Fight Night: Round 3 for PSP Reviews by Gamers

The interesting thing about the portable version of EA Sports Fight Night Round 3 is that it has a lot of features that the console version doesn't. This list of additional goodies isn't small either -- ranked boxer lists, cutman and trainer contracts, promoter box office takes, and detailed stat tracking are just a few of the bonuses that PSP players can enjoy that their console counterparts can't. In fact, at first glance, the smaller version of Fight Night Round 3 almost appears to be the best one of the bunch... that is, until you actually start playing it.



To be more specific, gameplay has turned out to be a dumbed-down interpretation of the dual-stick fighting mechanic that's earned Fight Night so many accolades to begin with. Because the PSP doesn't have a second analog stick, the popular "total punch control" doesn't really apply here anymore. Instead, users are now left with a somewhat complicated imitation of the PlayStation 2 mechanics that require a surprising number of modifiers in any given fight.



But what does that mean specifically? Well if you stick with the default controls, straights and hooks are still handled with the face buttons, while uppercuts can be pulled off by pressing two keys at a time (Triangle + Circle, etc). But other than that basic layout, its similarity to the console version ends immediately. Without the additional analog stick to charge haymakers, players will have to first lean with the body punch modifier (Left Trigger), wait for the haymaker icon in the upper left-hand corner to flash, and then throw a hook or uppercut to actually pull off an impact punch. It's awkward at first and easily abused when understood, which eventually degrades head-to-head bouts into nothing more than hook and haymaker wars that can really hurt your joints.



The reason your hands might be in for some real-life pain isn't just because of the frequent button manipulation during offensive combat either. Defensive maneuvering is extremely convoluted as well, and by requiring players to use punch buttons, body modifiers, AND the analog stick to parry and block in-between fisticuffs, the controls can get pretty ridiculous. Luckily, the AI is just as dumb here as it is in the set-top version, so offense is all you have to worry about most of the time. When facing off against a human opponent who knows what they're doing, however, defense is going to have to be utilized.



To its credit, Fight Night Round 3 does offer Ad hoc and Infrastructure modes for the more engaging multiplayer sessions. But even in the most optimal conditions, infrastructure matches are frequently plagued by random drop-outs and connection errors. There were even a couple of Ad hoc matches that had the very same problem, and having tested the game on four different PSPs (v2.60) in various locations, it was obvious that it wasn't our retail units creating this problem. Oh, and did we mention that the load times are excruciatingly long for a handheld game? No? Well, they are.



Luckily for fight fans, it isn't all bad news since the game does manage to offer a couple of really cool features known as "Rival Challenges" that are definitely worth checking out. The "Repeat History" and "Change History" modes, for example, are much more interesting versions of the "ESPN Classic" bouts found on consoles and are pretty darned fun. In these recreations of classic rivalries (Ali vs. Frasier, Ward vs. Gatti, etc), you'll actually get something for doing well (performance medals) and won't have to play entire matches to do so. Instead, users will begin at a key point in the match and take over from there.



Another cool feature, and arguably the best one of the bunch, is called "My History." In it, players are faced with challenges that force them to overcome specific situations particular to their opponent's strengths (like being defensive against Joe Frasier or being offensive against Winky Wright). These little mini-matches are easy to drop into and best take advantage of the software's portability.



It's also nice to see that the PSP version of Fight Night Round 3 utilizes Round 2's better career navigation system and has more realistic prices for its equipment and attire during career mode. The aforementioned variety of trainers, cutmen, and other career-oriented variables doesn't hurt either, and the PSP's method of training is much better too -- no more mini-games here, just a menu-driven "training intensity" system that's risk-reward with its offset of injuries versus stat boosts. Of course, the superior "quandrant" cutman healing system from last year is much better than the newer "halved" cutman system of 2006 as well.



Fight Night Round 3 also deserves some kudos with its visuals. A faithful recreation of 2005's PS2 version of Round 2, the animations, character models, and faces are all done exceedingly well, and the detail in facial swelling and other injuries are easy to identify in even the toughest of battles. Sadly, the arenas from Round 2 have been brought over along with its models, so the newer and better-looking locations from this year have been left on the cutting room floor. At least EA opted to bring as much audio commentary and music from the console version of Round 3 as possible which, at the very least, keeps the game from feeling too dated.

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