Title Fight

Sega's fourth arcade boxing game, allowing players to control their boxer's punches with twin large-size "glove handles" mounted on the control panel. It also features linked multiplayer and 3D movement.

Arcade

Overview

Title Fight is a behind-the-back boxing game developed by Sega-AM3 and released by Sega for arcades (using Sega System 32 hardware) in 1993.

A spiritual successor to Sega's 1987 game Heavyweight Champ, Title Fight features a similar twin-joystick control setup that corresponds each oversized joystick (or "glove handle") with each of their boxer's arms, giving the illusion of throwing actual punches and guarding or dodging their opponent. The game follows one of several boxers in their journey to winning the championship belt.

Title Fight takes full advantage of the hardware's sprite-scaling effects not only for the large character sprites, but also for the ring itself (which now rotates in a 3D space, allowing for 3D side-stepping). It also features linked multiplayer, one of the few boxing games of its type to do so.

Gameplay

Using the two joysticks on the cabinet, the player controls the boxer's punches, blocks, and dodges. The left joystick controls the left arm and the right joystick controls the right arm.

If the player gets KO'ed, they must quickly swirl the joysticks before the count of 10 to get up and recover.

Attacks

By pushing one of the joysticks towards the screen, they can perform a punch. The punch is determined by three criteria:

Which joystick was pushed forward, with the left joystick for a punch with the left arm and the right joystick for a punch with the right arm.

The position of the other joystick determines whether the punch is towards the head (joystick left in the neutral state) or the chest (joystick pulled away from the screen). If the joystick is pulled to the side, no punches are made.

How the joystick was pushed forward. From neutral, the punch is a jab. From the outward side, the punch is a hook. From the inward side, the punch is an uppercut.

Despite the game having both "Orthodox" and "Southpaw" boxers, their attacks are no different.

Guarding & Moving

In order to block their opponent's punches, players must push both joysticks inwards (towards each-other). Depending on whether or not the joysticks are also pulled away from the screen, the boxer either blocks their head (they are) or their chest (they are not).

If both joysticks are held leftward or rightward, the boxer sidesteps in the same direction. By sidestepping, they automatically dodge punches made with the opponent's opposing arm.

If both joysticks are pushed outward, the boxer taunts their opponent.

Characters

In the game, players choose from one of four boxers (which are based on which cabinet they choose: Blue or Red), some of which are parodies of other famous boxers (eg. Lucky Marcano - a parody of the late boxing champion Rocky Marciano).

Through the single-player campaign, they must fight the four boxers from the other cabinet followed by the "title fight" against the unknown champion.