Joystiq

Facebreaker to allow breaking of Peter Moore's face

Griffin McElroy — 2008-07-20T18:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sports

We're not exactly sure why anyone would want to punch EA Sports' charismatic figurehead, Peter Moore -- especially in his cherubesque face. Still, we guess it's nice to have that opportunity available, should you someday develop a strong Moore aversion. However, traveling to Pete's home and mercilessly pummeling him would likely be a costly and illegal venture -- luckily, EA's upcoming Facebreaker will reportedly allow you to perform a beatdown upon a digital representation of Moore's visage, free of travel expenses and assault charges.

At their E3 booth, Electronic Arts revealed that Moore's face had been scanned and entered into the game using the title's boxer creation feature. EA mentioned to gaming blog ButtonMasher that Moore's face will make it into the final retail version of Facebreaker, perhaps as an unlockable character. We'll politely abstain from exercising our pugilistic prowess on the exec, though admittedly, we wouldn't mind seeing how the tattooed spokesman held up in the ring.

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FaceBreaker to pummel retail shelves September 5

Jason Dobson — 2008-06-18T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sports

Living room pugilists can finally circle a date on their calender, provided they can hold a pen while wearing gloves, as GameSpot reports that Electronic Arts plans to ship its arcadey boxing title FaceBreaker for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii on September 5.

As the first title to emerge from EA's newly launched Freestyle brand, the game promises over-the-top ringside heroics. FaceBreaker is a game that continues to remain on our radar as one of our more anticipated games at next month's E3, though honestly we're conflicted if this has more to do with the title's tooned-out gameplay or simply the opportunity to uppercut Peter Moore.

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Seen @ NYC: Women bar fight over Wii

Majed Athab — 2008-06-14T16:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, Nintendo Wii, Sports, Casual, Galleries

Click for high-resolution version

This may seem like a raunchy story -- the kind of catfight tale ending with broken nails and torn clothing. We were sort of expecting such scuffles to happen as seven beautiful ladies tussled this past Thursday night over at a Manhattan bar & restaurant called Sutton Place. Alas, we didn't get to see anything underlyingly lewd, but there were certainly enough sweaty bods to drive the male crowd into a frenzy.

Taking part in a Nintendo publicity stunt called "Wii Box in the City," these women tested out their gaming aptitude and fighting skills in a Wii Sports boxing tourney to win a Wii system. The night was wild all night as crowds of supporters cheered and jeered. It came down to Mari (in blue) and Regina (in yellow) for the championship. We caught up with Mari before the big fight; she told us about her Wii experience: "I've played Wii before. It's like a workout." Regina on the other hand had never played the Wii before, while both ladies never had any gaming experience beyond that.

Soon, it was time for the final fight. The two fought bravely, but in the end Regina won with a knock out. "Oh my god, you won!" exclaimed May, Regina's best friend, whose excitement was like that of a kid on Christmas morning. Regina gave her winning prize over to May who continued to laud her bestest friend: "She really killed it! She's the bestest friend ever!" Who knew that gaming and bar fights could bring friends closer together?

Gallery: Wii Box in the City

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Uwe Boll confirms 'Boll vs. Bay' brawl, Michael Bay denies accepting Boll's challenge

Griffin McElroy — 2008-05-03T11:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture

Those who were wishing to actually witness a few rounds of fisticuffs between crummy filmmaker Uwe Boll and occasionally crummy filmmaker Michael Bay (following Boll's challenge last weekend) have certainly ridden a rollercoaster of excitement and disappointment these past few days. We admit, we got pretty pumped after viewing the above video, a supposed confirmation that Bay had accepted Boll's terms, and that the two would meet in the ring -- unfortunately, this directorial showdown isn't in the cards (much to Boll's chagrin, we're sure).

An administrator on Michael Bay's official forums recently talked to the blockbuster poster boy (currently doing post-production work for "The Horsemen") who denied accepting Boll's challenge, and claimed he'd never spoken directly with Boll in the first place. We can't help but wonder -- is this another publicity stunt for the antagonized franchise-wrecker in light of the May 23 U.S. release for "Postal", or has Uwe finally lost his damn mind? Little from Column A, little from Column B.

