Punch-Out!!
- May 18, 2009 00:00 AM PST
After a whopping fifteen year hiatus, it would appear that the fan-favorite Punch-Out!! series had hung up its gloves for good. Nightly bouts with King Hippo were replaced with imitators such as Black & Bruised to Facebreaker, all trying to re-capture the cartoonish appeal and addictive fun of the seemingly forgotten franchise. Two Nintendo consoles later, and Nintendo has finally heard the call of fans everywhere. With the help of developer Next Level - the masterminds behind office darling Super Mario Strikers Charged - underdog favorite Little Mac has stepped out of retirement and is ready to rumble in this fantastic reboot of the beloved boxing series!
Will and I recently had the pleasure of stepping into the ring with Punch Out!!, and it didn't disappoint. While the motion-controls worked for the most part, we found turning the controller sideways and going it old school preferable to the Nunchuck way of playing the game, which had some sensitivity issues. All the same, the game is a blast and gave me a nasty blister on my left thumb, which to me is always a good, albeit painful sign, of a solid and addictive gaming experience
- GamePro Score
- User Score
- Write your review!
Mac is Back!
Players step into the role of Bronx-born Little Mac, ever-aided by his chocolate-bar chomping mentor Doc Louis on his way to claiming the World Circuit belt. Now, as you probably know, Punch-Out!! isn't your traditional boxer. In fact, you might even go as far to say that Punch-Out!! is really more of a puzzle game wearing boxing gloves. While the moves are similar to what you'd find in any other boxing title, the Punch-Out!! games have never been about simply pummeling your rival into submission. With careful precision and timing, players are asked to master the body language that each unique opponent possesses, memorize diverse fighter-specific patterns and learn how to counter and protect against absolutely insane special attacks. Knowing when and where to strike is the name of the game, as each vibrant combatant brings a new set of moves and a fresh challenge to the table
True to Punch-Out!!'s roots, all thirteen over-the-top opponents vary drastically in speed and power. Where mad Irishman Aran Ryan is all about momentum, Turkey-bred Bald Bull is a monster built of raw power. It's definitely worth noting that each classic character from previous installments, and even Punch-Out!!'s brand new brawler (here's lookin' at you, Disco Kid) are masterfully modeled and animated, each toting a trademark attitude and ringside presence that simply pops off the screen with each taunt, smirk, and victory dance. From the criminally fragile Glass Joe to the unquestionably cocky Don Flamenco, there's no mistaking that these are the cartoony characters Punch-Out!! fans have grown up with - back and better than ever.
LIke this story? You may also enjoy these articles.
Comments [37]
-
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 3
- 4
-
- May 18 2009 at 09:56:03:AM PST
-
nice! It's good to see some first party Nintendo's getting the proverbial reboot. Especially since we haven't seen this one for a long time
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +2
- report user
trackrunner89 wrote:
How much better are the motion controls than wii sports boxing
They actually play completely differently -- where Wii Boxing has actions such as "lean" and "block" in real-time, Punch-Out!! has them mapped to the Nunchuck's analog stick.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- -1
- report user
greyscale wrote:
trackrunner89 wrote:
How much better are the motion controls than wii sports boxing
They actually play completely differently -- where Wii Boxing has actions such as "lean" and "block" in real-time, Punch-Out!! has them mapped to the Nunchuck's analog stick.
Punch Out's motion controls are a lot more responsive and fun.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +2
- report user
denveraic wrote:
I had high hopes for this game, but it sounds and looks awful. The graphics look terrible. And from the sounds of the review the controls are terrible. My biggest knock on the Wii is that the controls are a gimmick and never function at a high enough level to actually make the game experience enjoyable.
come on dude, give the wii a break. i know im a wii fanboy but im a different kind the kind that understands why everybody hates the wii. i know it has graphical weaknesses and sometimes has control problems but this game has pretty good controls, not the greatest but good! so cool it!
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- -1
- report user
I'm getting my copy tonight and taking down King Hippo to China Town!!!
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +1
- report user
denveraic wrote:
I had high hopes for this game, but it sounds and looks awful. The graphics look terrible. And from the sounds of the review the controls are terrible. My biggest knock on the Wii is that the controls are a gimmick and never function at a high enough level to actually make the game experience enjoyable.
Not for nothing, but no one really cares what you think.
Thanks for sharing though.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- -1
- report user
