''Boxing'' is a
video game
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
interpretation of the sport of
boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
, developed by programmer
Bob Whitehead for the Atari VCS (later renamed to the
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...
).
It was published by
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...
in 1980 and is one of the first video games developed by Activision. The game is based on ''Boxer'', an unreleased 1978 arcade game from Whitehead's previous employer,
Atari, Inc. ''Boxer'' was written by Mike Albaugh who also wrote ''Drag Race'' for Atari, a game cloned by Activision as ''
Dragster''.
Gameplay
''Boxing'' shows a top-down view of two boxers, one white and one black. When close enough, a boxer can hit his opponent with a punch (executed by pressing the fire button on the Atari
joystick
A joystick, sometimes called a flight stick, is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Also known as the control column, it is the principal control devic ...
). This causes his opponent to reel back slightly. Long punches score one point, while closer punches (power punches, from the manual) score two. There are no knockdowns or rounds. A match is completed either when one player lands 100 punches (a "knockout") or two minutes have elapsed (a "decision"). In the case of a decision, the player with the most landed punches is the winner. Ties are possible.
While the gameplay is simple, there are subtleties, such as getting an opponent on the "ropes" and "juggling" him back and forth between alternate punches.
Reception
''Boxing'' was reviewed by ''Video'' magazine in its "Arcade Alley" column where it was described as "demonstrat
ngActivision's willingness to strike out boldly in new directions" and praised for keeping things from "becoming needlessly complex" by making automatic punch-type selection for the player.
Legacy
''Boxing'' was made available on Microsoft's ''
Game Room
Game Room was a video game compilation developed by Krome Studios and published by Microsoft Studios for the Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Windows Phone 7. Launched on March 24, 2010, Game Room let players download classic video games and co ...
'' service in 2010.
In 2011, an extended academic version of the game, called ''Clever Boxer'', was developed as a benchmark for
game AI
In video games, artificial intelligence (AI) is used to generate responsive, adaptive or intelligent behaviors primarily in non-playable characters (NPCs) similar to human-like intelligence. Artificial intelligence has been an integral part ...
.
''Boxing'' was shown briefly being played in the
Season 8 The Walking Dead episode
The Big Scary U.
''Boxing'' was featured as an Easter egg minigame in ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War''.
See also
*
List of Atari 2600 games
*
List of Activision games: 1980–1999
References
{{reflist, refs=
[{{cite web, title=The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers, url=http://dadgum.com/giantlist/, last1=Hague, first1=James]
External links
*
Boxing' at
AtariAge
1980 video games
Activision games
Boxing video games
Atari 2600 games
Atari 2600-only games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Top-down video games
Video games developed in the United States