[Thanks, Fernando]

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Uwe Boll thinks Michael Bay 'sucks big time', wants to fight

Griffin McElroy — 2008-04-27T11:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, Fighting

We were always taught to "use our words" to solve disputes between our peers and colleagues; but we guess if your words are ogreish and oft-incomprehensible, your fists will have to do. That's right -- Uwe Boll, much like the honor-bruised 1800 presidential candidate Aaron Burr, has officially donned the boxing gloves he wore in the Webcritic Massacre of 2006 (and while he wrote the script for "Postal", we assume) and challenged the king of summer blockbusters, Michael Bay, to twelve rounds in the ring.

No offense, Bay -- we loved "Bad Boys 2", but you'll forgive us for putting our money on Boll's massive ham-fists. What that guy lacks in movie making ability and social graces, he more than makes up with his pugilistic proclivities.

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Don King's Prizefighter gets Balance Board training games

Kyle Orland — 2008-04-16T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Sports

When none other than Reggie announced that the Wii Fit Balance Board was being used in "over ten" games currently in development, we probably should have made the connection with Don King vanity project Prizefighter. Well, we didn't, but, luckily, the developers at Venom Games did, revealing in an interview with CVG that their game will include Balance Board-compatible training games designed by "top boxing trainers."

The interview doesn't go into many details, but it does mention a "jump rope game" which involves bouncing on the Balance Board with "the Wii Remote in your back pocket." Developing a joke asking whether that pocket Remote indicates we're "just happy to see you" is left as an exercise for the reader.

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Observify this spectaculous new trailer for 2K's Prizefighter

Griffin McElroy — 2008-04-13T13:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Fighting, Sports

We know that 2K Sports' upcoming stab at the world of professional pugilism, Don King Presents: Prizefighter, is the only official video game endorsed by the titular, wispy-haired promoter -- which is a damn shame, if you ask us. Far too often, incredible games fly under the radar of the mainstream commercial market -- if only Ubisoft had the foresight to release Don King Presents: Beyond Good & Evil, and let the world's second greatest hype man work his magic. "You'll be photographizing and pulverizing alien baddies with astonishing robustitude!"

Alas, 2K was the only developer intelligent enough to cash in on the boxing bigwig -- and it looks like they've got a game to back up the King's boasts. Sure, it's not as pretty as Fight Night Round 3, but with fast-paced brawling and training sequences that hearken back to the beloved Ready 2 Rumble series, we're filled with anticipationalism to step into the ring come June 10.

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EA's Facebreaker trailer makes its debut, lacks gameplay

Griffin McElroy — 2008-02-09T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Fighting

We've been entranced with EA's Facebreaker since they announced it a little over a week ago. With its lighthearted attitude and Fight Night Round 3 meets Team Fortress 2 visuals, we can't help but hearken back to long summer nights spent playing Ready 2 Rumble Boxing on the Dreamcast. However, we shouldn't get our hopes up without knowing anything about the gameplay, which, unfortunately, this "world premier" from GameTrailers doesn't really shed much light on. I guess we'll have to wait until the game is fully detailed in the March issue of EGM before we'll know if we can ever relive our Days of Afro Thunder.

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EA reveals 'Facebreaker,' a tooned-up Fight Night

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-01-31T05:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sports

Are you Ready 2 Rumble? "No," says EA's newly announced boxing game, Facebreaker. "But I do feature real-time facial deformation and a lighthearted approach to pugilistic pummeling! So really, I'm more like a Fight Night cel-out." According to the folks at 1UP, Facebreaker is being developed by EA Canada for release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. Says EA's Peter Moore: "Arcade boxing takes me back to my roots in this industry, and this game signals our shift to adding more approachable fun to our product lineup."

Those approaching the fun will find an inevitably "colorful" cast of playable caricatures to choose from, including "Latin lover" Romeo and "an oversized Russian demolitions expert" called Molotov. If you'd prefer to have your own face broken, you can either integrate a personal photo via Game Face technology or simply wear your Tingle costume when buying the game from the store.

More Facebreaker details can be found in the March 2008 issue of EGM.

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2K pulls wraps off Don King Presents: Prizefighter

Justin McElroy — 2007-12-10T10:20:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sports

So, how does Don King spend his time when he's not killing dudes, crafting boxing superstars or randomly appearing on the VGAs? Well, he's down in his basement crafting video games, of course! Next spring, the fruits of his labor, Don King Presents: Prizefighter will finally be loosed upon the world thanks to 2K Games. Helping Don out will be 2K developer Venom Games (the guys that did Rocky and Rocky Legends).

