There is one sport that has a very niche fan base. It is probably of the least popular sports for the world to watch. Some might think this to be strange since the sport is definitely one of the most violent. Usually people like watching that kind of thing. Those that participate in it put themselves at extreme risk for severe physical harm. This happens to be boxing. In the NES generation however, just about every sport in existence was attempted on the system. Whether it was football, hockey, baseball, track and field or even dodge ball, the NES had something for it. Boxing also made its appearance on the system, with a game featuring a little guy we know and love known as Punch Out.
In Punch Out, you take on the role of a young boy that goes by the name Little Mac. If you think about the Rocky movies and how Rocky Balboa was constantly up against insurmountable odds, you have Little Mac's situation. He has a dream, a simple dream. He wants to become the world champion of boxing. But being so small and so young pits him against some of the most violent of opponents. To make matters worse, virtually every adversary Mac faces prides themselves on a special move or two that can knock you around senseless. The game doesn't come without its corn either. A lot of the people you face have the most laughable names ever. Have you ever wondered what a Glass Joe or Soda Popinski boxer would look be like?
In terms of the progression, it's pretty much how anyone's boxing career would take off. You start at the lowest of ranks and slowly making your way to the top. At the beginning you face truly stupid boxers that make you wonder how they're there in the first place. But before you know it, you're facing the likes of truly bizarre opponents that will put you to the ground quickly if you're not careful. There are numerous matches to enter, and countless bumps and bruises to feel along the way. Of course Little Mac isn't without being able to defend himself though. He can box, but just usually not quite as good as his towering opponents. Each match will require some finesse with your hands, and a bit of luck.
Thanks to the simplicity of the NES controller, playing the game is hardly what we would call difficult. The A button does one kind of punch, and the B button another. Then depending on how you hold the D-Pad during the match, you can change the direction and height of your punch. Mac is also pretty much stationary during the entire match. Save being able to dodge left and right and block by pressing down, you stand in one spot. This makes the game a bit less realistic, but the theme here is most definitely arcade style. It also makes the experience far more difficult, which is a big theme with most NES games.
Punch Out's matches are realistic on the fact that there are timed rounds and breaks in-between. Each round lasts three minutes, and during that time, you can do whatever you please to win. Obviously there's the same chance for your opponent, so you always have to be on your guard. Depending on how well you're doing with landing your punches and defending, you can score critical hits. In the upper left of the screen, there is a counter for stars and hearts. Stars are for counting your critical hits and your hearts keep track of your actual stamina. Each star you have allows you to pull off Mac's special attack, the haymaker. You also have a set number of hearts at the beginning of a round, and each time you either get hit or block a punch, that count goes down by one. If this count goes to zero, it becomes more difficult for you to defend and fight back, so you must be careful.
Matches are decided by one of three possible outcomes. One is a knock out. This happens when you hit your opponent enough times that he falls to the mat from being pummeled. Mario as the referee then comes in and begins to come from one to ten. If he manages to get to ten before your adversary gets up, you win by knockout. If you manage to knock the guy down three times in one round, he will not get up anymore as Mario declares a total knock out (TKO). The final way is by judge's decision. If you and your opponent both last three total rounds, then the judges must decide who wins based on pure performance. Normally it isn't a good thing to get that far though, since the computer tends to favor your opponents quite a bit when this happens. Very rarely are you chosen simply because by that time you look like you've been beaten to death.
A nice feature of Punch Out is you don't have to worry about beating the entire game in one sitting. That's almost impossible anyway considering how many people you have to face before getting to the final match. The continuation engine functions completely on passwords. To get these passwords, you must get through one circuit of ranks. Each circuit is comprised of three or more matches, with you starting as the bottom rank every time. The first opponent is usually fairly easy, with the difficulty continuing to increase. But if you mange to win the final match, you're presented with a neat training video of you running and your coach on bike riding along with the Statue of Liberty in New York. When this clip is over, you get your password to the next circuit.
Punch Out is yet another great and entertaining game featured on our beloved NES. Countless people love it and still do. It is one of the great classics of our time, and will be that way for years to come. There's no doubt that a lot of people will want to download it on the Revolution when that service launches. The game just carries that charm X factor which is always lets it be enjoyable every time no matter what. It may not come without some frustration because the latter opponents are so darn good. But that comes with the territory of not only being a NES game, but just being boxing. Boxing is not an easy sport, as it requires quick reflexes and movements and speedy thinking. Without having both, you're already sunk in this sport.
In Punch Out, you take on the role of a young boy that goes by the name Little Mac. If you think about the Rocky movies and how Rocky Balboa was constantly up against insurmountable odds, you have Little Mac's situation. He has a dream, a simple dream. He wants to become the world champion of boxing. But being so small and so young pits him against some of the most violent of opponents. To make matters worse, virtually every adversary Mac faces prides themselves on a special move or two that can knock you around senseless. The game doesn't come without its corn either. A lot of the people you face have the most laughable names ever. Have you ever wondered what a Glass Joe or Soda Popinski boxer would look be like?
