Don King Presents: Prizefighter

Preview from Oracle - Thursday, 29 May 2008 @ 11:50pm

Last week I get a phone call from Snez (PR Manager of 2K Games) inviting me along to an event where 2K Games will have the opportunity to show off their latest boxing game, Don King Presents: Prizefighter. Now while on the phone to Snez you can imagine she was being her usual self, hyperactive and extremely happy. How could I say no to such a peppy girl?

The following Tuesday I rock up to Total Body Conditioning which is a new gym located in Fox Studios, Sydney. As soon as I walked through the door I was greeted by Leigh from Rockstar and a damn fine boxing ring. In the middle of the ring was a 70 inch Samsung LCD TV outputting pure HD goodness, I was later told that the TV’s RRP price is 60 grand, yikes! It was from this moment I realised this was going to be a very entertaining afternoon.



I grabbed a few beers and got comfortable with the crowd. Two beers later Mathew Seymour, Executive Producer of 2K Games and Vice President of the loud mouthed Americans organisation got up on stage and talked the crowd through the basics of DK Prizefighter. We were fed the usual crap about customising your boxers appearance (no, not your underwear), choosing your boxing style, body build, being able to play real boxing champions (including our very own boxing champ, Vic Darchinyan), real world venues and so on.. but there were a few things that stood out for me.

In the career mode the player will be taken through a comprehensive storyline told in a progressive documentary style. World famous boxers and celebrities from the boxing world have been filmed to tell the tale of this boxer who started from nothing and became a boxing hero (that’s you). The introduction was done very well, it really does feel like you’re watching yourself go down in history.

There are two choices the player can continuously make through out the entire career mode. 1) Focus your boxer on training to improve his stamina, strength and agility or 2) get recognised by the media by getting a girlfriend or doing something else that those paparazzi bastards enjoy. So how would getting media attention help your boxer in the ring? The crowd will recognise him and when the crowds cheer the loudest for him your boxer will fill up what I like to call the crowd pleaser bar. Once you’ve got a few bars handy you’ll be able to perform a special move that will remove a lot from your opponents’ health in one hit.





During Mathew’s presentation the man himself, Vic Darch-fuckin-inyan came out into the boxing ring as the crowd cheered. I gotta admit the dude looks bigger on TV, he didn’t even come up to my nipples. After Matt made a few more demonstrations he invited the media whores (including myself) to pick up a controller and give the game ago on any of the booths available. I squeeze another beer into me and challenge Joaby from GameArena to a virtual fight. Ben (Marketing dude from 2K) quickly talks Joab and I through the controls.

For those of you who have played EA’s Fight Night 3 you would most likely be used to using the analogue sticks to perform a punch, dodge, jab, etc. In DK Prizefighter the default controls are using the A. B. X. Y buttons (which I prefer). After performing a few jabs and punches in the corner of the ring I quickly got used to the responsiveness of the controls. The fight is ON! Ding Ding! After 3 rounds I completely annihilated Joaby. Now because I’m feeling a little more relaxed (thank you Beer God) I performed a little victory dance to let everyone in a ten meter radius around me know I just whooped Joaby’s ass. Joaby, being the competitive gamer he is, runs away from the embarrassment and ‘pretends’ to do an interview with Mathew.



After boasting about my victory to some onlookers, Ben (the Marketing dude from 2K Games and don’t you forget it) wanted to teach my nooby ass a lesson. Well I tell you what, I whooped his ass too. I don’t know much about boxing but the end result was 100 for me and 95 for him after 3 rounds. Apparently that’s really close but who gives a shit because I won again, woo! This celebration calls for another beer!

Where’s Joaby? Ah, he’s still hiding from me, time to meet some more people. Oh hey, wassup Leigh from Rockstar. What’s that? You want to play me at DK Prizefighter? Sure man. POW!! The measly sick bastard (seriously, I hope you recover from the flu soon Leigh, I love you) couldn’t give me 2 rounds! 2 rounds! This calls for another victory BEER!



It was at this time I realised DK Prizefighter is a damn fine boxing (note to self: request this game to review). One of the souvenirs all the media representatives were getting at the end of the day was tiny boxing gloves to put around your review mirror of your car or something. I pick up a pair and demand Vic to a boxing fight and told him he could wear these being the midget he is. I am still thankful that somebody grabbed his attention after I was yelling out drunken slurs to him. It was only 5 minutes later where Ritchie or Bennie (I don’t know who but who gives a shit, they’re both lame, roflburger) were smacked in the ribs by Vic. I think I heard something pop.

I stagger around keeping my cool when I bump into Ben again. He demands another fight to reclaim his imaginary boxing champion belt. Everything was a blur to me during that fight but I clearly remember the result. He handed my ass to me on a silver platter. I was shocked. My ego was destroyed. I didn’t know what to do. Ben laughed it off and said he’ll be back with another beer for me.

I had to think of a plan, was I getting a little too tipsy for my own good? No, that can’t be. I usually play better while I’m dru… that’s it! I haven’t touched a beer in a good 15 minutes. I’m sobering up! Ben comes back with my beer and I snatch it off him and take a couple of gulps. I slam the beer down on the table demand another rematch and this time we both agreed that this was the decider. We play this on the large 70” Samsung LCD TV with the volume turned up to 11.

During the first round I was hitting him in all the right places. I was blocking all his moves and swinging my fists continuously into his face. I knock that son of a bitch to the ground in the first round. ARGGGHH!!! C’MON! IS THAT ALL YOU GOT!? Round 2 begins. His health meter is lower than half. Someone from the crowd starts yelling ‘you’re dead boy, you’re dead!’. I put a jab into his face and then one to his body. He’s down to nothing; a slight gust of wind would knock this fella out. Time to perform a crowd pleaser, I use my special move and uppercut him right in the face. BAM!! He hits the ground and he ain’t getting back up.



Alright, let’s wrap this up. DK Prizefighter = very promising boxing game. It may look a little outdated even compared to FN3 but I prefer the gameplay and controls which DK have mastered. The game will be out on July 3rd for Xbox 360 and Spring 2008 for Wii and Nintendo DS. What about PlayStation 3 you ask? Fuck off. Oh and if you’re wondering. Yes, I’m still drunk.