The Career mode actually has a new twist to it.  Not only can you create your own boxer and start from scratch, but you can rebuild the career of a legend.  Take any boxer in the game from Ali to Oscar de la Hoya and try to build his career the way you want to.  As with the regular career mode, you can pick their boxing stance, punching style, and blocking style.  Then you setup their attributes the way you want in categories like Speed, Agility, Stamina, Chin, Body, Heart, and Cuts.  You have 200 points to work with, so make them count.  Once inside the career mode you start at the bottom rung, working your way to the top by training hard and taking on small contracts to fight guys you’ve never heard of.  You hire your own trainer and hope he can mold you into a champion.  Along the way, you train youself and get better before each fight.  You can auto-train your fighter, or take a shot at doing it on your own.  Hit the heavy bag, or practice on a punching dummy, or this year spar with other boxers.  If you can find your rhythm you will gain new attribute points to make your fighter better and better.  Then you can take those new strengths and put them to work against your next opponent.

 

Fight Night Round 3 also features a few other gameplay modes in addition to the ones mentioned above.  There is Play Now, Training, Hard Hits, Create a Champ, and Online.  Play Now is an exhibition match if you are looking for a quick game.  Training allows you to get familiar with the different punches and moves necessary to become successful in the game.  Hard Hits is 15 rounds, no time limit per round.  First one to knock the other down scores the round.  Most rounds at the end of 15 wins.  Create a Champ allows you to create your own boxer, and challenges you to rise through the ranks to become the heavyweight champion of the world.  Online gaming returns, and it provides a lot of replay value for the game as well as some great fights with people from across the country.

 

As I mentioned earlier, Fight Night Round 3 is by far the best looking game on the Xbox 360, and its Xbox and PS2 counterparts looks pretty damn good as well, just without all of the bells and whistles.  Take the great graphics and mix it up with the innovative HUD-less fighting system and solid boxing engine and the result is an excellent boxing game that is at the top of its class.  It’s time to strap on the gloves, and go toe-to-toe with some of the best that boxing has to offer.

 

89/100