Kick to the NESticles #3: Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
Published By: Nintendo
System: Nintendo Entertainment System
Release Date: 1987
Genre: Sports - Boxing
Players: 1
Other Platforms: Nintendo Gamecube (secret game on Animal Crossing), Virtual Console
Emulator Used: FCE Ultra 0.96
Starman: Lately I have been playing a lot of NES; this is the reason why you’re getting more reviews on that system. Undoubtedly the Nintendo Entertainment System was the system to own in the mid-80s to early 90s, and Punch-Out was one of the few games everyone was talking about.
First starting as Punch-Out!!, Super Punch-Out!! and then the little known Arm-Wrestling game in arcades, Nintendo signed on Mike Tyson; who at the time lacked facial tattoos, a taste for ear-flesh and rape. With a big name and really bad commercials, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! was set to rule the entire NES library with an iron fist.
Kin Corn Karn: Back before he was biting ears and raping women, Mike Tyson was quite the boxer. Realizing his name was marketable at that time, Nintendo licensed his image and inserted him into a boxing game they christened Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! In 1990 Nintendo went ahead and re-launched the game, ousting Tyson and just calling it Punch-Out. Nintendo continued to cash in on this great boxing title.
The game puts you in the shoes of Little Mac, an up and coming boxer; small in stature but big in heart, you go on a quest for ultimate boxing stardom - the heavyweight championship of the world.
Graphics
Starman: Punch-Out was an innovator at the time when it came to graphics on the NES. It had large sprites, and I mean large (King Hippo). With these large sprites came facial features that reacted to every punch, from stunned looks to waggling eye-brows. Each rival boxer was a character in themselves; though Nintendo at the time wasn’t very PC when it came to naming these guys (at least they changed the Russian from Vodka Drunkinksi to Soda Popinksi, Christ). Even if they were stereotypes, it wasn’t like you were a KKK member beating on an African American boxer who was eating fried chicken and then washing it down with grape soda.
Backgrounds did the job; you were in a boxing ring surrounded by little faces. Now and then the color palette would change but other than that it was always the same.
Kin Corn Karn: While not overly flashy, they were really nice with some interesting concepts thrown in. Little Mac is actually kind of bland, with nothing that really stands out. It's the opponents you face that were the money design point. This game featured some of the nicest, biggest sprites yet seen on the NES. Often times at least twice your size, they were all distinctly different and quite sharp. This was also the first game on the NES to utilize facial expressions, which show whenever you hit. These were clear and nicely detailed, ranging from eye rolls to jaws dropping and eyes widening.
Speaking of detail, you can get see how much effort was put into each character. Ranging from things like mustaches to receding hairlines, it's all here. You have body types from average looking builds right up to 'roided up monsters. They are quite colorful as well, with different skin tones and outfits. One little thing that I thought was a good touch was the in-between rounds where you get a single frame shot of you and your opponents face. You can actually see damage caused and received by the fight. Eyes swollen shut, bruises and bandages will adorn the faces that have stopped punches. You can’t see this in the main game, but it is one of those little things that stick out.
The rest of the game is pretty average. The ring is just that. You can see faces of people in the crowd, but more often than not they just all blend together. Besides, when a 250lbs guy is trying to pound you into paste, you really SHOULD be paying attention to him, not the people outside of the ring.
Sound
Starman: I tried to go to bed early last night and I could hear the Punch-Out music in my head. This means one of two things, it was good or I am bat-shit crazy. I won’t be wearing underwear on my head and screaming about hamster sex any time soon, so that means we have a winner in the sound department.
Effects are equally good even if the referee (it’sa me, Mario!) sounds like he is talking through a tin-can that was on fire. Punch-Out doesn’t take itself seriously, this is why the game was so damn good. The punching noises are amusing as out reactions from opponents with strange little Pac-Manesque nom-nom-nom effects.
Kin Corn Karn: You get some good here, with some not so good. The punching noise is alright, but really doesn't sound like you are hitting a person (although it is nice that the last hit in a series makes a bigger sound). The crowd noise is pretty decent, albeit short. I really like the sound when you get knocked down. Sounds like a super punch. The music is a nice fit, but nothing that will stay with you.
