Toughman Contest (video game)

Toughman Contest is a boxing video game for the Sega Genesis and 32X. It is based on the Toughman Contest, and features Eric "Butterbean" Esch on the cover and as the game's final boss. The game was released in 1995. It received mixed reviews, generally criticizing the sluggishness of the gameplay while praising the selection of special moves.

Toughman Contest
Developer(s)High Score Productions
Visual Concepts
Publisher(s)EA Sports
Composer(s)Brian Schimdt
Platform(s)32X, Sega Genesis
ReleaseMay 1995[1]
Genre(s)Sports

Gameplay

The game is based on the Toughman Contest, an amateur boxing competition on American television.[2] It features Eric "Butterbean" Esch as the cover character as well as the game's final boss.[3] Players have to win boxing matches against their opponents. Each match is composed of three one-minute rounds, and there are 24 different characters in the game from which to choose.[4] Each player can throw various punches, such as jabs, uppercuts, and hooks. The player's character also has three "special punches": the Super Uppercut, Windmill Wind-up, and Popeye Punch. If the player is losing, they also have the option to throw in the towel.[5]

Reception

GamePro gave the Genesis version a rave review, commenting that the game has clean and well-animated graphics, bizarre and humorous background animations, a surprising selection of special moves, and an enjoyable two-player mode.[14] The two sports reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly both gave it an 8 out of 10. They praised the special moves, combos, tough enemy AI, and high level of strategy required to win the game.[3] They also ran a side-by-side comparison with the similar Super Punch-Out!!. They declared Toughman Contest the better of the two games, citing its better replay value, stronger AI, and the fact that opponents do not signal their moves ahead of time.[15] Next Generation stated that "the minimal length of the fights and the one dimensional, fuzzy graphics leave this title a few pounds short of the heavyweight title."[9]

Electronic Gaming Monthly reviewed the 32X version with similar praise, though one of the reviewers complained that the only changes made from the Genesis version are improved graphics and sounds, and lowered his score half a point to a 7.5 out of 10.[7] GamePro similarly commented that "Toughman is the same great game on the 32X that it is on the Genesis. Only a few noticeable enhancements separate them." They further criticized it for removing the humorous background animations of the Genesis version, but nonetheless concluded that 32X owners who don't already have the Genesis version should get the 32X version instead.[16] Two reviewers for Mean Machines Sega scored the game 64 out of 100 points, with the reviewers criticizing the lack of responsiveness to the controls and sluggish gameplay.[5] Computer and Video Games said the sluggishness of the game makes the game more frustrating and difficult.[2]

See also

References
  1. "Toughman Contest". GameFan. Vol. 3, no. 6. DieHard Gamer's Club. June 1995. p. 111.
  2. Patterson, Mark (April 1995). "Toughman Contest". Computer and Video Games. No. 161. pp. 88–89. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  3. "Team EGM: Toughman Boxing (Genesis) by Electronic Arts". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 70. Sendai Publishing. May 1995. p. 118.
  4. "Toughman Contest". VideoGames. No. 76. May 1995. pp. 92–93.
  5. "Mega Drive 32X Review: Toughman Contest". Mean Machines Sega. No. 30. April 1995. pp. 78–79.
  6. Marc; Panda (April 1995). "Megadrive Review: Toughman Contest". Consoles + (in French). No. 42. pp. 90–91. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  7. "Toughman Boxing (32X) by Electronic Arts". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 71. Sendai Publishing. June 1995. p. 120.
  8. "Toughman Boxing". Hyper. No. 23. October 1995. p. 68.
  9. "Finals". Next Generation. No. 5. Imagine Media. May 1995. p. 99.
  10. "Megadrive Toughman Contest". Player One (in French). No. 52. April 1995. pp. 102–103.
  11. "Toughman Contest". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment. No. 78. July 1995. p. 98. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  12. Tschiltsch, Jeffrey (May 1995). "Toughman Contest". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment. No. 76. pp. 92–93. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  13. "Reviews". GamesWorld (in German). July 1995. p. 79.
  14. "ProReview: Toughman Contest". GamePro. No. 80. IDG. May 1995. pp. 42–43.
  15. "Greatest Heavyweights: Toughman Vs. Super Punch-Out". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 70. Sendai Publishing. May 1995. p. 114.
  16. "ProReview: Toughman Contest". GamePro. No. 81. IDG. June 1995. p. 64.
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