Casual Sport Series: Boxing Review

I haven’t played a boxing game in quite some time. I love them as they are challenging, brutish, and they get the adrenaline pumping. There is nothing better than an underdog story, and that’s why everyone loves the Rocky franchise. When I was offered Casual Sport Series: Boxing, I couldn’t wait to get started.

Revulo Games developed this hard-hitting sports experience. It has an arcade edge, and it can be enjoyed alone or against a friend on your couch. This old-school approach was fantastic as I loved the banter that accompanied the action. Despite its short playtime, I enjoyed the variety of boxers, the big boss fights, and the minor gameplay tweaks.

Rise from the bottom to the top in Casual Sport Series: Boxing.

The thought of being a no one and rising through the ranks is captivating and rewarding. Casual Sport Series: Boxing asks you to do this 6 times in a repetitive design that may deliver tedium. However, I didn’t mind as I loved linking combos, smashing faces, and becoming the next big thing.

Despite the lack of a deep and rich story, this sports title was reasonably interesting. Had the developer incorporated different backstories for each boxer, things would have been better. Moreover, a rivalry that intertwines each playthrough would have been simple to incorporate.

Career mode or quick play.

Unlike bigger sports sims, this one doesn’t offer loads of depth. Instead, you must focus on the 6 career playthroughs or quick play. The latter can be a great way to tackle the NPCs. Alternatively, you can use each successful career boxer against your friends. You can change the settings as well to match your needs.

Career mode is where you’ll spend most of your time. There are 5 main boss fights and plenty of undercards to test your skills. As you complete each fight, you are awarded a permanent upgrade to your skills. Additionally, as you take out a boss, you gain a perk. This is nicely balanced, as your opponents have these skills as well. Subsequently, you can’t steamroll your way through every fight.

Casual Sport Series: Boxing has its faults, but it looks great regardless.

Casual Sport Series: Boxing has incorporated a damage system that highlights bruising throughout the fight. This was a nice touch that added a little realism to the arcade edge. However, it could have taken things further, as there wasn’t enough gore for my liking. Despite this, it runs well, and the characters are larger than life. The audio is exactly what you’d expect from a boxing game. It is showy, loud, and OTT.

There are 2 control systems, and I used the default option. Unless you believe you’ll struggle, don’t simplify things. The default controls are great as you pick every shot you’ll make. Thankfully, the UI is clean, and the controller layout is easy to master. Therefore, it can be played by most gamers. Replay value isn’t a priority, sadly. The 6 careers can be completed in a handful of hours. Consequently, you’ll run out of reasons to return.

Casual Sport Series: Boxing is short but sweet.

I desperately wanted Casual Sport Series: Boxing to offer more depth. However, this wasn’t to be. Despite this shortcoming, I enjoyed my time with it. The fighting is aggressive and fun, and the career mode was interesting. Yes, it could have offered more, but so could many games. Accordingly, I like it and recommend you grab a copy from the Xbox store!