Tech Blog Register · Sign In · Help You are here: Future Shop / Blogs / Tech Blog / Punch-Out!! Impressions: A Long, Gallant Comeback In this CommunityIn this CategoryIn this Blog User Search . Advanced Forum Guidelines | Terms and Conditions | Customer Support Announcements   Article Options Subscribe to this Article's RSS Feed Mark Article as Read Bookmark this Article Subscribe to this Article E-Mail this Article to a Friend Printer Friendly Page Punch-Out!! Impressions: A Long, Gallant Comeback Labels: and gamecube nintendo ds wii 05-24-2009 09:19 PM By PaulH It's been 15 long years since Super Punch-Out!! released on the SNES and after such a long hiatus, Little Mac is finally back and ready to fight.   Developed by Vancouver's own Next Level Games, Punch-Out!! is a reimagining of the classic NES original that started the franchise all the way back in 1987. For Punch-Out!! purists, this latest game pays homage to everything you've come to enjoy in the series.    The game pits the scrappy 5'7, 107 lbs, Bronx-born pugilist Little Mac and his portly coach Doc Louis against amultifarious cast of boxers determined to outwit our unsuspecting hero. Returning to the square circle are 10 combatants from the NES original, including the stampeding Bald Bull, flamboyant Don Flamenco, and the perennial punching bag Glass Joe. Joining them are Super Punch-Out!! veterans, Aran Ryan and Bear Hugger, as well as the sole newcomer Disco Kid. It would have been nice to see more new faces considering how long we've had to wait for this game, but it's a minor knock in an otherwise superb game.  Despite the rehashed roster of characters, the game feels surprisingly fresh. Punch-Out!! is the first title in the series to be rendered in three dimensions and utilizes eye-popping cel-shaded characters. Aside from the fresh coat of paint, each opponent comes equipped with new attacks, animations, and in-ring taunts that ultimately require you to relearn the correct pattern for success.   The game sports a Career Mode where you work your way through the Minor, Major, and World Circuits on your quest to become the World Video Boxing Association (W.V.B.A.) Champion.  I found it starts off very easy, in fact almost too much so, as I quickly blew by the first two circuits with relative ease. It wasn't until I reached the second boxer in the World Circuit, Soda Popinski, before the difficult took a steep curve upward. In fact it was such a jump in challenge that it took me several hours to finally beat Mr. Sandman and claim the title of  W.V.B.A. Champion.  And that's where the real fun began. If there's one thing Next Level Games did extremely well with Punch-Out!! it's adding an unprecedented amount of replay value.  After you conquer the initial Contender Mode you unlock Title Defense where you must fight through the entire roster of characters for a second time, only this time they have all undergone major enhancements. For instance, Glass Joe, now sports solid headgear effectively boosting his defence capabilities. To add to that, his right hooks have odd timing and his blows inflict more damage -- combined, that's enough to throw even the most seasoned player off kilter. But wait, there's more, once you successfully clear Title Defense Mode you unlock the most punishing mode of the bunch -- Mac's Last Stand. This unforgiving mode pits you against random fighters from Title Defense where it's three losses and you can kiss your boxing career goodbye.    As expected for a Wii title, Punch-Out!!! can be played using a Wii Remote along with a Nunchuk for some visceral fisticuffs action. Unlike some past Wii games such as Wii Sports where control felt sort of loose, Punch-Out!! is surprisingly playable using this control scheme. To launch facial hooks, you intuitively swing your Wii Remote and Nunchuk in the air, and to land body blows you simply press the Z Button while swinging. The game also allows you to add even more immersion through it's compatibility with the Wii Balance Board. With both feet firmly planted on the board, you can duck by putting pressure on the board, or dodge left and right by adjusting your body weight accordingly. Longtime fans of the series who prefer that classic NES controller feeling can flip the Wii Remote horizontally with buttons 1 and 2 mapped to punches, and the D-pad for dodges and ducks. I personally found this control style works the best, especially during the latter half of the game when even a fraction of a second off on your timing can mean the difference between victory and your face on the mat.   Punch-Out!! also features a brand new Head-To-Head Mode that adds a distinctly party flavour to the game. In this mode, you challenge a friend to a Little Mac vs. Little Mac battle to see who is the more savvy boxer. It's a nice feature addition, and works well in practice. There is also an Exhibition Mode that lets you practice your moves against all fighters you have previously defeated in Career Mode.As a complete package, fans of the original game have nothing to worry about, the game retains all the charm, challenge, and control you would come to expect in the series. With all the bells and whistles added on top, Punch-Out!! is easily a worthy successor and must-have Wii title. Pardon the cliché, but this game is a total knock out.Message Edited by PaulH on 05-25-2009 12:22 AMMessage Edited by PaulH on 05-25-2009 12:23 AMMessage Edited by PaulH on 05-25-2009 12:24 AMMessage Edited by PaulH on 05-25-2009 12:30 AM Post a Comment Permalink View Article Reactions 3 Kudos! Thanks! All Users' Tags: Sports Wii view all You must be a registered user to add a comment on this article. If you've already registered, please log in. If you haven't registered yet, please register and log in. 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Morfanos on: It's Okay To Unplug trishussey on: Keep it cool baby: Laptop stands help your machine... trishussey on: What to think about when traveling with your tech Archives May 24, 2009 - May 28, 2009 May 17, 2009 - May 23, 2009 May 10, 2009 - May 16, 2009 View Complete Archives Top Kudoed Posts Time Range: Day Week Month 6 Months Year All SubjectKudos The appeal of Netbooks - they work for me, will th... 6 50mm and so much more, a closer look at 50mm lense... 4 My Predictions for E3 2009 (Part 1 - Microsoft) 4 Canadians Can Finally Flip 4 It's Okay To Unplug 4 view all Top Kudoed Authors Time Range: Day Week Month 6 Months Year All User Kudos Count PaulH 18 buzzbishop 8 bgrier 7 klausboedker 6 Morfanos 3 view all