15 years without an update is quite a long time. However, I believe the 15 year hiatus was well worth it. The franchise was brought back with a vengeance. I have been a fan since the NES days when Iron Mike Tyson was the man to beat. Super Punch Out for SNES elevated the game with much improved graphics. Now the series has been given a whole new lease on life. A lot has happened over the last 15 years graphics and game play wise, and while Punch-Out !! does not depart much from it's core game play, the game breathes new life into a once dead series. Compared to some of the current gen boxing games, Punch-Out !! may fall flat. It's not fully 3D, it's not realistically rendered, and it doesn't incorporate real life boxing physics. With that being said the game has a charm all it's own, with wild moves, a colorful cast of characters, and very challenging game play. The game of course starts off with a character that you can pummel with great ease , but the game quickly progresses to harder and harder opponents, until you find yourself in a fight just to survive the first round. The game play is pretty straight forward. The only way to progress is to strategically figure out you opponents moves, and duck, dodge, or hit them. Hitting them at certain points earns you a star. You can collect up to three stars, to deliver a devastating uppercut. The real star of this game is the color cast of characters. They are all so lively and hilarious in their own ways. The actors do a great job voicing the characters, and the artist and programmers bring them to life beautifully with personal little quirks that make them all irresistible. Though it doesn't depart much from the previous installments in the series this game does much to revive classic Nintendo boxing at it's best. This game will bring back memories for those who grew up with the series, as well as create new memories for those new to the series. Give Punch-Out !! a try it's definitely worth every punch.
*** PUNCH-OUT!! *** THE GOOD -Excellent control scheme -Challenging career mode -Nostalgic gameplay -Fired-up audio -Intense multiplayer THE BAD -Balance board play is terrible -Could have used some mor... Read Full Review
Out of all old-school Nintendo franchises that had been on a limbo for the past two decades Punch-Out was not among those that were likely to make a glorious come back. While the game's first two versions were packed wit... Read Full Review
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