Where have all the comedy boxing titles gone? Majesco’s Black & Bruised is something of a spiritual sequel to Ready 2 Rumble, and anybody who steps into the ring on the PS2 and GameCube won’t be able to help having a good time. Black & Bruised plays on archetypes—the 19 fighters (five of which must be unlocked) include a California girl, a biker chick, a feisty Irishman, an ex-con, an aristocrat, and so forth. Each has a Boxer’s Life story mode, but basically, they’re here to hit each other. The arresting, cel-shaded visuals really shine, further enhanced by excellent animation. Especially in a fast-paced sport like boxing, it’s impressive to see a “novelty” title take such a serious approach to making sure that flurries of punches flow freely into one another. Cartoon approach notwithstanding, it looks equally gorgeous on both systems. However, the voice acting could be more polished—it sounds like the developers filled out extra roles with their friends instead of real actors. Crowd sounds loop too frequently and, for whatever reason, all punches sound uncannily like slamming car doors—but at least they convey impact. Training mode teaches you the combos, but getting the timing down takes some practice. The controls feel super-responsive on both the PS2 and GameCube, so anyone who does take the time to learn the combos will be rewarded. Unfortunately, they’re insanely long and the game is just as friendly to button mashers. With plenty of gameplay modes, secret fighters, and varied styles, there’s a good chunk of replay value here. Black & Bruised isn’t Knockout Kings, but it doesn’t try to be, and it certainly doesn’t have to be. All it has to be is fun and engaging, and on those levels, Black & Bruised succeeds.
