Fight Night: Round 3 [PSP]

It seems like incredible folly to simultaneously release the same game on the Xbox 360 and PSP. How can a portable release hope to compare to a next-gen poster child? It can't, of course, and the smart option is to tailor the game to take advantage of the PSP's strengths. That's exactly what EA has done, and this portable version of Fight Night Round 3 is a spectacular boxing game that moves beyond a lot of the systems prior limitations.

On consoles, the defining characteristic of Fight Night is the use of the right analog stick to throw all punches. That's not an option here, so EA has gone back to a more old-fashioned face button control scheme. Two of the face buttons throw punches with the right hand, and the other two strike with the left. Even for those used to the console scheme, this setup works just fine. The subtler sensibilities that are lost are replaced by a fast arcade responsiveness that feels just right for the PSP.

Once in tune with the face buttons, Fight Night turns into a supremely entertaining boxing match. Though the level of visual detail is vastly reduced, EA has managed to preserve the feel of the game. So unloading a three-punch combo to batter an opponent into the corner for a knockdown is just as difficult and rewarding.

Though the ESPN Classics mode has been given the heave-ho (no great loss, that), the excellent career mode is intact from the console version. The "create a player" interface is just as detailed, down to physical adjustments, and the rivalries and details available before each bout are all present.

In lieu of the classics mode is an option to explore real-life rivalries by jumping into key moments of classic bouts. In the half dozen encounters (like Ali versus Frazier) there are options to relive history by playing as the champ, change it or learn the techniques of the masters.

The option isn't as good as simply playing through a new career, since even when Ali's name is on your in-game character, playing a round or two of a bout isn't terribly satisfying. But it is a good way to pick up a few new tricks.

On the performance side, Fight Night stands far above most of EA's sporting efforts for the system. The load times aren't minimal, but they're a lot better than the average PSP game. You will have to wait a couple seconds when pulling up the fighter comparisons prior to a bout in career mode. More important is that the boxing is fluid and very responsive. Blocking and punching are just as varied as on consoles, and the animations keep the game visually interesting.

Ad hoc and infrastructure multiplayer connectivity is included. There's not a lot to either mode -- players can customize the rules for a bout to a certain extent -- but playing with created boxers is good fun. And when it's more fun to stack your own boxer up against a friend's than replay yet another Ali classic, you can be sure the game is a champ.