Though the game will include the boxing you'd expect, players will apparently also be challenged with "overcoming adversity and avoiding temptation." Though we're intrigued by the "real-life fight scenarios, story-driven gameplay and photo-realistic graphics" the press release promises, there's a bigger question on our minds: This thing's only coming to Xbox 360, Wii and DS. Why is the PS3 not getting any love?

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Joystiq impressions: Victorious Boxers: Revolution

Zack Stern — 2007-09-12T07:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, Nintendo Wii, Action, Fighting, Simulations, Sports, Exergaming, Galleries

With a projected late-September U.S. release, Wii-only Victorious Boxers: Revolution dukes it out for the best Wii sports title. I recently played a nearly complete localization of the June-released Japanese original, and Victorious Boxers is clearly different than Wii Sports Boxing. While Americans may think the manga art-style should appeal mostly to kids, the animation and physicality are viciously pitched to an older crowd. You're not trying to bowl over your opponent with kindness after all.

The boxing mechanics were harder to gauge than the catchy art. I relied on the two-fisted, motion-only control scheme, although the game offers five other ways to play. After a lot of wild flailing, I felt like I had a general sense of my character. But I never felt like my swings were perfectly interpreted. Hopefully, after an hour or two, players will learn how to move. But while Victorious Boxers easily held my interest, I couldn't predict if this will be a perfect translation between physical moves and game action. At some point, I wonder if the Wii controllers can handle one-to-one motion mapping for fast games.

Gallery: Victorious Boxers: Revolution

I first noticed the Victorious Boxers art, animation, and style. The game looks sharp and clear in widescreen 480p. All of the characters and backgrounds are bold. (The long-running game is based on an animated, Japanese TV property, Fighting Spirit.) In-game animation and visuals excel, selling the boxing experience.

Victorious Boxers ditches the health-meter dynamic of other fighting games, instead forcing players to keep track of their wobble, blood, and bruises to gauge stamina. And the intense swings, knock-downs, and connections are far more adult-oriented than Wii Boxing. Instant replays looked exciting, sometimes making me cringe, just like real boxing. The T-rating is pushed to its hottest.

Players choose between six control schemes to work through the single-player story. You begin with access to a few boxers, but eventually unlock 25 characters for use in the single- or multiplayer game. Players swing with their fists in the primary control mode while occasionally pushing buttons to activate super punches. A secondary swing-mode steers the boxer with the analog stick, but otherwise uses the punching motion. Two pointing schemes use the Wiimote to target opponents and buttons to attack. And even the Classic Controller and GameCube gamepads are supported, for motion-free boxing.

I swung with one of the basic, motion schemes and had a hard time steering my boxer. I had to point the controllers forward to move ahead, but if I held my hands up to defend, the game thought I was trying to backpedal. (Unlike Wii Boxing, one of the buttons activates defense, so my motion was habit, not necessity.) I got more used to the system but never had clear control over the hooks and uppercuts; my style relied on jabs and flailing.

After more time, maybe the motion controls will feel better, or maybe steering the boxer with the thumbstick will be the best method. I had fun swinging against other journalists in two-player bouts, especially because of the great art and animation. But I'll have to spend more time playing before conclusively deciding if any of the control schemes -- hopefully the swinging ones -- trump Wii Boxing's flailing-but-fun approach. Look for XSeed's fighting game at the end of September.

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Wii Boxing helps get injured boxer back on his feet

Justin McElroy — 2007-05-21T11:58:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, Nintendo Wii, Sports

The CBC reports that Canada's Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital is having a lot of success using the Wii to help hours of physical therapy fly by. The point is illustrated with the story of Albert Liaw, a boxer who suffered a brain injury in the ring that left him wheelchair-bound. But after four-and-a-half months, he was back on his feet.

His therapist, Don Simoneau, gives much of the credit to the Wii, saying "now when I see him playing today it's incredible to think back to where he was." The article goes on to say that Glenrose is the only rehab center in Canada to use the Wii, but doesn't mention if they're just the only place that could find one.

