If you're new to the franchise or a vet, there's enough Punch-Out! for everyone.
Cons - Only 2 new boxers. Familiarity with previous Punch-Outs! can make parts of the game really easy. Two thumbs down to winning by decision. The lack of any kind of online component feels like a lost opportunity considering how fun multiplayer is. With all the control options, it's puzzling why the classic controller was left out.
While pondering what to write about in this review, I can't help but think back to my first time playing Punch-Out! on the NES. I remember being at a friend's house, and we were all taking turns passing around the controller trying to figure out how to beat the different fighters. We never made it past Soda Popinski that first night. Fast forward to my college days when I first truly got myself into Super Punch-Out! addiction. Nearly every break I had between classes was spent trying to dominate the Super version of Punch-Out! Now I've grown up, dealing with things like deciding between a fixed and adjustable mortgage, car insurance, and trying to eat healthy.
With everything that has changed in my life, it's funny that Punch-Out! hasn't changed all that much. Depending on your point of view this could be seen as a good or bad thought. If you're looking for some kind of out of left field experience, you won't find it with Punch-Out! for the Wii. This is some good ol' Punch-Out! puzzle/boxing action, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
When you first start up Punch-Out!, you'll be privy to an intro montage of Little Mac preparing for a fight. These videos will become a constant as you make your way through the game. The video breaks definitely add to the experience, and really draw you into the character. In previous games, Little Mac seemed like a faceless boxer you controlled. While playing through Punch-Out! Wii, dare I say you'll feel closer to the character and be more immersed in the overall experience of becoming a champion.
When you get to the main menu, there are a variety of options to choose from. You have the basic Career Mode which feels just like the past Punch-Out! games. You'll start off against Glass Joe in the Minor Circuit and make your way to the World Circuit championship. One of the new modes is 'Exhibition'. Here you'll be able to practice against boxers and discover their patterns before actually fighting them in career mode. If you're someone who doesn't like to have a losing record in Career Mode, then you'll love the addition of Exhibition. When you defeat a boxer in Career Mode, you can come back to them in Exhibition and there will be different challenges to unlock. The challenges can be quite difficult, and adds another level of difficulty to the fighters you've previously beaten. The final option for gameplay is Multiplayer. Here you can fight in offline head-to-head multiplayer.
Before diving into career mode, you'll want to decide what control scheme you want to use. There are three options: Wii remote only, Wii Remote/Nunchuk Combo, Wii Remote/Nunchuk/Balance Board combo. What's funny about the different control schemes is that depending on which one you use the game will increase in difficulty. If you want the most traditional Punch-Out! experience, then you'll want to use Wii Remote only. Just turn the Wii Remote sideways, and you'll use the D-Pad for your maneuvering, the 1/2 buttons for your punches, then of course the A button for your Star Punch.
If you truly want the greatest challenge that this game can offer, then try out the motion controls. It's not that the motion controls are unresponsive, it's just astronomically harder to time your movements. You never realize how slow your reflexes are until you try and fight King Hippo using the Balance Board. The inclusion of the different controls is definitely welcome. In fact, each style presents a fresh and unique way to play the game. It just seems odd that with these control options that the Classic Controller wasn't added.
For all you Punch-Out! veterans, you'll feel most at home in Career Mode. Just like in the original Punch-Out! there are three circuits to fight your way through, with either 4-5 fighters in each circuit. While you're taking on each fighter your first time through, you'll feel quite familiar with every boxer you face. In fact, if you know the patterns well enough from previous games then you should have no problem blowing through the different Circuits your first time through. If you're finding it too easy, then just challenge yourself and plug that nunchuk in.
*spoiler*Lucky for us, Next Level Games was kind enough to kick the difficulty level up a notch with the inclusion of Title Defense mode. Once you fight your way through all the circuits, Little Mac must defend his title against the boxers he just got done beating. However, the second time through all your opponents will be much harder to defeat. Some will develop new patterns, while other boxers will be a bit more gimmicky and add a weapon or some kind of shield to their repertoire. Title Defense is a breath of fresh air, and brings that familiar Punch-Out! difficulty that many of us have been missing for years. I can safely say that Title Defense has provided me some of the most challenging gameplay I've experienced in years.*/spoiler*
When you're actually in a fight, I think the game utilizes the formula from the original Punch-Out! more so then the Super Nintendo version. This is a small gripe for me, because I always considered Super Punch-Out! a much smoother experience. Punch-Out!, and Punch-Out! for the Wii seems to use much more deliberate movements, which at times feel a bit easier to discern.
