Gamertell

Title:Punch-Out!! Punch-Out!!
Price: $49.99
System(s): Wii
Release Date: 05, 19, 2009
Publisher (Developer): Nintendo
ESRB Rating:"E+10" for Cartoon violence and mischief
Pros: very fun game, and a nice workout! Funny, unique characters and rather challenging.
Cons: controls are a bit annoying, and unpredictable. And where is Mike Tyson?
Overall Score: Two Thumbs Up 98 A * * * * 1/2

Little Mac is back, only this time he has more depth and is not fighting Mike Tyson. I’m of course talking about the new Punch-Out game from Nintendo, for the Wii. As Little Mac, you have to box your way through four competitors, each ranging in difficulty. If you beat all three, you win the belt!

The game is very much like the other Punch-Out games for the NES, and SNES. In fact, it’s the same Little Mac but he has come a long way and is ready for more fightin' action.

Round 1: Get Ready to Rumble

I like the Punch-Out series because they are non traditional. In real boxing matches you would be paired up with someone about the same size and weight as you but, in this game, it’s fair game It’s much more fun to fight someone (in a game) who can really offer you a challenge and give you a run for your money.

You start out fighting a rather easy opponent who you should have no trouble with, then move on to a harder guy until you're eventually fighting a real challenge. Luckily, Doc is there to help. Doc, your manager, offers you training time with each opponent which is nice because you can practice fighting a guy without getting hurt. They also use their special moves so you can practice blocking.

Doc also gives you tips on their weak spots and when you should block or hit. Each character has his own little quirk which will help you decide when is the best time to hit him. You’ll also find that it’s sometimes better to hit an opponent rather than to block his attack, catching him off guard and possibly winding him. If you manage to block or hit enough, you get to do a special “slow motion” move that really takes a lot out of the guy.

Also, this game is a total workout. Punching the WiiMote with one hand and the Nunchuck with the other for an hour can really take a lot out of you. Think of it as shadow boxing but there is actually someone to look at. It’s fun to play with friends so you can take turns and have a little breather or play against them in head-to-head mode and see who can last longer. You also earn Mac juice and, when you get enough, you become Giga Mac with stronger abilities and more power. Nice.

Round 2: Time for a Breather

The worst part of this game can be the controls. It’s pretty straightforward: You hit by swinging you fists forward and block by moving the directional stick on the Nuncuck. To do any special moves - an uppercut or hit in the face - you have to hold the C or Z button. I could never quite get the hang of that, though. I would hold C and swing or hold Z and swing - or even both - but it always seemed to just work when it wanted.

Same with the special move I mentioned earlier. When you get three stars, you get to do a special blow that drains a lot of energy. This is cool and all but I have yet to figure out how to execute it at an appropriate time. I don’t just want it to happen whenever.

Another issue is dodging. You can either move from side to side or duck. Now maybe I just have bad reflexes but sometimes when I hit to dodge left he does nothing, causing me to be hit square in the face. As for the Balance Board, it can be effective when it wants to be and other times you are just swaying around like a drunk guy at Mardi Gras. If you have a board already, then by all means go ahead and use it but don’t bother going out to buy one just for this game.

The last opponent is significantly stronger than the other three, which I thought was a bit silly. They should have evened it out more and made the two before it harder respectively. I just thought the first three guys were a breeze, then the last guy was ridiculous.

It would be cool if you can pick some of the other characters to play - perhaps as an unlockable - but I guess then it wouldn’t fit with the Punch-Out legacy. (And Where is Mike Tyson?!)

Round 3: A total KO for Nintendo

I found this to be a very fun game and a great workout. The characters where funny and unique and Little Mac ain’t a bad contender either. The controls are annoying at times, but once you get into the real flow of the game, you might not even care. Grab a friend or three and have some real fun (just avoid the boxing gloves unless you have a random $20 to throw around).

Site [Nintendo] Read [GameSpot]