[Via GamePolitics]

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Ready 2 Rumble 2 Return on multiple platforms

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2007-03-02T17:15:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Fighting, Sports

Though esteemed game designers fight to deny it, a great deal of modern games are built upon the solid foundation of human beings punching each other in the face. Swords, guns, and uncharacteristically aggressive dolphins are occasionally added to the mix, but handheld weapons simply pale in comparison to the might and satisfaction imparted by unassisted knuckles hurtling into an opponent's surprised jaw. Upholding this fine tradition is 10Tacle Studios, which today announced a third game in the Ready 2 Rumble boxing franchise.

Further details are practically non-existent, save for the fact that it will be appearing on "various videogame platforms." The Ready 2 Rumble series, which first stepped into the ring during 1999's Dreamcast daze, was adored for its amusing characters, over-the-top boxing action and, as mentioned earlier, its entertaining depiction of people punching each other. In the face.

The game will be developed in conjunction with AKI Corporation, the Japanese group responsible for several entries in the Def Jam and WWF Wrestlemania franchises.

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Fight Night producer ponders Wii version

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2007-02-12T15:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Sports

If you've grown tired of furiously pummeling those smiling Miis in Wii Boxing, there's hope for you yet. Speaking to Gabriel Montoya of Doghouseboxing.com, the producer of Fight Night Round 3 explains that a Wii entry into the fisticuff franchise is currently being discussed within the towering offices of EA. "We're contemplating and we definitely feel there are some exciting things we can do with the Fight Night franchise and the Wii," says Michael Blank.

"When you play Wii Boxing it is a very simple experience and I think that is what they designed it to be just to let you know that you can throw punches. With Fight Night we have an amazing simulation of Boxing and so we need to take those Wii controls and tailor it to what the Fight Night consumer might want to experience." Though nothing definitive has been announced, Fight Night Round Wii seems like an inevitability.

With SSX Blur showing EA's willingness to embrace an alternative control set and Wii Boxing providing a solid, albeit simplistic boxing example, the way is paved. Even if it is with bloody teeth.

[Via CVG]

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Wii Power Gloves? Nope.

James Ransom-Wiley — 2007-02-07T01:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Sports, Peripherals

What's more useless: plastic shove-on attachments or boxing gloves with Wiimote pockets? We suppose those attachments are, but these 'un-official' Wii boxing gloves rank among the lamest of 3rd-party peripherals.

Maybe if you have a tendency to fling your Wiimote the gloves are $22 well spent; then again, Wii Sports' boxing requires players to hold the Wiimote vertically. You won't be punching with these gloves on; you'll be knocking on doors. Awkward.

A better Wii "Power Glove": Wii Remote Power Glove Hack

[Via VideoGamesBlogger]

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The world's cutest little Wii Sports boxer

Kyle Orland — 2006-11-22T16:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Sports

With families gathering together for the Thanksgiving holiday, we expect thousands of relatives to be exposed to the joys of Wii Sports for the first time this weekend. We have to warn you, though, that no matter how cute you think it is to watch your family members flailing around with the Wii remote, there's no way their performance will live up to this video of an extremely excited four-year-old Wii Sports boxer.

Think you can do better? Send us your embarrassing videos of family members trying out the Wii or PS3 for the first time and show the world that your genes come from a more mortifying source than anyone else's.

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"Pac-Man" vs. Morales, Act III

James Ransom-Wiley — 2006-11-18T20:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, Sports

In just a few minutes, Act III of Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao and Erik Morales storied rivalry will be underway in Las Vegas (on pay-per-view). Boxers tend to have nicknames that arouse fear -- "The Executioner," "Bonecrusher," "Razor," "The Beast" -- but Pac-Man? The name might elicit a chuckle, but don't underestimate Pacquiao, the Philippines' "National Fist" has been eating his pellets.

Prediction: Pac-Man by TKO in six.

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Uwe Boll does something awful to another critic

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2006-09-25T21:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, Hacks, Exergaming

Anti-filmmaker Uwe Boll has beaten another one of his critics completely senseless -- and this time it was in a boxing ring, not a darkened cinema. Richard "Lowtax" Kyanka of Something Awful infamy was the second to fall to the raging Boll's flying fists in a PR-driven series of boxing matches. Like any dignified artist, Boll vowed to silence critics by punching them in the face, proving once and for all that ... well, we're not sure what exactly this proves. We know he's a good boxer, at least.

