Ready 2 Rumble was one of the titles that propelled the Dreamcast to a successful launch. Now Sony looks to get a boost from its sequel for the launch of the Playstation2. Midway, now well known for their Arcade-style sports games has promised a host of improvements, including a better one-player experience, and more pugilists than ever before.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series, Ready2Rumble is a boxing game heavy on arcade style gameplay, light on realism. The object here is to not only to knockout your opponent, but to look good doing it. Feel like rubbing in that beating your administering? A variety of taunts are available to further humiliate your opponent. For those of you that tend to "go the distance" in your fights, all new Ring Girls will ease your pain between rounds. Oh yeah, they also perform that handy function of letting you know what round it is.

Since Midway does not have the boxing license (EA has it) none of the boxers found in the game are real. Well, that's not exactly true this year, as you will find Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jackson (yes, that Michael Jackson) ready to duke it out for your amusement. All of the 11 original boxers, Afro Thunder, Butcher Brown, and Angel Rivera, to name a few, return for another go this year with new animations, RUMBLE combinations, and for all you fashion moguls, new costumes.

One area where the original title was widely criticized was in its one player mode. Since it allowed you to build up your boxer's stats with little challenge, I only lost one fight in the single player mode, and that was my first one. This year all that has changed, you've gotta earn those attribute points. You'll be training with a sparring partner in addition to working with weights, and bags. The way Championship mode plays has also been revamped. Boxers will not just have an opponent, they will have feuds, which will unfold as your storyline progresses. You'll also have to fight according to a calendar; none of this fight twice a year Mike Tyson stuff for you, get in the ring and fight!

One last thing that may convince you to purchase this title is its release date. Ready2Rumble is scheduled to be on shelves on October 24th, two days before the actual launch of the system. Midway is banking on consumers strolling in before the launch wanting to ensure they have a game to play, and this sounds like it could be a good idea. For all of you without a Dreamcast that wanted to play this game last year, now is your chance. Leeeeet's get ready to Ruuuummmmbbblllleeeee!!!!