Title Bout Championship Boxing is the latest and greatest in Jim Trunzo's long line of boxing simulations that began in the late 1970s with his "Title Bout" board game published by Avalon Hill. Just like its Windows 3.1 predecessor Title Fight Pro Boxing, it focuses on the simulation of bouts with very limited possibilities of direct interaction, and really is more simulation engine than a game. However, it does very well what it is supposed to do. It comes with over a thousand boxers of the present and the past already pre-rated, and the fights are very lifelike, also thanks to the realistic simulation engine. You will not only see the usual cuts, swellings or low blows, but also stoppages due to accidental headbutts or other rare events. You are free to schedule all bouts that you want and the game will keep ratings and stats for you. This means you can play any way you like, just staging single fights, fight cards, tournaments or simulating an entire boxing universe. If you are not content with the fighters provided, you also have the freedom to edit them in any way you like or add new fighters. During the bouts, you can only select a basic strategy and control the work cutmen and trainers do in-between rounds. This can also be controlled by the AI, ensuring the most realistic results. All in all, Title Bout is probably the best boxing simulation out there. The most important part, the simulation engine, is very well done and the fights are very atmospheric, certainly evoking the feeling of 'being there'. It is a lot of fun to simply schedule a fight card and watch the bouts unfold before your eyes. This game will not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is a must-have for boxing fans and fans of text-based sports games, as other boxing games of this quality are hard if not impossible to find. Highly recommended for anyone with at least a little interest in the sport. Be sure to get Cubedrum's photo pack as well, as no fighter pictures are included with the game, initially. Reviewed by: Eumel |