In a video interview after the match, Kyanka amusingly points out that he now detests Uwe Boll not as a movie misdirector, but as a human being. According to the pummeled pundit, Boll offered to give his victims training beforehand and promised that his punches would be just for show. Quite apparently, that was not the case (video embedded after the break). Regardless, it now becomes clear that critics played right into Boll's gloved ham-hands. The selected participants arguably never stood a chance, something the video game violator well aware of in his struggle for Pyrrhic victory. Punching out a critic does not make his films any less craptacular and the whole fiasco has made him look like a fight-makes-right psychopath.

1UP contributor, Albert Art, snapped some pictures at the event and even conducted a brief interview with Boll. When asked why he continues to make video game films, Boll responds with an enlightening, "I keep doing video game based movies because look why not, all the comic-book get made into movies, even comics that sold 2000 copies there are movies out from it, why like big famous videos games shouldn't turn into movies." That about says it all.

[Thanks, albertart and VGM!]

Read - Something Awful's forum responds
Read - Albert Art's event coverage and interview
Watch - Video interview with Richard "Lowtax" Kyanka after the match
Watch - Boll's previous boxing match

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Internet casino sponsoring "Raging Boll" event

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2006-08-23T21:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, Fighting

Widely known for his anti-masterpieces, House of the Dead, Bloodrayne and Alone in the Dark, German film director Uwe Boll drew plenty of internet ire in June by sending out a public challenge to his (many, many) detractors. Like any civilized and intelligent human being, Boll decided that the best way to deal with those that disagreed with his artistic vision for videogame adaptations was to punch them in the face, grr! The invitation urged haters to fly to Vancouver and meet the German in the boxing ring for a one-on-one session of metaphorically rich pummeling. Internet casino Goldenpalace.com has issued a press release stating that they will be the ones to sponsor the event, now dubbed "Raging Boll."

Naturally, the prestige gained from having your event backed by an internet casino cannot be overstated. The joint's CEO, Richard Rowe, notes that Boll's attention grab is refreshingly ridiculous. "We receive so many outlandish offers for advertising exposure that it is refreshing to see something that surprises even us. That is why we decided to get involved. This has gotten so much attention so far, and we can't wait to see how it will turn out." Before starting proper on 23 September, Uwe will stop off in Spain to battle Carlos Palencia Jimenez-Arguello, a critic who has already vowed to Kill Boll (challenge video embedded in the latter section of the post). After that bout, Boll will face Something Awful's Richard "Lowtax" Kyanka, Jeff Sneider from Ain't It Cool News, Chris Alexander of Rue Morgue and Nelson Chance Minter from Website Critic.

All the fights will be filmed for inclusion in Boll's Postal film, no doubt rendered vaguely entertaining by showing his face deteriorating over the course of the event. It may even prove to be beneficial to his career -- a few brutal blows to the head might be just the thing to bring him to his senses. Perhaps then he'll realize how difficult it is to hold on to credibility when you've got boxing gloves on your hands.

[Via GameSetWatch]

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Game immersion and you: TV Fighter

Adams Briscoe — 2006-05-12T13:45:00+00:00

Filed under: E3

With the Nintendo Wii interface, gamers are beginning to recognize the importance of a this new level of innovation. However we are also beginning to understand that it's going to take some time for developers to bring this type of immersion into a more unambiguous experience for everyone.

Tucked away within the bowels of E3 was SDW Games and their TV Fighter. As you can see from the picture, the gamer controls it with boxing gloves. Theoretically, this could have been really fun, but what is it about cheaply made peripherals that seem to completely take away the experience?
If you were expecting Fight Night type graphics, then sorry. In this particular case though, I don't feel graphics even matter. Had the boxing gloves been made a little better, the 2D aesthetics wouldn't have deterred from the overall experience.

Unfortunately, the gloves feel like they fell out of a vending machine and don't control much better either. The game could have been a lot more if the technology driving it (the control interface, that is) was up to par with at least the Wiimote technology. Even then it might not have performed as well.

This begs the questions: Are we, as gamers, expecting too much from these types of immersive technologies? Or are game developers intentionally choosing to hold back on the hardware, which detracts from the experience?

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