Fight it out with 'K-1 World Grand Prix'

Combine boxing and kickboxing you get one of the fight game's more obscure disciplines -- K-1.

K-1 is more structured than the current darling of the ring world, "The Ultimate Fighting Championship." More rules, gloves, no submission holds, not much blood flying. It's less a street brawl and more a skill which must be practiced.

K-1 hasn't been totally ignored by the industry, but Konami has done by far the best job of turning it into a solid game, "K-1 World Grand Prix" for PlayStation 2.

As with most fighting titles, there are plenty of ways to play. With K-1, you can try an exhibition to get your feet wet and your nose bloody.

Then, get into a career mode with either Grand Prix or Champion's Revolution. There's a Trial mode, where you can attempt to break match records such as number of opponents defeated.

The game also offers the Fighter's Museum, where you can see profiles and watch video footage of classic K-1 matches. It's a great way to learn the sport and see some of the folks you'll be playing as.

There are more than 20 real fighters, each one motion-captured to accurately reflect his moves.

Konami has done the world a favor and eschewed the button-mashing combos that plague other fighting games. Instead, you use one of the shoulder buttons and a punch or kick button to produce a handful of combos. Add them to the regular kicks and punches and you have plenty of firepower.

However, there's a lot more to the game than just banging on buttons. Like a real K-1 match, you need defense and tactics to survive. Blocking punches is vital, as you will learn to your sorrow if you don't keep your mitts up.

There's an innovative health monitoring system that adds to the fun and strategy. A human shape next to each health line has a glowing dot by the head, chest and legs. As the dots go from green to red, you can monitor where your blows are doing the most damage and focus on that area, and also see which parts of your own battered carcass need protecting.

You also use the figure between rounds to choose how you want your health restored.

One thing I like is the pace. The fights are generally methodical; you don't want to wade in, arms flailing, since one punch can put your lights out very quickly.

Graphics get a B-. This isn't the best-looking game going, but the fighters look remarkably like their real-life counterparts and their movements, while not entirely human, are close enough. The fighters move smoothly, and the action in the ring, from the round-card girls to the referee, is spot-on.

Controls get a B. The scheme is easy to learn and after a bit of practice, you'll be punching and kicking with the best. The fighters respond to your commands with little or no lag. For once, the camera is almost always right where you need it.

Sound gets a B-. It features generic rock, a droning ring announcer and hoots from the crowd that could be plugged into almost any sports game. I'm not sure whether the game gains or loses from the lack of ringside commentary.

Give "K-1 World Grand Prix" a B. A little more time spent on fine-tuning the graphics and maybe including a knowledgeable commentator would have improved the experience. However, it's a lot of fun just as it is, and if you're a mixed martial arts fan, it's the best game you can find.