Anyone who has played on a console for a lengthy amount of time will know that fighting games are hugely popular. In fact, fighting games are in some ways responsible for gaming being what it is today, as they were the main genre played on arcade stations decades ago.
Sadly, the one area of fighting games that has not gained a lot of popularity is boxing. While it is very easy to find a fighting game with fantasy themes (e.g., the Tekken series) or to find a game about sports entertainment, boxing as a sport doesn’t really have a fanbase dedicated enough to have a lot of games about it.
However, what we have been truly surprised by is the fact that most of the boxing games that do come out are of amazing quality. It is indeed very rare to play a boxing game and think that this is a terrible game.
While there are only a handful of boxing games for the Xbox Series X and S, almost all of them will have something to offer the fan of the sport. Some of them try to replicate the boxing ruleset as closely as they can, while others experiment with the idea and introduce new mechanics.
Some of the games are only about boxing, while others consider using your firsts as an integral (but not the only) part of the fight. Whatever your tastes may be, our list of the 5 best boxing games for Xbox Series X / S should help you pick a game you like.
UFC 3
| Genre: | Fighting, Simulation, Sports |
| Developers: | Electronic Arts |
| Release Date: | February 2, 2018 |
| Find at: | Microsoft Store and Amazon |
| Multiplayer: | Local multiplayer (2-2), Online multiplayer (2-2) |
| Average Playtime: | 8 hours |
We begin our list with the third entry in the Ultimate Fighting Championship franchise. While UFC is not exactly the same as boxing, it does have a lot of similar elements.
What we do like about the game is that it comes the closest to offering a complete and simulation-based fighting experience on the Series X. A lot of new technology has been introduced into the game, allowing for players to outstrategize each other in the ring in entirely new ways.
The single-player career mode is a great way for players to both learn the game and experience what life is like as a UFC fighter. The eventual goal of the career mode is to become the greatest fighter of all time.
Although the career mode does appear repetitive after a while (like in most fighting games), the gameplay is good enough for you to keep on playing despite the repetition.
There is also the option of both local and online multiplayer. While it is limited to two players due to the nature of UFC, it is perhaps the most competitive mode out there for fans of fighting-based sports.
Pato Box
| Genre: | Fighting |
| Developers: | Bromio, 2think design studio |
| Release Date: | August 20, 2019 |
| Find at: | Microsoft Store |
| Multiplayer: | N/A |
| Average Playtime: | 6 hours |
The next game on our list of the best boxing games for Xbox is Pato Box. Pato Box is a game that combines boxing with a dystopian setting. You play the role of someone who is out for revenge agianst an evil corporation.
Although you are already a boxing champion, this will be a fight unlike anything you have ever experienced before. You will need to fight enemy after enemy to eventually get to the people who have wronged you.
Pato Box is set in the style of a graphic novel. To be honest, we are not really on board with the art style. It looks pretty uninspiring, and there are literally hundreds of games that have a similar art style but look much better.
What we do really like is the combat. Despite the single-player-only nature of the game, the combat has enough depth for the game to not become boring until the very end. The enemies get progressively harder and have new abilities as you get to the end of the game, requiring you to level up your game as you near the end.
Street Figher 30th Anniversary Collection
| Genre: | 2D Fighter, Arcade, Classic |
| Developers: | Capcom & Digital Eclipse |
| Release Date: | May 28, 2018 |
| Find at: | Microsoft Store and Amazon |
| Multiplayer: | Local multiplayer (2-2), Online multiplayer (2-4) |
| Average Playtime: | 7 hours |
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection has some of the most well-known games from the earlier days of the series. There are a total of 12 different games in the collection, all of whom have been optimized for the newer generation of consoles.
Just to be clear, what we mean by optimization is that the games have been tested and work perfectly with the Xbox controller. The graphics and the games themselves are exactly the same as they were in the original version.
Now the Street Fighter series isn’t exactly about boxing. However, there are a lot of boxing elements in it, and some of the fighters are even boxers that primarily rely on pulling punches.
Lastly, many of the games have the option of both local and online multiplayer. Some of the games in the collection have up to four player multiplayer. However, the local multiplayer only goes up to two players.
Fight Night Champion
| Genre: | Fighting, Simulation, Sports |
| Developers: | Electronic Arts Canada |
| Release Date: | April 25, 2010 |
| Find at: | Microsoft Store and Amazon |
| Multiplayer: | N/A |
| Average Playtime: | 4 hours |
Fight Night Champion is by far the purest boxing game available on the Xbox Series X and S. The game is completely about boxing in every way, and has you play as a fighter on his story to get his revenge.
The only reason we don’t have the game higher up on this list is due to the fact that it originally came out in 2011. As such, the visuals definitely look outdated. On top of that, the gameplay also feels a little bit clunky.
While it has a fairly high skill-ceiling, the lack of any kind of multiplayer means that you can only better yourself to play against AI. That said, Fight Night Champion definitely has one of the best storylines in any fighting game out there. On top of that, this is your only resort if you want to play a pure boxing game on the Series X.
WWE 2K22
| Genre: | Fighting, Simulation |
| Developers: | Visual Concepts |
| Release Date: | March 11, 2022 |
| Find at: | Microsoft Store and Amazon |
| Multiplayer: | Local co-op (2-4), Online co-op (2-4) |
| Average Playtime: | 5 hours |
WWE WK22 is the last game on our list of the best boxing games for Xbox Series X / S. Just like the Street Fighter Collection, this is not exactly a boxing game.
That said, WWE 2K22 is a really good game that is one of the most complete wrestling experiences ever created. This is why it was also on our list of the best action games for Xbox.
For those who have an interest in the WWE universe, 2K22 is the ideal game to play. After the issues of 2K20, this entry is a return to form for the series. As long as you are willing to look past the fact that this isn’t a boxing game but something somewhat similar, WWE 2K22 is bound to be interesting.
