I was always a huge fan of both NES Punch-Out and Super Punch Out. I was ecstatic to receive Punch-Out, and I haven't been able to take it out of my Wii for over a week.
The classic gameplay is still there, and the boxers have very new and very unique patterns/punches, despite being classic characters.
The most underrated part of this game is the music. Each character has his own set of music, and both the get up and opponent down themes are remixed with the music of the opponent.
Once you beat everyone once, you have to beat everyone again, but this mode makes Glass Joe even difficult (I'm not kidding). THis game keeps me running home to play it after work, you'll love it!
This game is great. Graphics are incredible and the mix of classic characters and new ones is sure to please both new fans of the game and the older guys like myself who long for the days of classic Nintendo. A must buy for any age.
The game is very good as well as entertaining. The new features keep you interested in the game wanting you to play more. And that it has 2 player mode on it as well as the challenges adds to the longevity of the game.
Punchout for the Wii is quite an upgrade from all of the previous Punchout games going back to the actual arcade game that I used to play in the days I had hair.
As you might suspect graphics is a huge upgrade but considering the game system that is almost obligatory. Still they are well done and the makers should get credit for it.
The Gameplay takes you through three different circuits where you can try to fight your way through a series of contenders to gain each belt. It also has a practice mode where if defeated you can continue to practice against an opponent until you feel ready to defeat him.
If you manage to go all the way then you have title defense mode, where each opponent improves dramatically, you also have "badges" where you attempt to win (or even in one case lose) in a particular way to unlock items.
If you actually "beat" the game (and that will take some time) there are special "extra" opponents that will pop up but that would be telling.
And now the weaknesses; the head to head mode that is frankly not all that exciting, but the real weakness is that the game falls into a pattern. You are basically signaled when to punch or counter punch. Although it would be very hard to do otherwise for me it really defeats the interactive modes of the Wii.
None of that seems to have slowed down my son who is actually the owner of the game and plays it over and over. I'm very sure he would give it one more star than me.
You will certainly get value for the money spent if you choose to buy it.
This game is a lot of fun and it will give more than just your fingers exercise when you use the controller and nunchuck in the way that Nintendo designed it. I wanted a game that would allow me a more interactive use and I have it with this game. This game was a great enjoyment in beating these cartoonish characters and gave one a sense that THEY beat them. I would recommend this game to all "couch potatoes".
+ Pros:
+ Easy controls and compatible with the Wii Fit board.
+ Practice Mode for veteran and novice players.
+ 13 Punch Out!! opponents, both old and new.
+ Unlockable challenges for each opponent.
+ First game in the series to offer 2-player mode.
- Cons:
- Wii Fit board not available in two-player mode.
- Sore arms from playing too much!
Back in 1984, Nintendo claimed their Punch Out!! arcade game was so realistic; it was "As close as you can get to the ring without going through the ropes".
25 years later, this game has a new life on the Nintendo Wii and is one step closer to making good on that claim.
You play the role of Little Mac - a young up-and-coming boxer from the Bronx who's ready to take on anyone he steps in the ring with. The goal is pretty simple: KO or TKO your opponent and move up the ladder until you face Mr. Sandman. Each boxer you face has different strengths and weaknesses, and once you learn to counteract their attacks and use your Star Punches to bring them to the canvas, the sky's the limit.
The controls are fairly simple. One style of playing requires holding the Wiimote sideways and the directional pad is used for ducking and blocking while the buttons are used for punching.
But that's not nearly as fun as the other way to play, in my humble opinion.
If you have a Wii Balance Board from the Wii Fit, that can be used for your ducking and dodging. The Wiimote and Nunchuck serve as your right and left hand motions, so when you jab, dodge or uppercut in the game, you're doing it for real!
The exhibition mode of the game provides a sigh of relief for new players and veterans alike. You can practice against holographic versions of your opponent without fear of your record being tarnished, and once you learn how to defeat them, simply go back to career mode and take them on for real. This is a GREAT way to introduce new players into the Punch Out!! universe.
