Punch-Out is a perfect example of satisying diehard fans while being appealing to newcomers at the same time....
The game immediately became an instant classic and became a cult favorite among gamers. Years later, Super Punch-Out for the Super Nintendo was also released. While that was a pretty good game, it didn't stand close in comparison to its NES counterpart.
Now, 2009, over 22 years after the release of Punch-Out. Nintendo and Next Level Games teamed together to make a remake identical to the NES version of Punch-Out. And in my opinion this remake of a classic is easily a must-have for Wii owners, whether you played the NES Punch-Out all those years ago or are just starting to play.
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This game comes with 2 different control schemes along with a special one sold separately. Most newcomers would go with the Wiimote and Nun-chuck combination or utilise the Wii Balance Board that comes with Wii Fit in order to dodge. However, in order to fully understand just how great Punch-Out is, you MUST play the game the way that it should: holding the Wiimote sideways like the NES controller of old.
All 10 boxers that braced Mike Tyson's Punch-Out all appear yet again to take Little Mac down and ruin his dream of becoming the world champion. Ranging from the cowardly and weak Frenchman Glass Joe to the rugged, tough and intimidating Mr. Sandman, they are all back. And not to be outdone, Super Punch-Out also has representatives of their own: the Canadian Bear Hugger and the fighting Irish bastard Aran Ryan himself. Along with a special guest boxer added to the mix (not Mike Tyson) and a brand new boxer never seen in any of the classic Punch-Out titles, there will be a boxer or two that will make you fall in love quickly. Then again there will be a boxer that you will grow to hate with a passion too.
If you think Punch-Out is a boxing 'simulator' then I suggest you're going to be disappointed. In a world filled with simulators, Punch-Out continues to play the way it has been since 1987: arcade-style gameplay. In this game you must rely more on patterns from the A.I. and how/when to avoid taking a hit then counter back with attacks of your own. Usually countering an opponent at an appropriate time will earn you a star and enables Little Mac to unleash his deadly "Star Punch" which deals a huge amount of damage if they connect. You can earn 3 of them at a time thus increasing the damage that the Star Punch delivers (a triple Star Punch usually ends with an instant knockdown) but be careful, cause getting hit will cause you to lose whatever stars you earned. Also, to win you must knock your opponent down 3 times in 1 round to get a TKO, be able to knock them down enough within 3 rounds to get a KO, or if you are lucky and can last all the way to the end of Round 3, win by decision. Its simplistic gameplay is what made Punch-Out great back then and it still holds up right now.
Graphics wise, the game is presented in a cell-shaded format and a cartoon-like presentation which captures all the facial features of all the characters in the game almost perfectly. With the arcade-style appeal to this game, it was best to have everyone be as wacky, funny and lovable (or hateful) at the same time. Obviously the graphical appeal would be much higher than the NES version, though the comical effect that everyone gives off during the gameplay really stands out to the appeal of this remake.
With addition to beating a boxer, 3 challenges await you afterwords. Successfully completing all 3 will unlock the voices of the fallen boxer along with the main theme of Punch-Out redone in the format of the country that they are representing. For example: Piston Honda is from Japan and the song is played quite similar to the instruments utilised in Japanese culture. Some of the challenges are incredibly easy. Others required some planning in order to beat them while others are, not hard to the point where they are unfair, though they have a pretty decent challenge to make you come back for more.
Don't think the game is over once you become the World Heavyweight champion, cause you have to defend that title. Enter Title Defense mode where you fight all the boxers over again. Sure it feels the same as the first time....but it isn't. All 13 boxers have changed both physically, mentally and in the way they attack along with hiding most of their weaknesses. For example: Bear Hugger is immune to body shots yet takes a lot of damage to his head. In Title Defense, he wears a cap that only enables 2 hits on him. Add the fact that he's a lot stronger and has some new attacks in his arsenal, you have to think of a different strategy to not only beat him quickly, but to get more than 2 hits on his face. There is also another mode called Last Stand which you fight random boxers via Title Defense, only if you lose 3 times, Little Mac will retire. More stuff to do in the game to add replay value to an already game? Works for me.
Quite honestly, as great as this version of Punch-Out is, it is pretty short. Sure, the game does require plenty of trial and error in order to beat it completely, though once you've gotten everything down then the game will become short as hell. Even with the challenges after beating a boxer or 2 new play modes added.
As lovable as most of the boxers are in this game, 13 aren't enough. With the likes of Bob Charlie and Dragon Chan from Super Punch-Out who are also popular in their own rights, some more boxers would have been nice.
Also do not expect Punch-Out to be a cakewalk......cause it isn't. The game is very hard, especially in Title Defense and Last Stand. With a good amount of trial and error, the first portion of the game will be easy. The other modes make it a bit more tougher and more like it was when millions first started playing Mike Tyson's Punch-Out for the first time. Don't worry, the game is not hard to the point where it gets unfair to beat.
All in all, this remake of the classic Punch-Out still plays like the NES counterpart as a whole yet is still as fun as it ever was. With its cartoon appeal, arcade style gameplay, simplistic controls and a decent challenge to boot, many will find plenty of time getting some fun out of his highly addictive game.