If you follow boxing at all (or even gaming) then you know all about how Fight Night Round 3 is making waves on the home consoles. In particular the Xbox 360 version showcases some amazing visuals to accompany the sweaty time in the ring. When I first heard that there was a PSP version of the game I have to admit that I was taken aback. The biggest thing going through my mind was doubt that EA would be able to pull of the same success of the big brother console release on Sony's handheld. Now that I've gotten my hands on it I do have to admit that it may not be as good as the 360 version, but if you're looking for a fight on the go there is no better alternative.

The Fight Night series got started only a couple of years ago, but it has ties dating back to 1998's Knockout Kings (KK). You see, EA ditched the old series in favor of the new in 2004 and built on the foundation of KK. The gameplay was tweaked, some new features were added, and the career mode was fleshed out significantly. Moderate success greeted Fight Night 2004 so it's not surprising that the gaming sports giant launched into yearly sequels.

Building off of the concepts from the prior two games, Round 3 picks up where things left off. Obviously since this is the PSP version of the game there are certain drawbacks to gameplay and some differences between this adaptation and the others. While the graphics engine is obviously an issue all by itself, the control here is what really hurts on the PSP.

Gameplay:

I want you to know that I wasn't exaggerating when I said that the control hurts on the PSP. I really mean it; it's painful. With only one analog stick and a limited amount of buttons, the versatile handheld turns into a carpal tunnel nightmare. The configuration for defensive maneuvers is the biggest offender, but some of the attacking structure isn't too far behind.

You know that old adage "a good defense is the best offense." Well, whoever spouted that nugget of wisdom never met Fight Night: Round 3 for the PSP. There are two methods of defending yourself in this game if you don't count stopping the fist with your face. Dodging is executed by pressing the left shoulder button and rotating the analog stick. Sure that may sound innocent enough, but try doing this round after round and tell me your left hand doesn't start to cramp up. Blocking is a whole different story because you press the right shoulder button, rotate the analog stick, AND press an attack button to deflect the blow.

On paper it really doesn't sound like that bad of an idea, but once you spend some time with the game you'll realize that there's nearly no point for defense against the CPU. You're better off avoiding the aggravation and just unleashing a barrage of punches at your opponent's head. An occasional dodge is simple enough and really comes in handy when you land a haymaker right afterwards, but blocking and deflecting is very cumbersome.

On the offensive the controls are fine though and there's really nothing to complain about apart from the lack of an in-game tutorial. If you don't read the instruction manual before you start you'll have a tough time figuring out how to pull things off like uppercuts, haymakers, and signature moves. Once you're all schooled in the art of bruising people up you can either take to the sparring arena or tackle one of the many modes that the game promotes.

If you want to jump right into things you'll want to start off with the Play Now mode since that takes you straight to a fight of your choosing. If you're feeling nostalgic you can play through the Rival Challenges mode and take part in historical fights. Also in the Rival Challenges spot you can repeat fights, change the outcome, or even craft your own history. The game keeps track of your stats and offers several challenges to keep you on your toes. For my money though, the real bulk of my playtime came from the Career mode.

Just like you'd expect the Career mode lets you start from the ground up and build a boxing empire. You get to customize your fighter before stepping into the ring, so if you want to make a fat pasty white bald guy with a unibrow like I did then more power to you. The way this mode works is that it makes you sign contracts for fights and work your way up the weight classes and rankings. As you play you'll gain a rival and be able to take part in special events that will net you some serious cash if you win. If you have played any of the other versions of Fight Night you'll be pleased to hear that there are some changes afoot as well.

One thing you'll notice is that you can now hire a cut man and trainer to work in your corner. There is a variety of people to hire and they each bring a different talent to the table. This doesn't come for free though and you'll have to dish out a fee as well as give them a cut at your winnings. The training is handled a little different too and now you just have to select an option to have your stats rise automatically before a fight. There are also some more statistics that are presented to you at the end of each fight, which is cool for detail oriented people.

Now, as far as the actual gameplay goes, I hate to say it but there are a few causes for concern. Control issues aside, the biggest factor here is that the AI is dumb as dirt. I suppose it's a good thing that you don't have to worry about defending an awful lot, but constantly being on the offensive gets old after a while. For the bulk of the game the CPU will let you bludgeon it to the point that the ref has to stop the fight and call it a KO. I don't want to say that there isn't really a challenge here, but even on "Hard" I found the game to be a little too easy. Sure the AI put up a fight now and then, but for the most part it just rolled over and played dead.

All of that having been said, going through the game and unlocking everything is extremely addicting. Once you get used to the controls and the general flow of the game you'll find yourself saying "just one more fight" before you shut it off. The game certainly has flaws and it's not the most in depth sports game on the market. If you're a boxing fan and you're looking for something to play while you're on a trip or something, you really can't go wrong with Fight Night: Round 3 for the PSP. Otherwise, just get the console version and call it a day.

Graphics:

After seeing the 360 version of Fight Night: Round 3 in action, I was skeptical about how the PSP's version was going to fare. Surprisingly the graphics engine does pretty well for itself, though it is arguably a dated looking game. The camera angle is pretty static at first with a side view of the arena, but as the action heats up it actually zooms in and turns slightly askew like it's ready for the KO. It adds a lot to the sense of action and is executed much better than I originally thought it would have been.

Character models are realistic as well with appropriate muscle tone, animation, and featured injuries. The attention to detail is certainly not as great as the console versions of the game, but the PSP version holds up incredibly well. Unfortunately the venues are incredibly dated with sparse features and there is quite a bit of clipping. There is also a limited amount of pre-rendered animation clips so things tend to get extremely repetitive after a while. The load times are pretty lengthy as well and in many cases you'll go through more time waiting for a fight to start than it actually takes to KO your opponent.

Audio:

There is a decent amount of commentary included in the game, though it gets repeatedly used to the point where you can almost predict what the announcer is going to say. The same can be said for your trainers and cut men. Otherwise the sound effects are generally fine and the hip hop music fights the overall mood of the game. There is a limited amount of tracks though so don't be surprised when you hear the same tunes over and over again.

Conclusion:

When the bell rings to signal the end of the round, Fight Night: Round 3 undoubtedly goes to the corner to nurse some of its wounds. The AI is poor, the control set up is convoluted, and many parts of the aesthetics get annoying repetitive. Don't let all of that fool you though, this is an addictive game that is pretty hard to put down. It may not be anywhere near as strong as the console versions are, but if you're looking for a boxing game that you can take with you it doesn't get any better than this. Recommended