This new Punch-Out!! offers everything you'd want from a new entry, despite the lack of significant new content.
Cons: Not a whole lot of unique content; Multiplayer is too simplistic; Motion controls do not fit this experience
Along with early entries in classic franchises such as Mario, Zelda, and Metroid, not many NES games are more beloved than Punch-Out!! And yet prior to last year, Nintendo had only released one sequel to it. Luckily, they saw fit to give it another chance on the Wii and the experience holds up well to this day.
Virtually nothing has changed in Punch-Out!! (now referring to the Wii version) since the last entry: the basic gameplay still revolves around learning the strategies of, dodging, and countering the game's 14 eccentric (and often stereotypical) other competitors. Hell, 12 of the competitors have been pulled directly from the other two games. Veterans of the past games should have no trouble (or at least, little trouble) brushing right through the competition.
And then they challenge you to a rematch. And you will lose. Rather than creating a whole new roster of fighters, Next Level has taken the classics and fixed their weaknesses, creating new tactics for you to learn and counter. And this is where the game shines. Although theoretically someone could breeze through the second campaign in a matter of hours, nobody will. You will likely spend as much as a good hour learning how to defeat each rematch, and despite the high level of challenge you will enjoy it. Punch-Out!! is one of those rare games that finds the balance between hard and possible that makes you feel like you could succeed with just one more round. Factor in the frequently absurd exhibition mode challenges (ex: knock Glass Joe down in one punch) and a dedicated (read: masochistic) player will get a surprising amount of game here despite the small roster and lack of environmental variety.
Unfortunately the multiplayer just doesn't hold up as well. Rather than giving players their choice of the many bosses, Next Level chose to pit Little Mac versus Little Mac. Land enough successful punches without taking too much damage and a meter fills up, letting you turn into Giga Mac, where you play as if you were a boss. This sounds much cooler than it is, and the rounds frequently turn into button-mashing fests with odd multiplayer-only control quirks annoying further.
Multiplayer aside, the folks at Next Level should be commended for staying faithful to the Punch-Out!! spirit, not just in gameplay, but presentation. The original Punch-Out!! exuded a surprising amount of personality given its 8-bit limitations and Next Level couldn't have done a better job of translating the comic character designs into a sharp, fluid cel-shaded style. The catchy tunes of the original game have also been updated in a surprisingly appropriate rock-style, with a few other very catchy tunes fitting the game like a glove.
With this entry, Punch-Out!!'s addictive brand of puzzle-like boxing will likely reach a whole new audience. Certainly new people will enjoy it, perhaps renting it for a short bit. However, it's the fans of the old games, who already know the characters and will appreciate learning their comeback tactics; who will take down the exhibition challenges; who will keep trying when things get tough, who should without a doubt pick up this entry. It's classic gaming for a hardened classic audience.