Now to the big part of this section - Mario's speech. I know that this was one of the first (if it was the first, let me know), and only games on the NES to try speech. It's not that you can't really understand what Mario is saying, but it does sound like he had about 20 beers before he got in the ring, “Mumble mumble razzle fwight...five dollarz? Get oumma here.” I really do like the effort, but the truth is that it is really muffled. A good try, and it was just a little off for my tastes.
Starman: I am not sure if it’s the first, really; or if it was in fact digitized speech. Other games that come to mind are Blades of Steel, Double Dribble and The 3 Stooges.
Controls
Starman: Solid and responsive. You can punch left or right, each of these a face or body blow shot. You will notice that the pause button (Start) has been remapped as your special attack button, so that may be a little confusing to some players. With an emulator you can just remap to your liking.
You have limited area of movement in the ring, dodging left, right or blocking by pressing down. It may not seem like much but it’s the perfect control setup for a perfect NES experience.
Kin Corn Karn: This game was very inventive when it came to control. One button was for right punch, one for left. Push either for a body shot. To throw a jumping uppercut, just press up with a punch button. Left and right was for dodging punches. If you pushed one side and then the other rapidly, you could dart back into punching zone faster and land some pretty quick punches. Down was to block shots. A little more complex than the usual boxing games at this time, it all worked together very fluidly. No slowdown will plague you either, so you won't have to worry about your rhythm and timing being thrown off. Hit detection is right on the button (as should your fist on someone's face).
Gameplay
Starman: You are Little Mac, a boxer the size of King Hippo’s last bowel movement. Your goal is to climb the ranks of the boxing world, become champion and then fight Mike Tyson in a dream match (Mr. Dream in the re-release). There’s no training along the way, no abilities to acquire other than studying the opponents movement patterns while in the ring. You will need quick timing and dexterous fingers to master Punch-Out because while it starts off easy (if you can’t beat Glass Joe you have no reason to play this game), it quickly ramps up but is never maddening. If you go out swinging your stamina (represented by hearts) will start to drop and you will wear out quickly.
The way to master Punch-Out is to time the opponents’ attacks; they will usually make a facial expression before firing a blow. Then you counter-attack, now and again sneaking in sucker punches to earn special KO punches represented by stars and time your way into victory. More often than not you will win by TKO but a win is a win.
There really isn’t that much variety to the game. You start off in the Minor Circuit; have some fights and then the title fight. After winning this you are treated to a cut scene showing Little Mac running towards the statue of liberty in a pink sweat suit while his fat manager rides a bike behind him. You get your password and then it’s onto the next tier of fighters.
If this were just any other boxing game (Power Punch II for example), you would be bored to tears, not with Punch-Out. Between rounds your manager will offer advice (Join the Nintendo Fan-Club!) and the opponents will spout nonsensical garbage. This is the charm of Punch-Out; it’s a game with stereotypical and outlandish characters, some advertising bites and lots of camp. It’s what we in the industry like to call fun.
Kin Corn Karn: This game will give a different boxing experience. Your view is from directly behind you boxer, who as mentioned earlier is significantly smaller than everyone else you will fight. You have hearts, a stamina bar and space for stored stars (super punch, explained in a min).
As you fight, each hit you take will take not only stamina, but also hearts. Hearts can also be lost by blocking punches. When hearts go to zero, Mac will be winded and change to a pinkish hew. During this point, you can only dodge. Don't worry, two or three successful dodges and you will be back in the fight. Stars are super punches that you get by sneaking in a quick shot when you opponent is not really ready. These are stored until you push the "start" button, and then are unleashed for extra damage. But there is a strategy here. You can't just fire them whenever. They will only hit if you have first stunned them another punch first. And you can lose them if you are hit while you have one stored, so beware. Fights consist of three, three-minute rounds. There are three circuits, each with a title fight at the end.
The characters in the game are just top notch, and are fun to fight against. After the first two (who you should have no real problem with. Glass Joe? Take a hint at his weakness), you will start to see that there are patterns to each fighter. The challenge is figuring out these patterns, and finding a way to counter. Each one is different, so you will have to learn strategies for each one. Bald Bull, for example, has a Bull Rush that will knock your scrawny ass into the 15th row if it hits you. But you can counter it. This game is primarily based on dodging and counter punching, so don't think you can just punch your way to victory. Like I said, a different boxing experience.
