Heavyweight Champ (8-bit)

From Sega Retro

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HeavyweightChamp title.png

Heavyweight Champ (8-bit)
System(s): Sega System 16, Master System, Game Gear
Publisher: Sega,
Sega Game Gear
Sims
Developer:
Genre: Sports

















Release Date RRP Code
For the discrete logic arcade game, see Heavyweight Champ (1976). For the Sega Mega Drive game, see George Foreman's KO Boxing.

Heavyweight Champ (ヘビーウェイトチャンプ) is a boxing game released for the Sega System 16 arcade in 1987 and later ported to the Master System and Game Gear in 1991. The game has had an unusual history, having been tied to two professional boxing champions, George Foreman and James "Buster" Douglas.

For a brief period in North America, the game was titled James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing, to accompany the Sega Mega Drive game of the same name. It is, however, a very different game to the Mega Drive version, and is sometimes even seen as the superior product. In Europe and Brazil, it was titled George Foreman's KO Boxing, and is again unrelated to the Mega Drive game with the same name. In more recent releases the game has simply been titled as "Heavyweight Champ", assumably because SIMS and Sega no longer had the rights to pair it with those celebrity boxers.

Gameplay

The original arcade game is played as if from a first-person perspective, though the player's character is visible as an outline on the screen. The controls are two special handles which allow the player to perform actual punching motions, which are translated into the game as attacks on the opponent.

The Master System conversion is a more traditional fighting game, viewed from the side of the action and controlled using a standard control pad.

Production Credits

Master System Version

Planners: All Members
Programmers: Nonchan, S.Kawa
Designers: Yasukuni, Tommy
Sound Composer: Kin
Presented by: Sega

Physical Scans

Master System Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
69 №114
74 №16
50 №2/37
65 №9, p54
60 №23, p57
79 №3, p47
69 №15, p32/33
Sega Master System
67
Based on
7 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
47
[1]
Buzz! Computers (UK)
65
[2]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)
51
[3]
Console XS (UK) PAL
77
[4]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
69
[5]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
49
[6]
Game Power (IT)
85
[7]
Joypad (FR)
55
[8]
Joystick (FR) PAL
74
[9]
Mega Force (FR)
62
[10]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
50
[11]
Mean Machines (UK)
46
[12]
Player One (FR)
77
[13]
Player One (FR)
65
[14]
Play Time (DE)
39
[15]
Power Play (DE)
39
[16]
Raze (UK)
65
[17]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
67
[18]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
50
[19]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
12
[20]
Sega Pro (UK)
79
[21]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
69
[22]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
69
[23]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
55
[24]
Todo Sega (ES)
55
[25]
Video Games (DE)
30
[26]
Video Games (DE)
59
[27]
Sega Master System
58
Based on
27 reviews

Heavyweight Champ (8-bit)

Master System, US
(James "Buster" Douglas)
HWC SMS US Box JBD.jpg
Cover
Master System, EU
(Heavyweight Champ)
HWC SMS EU Box.jpg
Cover
Master System, EU
(George Foreman)
HWC SMS EU Box GF.jpg
Cover
Master System, BR
(Heavyweight Champ)
HWC SMS BR Box.jpg
Cover
Master System, BR
(George Foreman)
HWC SMS BR Box GF.jpg
Cover
Georgeforeman sms br cart.jpg
Cart

Game Gear Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
55
70 №6
78 №24, p155
75 №34, p229
80 №5, p64
62 №13, p27
70 №15, p34
Sega Game Gear
70
Based on
7 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
33
[28]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
50
[29]
Consoles + (FR)
62
[30]
Consoles + (FR)
20
[31]
Console XS (UK) NTSC-J
79
[32]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
61
[33]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
60
[34]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
48
[35]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
63
[36]
Game Zone (UK) NTSC-J
74
[37]
Game Zone (UK)
84
[38]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
50
[39]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
85
[40]
Joypad (FR)
70
[41]
Joypad (FR)
73
[42]
Joystick (FR)
78
[43]
Joystick (FR) PAL
75
[44]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
46
[45]
Player One (FR)
85
[46]
Play Time (DE)
77
[47]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
28
[48]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
80
[49]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
62
[50]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
70
[51]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
56
[52]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
55
[53]
Supersonic (FR)
86
[54]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U
60
[55]
Sega Game Gear
63
Based on
28 reviews

