Super KO Boxing 2 (iPhone) Review

Three years ago, we went bonkers over Glu Mobile's Super KO Boxing, awarding the game a perfect score and calling it the best mobile game of 2006. Now Super KO Boxing 2's on the iPhone, and we can't stop gawking at it. Everything about this excellent Punch-Out!! clone screams high quality, from the gorgeous and silky smooth 2-D animation to the incredibly enjoyable boxing mechanics. You'll laugh, you'll cry and scream "Ow" on more than one occasion. What you will not do, of course, is regret purchasing this outstanding game.

Glu Mobile casts you as the KO Kid, a Little Mac wannabe hoping to climb the ranks of different boxing circuits and win championship belts. Standing in his way, however, are 12 fierce opponents with unique fighting styles and hilarious personalities. There's Big Gip, the overweight red neck with missing teeth and farmer's tan. Then we have El Bulli, the Spanish bullfighter, followed by the electrically charged Dynamo, the ice wearing 15 Cent and Chief, the Native American that fights in a casino. Actually, most of these guys are stereotypical caricatures that may offend lots of people, so if you're sensitive to images of big-nosed Native Americans, African Americans with baggy pants and unkempt rednecks, go into this experience with an open mind.

Those potentially racist images notwithstanding, Super KO Boxing 2 is a lot of fun. It plays similar to Punch-Out!!, as you alternate between belly and headshots with on screen buttons, while building your Super Meter to deliver the knockout blow. In addition, you dodge attacks with the virtual buttons located on the bottom left corner of the screen. They're a little too thin (it's tough to find them during the game's more intense moments), but for the most part, you should have no trouble dodging the other boxers' special attacks.

For the most part, though, it's all about trial and error. You'll probably take a few lumps before figuring out each opponent's signature pattern. Once you do, it's simply a matter of exploiting it until they eat canvas.

Just make sure you don't get distracted by all of the eye candy. Super KO Boxing 2 is quite a looker, with beautiful 2-D characters, backgrounds and special effects. 15 Cent's pants fall down, Big Gip's right nipple protrudes after he swings and misses (sorry, we couldn't help but notice it) and flying bulls appear over El Bulli's head as he struggles to get up after a knockdown. There's just a lot of cool stuff to take in.

Factor in a Challenge Mode that puts different conditions on each fight, and you have one of the best apps available. We're not sure if Super KO Boxing 2 is the year's best mobile game, but it's certainly worth $4.99 and your undivided attention.