Big Shot Boxing Controls: Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Block — and How Rounds Are Scored

Big Shot Boxing has only four punch buttons, and it is easy to mash all of them and hope. That works against the first couple of opponents. After that, the game starts rewarding boxers who know what each punch is for. This is a close look at the controls, how rounds are scored, and how to use each punch on purpose.

The four buttons

• Jab — Right arrow. Fast, low risk, and the punch the coach mentions more than any other. It lands often and it scores.
• Cross — Left arrow. The harder straight right. Slower than the jab, so throw it behind a jab or when the other boxer is already hurt.
• Uppercut — X. The big shot. It is meant for close range; thrown from distance it misses and leaves you open.
• Block — Z. Covers up against the power punches. It is the one button that matters most after you get stunned.

On a keyboard, click once inside the game first so the keys go to it. On a touchscreen, the same four actions appear as buttons in the corner of the ring. The first fight is a short tutorial that shows each button in turn: jab, then cross, then uppercut, then block.

How rounds are scored

The judges score every round, and the running cards appear between rounds as R1, R2, R3 and so on, with a total. Clean punches win rounds; getting dropped loses them badly. The coach's comments are tied to those cards. If he says you are behind, you are; if he tells you to play it safe because the win is in the bag, you are genuinely ahead on points.

Range: the whole game in one word

Almost every piece of advice in the corner is about distance. Against a stronger puncher, stay at range and jab. Against a boxer who is winning at range, get close and land uppercuts, which catch the judges' eye. Against a pressure fighter who keeps walking forward, jab as he comes in and counter with the uppercut when he arrives. Before each fight, read the opponent's scouting line on the Rankings screen — it tells you which of these fights you are in.

Stuns and knockdowns

Big punches can stun a boxer. When the other man is stunned, the coach wants a cross or an uppercut straight away. When you are stunned, press and hold block until your fighter recovers; throwing back while stunned is how you end up on your back. Chin is the stat that lowers your chance of being stunned or dropped in the first place, which is why it is such a good early upgrade. Get knocked down too often and the referee stops the fight.

A simple fight plan

1. Round 1: jab, block when he loads up, learn his rhythm.
2. When he steps in: uppercut. When he is stunned: cross or uppercut, then back to the jab.
3. Ahead on the cards: keep jabbing and block more. Behind: take more risks up close.
4. After the fight: spend the purse in the gym before choosing the next opponent.

Your career is saved in the browser on this device, so you can stop between fights and pick up where you left off. Back to the ring: play Big Shot Boxing, or read the career guide.