By Fair Means or Foul
Encyclopedia
By Fair Means or Foul is a boxing
video game first published for a range of 8-bit
home computer
s in 1988 by Superior Software
. It was later reissued with the new title by Codemasters
who also published conversions for 16-bit
computers. The game offers a variety of boxing moves including fouls. The game received mixed reviews.
The game features a wide range of moves including fair moves (punches, jabs, uppercuts) and foul moves (kicks, knees, head butts, groin punches) as well as blocks and dodging moves. Foul moves can be made when the referee is not looking but lead to a loss of 'chance' (or life) if seen. Indicators on screen let the player know when the referee is likely to notice foul moves. Successful hits reduce the opponent's energy bar. When the energy bar reaches zero, the player is knocked out but this just ends the round. The player with the lowest energy at the end of the round loses a 'chance'.
As the game is played, members of the audience make comments which are shown on screen as speech bubbles.
and Acorn Electron
. The game was converted to Commodore 64
, Amstrad CPC
and ZX Spectrum
and launched simultaneously by Superior Software in 1988. The BBC and Electron versions were released under the joint Superior/Acornsoft
name while the other versions were released under the Superior/Alligata
name. All versions were released on cassette
with all versions except the Electron also released on floppy disk
.
The game was then released as a budget title by Codemasters in 1990 under the new title Pro Boxing Simulator (to fit with their long-running series). Controversially, this version had "New Release" on the cassette cover which lead to complaints when people bought the game not realising it was the same as By Fair Means or Foul. Codemasters then reissued the game with the "New Release" box changed to "Previously known as 'Fair Means or Foul'" and offered to refund anyone who had bought both versions of the game.
Codemasters also converted the game to Amiga
and Atari ST
and these versions were released in 1991.
awarded the game 8/10, praising the fact it approaches boxing from a "different direction". Amstrad Action
gave a score of 83%. Sinclair User
gave a generally positive review picking out good points including "the wide variety of fighting moves, the decent sound effects and music, the comments from the crowd and the ref" but said the game was not "smooth or novel enough to make you scream with joy" awarding an overall score of 68%.
Zzap!64
said the game "can't be faulted" as a boxing simulation but were less impressed with the "badly drawn" and "blocky" graphics, giving a score of 66%. Your Sinclair
gave the game an overall score of 6/10 but complained of "poor graphics, unwieldy control, and painful speed". Amiga Force
gave a score of 58% in a Codemasters retrospective in 1994, labelling the game "engaging".
Computer and Video Games
(testing the Amstrad version) gave a score of only 36%, again criticising the "blocky" and "sparse" graphics but also only giving a score of 2/5 for playability.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
video game first published for a range of 8-bit
8-bit
The first widely adopted 8-bit microprocessor was the Intel 8080, being used in many hobbyist computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, often running the CP/M operating system. The Zilog Z80 and the Motorola 6800 were also used in similar computers...
home computer
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
s in 1988 by Superior Software
Superior Software
Superior Software is a video game publisher. It was established in 1982 by Richard Hanson and John Dyson, two graduates of the University of Leeds, England...
. It was later reissued with the new title by Codemasters
Codemasters
The Codemasters Software Company Limited, or Codemasters is a British video game developer founded by Richard and David Darling in 1986...
who also published conversions for 16-bit
16-bit
-16-bit architecture:The HP BPC, introduced in 1975, was the world's first 16-bit microprocessor. Prominent 16-bit processors include the PDP-11, Intel 8086, Intel 80286 and the WDC 65C816. The Intel 8088 was program-compatible with the Intel 8086, and was 16-bit in that its registers were 16...
computers. The game offers a variety of boxing moves including fouls. The game received mixed reviews.
