A few years ago I completed my collection of every Konami Famicom game released. While that set included a boxed copy of every Konami Famicom game, there were a few loose ends.

Today, one of those ends is loose no more. I have managed to obtain a copy of the complete Exciting Boxing package. Including the legendary inflatable controller.

Inside the huge box is quite a kit.

The contents are the game itself (in its own regular box), a Konami collector card, the manual, two sets of knitted gloves, a foot pump, and of course the main event: a large inflatable boxing bag/man controller!

The box had a bit of wear, but the inflatable controller is in unbelievably good condition for its age. There was a small air leak but a bit of tape fixed it up no problem.

A cord comes out this box at the front to plug into the Famicom expansion port.

And we’re ready to play!

The game appears to have some kind of fitness (or at least progress) focus, as you enter your name and your stats are saved at all times (via an annoying long password).

The first option is just to view your saved stats, the second is training, so I jumped in here to see how well it works.



Well, the hits registered… sometimes. I have no idea how the technology works – it is presumably pressure, rather than motion. Yet movement is what seemed to register half the time. Pressing what look like ‘button’ points on the boxing bag appear to do nothing, but punching does work, just not particularly reliably. Perhaps it being this elderly factors into it and when new it worked better? Or perhaps not.

Now onto the main game, the first matchup.

And we’re off.

So how well does it work in battle? Not very. A sheet of green plastic attached to the base extends out the front to stand or kneel on to play and anchor the bag. But even when it does work, he often falls over from hits good enough to register, especially hooks.

So expect to see a whole lot of this.



And that’s it! I will not play this often, if only to maintain the condition, so my stats are likely to remain permanently limited.

In recent years I have also managed to get a boxed copy of the cart version of Akumajou Dracula.

And have a copy of the cart version of Moreo Twinbee on the way. Which means my ultra-complete Konami Famicom set is only one item from 100%. Unfortunately, that item is the single most expensive one, even more than this Exciting Boxing set was – the cartridge version of Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa. Oh well, maybe one day when the house is paid off…