Ring King
Encyclopedia
Ring King, known in the PAL region
s as King of Boxer, and known in Japan
as , is an arcade
boxing game originally developed and published by Woodplace, Inc. in the PAL regions in , and later published by Data East
in North America
the same year.
who makes his way from his debut to become a world champion. 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.
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.
. 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.
(Famicom
in Japan) in by Data East's arcade-to-NES converter, Sakata SAS, which was published by Data East in North America, and by Namco
in Japan. Sony
later ported it to the MSX2
exclusively in Japan in . The Famicom and MSX2 versions were released as the third game of the Family sports game series, after Family Stadium
and Family Jocky for the Famicom in Japan by Namco as . The game was later converted into an i-mode
mobile phone application and released exclusively in January 2004
by Namco.
The NES/Famicom version of Ring King/Family Boxing created some controversy because the boxers' cornermen appear to be performing fellatio
on them between rounds. Though the scene was only intended to show the cornermen placing the Foul Cup into the boxer's trunks, the graphical limiations of the NES made the scene appear questionable. The boxers may also appear to be hugging as they grapple because of the NES's limitaions.
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PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
s as King of Boxer, and known in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as , is an arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
boxing game originally developed and published by Woodplace, Inc. in the PAL regions in , and later published by Data East
Data East
also abbreviated as DECO, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
the same year.
Gameplay
The game continues the series' theme of comical sports as the player takes the role of a boxerBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who makes his way from his debut to become a world champion. 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.
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 topTop
A top is a toy that can be spun on an axis, balancing on a point. This motion is produced in the most simple forms of top by twirling the stem using the fingers. More sophisticated tops are spun by by holding the axis firmly while pulling a string or twisting a stick or pushing an auger as shown...
. 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 SystemNintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(Famicom
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
in Japan) in by Data East's arcade-to-NES converter, Sakata SAS, which was published by Data East in North America, and by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
in Japan. Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
later ported it to the MSX2
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
exclusively in Japan in . The Famicom and MSX2 versions were released as the third game of the Family sports game series, after Family Stadium
RBI Baseball
R.B.I. Baseball is a baseball video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System . It was developed by Namco and published by Tengen and originally released in 1987. RBI spawned two sequels on the NES as well as versions for the Mega Drive/Genesis, TurboGrafx-16 , Sega 32X, Commodore Amiga, Super...
and Family Jocky for the Famicom in Japan by Namco as . The game was later converted into an i-mode
I-mode
NTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocol, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail and the packet-switched network that delivers the data...
mobile phone application and released exclusively in January 2004
2004 in video gaming
-Events:*January 20 — Wireds Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Duke Nukem Forever.*March 4 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame*March 22-26 — Game...
by Namco.
Controversy
Fellatio
Fellatio is an act of oral stimulation of a male's penis by a sexual partner. It involves the stimulation of the penis by the use of the mouth, tongue, or throat. The person who performs fellatio can be referred to as the giving partner, and the other person is the receiving partner...
on them between rounds. Though the scene was only intended to show the cornermen placing the Foul Cup into the boxer's trunks, the graphical limiations of the NES made the scene appear questionable. The boxers may also appear to be hugging as they grapple because of the NES's limitaions.
External links
- Arcade versions
}
- Ring King at arcade-history
- King of Boxer at arcade-history
- NES version