.gif)
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Encyclopedia
Punch-Out!! is a boxing
video game for the Wii
. It is the latest game in the Punch-Out!!
series. It was developed by Canadian
developer Next Level Games
. Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto
served as the game's producer. It was first revealed at Nintendo
's conference on October 2, 2008. It was released exclusively at the Nintendo World Store in New York City
on May 16, 2009, two days before its official North American release. The Australian release was only available at JB Hi-Fi
stores. It is the first new Punch-Out!! title since Super Punch-Out!! was released in 1994.
Aside from a few new opponents, every other opponent is from a previous Punch-Out!! game. The new opponents are Disco Kid
, Giga Mac and Donkey Kong
(a secret cameo boss), while the classic boxers are ten of the eleven boxers from the NES classic, as well as Bear Hugger and Aran Ryan from Super Punch-Out!!.
The game uses three different control schemes. The Wii Remote
and Nunchuk can be used together, with the player swinging the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to throw punches, while the Nunchuk's analog stick controls movement. The Wii Balance Board
can be used optionally along with Wii Remote and Nunchuk to duck or dodge (however, it is not compatible with the multiplayer mode). Finally, the Wii Remote can be used by itself and held sideways in a control scheme similar to the NES version of Punch-Out!!
The game features several modes, including Career Mode, which has Little Mac climbing the ranks of the World Video Boxing Association and defeating all of the boxers along the way. Mac starts off in the Minor Circuit, facing weak opponents that mostly serve as a means to help the player to get used to the controls. The Major Circuit has stronger opponents, but their techniques are still quite predictable. The World Circuit boasts the hardest boxers, including the world champion, Mr. Sandman.
A new feature in the game, available after beating the Career Mode once, is Title Defense Mode. This is a much harder mode, and some of the boxers have new tricks and ways to protect their weaknesses, requiring players to figure out how to exploit them once again. For example, in the rematch against King Hippo
, he will wear a manhole cover protecting his weak spot, his stomach. If Mac loses to the opponent, he gives up the Champion Belt, however, he may still fight them again. Beating them will enable him to reclaim your belt and move on to the next boxer.
After completing Title Defense Mode, the Last Stand Mode becomes unlocked. In this mode, the player must face a series of randomly selected opponents with a high heart meter and a stamina bar that does not regenerate. Additionally, while the game features unlimited rematch attempts, once Last Stand is reached, Mac will retire after three losses, after which Career Mode becomes unplayable, and players must start a new file in order to play this mode again. This mode also disables the "Restart" and "Quit" options; the only way to quit in the middle of a fight in this mode is to reset the entire game from the HOME menu. Furthermore, there is no way to "win" this mode. Once ten fighters have been defeated, Champions Mode, an option for Exhibition Mode, is unlocked in which all of the fighters can knock Mac down with just one hit.
Also available is Exhibition Mode, where the player can face any boxer they have already defeated including both the regular version of the boxer and the Title Defense variety, and can try to earn three unique achievements per boxer, which if earned unlock the sound test for that character. If a player hasn't defeated a boxer, one can instead practice against a hologram of that boxer with unlimited stamina and hearts until they defeat him in the main mode.
, Von Kaiser, and King Hippo
are all shown as opponents in the Minor Circuit, and the boxart shows a new opponent named Disco Kid
. In an interview, Charlie Scibetta, Senior Director of Corporate Communications for Nintendo of America, confirmed motion control would be used in this game. Nintendo of America later announced that NES controls using the Wii Remote
on its side would also be available. Wii Balance Board
support was also confirmed, but is only available in single player mode.
and Game Rankings
respectively. Nintendo Power
's Chris Slate scored the game an 8.5/10 in the magazine's June 2009 issue, praising its similarity to the NES title of the same name. Slate stated "The folks at Next Level Games have created an amazing title that has made the 15 years since Super Punch-Out!! quite worthwhile." However, he said that the new additions didn't affect the game. Game Informer
gave Punch-Out!! a 9.0/10. IGNs Craig Harris gave this game a 8.8/10, citing its nostalgic gameplay. Sumantra Lahiri of The Escapist
also praised its nostalgic value, but suggested that the stereotype
s exhibited by the characters that seemed harmless in the 1980s version had not aged well when early 21st century attitudes towards cultural and racial sensitivity were taken into account.
title that is available as a reward for 2009 Club Nintendo
Platinum members in North America. It was announced alongside a Mario cap as a reward. Members who chose this as their reward received a special code via e-mail to download the title on October 27, 2009. Though a separate game, it uses the same engine as the Wii version. It also controls the same, with the Wii Remote or Wii Remote + Nunchuk used to duck, punch, and dodge. Unlike Punch-Out!! for Wii, there is no multiplayer, no Wii Balance Board Support, and only three game modes: Warm-Up, Training, and Sparring. Doc Louis becomes increasingly tougher to beat after each is completed, but Little Mac only needs to knock him out once to win.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
video game for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. It is the latest game in the Punch-Out!!
