While I was waiting for Nintendo execs to completely and thoroughly embarrass themselves during Nintendo’s big speech at GDC, they surprised me with a decent storage solution for the Wii and some brand new arcade games added to the VC. Those games are all good, but oh, what’s this? Some more goodness coming out this week? We’re getting Super Punch-Out!! from the SNES. Let’s see what DHGF has to say about it!
Super Punch-Out!!
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
System: SNES
Original Release Date: 1994
Price: 800 Wii Points
Guy Desmarais: Super Punch-Out is one of the games that was on my watch list. I have been waiting for it since the Virtual Console was first made available almost three years ago, so I am glad to finally have a chance to play it again. For those who never played this one but had a great time with the original NES version, it should be an instant download. It’s the same formula, but with more boxers, more patterns to memorize and more challenge. It’s more or less a perfect sequel, as it keeps the same spirit as its predecessor: fun over realism. Sure, it’s a dumbed-down boxing experience, but it’s still the best time I ever had with a boxing game. It’s everything you could ever wish for if you were a fan of the original Punch-Out!!: better graphics, same great controls, more stereotyped boxers.
—
Bryan Berg: I have only one question for Nintendo – what took them so long?
Super Punch-Out!! is one of the true classic Super Nintendo games. Despite the high standard set by its NES predecessor, Super Punch-Out!! not only met expectations, but exceeded them. Just about everything from the original Punch-Out!! is improved upon, from the graphics to the gameplay to the characters, which are even more ridiculous and enjoyable than ever before. The game has a great learning curve, starting out with scrubs like Gabby Jay (YAY!) and progressing to opponents who are so cheap, you’ll want to launch your Wii-mote through your TV. If you don’t enjoy Super Punch-Out!!, you don’t enjoy video games.
Right about now, I’m REALLY wishing I hadn’t sold my Wii…
—
Christopher Bowen: If anything, the amount of people crying over this game is going to be more entertaining than the game itself… which is saying something, as it’s my personal favourite.
“It’s not like Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out! They changed the game! THEY RUINED IT!!!!! /wrist /wrist /wrist” The sad thing is that they didn’t change Super Punch-Out!!; it was the NES game that saw the changes! Play the arcade versions – either the original cabinet, or on MAME – and you’ll see the similarities. In short, Super Punch-Out!! is basically an evolved version of the two arcade games, and it plays beautifully in that vein. It’s a terrific game with great controls, more reliance on reflexes and less need for memorization.
To put it in a two sentence write-off: I’m better at Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!!, which I can still pop into my NES to this day, and go on a 14-0 run with little problem, just due to muscle memory. However, Super Punch-Out!! is a better game in almost every way, which is saying a lot considering that Tyson’s game is still amazing.
—
Aileen Coe: You know how they say sequels tend to be worse than the original?
Well, that doesn’t apply to this game.
Super Punch-Out!! takes everything that was enjoyable about the first game and improves on it on it. You have the quirky, humorous, and heavily stereotypical characters to pound on, you have the controls that are simple to learn but difficult to master, and more balanced difficulty. Pattern recognition still serves you well here, but you also need quick reaction time to back it up for it to be of any use. The graphics still hold up well today, the music get your blood pumping, and the little voice clips help add even more character to the people you’re trying to beat black and blue. Just be prepared for calluses to build up on your thumbs over time.
—
Ashe Collins: I could never figure out when I was younger why this wasn’t still Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, but that is another story entirely. I’ve never been fond of boxing, but loved boxing films, and all my friends and I loved the original and this one as well. This was one we were always popping in to see how far we could get in it. We loved the over the top feeling and the overblown stereotypes were always worth a chuckle. Good times.
—
Nathan Birch: Sweet! A few years back I bought Fight Night Round 2 on the Gamecube for 50 bucks almost entirely so I could get this game, which should tell you what I think of it.
Yeah, it’s not quite as good as the NES version (which is, in my opinion, one of the very few truly perfect games ever made), the boxers get a bit too fanciful at the sake of gameplay (ninjas and guys who attack you with their hair for starters), but it’s still overall a great game.
Absolutely recommended.
—
I’d say it’s pretty much unanimous here; buy this game. Now. Elsewhere on the shop channel, Bonsai Barber was released on Wii Ware. It’s a game about giving vegetables haircuts. Fascinating. It’s priced at 1000 points if you want to give it a shot. We’ll be playing Super Punch-Out!!.
Leave a Reply