This game was just so fun to play. I love the characters in this game. Each has a personality and style all their own. Sure, some appear twice in the game, but you enjoy beating their ass the second time as much as the first. They are harder the second time though. My favorite is still King Hippo, who remains a fixture of this game. Nailing him in his fat gut and watching his pants fall still makes me laugh today. I Challenge you to have more fun with a NES boxing game.
Replay Value
Starman: It’s there, believe me. You will want to play Punch-Out over and over again because it’s all about fun, a good ol’ boxing game. It has been copied, re-done (Super Punch-Out!! On the SNES) but no one has yet managed to emulate the same amount of enjoyment. Have some friends over, take turns, you’ll have a blast over and over again.
Kin Corn Karn: it is here in spades. I lived with a friend for a while who had this game, and I played it every night like a religion. It never got old. It does have a high challenge to it in the end (one punch taken and you are down), but getting there is half the fun. It’s one of those games where you will play it over and over just because you CAN'T quit until that bastard who keeps beating you is knocked the fuck out. And the password feature helps here, too. Games this fun will keep you coming back forever.
Final Word
Starman: Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! is a must if you own a NES (or emulate one). It was one of those games that helped bring Nintendo to the top of the mountain for a short time (Sony be damned). Great graphics, sound, amazing control and game play make this a 5 out of 5 with little debate. Just don’t try using the Power Glove.
Kin Corn Karn: Honestly, I don't know if I put as much time into another NES game as I did this one (maybe Super Mario Bros. 3). The big, loveable characters give this game a unique quality. And watching their different reactions (especially if you win by decision), still brings a smile to my face. Although I have fought both Tyson and Mr.Dream (the champ of the re-release), I have never beaten either of them. I have knocked both of them down, and the one time I almost beat Mr. Dream, the bell rang for the end of the round as I was landing the final combo. Hence why I hate Mr. Dream. All that aside, this game broke new ground for the NES, and still remains one of the best games for the system. If you haven't tried it yet, get out from under your damn rock and do so now. I COMMAND IT! 5 out of 5!
Final Score:
Trivia: A lot of people believe that Mike Tyson was replaced by Mr. Dream in the 1990 re-release because of his rape charges. This is not true, instead he was no longer world champion and the license expired. Tyson however was set to appear in a sequel and those bad-touch charges did hurt that title, later being dropped and transformed into the abysmal Power Punch II.
System: Nintendo Entertainment System
Release Date: 1987
Genre: Sports - Boxing
Players: 1
Other Platforms: Nintendo Gamecube (secret game on Animal Crossing), Virtual Console
Emulator Used: FCE Ultra 0.96
Starman: Lately I have been playing a lot of NES; this is the reason why you’re getting more reviews on that system. Undoubtedly the Nintendo Entertainment System was the system to own in the mid-80s to early 90s, and Punch-Out was one of the few games everyone was talking about.
First starting as Punch-Out!!, Super Punch-Out!! and then the little known Arm-Wrestling game in arcades, Nintendo signed on Mike Tyson; who at the time lacked facial tattoos, a taste for ear-flesh and rape. With a big name and really bad commercials, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! was set to rule the entire NES library with an iron fist.
Kin Corn Karn: Back before he was biting ears and raping women, Mike Tyson was quite the boxer. Realizing his name was marketable at that time, Nintendo licensed his image and inserted him into a boxing game they christened Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! In 1990 Nintendo went ahead and re-launched the game, ousting Tyson and just calling it Punch-Out. Nintendo continued to cash in on this great boxing title.
The game puts you in the shoes of Little Mac, an up and coming boxer; small in stature but big in heart, you go on a quest for ultimate boxing stardom - the heavyweight championship of the world.
Graphics
Starman: Punch-Out was an innovator at the time when it came to graphics on the NES. It had large sprites, and I mean large (King Hippo). With these large sprites came facial features that reacted to every punch, from stunned looks to waggling eye-brows. Each rival boxer was a character in themselves; though Nintendo at the time wasn’t very PC when it came to naming these guys (at least they changed the Russian from Vodka Drunkinksi to Soda Popinksi, Christ). Even if they were stereotypes, it wasn’t like you were a KKK member beating on an African American boxer who was eating fried chicken and then washing it down with grape soda.
Backgrounds did the job; you were in a boxing ring surrounded by little faces. Now and then the color palette would change but other than that it was always the same.