One of the main reasons Punch Out!! stands out is because of the hilarious characters. Nintendo has done a great job keeping the characters we love (Glass Joe, will you ever win more than once?) and eliminating the ones we didn't care for (what were they thinking with Hoy Quarlow???). I still miss Kid Quick - but that's just me.
Now you might think there's nothing left to do after beating each boxer and completing the World Circuit, right?
WRONG.
There are 3 challenges for each of your opponents - for example, Glass Joe's challenges are:
Knock Glass Joe down 3 times and let him win by decision.
Find the one-punch-knockdown weak spot.
Win the fight without dodging, ducking, or blocking a punch.
There's also other fight modes with tougher versions of your opponents!
Now in the past, watching Punch Out!! was the only way our friends could participate, but not anymore...our family & friends can pick up their Wiimote and play right along with us!
Overall, I absolutely LOVE to play this game, and I can't help but chuckle when I watch other people play it. I was a little sad that the Wii Fit board couldn't be used in dual-player mode, but that's a small negative that gets outweighed by a LOT of positives.
If you've got the Wii Fit board, there's no time to waste...get your pink jogging suit on and start training with Doc Louis!!!
A great game full of Nintendo charm. As fun as the original NES title.
For those new to the series, the game is less of a sports game and more of a speed puzzle/pattern recognition game.
I remember playing Punch Out and Mike Tyson's Punch Out back in the day. As a kid i ate these games up. It was more a timing and puzzle game than a boxing game really. Super Punch Out was more of the same with better graphics but still captured my heart again. Since then i've played all those old games on various emulators over the years and haven't forgotten how much i enjoyed them. Punch Out on the wii is exactly that, its just Punch Out again. Im surprised it took them so long to remake this classic, if you want to make some cash, why not revitalize a beloved game.
I know i'll probably get some nasty comments on this review, but i have say im not really as impressed with this version i wanted to be. There are a few new chars and many of the classics have returned. The motion control and balance board are pretty lousy for this game, but thankfully the classic controls are as solid as ever. Im not saying anything negative about Punch Out itself but it just seems like they repackaged a classic with some snazzy graphics and bam here is Punch Out again. I just felt like after all these years they could have spiced it up a little with something.
That being said, i really do enjoy this Punch Out and it seems to get better as you play further into it. The first few fights pit you against good ole Glass Joe and Von Kaiser, both very easy to beat, even King Hippo wasn't much of a problem. Old Don used to be so easy to defeat but this time he surprised me. It took me awhile to get used to his fighting pattern, but after awhile he is easy to overcome. Each fighter is like this though, each with a different pattern you have to learn. Thankfully even the classic fighters don't fight exactly like they did in previous versions, so don't think you will complete this game undefeated the first time around. The multiplayer mode is a disappointment, i was hoping you could play as some of your favorite fighters but oh well, im sure this won't be the last Punch Out...
If you like to work out this game is great! I wear a sauna suit when I play this game for about an hour. Full motion none of that sideways controller stuff. Burns a lot of calories. Its great fun. I haven't tried it with the wii fit but I haven't read any good reviews yet.
Great game, great workout!
Games on the Wii have a hard time standing out. With so many systems out there, developers try and cater to as many tastes as there are gamers. With Punch Out, Nintendo had a difficult choice. Make a game for everyone or try and develope something for those hungry hardcore gamers. Who says you can't have it both ways?
Punch Out is a puzzle game that demands some memorization and quick reflexes. As you fight against the 13 regular fighters, they will telegraph their attacks and give little tell signs of how the will go about hitting you. Learn those attacks (easier than ever by going to the exhibition mode and practicing) and jab your way to the top for a title bout.
After the initial bout of fights, you become the champ and all former boxers return with new and improved techniques. This is when the game turns reaaally hard. But the good news is that nothing beats winning a close fight where you almost lost, having your buddies cheer you on and passing the controller around, of which there are various options. Old NES controls are great, even if I liked the motion controls better.
As someone who has been playing for over 22 years, I remember having a blast with the original Punch Out. The best part about this one is how it reminds me of all the fun I had with that game and at the same time feels like a whole new experience.