In terms of the progression, it's pretty much how anyone's boxing career would take off. You start at the lowest of ranks and slowly making your way to the top. At the beginning you face truly stupid boxers that make you wonder how they're there in the first place. But before you know it, you're facing the likes of truly bizarre opponents that will put you to the ground quickly if you're not careful. There are numerous matches to enter, and countless bumps and bruises to feel along the way. Of course Little Mac isn't without being able to defend himself though. He can box, but just usually not quite as good as his towering opponents. Each match will require some finesse with your hands, and a bit of luck.
Thanks to the simplicity of the NES controller, playing the game is hardly what we would call difficult. The A button does one kind of punch, and the B button another. Then depending on how you hold the D-Pad during the match, you can change the direction and height of your punch. Mac is also pretty much stationary during the entire match. Save being able to dodge left and right and block by pressing down, you stand in one spot. This makes the game a bit less realistic, but the theme here is most definitely arcade style. It also makes the experience far more difficult, which is a big theme with most NES games.
Punch Out's matches are realistic on the fact that there are timed rounds and breaks in-between. Each round lasts three minutes, and during that time, you can do whatever you please to win. Obviously there's the same chance for your opponent, so you always have to be on your guard. Depending on how well you're doing with landing your punches and defending, you can score critical hits. In the upper left of the screen, there is a counter for stars and hearts. Stars are for counting your critical hits and your hearts keep track of your actual stamina. Each star you have allows you to pull off Mac's special attack, the haymaker. You also have a set number of hearts at the beginning of a round, and each time you either get hit or block a punch, that count goes down by one. If this count goes to zero, it becomes more difficult for you to defend and fight back, so you must be careful.
Matches are decided by one of three possible outcomes. One is a knock out. This happens when you hit your opponent enough times that he falls to the mat from being pummeled. Mario as the referee then comes in and begins to come from one to ten. If he manages to get to ten before your adversary gets up, you win by knockout. If you manage to knock the guy down three times in one round, he will not get up anymore as Mario declares a total knock out (TKO). The final way is by judge's decision. If you and your opponent both last three total rounds, then the judges must decide who wins based on pure performance. Normally it isn't a good thing to get that far though, since the computer tends to favor your opponents quite a bit when this happens. Very rarely are you chosen simply because by that time you look like you've been beaten to death.
A nice feature of Punch Out is you don't have to worry about beating the entire game in one sitting. That's almost impossible anyway considering how many people you have to face before getting to the final match. The continuation engine functions completely on passwords. To get these passwords, you must get through one circuit of ranks. Each circuit is comprised of three or more matches, with you starting as the bottom rank every time. The first opponent is usually fairly easy, with the difficulty continuing to increase. But if you mange to win the final match, you're presented with a neat training video of you running and your coach on bike riding along with the Statue of Liberty in New York. When this clip is over, you get your password to the next circuit.
Punch Out is yet another great and entertaining game featured on our beloved NES. Countless people love it and still do. It is one of the great classics of our time, and will be that way for years to come. There's no doubt that a lot of people will want to download it on the Revolution when that service launches. The game just carries that charm X factor which is always lets it be enjoyable every time no matter what. It may not come without some frustration because the latter opponents are so darn good. But that comes with the territory of not only being a NES game, but just being boxing. Boxing is not an easy sport, as it requires quick reflexes and movements and speedy thinking. Without having both, you're already sunk in this sport.
Recent Features
- Exclusive Interview: Deca Sports Wii (Nintendo Wii Interview) » NintendoSpin talks with Hudson about its upcoming casual sports game. Find out why they think you'll have more fun figure skating than you'll want to admit to your friends. Exclusive screenshots inside as well.
- The Five DS games that you should get this Christmas (Nintendo DS Editorial) » Three off-the-shelf titles and two imports that you just shouldn't skip.
A special article by Mykas A. - NintendoSpin Recommends Multiplayer DS Games (Nintendo DS Editorial) » Tired of playing your DS alone? NintendoSpin gives you our top multiplayer DS game recommendations.
- Left Hand, Right Hand (Miscellaneous Editorial) » No, they're not the same.
- Interesting DS titles released in October (Nintendo DS Editorial) » Monthly article by Mykas A.
What Nintendo DS games released in October should you look for? - Interesting DS titles released in September (Nintendo DS Editorial) » Monthly article by Mykas A.
What Nintendo DS games released in September should you look for? - Interesting DS titles released in August (Nintendo DS Editorial) » Monthly article by Mykas A.
What Nintendo DS games released in the past month should you look for?