Kin Corn Karn: While not overly flashy, they were really nice with some interesting concepts thrown in. Little Mac is actually kind of bland, with nothing that really stands out. It's the opponents you face that were the money design point. This game featured some of the nicest, biggest sprites yet seen on the NES. Often times at least twice your size, they were all distinctly different and quite sharp. This was also the first game on the NES to utilize facial expressions, which show whenever you hit. These were clear and nicely detailed, ranging from eye rolls to jaws dropping and eyes widening.
Speaking of detail, you can get see how much effort was put into each character. Ranging from things like mustaches to receding hairlines, it's all here. You have body types from average looking builds right up to 'roided up monsters. They are quite colorful as well, with different skin tones and outfits. One little thing that I thought was a good touch was the in-between rounds where you get a single frame shot of you and your opponents face. You can actually see damage caused and received by the fight. Eyes swollen shut, bruises and bandages will adorn the faces that have stopped punches. You can’t see this in the main game, but it is one of those little things that stick out.
The rest of the game is pretty average. The ring is just that. You can see faces of people in the crowd, but more often than not they just all blend together. Besides, when a 250lbs guy is trying to pound you into paste, you really SHOULD be paying attention to him, not the people outside of the ring.
Sound
Starman: I tried to go to bed early last night and I could hear the Punch-Out music in my head. This means one of two things, it was good or I am bat-shit crazy. I won’t be wearing underwear on my head and screaming about hamster sex any time soon, so that means we have a winner in the sound department.
Effects are equally good even if the referee (it’sa me, Mario!) sounds like he is talking through a tin-can that was on fire. Punch-Out doesn’t take itself seriously, this is why the game was so damn good. The punching noises are amusing as out reactions from opponents with strange little Pac-Manesque nom-nom-nom effects.
Kin Corn Karn: You get some good here, with some not so good. The punching noise is alright, but really doesn't sound like you are hitting a person (although it is nice that the last hit in a series makes a bigger sound). The crowd noise is pretty decent, albeit short. I really like the sound when you get knocked down. Sounds like a super punch. The music is a nice fit, but nothing that will stay with you.
Now to the big part of this section - Mario's speech. I know that this was one of the first (if it was the first, let me know), and only games on the NES to try speech. It's not that you can't really understand what Mario is saying, but it does sound like he had about 20 beers before he got in the ring, “Mumble mumble razzle fwight...five dollarz? Get oumma here.” I really do like the effort, but the truth is that it is really muffled. A good try, and it was just a little off for my tastes.
Starman: I am not sure if it’s the first, really; or if it was in fact digitized speech. Other games that come to mind are Blades of Steel, Double Dribble and The 3 Stooges.
Controls
Starman: Solid and responsive. You can punch left or right, each of these a face or body blow shot. You will notice that the pause button (Start) has been remapped as your special attack button, so that may be a little confusing to some players. With an emulator you can just remap to your liking.
You have limited area of movement in the ring, dodging left, right or blocking by pressing down. It may not seem like much but it’s the perfect control setup for a perfect NES experience.
Kin Corn Karn: This game was very inventive when it came to control. One button was for right punch, one for left. Push either for a body shot. To throw a jumping uppercut, just press up with a punch button. Left and right was for dodging punches. If you pushed one side and then the other rapidly, you could dart back into punching zone faster and land some pretty quick punches. Down was to block shots. A little more complex than the usual boxing games at this time, it all worked together very fluidly. No slowdown will plague you either, so you won't have to worry about your rhythm and timing being thrown off. Hit detection is right on the button (as should your fist on someone's face).
Gameplay
Starman: You are Little Mac, a boxer the size of King Hippo’s last bowel movement. Your goal is to climb the ranks of the boxing world, become champion and then fight Mike Tyson in a dream match (Mr. Dream in the re-release). There’s no training along the way, no abilities to acquire other than studying the opponents movement patterns while in the ring. You will need quick timing and dexterous fingers to master Punch-Out because while it starts off easy (if you can’t beat Glass Joe you have no reason to play this game), it quickly ramps up but is never maddening. If you go out swinging your stamina (represented by hearts) will start to drop and you will wear out quickly.
The way to master Punch-Out is to time the opponents’ attacks; they will usually make a facial expression before firing a blow. Then you counter-attack, now and again sneaking in sucker punches to earn special KO punches represented by stars and time your way into victory. More often than not you will win by TKO but a win is a win.
