The Wii has seen lot’s of remakes and sequels to classic games that have featured on Nintendo’s previous consoles of the years. Mario Kart, Mario Strikers, Dr Mario and Super Smash Bros Brawl have all been released so far on the console, amongst others, but out of all the games Nintendo could choose to remake on the Wii, why choose Punch-Out!!?

There have already been numerous Boxing titles so far, including Wii Sports boxing that every Wii owner can play, since it came bundled with the console, and the two previous Punch-Out!! Titles from the NES and SNES consoles are also available on the Wii Shop Channel for a few pounds with a Nintendo Points card.  After playing the game for myself though, it appears that the Wii revival was certainly worth it.

The basic premise of Punch-Out!! is just as you’d expect for a game of boxing. The aim is to knock down your opponent enough times so that they are too exhausted to stand up again, or knock them down three times during a three minute round. If you fail to complete either of these objectives, the winner will be revealed as the person who fought the best over the three rounds.

Although it may not sound too special so far, Punch-Out!! still does it’s part to become unlike any other boxing game you’ve played before. For starters, the game feels more like a rhythm action game, rather than a sports title. In order to land some successful hits, you need to watch your opponent’s movements carefully in order to spot the opportune moments for swinging a punch. This is usually after your opponent has aimed for you, or when they’re just about to take a punch, although it varies depending on which of the thirteen opponents you are playing against. This is where another trademark of Punch-Out!! comes into action.

Each character clearly has it’s own personality and way of doing things, for example, new character Disco Kid will often punch with a groove, and Arabian style character Glass Tiger sometimes uses his spiritual prowess to create a ghostly duplicate of himself in order to confuse you. This takes away the generic style you might get from playing the game over and over again, and it always keeps the game fresh, no matter how long you’ve been playing for.

The features don’t stop there though, with another unique point about Punch-Out!! being the control system. Like you’d expect for a boxing game on the Wii, the option to swing the Wii Remote and Nunchuck controllers is available, but in order to throw uppercuts or dodge attacks, you need to use a combination of swings and button presses. Although this may sound a little awkward, it actually works really well when put into action, and is a great way to ensure different kinds of movements aren’t mistaken for each other if the system doesn’t fully recognise your swings.

If you’d rather, a control scheme almost identical to that of the classic Punch-Out!! games is also available, where you hold the Wii remote on it’s side, using the 1 and 2 buttons to swing a punch, and the D-pad to dodge attacks and throw uppercuts. The standard configuration is undoubtedly great fun, however if you’re aiming for pinpoint accuracy (which is greatly needed once you’re about halfway through the game), you’ll no doubt want to switch to the classic style so that you know exactly when you’re swing will be activated.

In addition to the above points that single out Punch-Out!! from any other boxing title, there are a few more notable differences to the game that you’re sure to love. In addition to the usual two punching styles, there is also the option to throw a star punch during the game, dealing a large amount of damage to your opponent. To use these, you must first gain stars during play, which you find after hitting your opponent at a certain time, or after performing a particularly impressive wallop.  You can hold up to three of these at a time, each one making the star punch all the more powerful, but once you yourself get hit, you lose them all.

Another addition to the play that you don’t see in other boxing games is the heart meter. This gauges how much energy you have left, and drops every time your opponent blocks one of your attacks or when you yourself get hit. Once this drops to zero, you are temporarily unable to throw any punches, and the only way to continue play is to avoid a single punch in order to gain your energy back. These may sound like unnecessary complications to the gameplay, but they make up for some of the depth lost by not having the ability to roam free around the ring, and won’t even confuse newcomers to the franchise.

If you haven’t played a Punch-Out!! game before though, then there are a couple of options to help you out. First of all, you can practice playing against any opponent without receiving any damage, allowing you to recognise their different attacks easier before the real game.

In addition to this, there is also the option to receive extra health after any of the three rounds in a game with just a tap of the minus button. Once the next round begins, your health meter will immediately fill with a bit of extra health in case you’re not performing particularly well.

If you’re a more skilled player, then there are a few features dedicated to you as well. Once you complete the standard mode, an expert difficulty mode will be unlocked in which your opponents have an extra handicap such as a shield or protective device of some kind, or some new moves and tactics. There is also the option to play against each fighter in the game with three special objectives. These may ask you to complete tasks such as KO-ing your opponent in a certain amount of time or finding particular weaknesses that they may have, but they will definitely challenge you to a new extreme if you want to gain them all. In addition to these features, there is also an additional mode and secret character to be unlocked, but I won’t spoil them here.

In addition to the fantastic single player mode, there is also a somewhat lacklustre two player mode, where the screen is split into two halves as you and a friend battle it out. In addition to the normal rules, there is also an additional feature that allows you to transform into a “Giga” version of yourself, where your punches will be more powerful than before for a limited period of time. To transform into this figure, you simply have to land a series of punches to fill up a special meter at the top of the screen, and there is no way to turn this feature off. Sure, it does sound like a great feature, and for the first few games, it really adds to the excitement, but it soon gets old, and makes you wish there was the option to switch it off so that you can have a normal game. Another disappointment with this mode is the fact that you have to play as the same character every time, which is a shame, since playing around with the extra characters from the game would have been great fun.

As it is, though, the multiplayer is the only disappointing part of the game. That’s not to say you won’t get any fun from it though, because you will, and then there’s always the excellent single player mode to run through as well. Despite the fact that other boxing games already exist on the Wii, and the fact that you can get the first Punch-Out!! games on the Virtual Console, this game still manages to stand out from the crowd with it’s simple yet fun gameplay, outstanding cel-shaded visuals, over the top personality, catchy music, and above all, the different options and features to allow anyone to get some enjoyment out of the game. Whether you’re a boxing fan or not, Punch-Out!! on the Wii is well worth a look, and is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys having fun.
 

4-5
Billy White