James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing (Mega Drive)

From Sega Retro

For the Master System game, see James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing (Master System).

n/a

  • NTSC-U/PAL
  • NTSC-J

JamesBusterDouglasKnockoutBoxing MDTitleScreen.png

FinalBlow MD JP TitleScreen.png

Final Blow/James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega (US, Europe), Taito (Japan)
Developer:
Original system(s): Taito F2 System
Developer(s) of original games: Taito
Genre: Sports[1]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP
¥6,8006,800 T-11033
Sega Mega Drive
US
$49.9549.95[3] 1204
Sega Mega Drive
US
(Classic)
$29.9529.95[4] 1204C
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1204
Sega Mega Drive
PT
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£34.9934.99[5][6] 1204
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(Rental)
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Non-Sega versions

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James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing, known as Final Blow (ファイナルブロー) in Japan and original version, is a 1990 Sega Mega Drive boxing game ported from 1988 arcade game by Taito.

Gameplay

The game is a typical 2D boxing game. A punches with the right fist, B punches with the left, and C blocks, with various moves being done depending on which D-pad buttons are being held at the time.

Boxers

JBDKB MD Portraits.png
"Buster" Douglas
Western versions only.
JBDKB MD Portraits.png
Detroit Kid
Japanese version only.
JBDKB MD Portraits.png
Dynamite Joe
JBDKB MD Portraits.png
King Jason
JBDKB MD Portraits.png
Fernando Gomez
JBDKB MD Portraits.png
Kim Nang

History

Taito ported it to the Sega Mega Drive in 1990, releasing it under its original name in Japan — but when brought to the US and Europe, it was renamed James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing, despite the original arcade game having already been released with its original name.

It has been suggested that Sega licensed James Douglas after the infamous boxing match, Tyson vs. Douglas, in which Douglas (the underdog) knocked out Mike Tyson, the then undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Nintendo had licensed the use of Mike Tyson in 1987 for their successful NES release of Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, so Sega of America, caught up in their iconic "Genesis Does (what Nintendon't)" campaign, saw an opportunity to poke fun at their rivals by producing a game starring the "better" fighter.

James Douglas's next fight was against Evander Holyfield, which he lost in the third round. Not wanting to be left behind, Sega licensed the boxer and created Evander Holyfield's "Real Deal" Boxing in 1992.


Some of the licenses were more successful than others. I remember one of them that we did; it turned out to be an embarrassment. We couldn't get Mike Tyson, the boxing heavyweight champion of the world at the time. We couldn't get Tyson, because that license was tied up. Later, Buster Douglas became champ, and we went out like "we have to have him" and signed Buster Douglas, of course hoping that he would successfully defend the title. [Laughs] It ended up lasting like a few days, because he lost the title in his very next bout! We had licensed Buster, had a big promotion about Buster Douglas, produced a boxing game around him. Then he had his next fight, and I remember we rented a hotel to see him that night, kind of a conference room. It had a big screen TV set up, and everyone was gathered around in chairs to watch Buster Douglas fight, and right before our very eyes he lost his title, and he never won again!

Ken Balthaser[7]


Versions

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing
English (US) James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing
Japanese ファイナルブロー Final Blow

Magazine articles

Main article: James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing (Mega Drive)/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing (Mega Drive)/Promotional material.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[8]
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) NTSC-J
30
[9]
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[10]
ACE (UK)
41
[5]
ACE (UK) PAL
0
[11]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
47
[12]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
63
[13]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
69
[14]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)
69
[15]
Console XS (UK) NTSC-J
60
[16]
Computer & Video Games (UK) NTSC-J
78
[17]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
63
[18]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
60
[19]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
88
[20]
Joystick (FR) NTSC-J
91
[21]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
40
[22]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
12
[23]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
60
[24]
Mega (UK) PAL
31
[25]
Mega (UK) PAL
6
[26]
MegaTech (UK)
69
[27]
MegaTech (UK)
56
[28]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
69
[29]
Player One (FR)
80
[30]
Power Play (DE)
36
[31]
Raze (UK) PAL
75
[32]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
25
[33]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
32
[6]
Sega Pro (UK)
60
[34]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
42
[35]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
53
[36]
Tricks 16 bit (RU) NTSC-J
32
[37]
Tricks 16 bit (RU) NTSC-U
70
[38]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U
40
[3]
Zero (UK)
71
[39]
Zero (UK)
79
[40]
Sega Mega Drive
53
Based on
36 reviews

James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing (Mega Drive)

Mega Drive, JP
JBDKOB MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
FinalBlow MD JP CartTop.jpg
FinalBlow MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, US
JBDKOB MD US Box.jpg
Cover
JBDKB MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
James Buster Douglas Knockout Boxing MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Sega Classic)
JBDKOB MD US Box SegaClassic.jpg
Cover
JBDKB MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
JBDKOB MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
JBDKB MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
James Buster Douglas Boxing MD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, SE (Rental)

Mega Drive, AU
JBDKB MD AU cover.jpg
Cover

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 87bbcf2a
MD5 9635abe009beffdff9954c4214e8cc8d
SHA-1 617b61da9bceb6f4d8362d074dc1dad3f7304584
512kB 1990-07 Cartridge (US/EU)
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 48ad505d
MD5 f2c1ca2b1ab0febcf6d244785d477a50
SHA-1 610c3136e6ddccc41ab216affd07034fa46341a8
512kB 1990-01 Cartridge (JP)
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1990-01-16 Page

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
  2. https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/d4tGae_tUa4/m/uV14bDIsircJ
  3. 3.0 3.1 VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "November 1990" (US; 1990-1x-xx), page 53
  4. Sega Visions, "August/September 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 20
  5. 5.0 5.1 ACE, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-08), page 71
  6. 6.0 6.1 Sega Power, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-10-04), page 37
  7. Interview: Ken Balthaser (2006-11-24) by Sega-16
  8. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 40
  9. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 118
  10. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 100
  11. ACE, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-08), page 118
  12. Aktueller Software Markt, "Mai 1990" (DE; 1990-04-30), page 50
  13. Beep! MegaDrive, "April 1990" (JP; 1990-03-08), page 109
  14. Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 29
  15. The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 46
  16. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 130
  17. Computer & Video Games, "July 1990" (UK; 1990-06-16), page 105
  18. Famitsu, "" (JP; 1990-0x-xx), page 1
  19. GamePro, "January 1991" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 100
  20. Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 78
  21. Joystick, "Juillet/Août 1990" (FR; 1990-06-25), page 108
  22. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "December 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 79
  23. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92
  24. Mega Drive Fan, "October 1990" (JP; 1990-09-08), page 79
  25. Mega, "July 1993" (UK; 1993-06-17), page 32
  26. Mega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 77
  27. MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 78
  28. MegaTech, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-20), page 47
  29. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 138
  30. Player One, "Juillet/Août 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 58
  31. Power Play, "7/90" (DE; 1990-06-15), page 127
  32. Raze, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-07-25), page 55
  33. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53
  34. Sega Pro, "Christmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-12), page 18
  35. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 65
  36. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  37. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 99
  38. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 92
  39. Zero, "July 1990" (UK; 1990-0x-xx), page 80
  40. Zero, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-0x-xx), page 65


James "Buster" Douglas Knockout Boxing (Mega Drive)

JamesBusterDouglasKnockoutBoxing MDTitleScreen.png

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Sega Mega Drive
Prototypes: 1990-01-16