4-D Boxing

The Good
The 3D engine in 4D Boxing was not a gimmick; at the time, it truly was a whole new way to simulate boxing in a computer game. The camera wasn't fixed--you could play through the eyes of your boxer, from ringside, from a fixed isometric view, overhead, whatever. You could even play through the eyes of your opponent. It's a real trip to stare yourself in the face as you beat "yourself" up.

The moves were rotoscoped fairly well, leading to life-like movements, swings, hooks, and uppercuts.

The Bad
Dialing down the detail to a ludicrously low level (stick figures without heads) was the game's idea of "running acceptably on an 8088". I had a 386, so I was fine, but it made playing the game against a friend difficult if your friend had a slow machine. The price we pay for innovation...

While most of the moves looked realistic, jabs were oddly unrealistic.

It was rediculously easy (although quite fun) to beat the computer in the first ten or so matches by swinging non-stop roundhouse right and left hooks to the face. (And disturbingly satisfying to hear each punch land. :-)

The Bottom Line
4D Boxing had a feel that no other computer boxing game has captured since, even 8 years after it's release. While there have been a few console boxing games that come close (including one for 3D0 that was heavily influenced by 4D Boxing), nothing satisfies the need to box like 4D Boxing.

And it runs great on modern machines, so try to pick up a copy.