Heavyweight Champ (8-bit)

Game Gear, US
(George Foreman)
GFKOB GG US Box Front.jpg
Cover
George Foreman's KO Boxing GG US cart.jpg
Cart
Game Gear, EU
(George Foreman)
HWC GG EU Box GF Front.jpg
Cover
George Foreman's KO Boxing GG EU cart.jpg
Cart
Game Gear, JP
(Heavyweight Champ)
HWC GG JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
  1. Aktueller Software Markt, "Juli 1991" (DE; 1991-06-28), page 116
  2. Buzz! Computers (UK) (+0:00)
  3. The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 94
  4. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 141
  5. Computer & Video Games, "May 1991" (UK; 1991-04-14), page 74
  6. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 138
  7. Game Power, "Febbraio 1992" (IT; 1992-0-xx), page 40
  8. Joypad, "Mars 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 100
  9. Joystick, "Mai 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 142
  10. Mega Force, "Mars 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 108
  11. Micromanía (segunda época), "Junio 1991" (ES; 1991-0x-xx), page 55
  12. Mean Machines, "April 1991" (UK; 1991-04-01), page 58
  13. Player One, "Juin 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 41
  14. Player One, "Octobre 1993" (FR; 1993-xx-xx), page 132
  15. Play Time, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-06), page 97
  16. Power Play, "7/91" (DE; 1991-06-12), page 137
  17. Raze, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-05-30), page 54
  18. Sega Power, "June 1991" (UK; 1991-05-02), page 34
  19. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 57
  20. Sega Power, "January 1993" (UK; 1992-12-03), page 56
  21. Sega Pro, "Christmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-12), page 47
  22. Sega Pro, "Christmas 1992" (UK; 1992-12-10), page 32
  23. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71
  24. Sega Zone, "January 1993" (UK; 1992-12-xx), page 60
  25. Todo Sega, "Julio 1993" (ES; 1993-0x-xx), page 68
  26. Video Games, "2/91" (DE; 1991-06-07), page 81
  27. Video Games, "8/92" (DE; 1992-07-22), page 122
  28. Aktueller Software Markt, "Oktober 1992" (DE; 1992-09-11), page 132
  29. Beep! MegaDrive, "January 1992" (JP; 1991-12-07), page 84
  30. Consoles +, "Mars 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 127
  31. Consoles +, "Janvier 1993" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 134
  32. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 148
  33. Computer & Video Games, "April 1992 (Go! Issue 6)" (UK; 1992-03-15), page 18
  34. Computer & Video Games, "August 1994" (UK; 1994-07-15), page 111
  35. Famitsu, "1992-01-03" (JP; 1991-12-20), page 43
  36. GamePro, "June 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 84
  37. Game Zone, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-21), page 56
  38. Game Zone, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-xx), page 50
  39. Hippon Super, "January 1992" (JP; 1991-12-04), page 93
  40. Hobby Consolas, "Septiembre 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 76
  41. Joypad, "Mars 1992" (FR; 1992-02-1x), page 136
  42. Joypad, "Décembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 154
  43. Joystick, "Février 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 155
  44. Joystick, "Janvier 1993" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 229
  45. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 143
  46. Player One, "Décembre 1992" (FR; 1992-12-10), page 130
  47. Play Time, "10/92" (DE; 1992-09-02), page 112
  48. Sega Power, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-01), page 63
  49. Sega Pro, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-20), page 64
  50. Sega Pro, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-08), page 27
  51. Sega Pro, "Christmas 1992" (UK; 1992-12-10), page 34
  52. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 74
  53. Sega Force, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-09), page 78
  54. Supersonic, "Janvier 1993" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 28
  55. VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "July 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 62