Punch-Out is still fun to play, even after all these years.
User Rating: 8 | Punch-Out!! NES
As one of the famous games of the NES era, Punch-Out Featuring Mr. Dream still holds up surprisingly well after about 20 years. The gameplay is simple as it obviously had to be back in this time period. But the simplicity of the gameplay is a big part of what makes the game so fun. For those who don't know, you play as Little Mac, a tiny but determined boxer intent on climbing his way up the ranks to eventually fight the champion of the world Mr. Dream. In each and every fight, Little Mac is severely undersized making for an exciting fight each and every time. Little Mac has 3 different punches within his abilities. He can throw a body punch with either his right or left hand and the same goes for a stronger uppercut. By punching your opponent at the correct time, you can earn stars which you can use to unleash an ultra-powerful uppercut, that will bring down a lot of the earlier opponents. Each opponent you face will have certain tendencies before they punch so you as the player have an idea when to dodge left or right or even duck low. The goal of each is to basically figure out the boxer's tendency or what triggers an opportunity to inflict damage and exploit that weakness as much as possible. This can be a very challenging feat at times when absolute perfect timing is required. While the game is very challenging, it is addicting trying to figure out the puzzle/fight that is the opponent and winning a match is always very rewarding. This old title is also extremely memorable because of its charming style in the sense that it doesn't take itself all that seriously. Each boxer look a little bit goofy and some of them even say some pretty hilarious things during the time inbetween rounds. Although this game will take a little persistence to reach Mr. Dream in the end (something I have not done yet), it is and was a fun NES title. If you have not played Punch-Out yet, then this is definitely something you should check out.
