized boxers in polygon-based graphics, composed of triangles, some with names suggestive of non-fictional people. All opponent boxers have different fighting styles: some prefer to attack, some to counter-attack. Some (like Smokin' Joe Blow) have great punching power, some have amazing speed; The Champ has nearly perfect attributes. The game is regarded as one of earliest, and possibly first, 3D head-to-head

fighting game A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...

s. The player can choose which attributes of the playable boxer's attributes to improve: speed, power or stamina. While fighting, different tactics and strategies can be used, like all-out attacks, counter-attacks, dodging, etc. Sometimes fights end in a unanimous decision, even 15 round fights. Draws and disqualifications are also possibilities.

Development

The game was published by Mindscape in June 1991 for

IBM PC compatible IBM PC compatible computers are similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT, all from computer giant IBM, that are able to use the same software and expansion cards. Such computers were referred to as PC clones, IBM clones or IBM PC clones. ...

Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and ...

Atari ST The Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the Atari 8-bit family. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985 and was widely available in July. It was the first pers ...

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...

, and Fujitsu FM Towns Marty. The Macintosh version has slightly better graphics with a smaller screen size. An improved version was published in February 1992 by

Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the d ...

. It has different music, introductions, and adds pupils to the boxers' eyes. The FM Towns Marty version is based on this version, but with higher quality sound.

Reception

Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American computer game magazine published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 1993. It expanded greatly through ...

'' stated that the polygon graphics were strange-looking but very accurately modeled boxers' bodies and punches. The magazine concluded that "''4D Boxing'' is an excellent and thoroughly enjoyable game with an effective representation of boxing skills ... a welcome and often-played addition to any sports game library". That year the magazine named it one of the year's best sports games. In 1994, ''

PC Gamer US ''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games ma ...

'' named ''4D Boxing'' the 47th best computer game ever.

References

External links

*{{moby game, id=/4d-boxing, name=''4-D Boxing'' 1991 video games Amiga games Atari ST games Boxing video games DOS games FM Towns games Classic Mac OS games Video games developed in Canada Video games scored by Jeff van Dyck Distinctive Software games Single-player video games