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 P4P The Best Boxing Game On The NetMar 15, 2004  By Juan Angel Zurita
Once upon a time a gamer’s satisfaction derived from mastering a game or defeating his friends in a head to head challenge. As times have progressed, a gamer’s hunger for competition has become near insatiable. With the marvel known as the internet, gamers can now compete with others around the world on games such as EverQuest to satisfy a hunger that extends beyond the limits they were once confined to. But while thousands of individuals are enthralled by a multiplayer fantasy role playing game, others search for something uniquely appeasing, particularly boxing fans. What if boxing fans and gamers in general from around the world could compete with each other on an interactive multiplayer internet based boxing game? What if that same game could monitor a player's career and pose a stern challenge to become one of the greatest fighters the game has ever known? Welcome to www.onlineboxing.net , the first multiplayer internet based boxing game. Created in 2001 by Mikkel Petersen, a programmer and ex-amateur boxer from Copenhagen, Denmark, Online Boxing has steadily increased in popularity over the last several years. Inspired by his love for the Sweet Science, Petersen created the game to make up for the lack of fun multiplayer boxing games in existence. “I created onlineboxing.net, because I'm interested in boxing and I didn't think there were any good boxing games around, a situation which I don’t think has changed a lot for some reason. About 3 years ago, I started developing online boxing as we know it today. In about 6 months, the first beta version was ready, a far cry though from the version we know today,” explained Petersen. According to Petersen, it took but a mere 2 months before he established a strong base of players who began playing the game on a regular basis. After 6 months the number of players had almost quadrupled. Today, the game has come a long way since its inception. The graphics are much more advanced, the game keeps track of player’s personalized records, records title victories, defenses, streaks, head to head matchups, allows player's to view past fights, has an integrated impartial judging system, and boasts a dynamic ranking system where fighters earns their stripes by continuously fighting the best online boxers. Players both young and old spend hours weekly competing against players from countries such as the U.S.A., England, Italy, Denmark, and Iceland. “What I like most about the game is the competitiveness of playing online. Playing the computer can only go so far. Playing gamers and trash talking is what makes OB,” said a popular veteran known as TyrantT316. Online Boxing is unlike other web based boxing games like vivi.com and fantasy boxing in that it requires hands on live gameplay. Players fight each other using keyboard controls that are extremely easy to learn, and unless you play a few times, you won’t understand the skill needed to become a good fighter. “You'll realize that at the highest skill level, it's not a slugging match at all. There are a plethora of strategies and styles that one must adapt to and attempt to master. I began playing early last year when a friend of mine introduced me to it,” explained one longtime member. Perhaps the greatest part of the game is the community/rewards aspect. A lot of players trash talk each other and create rivalries that are often times settled in tournaments and FPV (Free Per Views). The tournaments that are held allow individuals to showcase their skills while giving them the opportunity to win prizes and bragging rights. However, the ultimate prize that most strive for is induction into the coveted Online Boxing Hall of Fame, an honor a fighter can earn by exemplifying greatness throughout his Online Boxing career. Always aiming to improve the game, Petersen plans on upgrading it in the near future. He believes that in order to keep players interested, he must work hard to improve the graphics and gameplay. “I plan on making the game 3D and plan on adding many new moves to the game. A very interesting thing would be to control your boxer in a more ‘real boxing’ style. For instance, if you weave left or lean back you should have the possibility to throw every punch from that stance,” expanded Petersen. Online Boxing won’t appeal to everyone but it’s worth giving it a shot. For those who have never played the game, the first 100 fights are free before the game prompts one to renew their membership. The cost of the game is $3.50 for a monthly membership, but discounted rates are available for those who register for 2-12 months. Membership fees are used to cover the large bandwidth the game uses. The fee is significantly less from what other online based boxing games charge. It’s a small price to pay for a high value of fun and entertainment. Drederick Tatum, a current member of the Online Boxing community, said it best when he said, “OB is like crack. You play a couple of times and you’re addicted for life. The competition is great, and there are so many different styles and combinations that you can never get bored playing OB.” There’s only one way to find out. Create a fighter, log on, and get ready to rumble. For more information visit www.onlineboxing.net or contact Mikkel Petersen at mlp@jay.net
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