What red-blooded American boy didn’t want to put on the gloves and go to battle with one another inside the squared circle? With this game, you and your best friend could live that out without anyone getting a bloody nose. My cousin David introduced me to the game at his house, and we spent hours that first night battling for ring supremacy.
The action was slow and plodding, but man was it fun. You really had to battle for the full 3 minutes to stay alive, and then you had to work your thumbs to the limit in the rest period to regain needed energy. I loved the fact that this game had a tournament mode. That meant a lot of “Championship Tournament” afternoons for me.
I would have friends come over, and we would each pick four combatants, and then have them square off in tournament mode. A tournament like this could last 2-3 hours before a champion was finally declared. Once done, it was time to ice down our swollen thumbs and enjoy some tasty snacks like Jiffy Pop or Jello Pudding Pops. This game contributed to many fun Saturday afternoons.
Once Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out hit the scene, it became the favorite boxing game of many, myself included. But the big difference between the titles was the fact that only one player could play Punch-Out, whereas you and a buddy could both play Ring King. That kept Ring King relevant through the years and was what helped keep my interest in it so long.
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