I liked this game a little bit, but not a lot. The game is obviously similar to the original NES version, with a few added characters. What I didn't expect was the game play to be so similar. The Wii controls really don't do much different from the regular controls. While the new opponents and the new moves by the old opponents were somewhat fun, it still had the same very repetitive timing of the NES game and many other NES games. I would have enjoyed it more if blocking and covering would be more fluid and useful, but instead you get a very specific pattern you must use on every opponent without deviation. It comes down to having to slip in a specific direction or punch with a specific punch to get a specific reaction or counter a specific reaction from your opponent, as opposed to being fluid and being allowed to improvise. Punch Out is better than average, but I did not find more than a few hours of entertainment out of it and did not want to go back and keep on playing it for fun, as in other games like Mario Kart.
This game is really fun! I work out in the gym atleast 2-3 times a week and my arms where killing me the day after playing. Its a great workout for those parts of your arms and back that you don't usually use.
I was skeptical at first that Nintendo would be able to recreate the fun of the original game without radically altering the basic elements of what made the game so great. The original Punch-Out!! had somewhat repetitive game play but there was a ton of enjoyment to be had in figuring out how to KO the fighters that the overall experience was very memorable. I was concerned that a direct translation of the original game play elements to the Wii with no modifications would result in a repetitive and shallow experience. I'm glad to see I was wrong. There is more depth and strategy to this remake than meets the eye, and the 2-player, exhibition matches and challenges add multiple levels of replay value. The basic high-level strategy remains the same as the original - you are Little Mac, a scrappy boxer fighting his way across the minor, major and world circuit. Eventually you can take the title and fight to defend it. As you beat various characters, you get to see the cut-scene for the next opponent. Cut-scenes and other unlockable content then become viewable in the gallery. The Wii expands on the original Punch-Out!! by including various "challenges" that you can undertake during the exhibition matches. Example challenges include K.O'ing an opponent with 6 punches in a single match, finding an opponents "weak-spot" and knocking him out with one hit, winning a match without dodging/ducking/blocking, etc. I won't spoil anything by saying what happens when you complete a challenge but these add plenty of replay value after you've jabbed and uppercutted your way through the world circuit. The exhibition matches are also great for practicing against an opponent without affecting your ranking, as career mode will track your win/loss record.
The characters from the original are more charming than you remember and the "celluloid" style (not sure if that's the exact term) of animation is interesting and takes advantage of the somewhat limited graphical capabilities of the Wii ("limited" when compared to the 360/PS3). You won't even notice that the Wii isn't rendering zillions of polygons and textures a minute because the cut scenes and character mannerisms are just fun to watch. Parents should note that even though this is a boxing game, the "violence" is quite comical and there is no blood or maliciousness. Overall, this is a must-have for fans of the original and Wii fans looking for a solid gaming experience.
It's a great remake of a hall of fame game. This was one of the all time great games back on the Nintendo 8bit days. Playing the game so much, had to continously blow the cartridge and the machine to keep it working!
Now the remake is just as fun, except less the blowing part. Still a great workout when you use the remote+numbchuk+wii board. After a couple of fights, works up a good sweat. To be really good at the game, it's easier to play it game pad way. But to have fun with it, the body motions really gets you feeling good. The motion capture is accurate, when you punch, the game reflects that instantly, no lag. That is crucial to the enjoyment of these wii sports games.
I got this game a few days ago, and so far I am really enjoying it. I haven't played the original game in probably 15 years, but many of the characters and character traits are the same, and suddenly you start to recognize and remember them from the original.
Apparently there are 27 matches in career mode. 13 different characters, and then if you beat all of them, you play the same 13 again but they are more difficult the second time around. Then one final match. I am only about 9 matches in so far. After the first 6, I was afraid that I might beat the game too fast, but I see that they are quickly getting much more challenging. I think it will be awhile before I beat the game.
The graphics have a nice, smooth, cartoon-y look. It's great fun and great exercise. Your arms will probably be sore after the first day of play.
