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Knockout Kings 2001

Knockout Kings 2001 is a boxing video game developed by EA Sports. The third installment in the Knockout Kings series, the game was released for PlayStation in 2000, and later for PlayStation 2 in 2001. Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley appear on the North American cover, while the European cover features Lennox Lewis.

Knockout Kings 2001
North American PlayStation 2 box art featuring Oscar De La Hoya (left) and Shane Mosley (right)
Developer(s)Black Ops Entertainment
Publisher(s)EA Sports
SeriesKnockout Kings
Platform(s)PlayStation, PlayStation 2
ReleasePlayStation
  • NA: October 31, 2000[1]
  • EU: November 23, 2000
PlayStation 2
  • NA: February 7, 2001[2]
  • EU: March 9, 2001
Genre(s)Boxing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

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Knockout Kings 2001 features a roster of 40 boxers, increased from the 25 featured in Knockout Kings 2000.[2] Alongside retired boxers like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, the game also featured contemporary boxers like Lennox Lewis and Shane Mosley. It is the only game in the series to feature female boxers, which included Mia St. John, Christy Martin, Lucia Rijker, and Regina Halmich. Commentary during in-game matches was provided by Al Bernstein, Max Kellerman and Teddy Atlas, while Mills Lane and Richard Steele were featured as the referees. Jimmy Lennon Jr. was featured as the ring announcer. In the European version, the commentary was instead provided by Harry Carpenter, Barry McGuigan and Ian Darke.

The ability for the player to create their own character was retained from the previous game. Alongside standard moves such as jabs, uppercuts, and roundhouse punches, the player can also perform "dirty" moves against opponents including low punches, elbows and head butts.[3]

Reception

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The game received "favorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[4][5] John Gaudiosi of NextGen's January 2001 issue said that while the PlayStation version was "a good boxing game, it's still not as good as it could be. Also, if you played KK2000, you won't find much of a difference."[19] Three issues later, Rob Smolka said of the PS2 version, "Honoring the strategy of boxing as much as the ferocity, this should enthrall fans of the sport."[20] In Japan, where the latter console version was ported and published by Electronic Arts Victor on May 24, 2001, Famitsu gave it a score of 30 out of 40.[11]

Air Hendrix of GamePro's December 2000 issue said of the PlayStation version, "The Knockout Kings series has lived up to its name as the PlayStation's boxing champ for a couple of years now, and this 2001 edition only continues that reign. With sharp new features, graphics, and controls, Knockout Kings 2001 owns the PlayStation boxing ring."[25][c] Four issues later, he said, "If you're a boxing fan with a PS2, Knockout Kings won't move mountains for you, but it's still the PS2's best boxing game and [it] will provide plenty of thrills. If you've already conquered the PlayStation version, however, steer clear – this game is too similar to be worth its ticket price."[26][d]

Lawsuit

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In March 2004, Alexis Argüello filed a lawsuit against Electronic Arts, Nintendo, and Sony regarding his appearance in both Knockout Kings 2000 and Knockout Kings 2001. He alleged that his likeness and identity were put into the games without his permission.[27]

Notes

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  1. ^ Three critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the PlayStation version each a score of 7.5/10, 6.5/10, and 7/10.
  2. ^ In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the PlayStation 2 version, one critic gave it 8/10, and the rest gave it each a score of 7/10.
  3. ^ GamePro gave the PlayStation version 4.5/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, and two 5/5 scores for control and fun factor.
  4. ^ GamePro gave the PlayStation 2 version 3.5/5 for graphics, 3/5 for sound, 4.5/5 for control, and 4/5 for fun factor.

References

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  1. ^ IGN staff (October 31, 2000). "Woo, What a Knockout!". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  2. ^ a b IGN staff (February 7, 2001). "PlayStation 2 Knockout Kings Ships Today". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Knockout Kings 2001 – Cheats". GameFAQs. Fandom. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Knockout Kings 2001 critic reviews (PS)". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Knockout Kings critic reviews (PS2)". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  6. ^ Rector, Brett (November 9, 2000). "Knockout Kings 2001 - PlayStation Review". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on December 2, 2000. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  7. ^ Kujawa, Kraig; Hager, Dean; Funk, Joe (January 2001). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 138. Ziff Davis. p. 203. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  8. ^ Hager, Dean; Leahy, Dan; Kujawa, Kraig (April 2001). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS2)" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 141. Ziff Davis. p. 107. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  9. ^ Nash, Jeff (December 7, 2000). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS)". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on February 28, 2003. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  10. ^ Mowatt, Todd (March 1, 2001). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS2)". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on June 22, 2002. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "ノックアウトキング2001 (PS2)". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Archived from the original on March 6, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  12. ^ Anderson, Paul (December 2000). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS)". Game Informer. No. 92. FuncoLand. p. 110.
  13. ^ "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS2)". Game Informer. No. 95. FuncoLand. March 2001.
  14. ^ MacDonald, Ryan (November 15, 2000). "Knockout Kings 2001 Review (PS)". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on June 21, 2001. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  15. ^ MacDonald, Ryan (February 12, 2001). "Knockout Kings 2001 Review (PS2)". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on February 23, 2001. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  16. ^ Johnson, Chris (February 15, 2001). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS2)". SportPlanet. GameSpy Industries. Archived from the original on April 4, 2003. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  17. ^ Blache III, Fabien (October 31, 2000). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  18. ^ Perry, Douglass C. (February 8, 2001). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Gaudiosi, John (January 2001). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS)". NextGen. No. 73. Imagine Media. p. 106. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  20. ^ a b Smolka, Rob (April 2001). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS2)". NextGen. No. 76. Imagine Media. p. 78. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  21. ^ Zuniga, Todd (December 2000). "Knockout Kings [2001] (PS)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 39. Ziff Davis. p. 173. Archived from the original on January 27, 2001. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  22. ^ "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS2)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 42. Ziff Davis. March 2001.
  23. ^ Shkloven, Emmett (March 2, 2001). "Knockout Kings 2001 (PS2)". Extended Play. TechTV. Archived from the original on June 5, 2001. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  24. ^ Gibbon, David (February 27, 2001). "Let's Play: Knockout Kings 2001 (PS)". BBC Sport. BBC. Archived from the original on December 3, 2002. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  25. ^ Air Hendrix (December 2000). "Another Classic Bout With Knockout Kings 2001 (PS)" (PDF). GamePro. No. 147. IDG. p. 162. Archived from the original on December 9, 2004. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  26. ^ Air Hendrix (April 2001). "Knockout Clings to Title on PS2" (PDF). GamePro. No. 151. IDG. p. 96. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  27. ^ Colker, David (March 29, 2004). "Ex-Boxer Is Making a Comeback -- in Court". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
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