Punch-Out!!
is a 1983–1984 boxing arcade game by Nintendo. It was the first in a series of successful Punch-Out!! games that produced an arcade sequel known as Super Punch-Out!!, a spin-off of the series titled Arm Wrestling, a highly popular version for the NES originally known as Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!,...
series. It was developed by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
developer Next Level Games
Next Level Games
Next Level Games Inc. is an independent video game developer based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in October 2002, Next Level Games specializes in creating console video games. Its first project was NHL Hitz Pro, which was published by Midway Games. Since then, it has worked with...
. Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
served as the game's producer. It was first revealed at Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's conference on October 2, 2008. It was released exclusively at the Nintendo World Store in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on May 16, 2009, two days before its official North American release. The Australian release was only available at JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi is an Australian CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc, video game and consumer electronics chain store.-History:JB Hi-Fi was established in Melbourne suburb of Keilor East by John Barbuto in 1974...
stores. It is the first new Punch-Out!! title since Super Punch-Out!! was released in 1994.
Gameplay
Punch-Out!! features a boxer named Little Mac working his way up the professional boxing circuits, facing a series of colorful, fictional boxers. The game requires good reflexes in reaction to the computer-controlled boxers' moves, as the more advanced boxers give very little indication of their coming moves.Aside from a few new opponents, every other opponent is from a previous Punch-Out!! game. The new opponents are Disco Kid
Disco Kid
Disco Kid is a fictional African American boxer in the Nintendo-produced video game Punch-Out!! for Wii. He was designed by Eddie Viser and voiced by Donny Lucas. He is described as flamboyant and as a fan of clubbing, disco, and exercise...
, Giga Mac and Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong
is a fictional gorilla in the Donkey Kong and Mario series. He is roughly twice the size of a normal gorilla, weighing approximately 800 pounds. Donkey Kong first appeared in Nintendo's popular 1981 video game of the same name. Since then he has appeared in over 20 games in his own series, as well...
(a secret cameo boss), while the classic boxers are ten of the eleven boxers from the NES classic, as well as Bear Hugger and Aran Ryan from Super Punch-Out!!.
The game uses three different control schemes. The Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
and Nunchuk can be used together, with the player swinging the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to throw punches, while the Nunchuk's analog stick controls movement. The Wii Balance Board
Wii Balance Board
The Wii Balance Board is a balance board accessory for the Nintendo Wii video game console. Along with Wii Fit, it was introduced on July 11, 2007 at the Electronic Entertainment Expo...
can be used optionally along with Wii Remote and Nunchuk to duck or dodge (however, it is not compatible with the multiplayer mode). Finally, the Wii Remote can be used by itself and held sideways in a control scheme similar to the NES version of Punch-Out!!
Single player
The gameplay takes elements from previous Punch-Out!! games, featuring the star punches from the NES game, while also featuring stamina recovery from Super Punch-Out!!. It once again uses the round system from the NES game, featuring three rounds per opponent, with commentary by Doc Louis in between rounds. Players progress in one of three ways: by successfully KO'ing their opponent, by earning a TKO after knocking down the opponent three times in one round, or by winning by a decision. Players can store up to three stars by punching their opponent at certain times in order to perform a powerful Star Uppercut, but will lose them if hit. If the player is hit by a knockout punch that would make him lose the game, it is possible to recover and regain a little stamina.The game features several modes, including Career Mode, which has Little Mac climbing the ranks of the World Video Boxing Association and defeating all of the boxers along the way. Mac starts off in the Minor Circuit, facing weak opponents that mostly serve as a means to help the player to get used to the controls. The Major Circuit has stronger opponents, but their techniques are still quite predictable. The World Circuit boasts the hardest boxers, including the world champion, Mr. Sandman.
A new feature in the game, available after beating the Career Mode once, is Title Defense Mode. This is a much harder mode, and some of the boxers have new tricks and ways to protect their weaknesses, requiring players to figure out how to exploit them once again. For example, in the rematch against King Hippo
King Hippo
is a fictional boxer from Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series. King Hippo first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System game Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, as the second competitor in the Major Circuit. Hippo also garnered huge fame on the NBC Saturday morning cartoon Captain N: The Game Master, which...
, he will wear a manhole cover protecting his weak spot, his stomach. If Mac loses to the opponent, he gives up the Champion Belt, however, he may still fight them again. Beating them will enable him to reclaim your belt and move on to the next boxer.
