Punch-Out!! Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As a fan of the original Punch-Out!! titles on NES and SNES, I knew that this game was a must have for me.Having finally played the title yesterday, I am glad to report that it certainly does not disappoint!This is hardcore Punch-Out gameplay at it's best!

The thing that I love about Punch-Out!! is that, like the original games, it really isn't a brawler.You can't button-mash your way through the game.Rather, it really is more of a puzzler, in that each opponent has a "tell", and a specific fighting style.Once you have him figured out, it is just a matter of countering him.Don't be mistaken, however: this game's difficulty get's hardcore really quickly (much like the original games!).For instance, last night, I was able to breeze right through the Minor Circuit (using the motion controls), but in the second circuit (Major Circuit I believe), the fighter "Great Tiger" (a welcome import from the original NES game!) gave me a really hard time! I found myself REALLY challenged, much to my delight!Also, much like the original games, once you defeat several of the players in the game, you get to fight them again later in the game.... however, their fighting style (the puzzle element of the game) has completely changed, and the difficulty is ramped up drastically.I am confident that this game will provide hours and hours of gameplay.Anyway, here are some of my observations about the game:

LOVED-
*Art style - everything is hand drawn, colorful, and animated.This game looks great, and doesn't take itself too seriously.Also, several humerous head-nods to the original games were included (lik Doc urging youto join Club Nintendo ringside!).Also, some of the knockout animations (like the original games) are REALLY satisfying and funny.When I knocked out Disco Kid, he spun around like a top and hit all four corners of the ring while making pinball machine noises.Now THAT'S classic Punch-Out!! if I've ever seen it!

*Difficulty - one thing that games are missing these days is hardcore difficulty.The original Punch-Out!!, as well as titles like the Contra series or the Mega Man series tended to be so difficult at times that you were tempted to throw your controller at the wall!There is nothing worse to me than just breezing through a game.I was pleasantly surprised that, even though I knew how to beat most of the fighters that I have faced so far (since they were in the original games), they still were no push-overs this time around.The characters are FASTER than they were in the old games, and the motion controls ad a new dimension of difficulty.

*Achievements - this game has a simple achievement system where you are challenged, for instance, to beat a character in one round, or with only right jabs, etc.Achievements are something special for any Wii game, since so very select few developers are including them in Wii titles.This ads loads of replay value in my opinion (I am STILL trying to get all the trophies unlocked in Smash Bros Brawl! What can I say... I'm a perfectionist!)

*Multiplayer - the game includes a simple multiplayer mode where you play head to head with a friend as Little Mac.It is really simple, but it is fun.I only wish that you could have played as other boxers and that some kind of online play was included... but this was still a welcome feature!

*Controls - Wii Sports Boxing was fun, but really left me wanting a great boxing title where the motion controls really work well.Punch-Out!!, while not really a "Boxing" game (it's no Knockout Kings for sure!), has implemented some really smooth motion controls.Rather than relying solely on motion controls, you simply swing right and left.You hold a button while swinging to do an upwards swing, and press a button while swinging to do a star punch.The motion controls are simple, and they work. Later in the game, as the difficulty ramps up even higher, I have a feeling that I will switch to the classic NES controls rather than the motion controls (Wii remote on it's side), as this will allow for more speed and responsiveness (since a button press is always faster than a swing of the wiimote), so I'm glad this was included.

Disliked:
*Could have included a few more original/new boxers
*No online play

All in all, this game is really wonderful.Certainly a must-have for any hardcore gamer who owns (or is thinking about buying) a Wii.

Scores:
Presentation: A
Gameplay: A+
Replay Value: A
Multiplayer: B
Overall: A

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Product Description:
One of the biggest names in boxing returns after a 15-year hiatus. In Punch-Out!! you play as young up-and-coming fighter Little Mac who, with the help of his ringside trainer Doc Lewis, is working his way through the ranks of a wide variety of boxing caricatures, each with their own patterns of attacks. Grab a Wii Remote controller in one hand and a Nunchukcontroller in the other and step back into the ring with a modern update of the classic Punch-Out!!

Tune your skills in early rounds.
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Key off tells in the ring.
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13 over the top opponents.
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Do max damage with 'Star punches' .
Viewlarger. Little Mac Is Back
Everyone's favorite underdog from the 1980s joins the best of the originalPunch-Out!! cast in a modern re-imagining of the series. Playerswill find familiar names like Glass Joe, King Hippo and trainer Doc Louis.These boxers come to life again in cell-shaded 3-D, complete with hilariousfighting animations and backstories that capture all the fun and flair ofthe original Punch-Out!! games.

The Wii's Motion Sensitivity
The motion-sensitive controls of the Wii console mean that when players throw punches, Little Mac throws punches as well. Additionally, you can control hooks and jabs by combining motion control with control-stick movement. The motion-sensing Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers turn real-life swings into on-screen punches, so anyone can play. The game can also be played with classic NES-style controls by turning the Wii Remote sideways.

Characters
Punch-Out!! features a total of 13 opponents for Little Mac to step into the ring with. 12 of which are returning from previous games in the Punch-Out!! series. Each have their own backstory and patterns of attacks to learn and learn to counter. Just a few of the characters you can expect to see are:
Little Mac
Small but extremely game, Little Mac is a young, up-and-coming fighter, who with the help of his trainer, ex-champion Doc Lewis, has set his sights on working his way through the ranks. Glass Joe
A fearful French fighter due to his extremely weak chin, Glass Joewill crumple to the mat quickly with just a few well-placed shots,making him an easy mark and a good warm-up for the fighters to follow. King Hippo
King Hippo is both huge and an immensely powerful fighter, but can be weakened with the right combinations to the head and body, giving you time to go for the knockout if you can survive his onslaught. Von Kaiser
An old-timey fighter whose rumored childhood difficulties have left him eager to dish out punishment in the ring, Von Kaiser is a dangerous opponent, but one who will turn tail if you can find his weakness.
Special Attacks
Players can obtain special 'Star Punches,' which allow Little Mac to take more health from his rival in a single punch. Players can now use multiple stars in a single punch for an extra-powerful attack.

Controller Options
Punch-Out!! features multiple controller options. For players looking to take advantage of the Wii's motion control capabilities, Punch-Out!! uses the Wii Remote and Nunchuck controllers to simulate throwing punches. Use the Nunchuck to throw a left punch and the Wii Remote to throw a right punch. Fans of the NES version and core gamers will be excited to see Nintendo has also included the option to play Punch-Out!! using the classic layout from the original NES controller. Use the 1 and 2 buttons along with the cross pad to throw hooks and jabs or to dodge.

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