Midway's Ready 2 Rumble series isn't a boxing simulation – it's more a characterization of the sport. The license has seen versions on systems across the board, including the original design on the Game Boy Color produced by GBC developer Crawfish Interactive. While the first handheld rendition wasn't so hot, Crawfish hopes to redeem itself with a Game Boy Advance edition of the sequel that hit the PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast late last year.

Eleven boxers from all over the world are back in this sequel to claim the championship belt. Each of these characters have their own personality that'll come out in full-force as a flurry of moves within the square ring. You can see the list at the bottom of the page.

Also returning is the game's Rumble mode – make enough contact with your opponent and you'll build up the RUMBLE meter at the bottom of the screen. Fill it up, and you'll be able to pull off super special moves that will guarantee a torturous pummeling at the expense of your enemy's face. Like the Game Boy Color version of Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, the Game Boy Advance edition of Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 will be a two-dimensional conversion of the console's 3D design. The developers have taken key frames of animation from the boxers on the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 titles and rendered them as sprites on the GBA – this is necessary simply because the handheld simply doesn't have enough horsepower to calculate these wildly animated characters in real-time. The Game Boy Advance version will simulate a 3D feel with its use of a rotating ring – as the boxers fight, the "camera" will move around the perimeter of the arena…and thanks to the sprite capabilities of the GBA, the system can manipulate the ring to rotate in perspective. It’s a simple but decent effect.

The game is named for the Man who calls all the action – Michael Buffer. This is the guy who shows up to all sorts of national events, from Boxing Championships to Car Wash Grand Openings, prepared to announce those magic words…"Let's get ready to rumble!" Thanks to the sound capabilities of the Game Boy Advance, you'll be able to hear this guys golden throat at the beginning of each fight to announce the boxers of each match.

To help you advance through the ranks, the game will feature a library of minigames to build up your characters abilities and get you accustomed to Ready 2 Rumble: Round 2's controls. Unfortunately, it looks like this game will not support the Link Cable when it's released – this was a major omission in the original GBC boxer, as this game is more suited for a player-against-player match-up. Hopefully the developers will get the multiplayer code in before the shipdate this June.

-IGN.com