Fight Night Round 3 (Xbox 360)
Published by Electronic Arts
Rated Teen for Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

A few weeks back at a Microsoft keynote speech, Bill Gates challenged Steve Ballmer to a friendly boxing match. No, the two super-executives weren't really going to duke it out on stage; rather they would do it virtually--showcasing the graphical power of the Xbox 360 gaming console with EA Game's Fight Night Round 3. The third in a series of realistic boxing games, Fight Night Round 3 delivers new gameplay and a very next-generation appearance.

I'll start with the graphics on this one, as ultimately they are the game's main selling point. In a word, they're phenomenal. Every part of the game has received a good deal of treatment, down to the audience which, in my opinion, is the best looking I've seen in any sports game to date. Likewise, the arenas are picture perfect. A very well done replica of Madison Square Garden, being the most impressive of them.

The boxers are very life-like, as well. All of the greats are here--from Ali to Robinson--rendered in perfect form. The high-definition shimmer of glistening sweat on the backs of ripped boxers is indeed an impressive sight, and a testament to what the Xbox 360, even this early in development, is capable of. And for those with good enough televisions, Fight Night outputs in glorious 1080i--perfect for showing off your new HD-TV. When the game goes slow-mo after you deliver a devastating haymaker and you watch as shockwaves travel across your opponent's blood and sweat covered face, you're suddenly reminded as to why you spent so much money on the 360.

On the control side of things, Fight Night Round 3 adds what is called 'Total Punch Control.' Although the scheme is customizable, the default mode uses the 360 controller's right analog stick for executing the various punches. Swinging the stick upwards to the right, for instance, will make your boxer swing a devastating right hook. This is also combined with the right trigger that, when held down, allows you to block incoming hits. Learning this new control method takes a bit of time (and like I said, you have the option to go back to A,B,X,Y buttons), but once you get the hang of it, I found that I could more accurately land punches with greater frequency. Though I did find my thumb slipping from the analog stick on occasion, causing the skin to grow raw after a few hours of gameplay.

The game modes for Fight Night Round 3 include a quick-start, arcade style fight, career mode (in which you create and train a boxer of your choosing), and what's called ESPN Classic. In this last mode, you can play out the greatest boxing match-ups in history. From Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Carmen Basillio to Ali vs. Frazier, for a non-boxing fan like myself, it made for a nice history lesson of sorts. And like all good 360 games, Fight Night offers Xbox Live multiplayer, as well.

On the downside, the in-game announcer gets terribly repetitive. Even more so than in other EA Sports games. He has a very limited set of phrases, almost no range in voice, and many times will say something that doesn't fit with the situation. Also, the hip-hop intensive soundtrack, although OK in moderation, gets tiresome as well. We have yet to see any integration of custom soundtracks in a Xbox 360 game, and I think it would have worked well here in Fight Night.

In all, for boxing and non-boxing fans alike, Fight Night Round 3 will provide plenty of high-def entertainment. The mere shock value of the slow-motion punching effects will alone warrant plenty of replayability. If you're bored with World War II combat and car racing on your 360, EA Game's Fight Night Round 3 is just what you're looking for.

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