There really isn’t that much variety to the game. You start off in the Minor Circuit; have some fights and then the title fight. After winning this you are treated to a cut scene showing Little Mac running towards the statue of liberty in a pink sweat suit while his fat manager rides a bike behind him. You get your password and then it’s onto the next tier of fighters.
If this were just any other boxing game (Power Punch II for example), you would be bored to tears, not with Punch-Out. Between rounds your manager will offer advice (Join the Nintendo Fan-Club!) and the opponents will spout nonsensical garbage. This is the charm of Punch-Out; it’s a game with stereotypical and outlandish characters, some advertising bites and lots of camp. It’s what we in the industry like to call fun.
Kin Corn Karn: This game will give a different boxing experience. Your view is from directly behind you boxer, who as mentioned earlier is significantly smaller than everyone else you will fight. You have hearts, a stamina bar and space for stored stars (super punch, explained in a min).
As you fight, each hit you take will take not only stamina, but also hearts. Hearts can also be lost by blocking punches. When hearts go to zero, Mac will be winded and change to a pinkish hew. During this point, you can only dodge. Don't worry, two or three successful dodges and you will be back in the fight. Stars are super punches that you get by sneaking in a quick shot when you opponent is not really ready. These are stored until you push the "start" button, and then are unleashed for extra damage. But there is a strategy here. You can't just fire them whenever. They will only hit if you have first stunned them another punch first. And you can lose them if you are hit while you have one stored, so beware. Fights consist of three, three-minute rounds. There are three circuits, each with a title fight at the end.
The characters in the game are just top notch, and are fun to fight against. After the first two (who you should have no real problem with. Glass Joe? Take a hint at his weakness), you will start to see that there are patterns to each fighter. The challenge is figuring out these patterns, and finding a way to counter. Each one is different, so you will have to learn strategies for each one. Bald Bull, for example, has a Bull Rush that will knock your scrawny ass into the 15th row if it hits you. But you can counter it. This game is primarily based on dodging and counter punching, so don't think you can just punch your way to victory. Like I said, a different boxing experience.
This game was just so fun to play. I love the characters in this game. Each has a personality and style all their own. Sure, some appear twice in the game, but you enjoy beating their ass the second time as much as the first. They are harder the second time though. My favorite is still King Hippo, who remains a fixture of this game. Nailing him in his fat gut and watching his pants fall still makes me laugh today. I Challenge you to have more fun with a NES boxing game.
Replay Value
Starman: It’s there, believe me. You will want to play Punch-Out over and over again because it’s all about fun, a good ol’ boxing game. It has been copied, re-done (Super Punch-Out!! On the SNES) but no one has yet managed to emulate the same amount of enjoyment. Have some friends over, take turns, you’ll have a blast over and over again.
Kin Corn Karn: it is here in spades. I lived with a friend for a while who had this game, and I played it every night like a religion. It never got old. It does have a high challenge to it in the end (one punch taken and you are down), but getting there is half the fun. It’s one of those games where you will play it over and over just because you CAN'T quit until that bastard who keeps beating you is knocked the fuck out. And the password feature helps here, too. Games this fun will keep you coming back forever.
Final Word
Starman: Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! is a must if you own a NES (or emulate one). It was one of those games that helped bring Nintendo to the top of the mountain for a short time (Sony be damned). Great graphics, sound, amazing control and game play make this a 5 out of 5 with little debate. Just don’t try using the Power Glove.
Kin Corn Karn: Honestly, I don't know if I put as much time into another NES game as I did this one (maybe Super Mario Bros. 3). The big, loveable characters give this game a unique quality. And watching their different reactions (especially if you win by decision), still brings a smile to my face. Although I have fought both Tyson and Mr.Dream (the champ of the re-release), I have never beaten either of them. I have knocked both of them down, and the one time I almost beat Mr. Dream, the bell rang for the end of the round as I was landing the final combo. Hence why I hate Mr. Dream. All that aside, this game broke new ground for the NES, and still remains one of the best games for the system. If you haven't tried it yet, get out from under your damn rock and do so now. I COMMAND IT! 5 out of 5!
Final Score:
Trivia: A lot of people believe that Mike Tyson was replaced by Mr. Dream in the 1990 re-release because of his rape charges. This is not true, instead he was no longer world champion and the license expired. Tyson however was set to appear in a sequel and those bad-touch charges did hurt that title, later being dropped and transformed into the abysmal Power Punch II.