One of the biggest knocks on many of Android's apps and games is that they often lack the polish of their counterparts on competing platforms. Not so with Super KO Boxing 2 by Glu Mobile. Super KO Boxing 2 (SKB2) is an arcade boxing game in the same vein as the classic Punch Out!!! Series. Right off the bat, it becomes clear that SKB2's production value is a cut above the average Android game. Colors are vibrant, animations are smooth, and even the game's sounds are crisp.
SKB2 is feature-rich with 3 different game modes. Circuit is the game's standard single player mode where you must guide K.O Kid through 3 different circuits and 17 different boxers in order to become the undisputed champion. The game begins slowly, giving you a chance to learn the controls and then gradually ups the difficulty as you progress. For an arcade style boxer, the mechanics are fairly deep. The K.O Kid can throw high, low, and hook punches, block, dodge left or right, quick dash, perform Super Punches, and even taunt his opponents. In order to advance through the Circuit mode, you'll have to make use of literally all these moves to emerge victorious.
In addition to the deep Circuit mode, SKB2 also features Versus mode, where you can face off against any previously defeated fighter, Challenge mode, where you must defeat opponents under specific conditions, an Exhibition mode where you can go up against boxers not featured on the circuit, and even an Achievement system. Game performance was solid with no noticeable lag or unresponsiveness on my Nexus One running Android 2.1.
Despite this though, there are some shortcomings. SKB2's system from recovering from knockdowns has often been complained about by commenters on the Android Market. The game says that you must touch the center of the screen as the swirling numbers of the count align themselves. This is misleading though, as the correct timing is actually a split second sooner, before the numbers are aligned. After making this adjustment, I've been able to standup from knockdowns with almost perfect consistency. Many commenters on the Market have also given up on the game due to not being able to win against certain boxers. I myself have gotten stuck once (okay, maybe more than once) but Glu Mobile provides a very useful walkthrough (http://games.glu.com/blog/super-ko-boxing-2-strategy-guide) that explains all the strategies necessary to progress. The only other issue is the seemingly random game erases. I've lost my progress twice so far, but it may be related to closing the app via a taskiller. It may be safer to close the game through the back button until an exit prompt appears on screen.
All in all, Super KO Boxing 2 is excellent package, and a true knockout game on Android.
Pros:
High Production Values
Solid Controls
Feature Rich
FREE!
Cons:
No multiplayer
Random Game Erase
Final Score: 4.5 Stars
SKB2 is feature-rich with 3 different game modes. Circuit is the game's standard single player mode where you must guide K.O Kid through 3 different circuits and 17 different boxers in order to become the undisputed champion. The game begins slowly, giving you a chance to learn the controls and then gradually ups the difficulty as you progress. For an arcade style boxer, the mechanics are fairly deep. The K.O Kid can throw high, low, and hook punches, block, dodge left or right, quick dash, perform Super Punches, and even taunt his opponents. In order to advance through the Circuit mode, you'll have to make use of literally all these moves to emerge victorious.
In addition to the deep Circuit mode, SKB2 also features Versus mode, where you can face off against any previously defeated fighter, Challenge mode, where you must defeat opponents under specific conditions, an Exhibition mode where you can go up against boxers not featured on the circuit, and even an Achievement system. Game performance was solid with no noticeable lag or unresponsiveness on my Nexus One running Android 2.1.
Despite this though, there are some shortcomings. SKB2's system from recovering from knockdowns has often been complained about by commenters on the Android Market. The game says that you must touch the center of the screen as the swirling numbers of the count align themselves. This is misleading though, as the correct timing is actually a split second sooner, before the numbers are aligned. After making this adjustment, I've been able to standup from knockdowns with almost perfect consistency. Many commenters on the Market have also given up on the game due to not being able to win against certain boxers. I myself have gotten stuck once (okay, maybe more than once) but Glu Mobile provides a very useful walkthrough (http://games.glu.com/blog/super-ko-boxing-2-strategy-guide) that explains all the strategies necessary to progress. The only other issue is the seemingly random game erases. I've lost my progress twice so far, but it may be related to closing the app via a taskiller. It may be safer to close the game through the back button until an exit prompt appears on screen.
All in all, Super KO Boxing 2 is excellent package, and a true knockout game on Android.
Pros:
High Production Values
Solid Controls
Feature Rich
FREE!
Cons:
No multiplayer
Random Game Erase
Final Score: 4.5 Stars