After completing Title Defense Mode, the Last Stand Mode becomes unlocked. In this mode, the player must face a series of randomly selected opponents with a high heart meter and a stamina bar that does not regenerate. Additionally, while the game features unlimited rematch attempts, once Last Stand is reached, Mac will retire after three losses, after which Career Mode becomes unplayable, and players must start a new file in order to play this mode again. This mode also disables the "Restart" and "Quit" options; the only way to quit in the middle of a fight in this mode is to reset the entire game from the HOME menu. Furthermore, there is no way to "win" this mode. Once ten fighters have been defeated, Champions Mode, an option for Exhibition Mode, is unlocked in which all of the fighters can knock Mac down with just one hit.
Also available is Exhibition Mode, where the player can face any boxer they have already defeated including both the regular version of the boxer and the Title Defense variety, and can try to earn three unique achievements per boxer, which if earned unlock the sound test for that character. If a player hasn't defeated a boxer, one can instead practice against a hologram of that boxer with unlimited stamina and hearts until they defeat him in the main mode.
Head to Head mode
The game features a split-screen head-to-head mode between Little Mac and a recolored clone of Mac. When one of the players has gathered enough power by repeatedly dodging all moves unscathed, he can transform into "Giga Mac" and the game moves into its regular single player view, as Little Mac tries to overcome the bigger and more powerful Giga Mac.Development
Glass JoeGlass Joe
is a fictional boxer from Nintendo's video game series Punch-Out!! He first appeared in the arcade game Punch-Out!! in 1984, and three years later made his home console debut with the Nintendo Entertainment System game of the same name. His most recent appearance was in Punch-Out!! for the Wii...
, Von Kaiser, and King Hippo
King Hippo
is a fictional boxer from Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series. King Hippo first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System game Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, as the second competitor in the Major Circuit. Hippo also garnered huge fame on the NBC Saturday morning cartoon Captain N: The Game Master, which...
are all shown as opponents in the Minor Circuit, and the boxart shows a new opponent named Disco Kid
Disco Kid
Disco Kid is a fictional African American boxer in the Nintendo-produced video game Punch-Out!! for Wii. He was designed by Eddie Viser and voiced by Donny Lucas. He is described as flamboyant and as a fan of clubbing, disco, and exercise...
. In an interview, Charlie Scibetta, Senior Director of Corporate Communications for Nintendo of America, confirmed motion control would be used in this game. Nintendo of America later announced that NES controls using the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
on its side would also be available. Wii Balance Board
Wii Balance Board
The Wii Balance Board is a balance board accessory for the Nintendo Wii video game console. Along with Wii Fit, it was introduced on July 11, 2007 at the Electronic Entertainment Expo...
support was also confirmed, but is only available in single player mode.
Music
The music for the game, which includes arranged versions of music from the original Punch-Out!!, was composed by Mike Peacock, Darren Radtke and Chad York.Reception
The game received generally positive reviews, averaging an 86/100 and an 87.97% at MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
respectively. Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
's Chris Slate scored the game an 8.5/10 in the magazine's June 2009 issue, praising its similarity to the NES title of the same name. Slate stated "The folks at Next Level Games have created an amazing title that has made the 15 years since Super Punch-Out!! quite worthwhile." However, he said that the new additions didn't affect the game. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
gave Punch-Out!! a 9.0/10. IGNs Craig Harris gave this game a 8.8/10, citing its nostalgic gameplay. Sumantra Lahiri of The Escapist
The Escapist (magazine)
The Escapist is an online magazine covering video games, gamers, the gaming industry, and gaming culture. Published by the Themis Group, it was edited by Julianne Greer up to June 30, 2009, then by Russ Pitts through September 2011, and is currently edited by Steve Butts. The Escapist was first...
also praised its nostalgic value, but suggested that the stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s exhibited by the characters that seemed harmless in the 1980s version had not aged well when early 21st century attitudes towards cultural and racial sensitivity were taken into account.
Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!
Doc Louis's Punch-Out!! is a WiiWareWiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
title that is available as a reward for 2009 Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo is the name of several publications and a more well-known customer loyalty program provided by Nintendo. The loyalty program is free to join and is committed to providing rewards in exchange for consumer feedback and loyalty to purchasing official Nintendo products...
Platinum members in North America. It was announced alongside a Mario cap as a reward. Members who chose this as their reward received a special code via e-mail to download the title on October 27, 2009. Though a separate game, it uses the same engine as the Wii version. It also controls the same, with the Wii Remote or Wii Remote + Nunchuk used to duck, punch, and dodge. Unlike Punch-Out!! for Wii, there is no multiplayer, no Wii Balance Board Support, and only three game modes: Warm-Up, Training, and Sparring. Doc Louis becomes increasingly tougher to beat after each is completed, but Little Mac only needs to knock him out once to win.