Gameplay
The game can be played either as a two-player versus game or single-player against the computer. The objective of the one player game is to attempt to become the World Champion by defeating six opponents. The opponents become progressively more difficult to beat. The player can then continue to defend their title against difficult opponents.The game features a wide range of moves including fair moves (punches, jabs, uppercuts) and foul moves (kicks, knees, head butts, groin punches) as well as blocks and dodging moves. Foul moves can be made when the referee is not looking but lead to a loss of 'chance' (or life) if seen. Indicators on screen let the player know when the referee is likely to notice foul moves. Successful hits reduce the opponent's energy bar. When the energy bar reaches zero, the player is knocked out but this just ends the round. The player with the lowest energy at the end of the round loses a 'chance'.
As the game is played, members of the audience make comments which are shown on screen as speech bubbles.
Development and release
The game was originally developed by Michael and Terry Simpson for the BBC MicroBBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
and Acorn Electron
Acorn Electron
The Acorn Electron is a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. It has 32 kilobytes of RAM, and its ROM includes BBC BASIC along with its operating system....
. The game was converted to Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
and ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
and launched simultaneously by Superior Software in 1988. The BBC and Electron versions were released under the joint Superior/Acornsoft
Acornsoft
Acornsoft was the software arm of Acorn Computers Ltd, and a major publisher of software for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron. As well as games, they also produced a large number of educational titles, extra computer languages and business and utility packages - these included ROM-based word...
name while the other versions were released under the Superior/Alligata
Alligata
Alligata Software Ltd. was a computer games developer and publisher based in Sheffield in the UK in the 1980s.The company was founded by Mike Mahoney and Dave Palmer around 1982. They produced games for a number of home computers including the Commodore 64, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron, ZX Spectrum...
name. All versions were released on cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
with all versions except the Electron also released on floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
.
The game was then released as a budget title by Codemasters in 1990 under the new title Pro Boxing Simulator (to fit with their long-running series). Controversially, this version had "New Release" on the cassette cover which lead to complaints when people bought the game not realising it was the same as By Fair Means or Foul. Codemasters then reissued the game with the "New Release" box changed to "Previously known as 'Fair Means or Foul'" and offered to refund anyone who had bought both versions of the game.
Codemasters also converted the game to Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
and Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
and these versions were released in 1991.
Critical reception
Reviews were mixed. Electron UserElectron User
Electron User was a magazine targeted at owners of the Acorn Electron microcomputer. It was published by Database Publications of Stockport, starting in October 1983 and ending after 82 issues in July 1990....
awarded the game 8/10, praising the fact it approaches boxing from a "different direction". Amstrad Action
Amstrad Action
Amstrad Action was a monthly magazine, published in the United Kingdom, which catered to owners of home computers from the Amstrad CPC range and later the GX4000 console....
gave a score of 83%. Sinclair User
Sinclair User
Sinclair User, often abbreviated SU, was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum...
gave a generally positive review picking out good points including "the wide variety of fighting moves, the decent sound effects and music, the comments from the crowd and the ref" but said the game was not "smooth or novel enough to make you scream with joy" awarding an overall score of 68%.
Zzap!64
Zzap!64
Zzap!64 was a computer games magazine covering games on the Commodore International series of computers, especially the Commodore 64 . It was published in the UK by Newsfield Publications Ltd and later by Europress Impact....
said the game "can't be faulted" as a boxing simulation but were less impressed with the "badly drawn" and "blocky" graphics, giving a score of 66%. Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair or YS as it was commonly abbreviated, was a British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum.-History:...
gave the game an overall score of 6/10 but complained of "poor graphics, unwieldy control, and painful speed". Amiga Force
Amiga Force
Amiga Force was a video games magazine launched towards the end of 1992 by Europress Impact. It lasted for 16 issues before going down with its publishers. The first issue of Amiga Force went on sale around September 1992. The magazine would switch to monthly release soon after. Amiga Force showed...
gave a score of 58% in a Codemasters retrospective in 1994, labelling the game "engaging".
Computer and Video Games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
(testing the Amstrad version) gave a score of only 36%, again criticising the "blocky" and "sparse" graphics but also only giving a score of 2/5 for playability.