Something from the original Punch-Out! that I'm glad is returning for this rendition is the 'Star Punch'. As you take on a fighter, there are certain times you can punch an opponent that will provide you a star. Generally it's getting a punch in right before he can land his, or they'll use a taunt that you can punch them during. You can add up to three stars at once, and with most fighters a three star punch is a one hit knockdown. The trade off is that if you store your stars, you run the risk of taking a hit which automatically takes your stars away. The entire mechanic is a great risk/reward system which becomes more important as the game goes on. It's definitely a treat to see it return.
One aspect of gameplay that I hate to see added is the option to win by decision. WHAT? Come on Next Level Games, leave that weak sauce at home. Just to let you all know, it's not a win if you don't lose the fight by decision. So don't come to me bragging when you don't loseto Title Defense Mr. Sandman by decision.
If you think that the game ends with getting through Career Mode/Title Defense, then you'll be missing out on a great experience with what Exhibition has to offer. As you're making your way through Career Mode, Exhibition will act as your practice arena where you can discover all the boxer's patterns and figure out what you need to do to beat them. Next Level Games went the extra mile to give Exhibition some variety. First, is that everything looks different graphically. Instead of just copying over the boxers into practice mode, you'll be fighting holograms which won't do any damage or lower your stamina. The little changes just show how much Next Level when the extra mile in designing the game.
Once you actually defeat a boxer in Career Mode, then you can come back to Exhibition to take on the boxer while adding challenges to accomplish. Here it gets quite creative, and some of the challenges will definitely add another level of difficulty. For an example, Glass Joe's first challenge is to knock him down three times but letting him win the fight by decision. This is harder than it seems, and that's just one of the first challenges you'll have to get through.
With Career Mode, and Exhibition you'll be at home with the Punch-Out! formula. Fortunately, things get turned on their head when you load up multiplayer. You can basically throw everything you knew about Punch-Out!…out the window when fighting someone in multiplayer. The differences with multiplayer start with the list of moves you are able to use. You'll have your hooks, or you can use slower uppercuts. Also, to keep people from just standing around waiting for their opponent to punch there's a penalty system implemented. So, if you think that you can just stand around and counter you'll see your health and stamina drain quickly. This keeps the action going strong, and provides some zany matches throughout.
Then of course there's the addition of Giga Mac, which can be activated if you've been fighting well during the match. Giga Mac can be clunky to use, although this is countered with expanding the amount of punches that can be thrown. Again, another little touch that shows how dedicated Next Level was to releasing a quality title.
My only complaint with multiplayer, is that there's no online component whatsoever. This feels like such a loss, as going online and unleashing Giga Mac on someone would have been a blast. If they didn't want to provide any kind of online gameplay, they could have had leaderboards of some sort. I can tell you that my record for defeating Piston Hurricane within 9 seconds in Super Punch-Out! is something I like to brag about. Would have been nice to have bragging rights for Punch-Out! Wii using some online leaderboards.
I knew going into the game, that the graphics would be high quality. After playing through the entire game, I'm still impressed as Punch-Out! is truly beautiful. Every fighter will have a unique look and style, and of course an intro video that is well animated. Standing still, the game looks good but it's when everything goes into motion that the game starts to look great. The animations are tight, smooth and just like their look every boxer has a unique set of animations that provide variety.
The music and sounds of the game are even more impressive than the graphics. If you're someone who like me believes the Punch-Out! theme never gets old then you'll love playing the game. The theme is repeated a good amount. What keeps it from being repetitive is that depending on the boxer, the theme will play differently. For example, my favorite version of the theme is when fighting Soda Popinski. It sounds like a Russian choir is humming/singing the theme in the background; it actually adds a dramatic feel to the fight. There's very few voices in the game, but Doc Louis is played really well. There were a couple times I laughed during the breaks between rounds. The writing is very clever, and the execution of the lines is top notch.
I honestly could recommend this game to anyone. For those who are new to the Punch-Out! franchise, this is a perfect starting point. In Exhibition mode, you can feel safe practicing before going into a fight. For all you Punch-Out! veterans, run through Title Defense using the Balance Board. If you can do that, then I'll consider you a Punch-Out! master. With all the extras of multiplayer, and the challenges, the entire experience is worth the price of admission. The familiarity of the boxers, and the lack of online multiplayer keep it from being out of this world amazing, but it's no reason to dismiss the game entirely. This is easily one of the must have games for the Wii.