Digital Chocolate Bar: Punch-Out!! Review (Wii)
Punch-Out!!
Produced by: Nintendo/Next Level Games
Price: $49.99
For: Nintendo Wii
Punch-Out!!! is one of those games that defy taste and logic. The game is a very simplistic puzzle game in the guise of a boxing title. The game features over exaggerated caricatures of different cultures and backgrounds. You do only two things in the game: punch and dodge. Yet, despite this inert simplicity, Punch-Out!!! remains one of the NES’ most beloved games.
When tackling the Wii remake of the game, Next Level Games decided to stay the course on this game and simply give the game an highly polished reboot. No new mechanics, no new gimmick: Just Punch-Out!!!. Turns out, this may have been the best way to reboot the franchise: Punch-Out!! for the Wii is my favorite version of the series as it not only finely tunes the gameplay, but gives the game character and charm all of its own.
Again, the game is simple. You are Little Mac, a small town fighter trying to make it to the top of the boxing world. To make it, you go against the most brutal and diverse characters from around the world. And that’s the jist of the story.
To win each match, you just have to knock out your opponent. That’s not as easy as that, however. Each opponent has a weakness to exploit and it’s shown through patterns, visual cues and animations. Randomly hitting the punch button with no recourse will get you nowhere in this game: you need to be patient and to wait for the opportunity to strike.
When playing with the Wii Remote, the game controls sublimely. Executing each of the simple moves is smooth and precise. If you don’t hit the punch at the right time, it’s not the controls fault: it’s yours. Mind you, this is if you use the Wii Remote: Motion Controls and Balance Board implementation wasn’t as responsive and is not recommended.
But in a game like Punch-Out!! it’s the characters that make the game enjoyable. Which is why it’s really great to say that the characters in this game make it so fun. Each character, from Glass Joe to Super Macho Man, has a distinct look, animation and fighting style that you really feel that you’re doing 17 different battles. Unless you have a very fond memory of the original, you will not feel a sense of deja vu when playing this game.
With the exception of some throwaway multiplayer and control schemes, Punch-Out!! is simply gaming nirvana. In fact, this game is even better than my last favorite (Super Punch-Out!) and it eclipses the original in every way. A must buy for nostalgic NES fans.
Worth the Cash – Let it Drop – Avoid at all costs
Brad Wiswall
XBL: Gamakarmica
PSN: Vanillatwisted
www.twitter.com/gamakarmica
