There are few games that have made me actually have to set the controller down and walk away. Like getting to one of those sections where no matter what you do, nothing seems to work.
“Punch-Out!!” on the Nintendo Entertainment System is that game. And frankly, I had a blast playing it.
Released in the United States on Aug. 2, 1990 — three years after its Japanese release — it became an instant classic because of its colorful cast and unique game mechanics.
Let’s start with the story, because it’s very simple to sum up.
You play as Little Mac, a 17-year-old up and coming boxer weighing in at 107 pounds from the Bronx, New York City. One day, Mac happens to run into boxing coach Doc Louis, who convinces Mac to enter the World Video Boxing Association.
And that’s it in terms of the story. Next you challenge each fighter from bottom to top, each with their own unique personalities and patterns that you must memorize if you hope to defeat them.
Rinse and repeat until you reach the top of the rankings and become the world champion.
Easier said than done. You fight a total of 23 fights, if you want to complete the entire game, each becoming more difficult than the last.
With each fighters unique pattern you get a small window of opportunity to take down your opponent’s health bar.
And while some of your fights may be a rematch, their already difficult patterns have developed with new content.
And you only have a small arsenal of moves: right and left jab, hook, dodge, a block and a “star punch,” which is a powerful uppercut that can only be gained before or after an opponent attacks, but this varies.
The fighters range from the sad sack Glass Joe — having only one career win under his belt and being fairly easy to beat — all the way up to the likes of King Hippo, a fighter with little to no information about his background and his only weak spot on his belly button.
If you enjoy a good challenge like the “Dark Souls” franchise or “Cuphead” and never got around to playing this classic, then it will be right up your alley, with plenty of fun and frustrating hours.
If that is not your playstyle, you still can have fun with this franchise, but there is no tutorial, it just throws you in. It is up to you to see whether you can adapt and find success or end up on the mat countless times before you controller goes sailing across your room.
I give “Punch-Out!!” a 4/5. It is a solid game that has aged surprisingly well, keeping its charm and difficulty while still having tight game mechanics that work well in 2019.
Zack Kellogg can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @kellogg_zack