 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution
- Nintendo Wii
- Price: $39.99
- Genre: Sports
Common Sense Media says
Horrible controls + stereotyping = one big sucker punch.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this boxing game is an update of an old Midway game. While the game is supposed to be a satire with funny extreme caricatures of famous people from the music, acting, and sports industries, some of the portrayals could be interpreted as offensive stereotypes instead.
It
has poor controls, so players may become frustrated and discouraged.
What's it about?
READY 2 RUMBLE: REVOLUTION is Atari's attempt to revive a
Midway boxing series, one which didn't understand the difference between hurtful
racial stereotypes and honest satire. In career mode, you choose one of about a
dozen fighters, some of whom look like Brad Pitt or Jack Black, to rise among
the ranks to become the top boxer.
Using the Wii Remote and the nunchuk, you are supposed to be
able to pull off a variety of moves from jabs to uppercuts to roundhouse
punches for offense. For defense, you are able to block, bob and weave. In
addition, there are some mini games which require precise target punching to
complete.
Is it any good?
There is really very little to commend the game, unless you
simply want to brawl. If you have a love for old arcade games like Punch Out,
which approximates the sweet science of boxing and adds humor to the escapade, you'll be
disappointed. If you love more simulation-like representations of fisticuffs
like the recent Fight Night series, you'll go from disappointment to despair
because the controls are rarely accurate. You end up flailing around a lot.
Heck, the simple Wii Sports Boxing is more exact than this.
If you're at all sensitive about bigotry in games, Ready 2
Rumble: Revolution will raise some red flags. One African American
character's mother had 18 children. Another character looks like a pimp out of
grade D movie. This isn't funny: it's degrading. Plus, the so-called parodies
of Jack Black as a kind of spoiled child and Brad Pitt circa Fight Club will
cause some to raise eyebrows. Unfortunately, this boxing game is a debacle rife with
bad taste at the least and racism at the worst.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about satire in video games. Do you think there is a fine line between funny satire and offensive sterotyping? Are there any characters you like in game? Which ones
promote negative stereotypes? How so?
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Sports |
| Developer: | Atari |
| Release date: | March 17, 2009 |
| Price: | $39.99 |
| ESRB rating: | T for Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Tobacco Reference |
Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.
Review It
Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings. We value your feedback.
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already played it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
