Practice Makes Perfect And Perfect Makes Fun...

User Rating: 7.8 | Fight Night Round 3 PSP
I'm a Fight Night series vet and have one version of all the "Rounds" (FN2004 & FNR2 for XBox) so when I got FN3 for PSP I was apprehensive about having to learn the new button-only config for the PSP's offense/defense. And yes, it was annoying at first to have to remember not offensive moves (which are easy enough with the Triangle/Square being straights, X/O being hooks, and uppercuts being combos of the buttons) but also having to learn how to parry using the buttons. Fortunately, the unlimited sparring in career mode alleviated the learning curve as I practiced there until I learned sufficiently how to play.

The graphics for the PSP are awesome and are actually comparable to the PS2 version I've seen...there feels like no skimping in that department. Sound is just about the same on the PSP and the songs are forgettable like usual (I turned them off after a few hours of gameplay). As mentioned before, the career mode is lacking in depth and also needs more improvement to make it more sim/rpg like; for instance, users should have more ways to spend cash in the game like maybe buy a crib, buy old boxing memoriabilia, have different ring entrances (mariachi, reggaeton, rock, hip-hop, old school with no music), sliders to make certain punches (i.e. jabs) more useful & BETTER AI FOR THE OPPONENTS (this is starting to seem like a wish every year). Fortunately, unlike its console counterparts, you are still ranked in the career mode for the PSP but you also sacrifice the plethora of styles available on the 360 version. This is annoying since a big improvement could of been made just adding 3 more styles to the basic speed/power/balance triumverate. Plus, I was disappointed how EA didn't come up with more imaginative control schemes (maybe using the Tri/Cir/X/Sqr buttons at a d-pad and the analog for punching/parrying) since they did a good job with the config 1 control scheme.

I haven't tried online yet but just from playing the career mode I would recommend Fight Night Round 3 to those boxing fans who are away from their consoles a lot and crave more Fight Night...you won't be disappointed and the career mode is a perfect portable game (play a match, put PSP in sleep mode, come back later). This game is a few improvements away, though, from truly being a blockbuster title on the PSP...