Wii
Wii UOverview
Punch-Out!! is the third console game released in the Punch-Out!! series (and the fourth if the Mike Tyson and Mr. Dream versions of the NES game are counted separately). Developed by Next Level Games, the Wii title retains the hallmark gameplay of the NES version with a variety of tweaks and improvements. To make it to the top, Little Mac will need to face off against all of his opponents from the NES game save Mike Tyson and Mr. Dream, along with a few faces from Super Punch-Out!!. The game was released on May 18th, 2009.
Gameplay
Punch-Out!! Is essentially an enhanced remake of the games Punch-Out!! and Super Punch-Out!!, two of Nintendo's most popular games of old. The game draws most from the original NES title, which is perhaps the most popular boxing game to date. The player puts on the gloves of Little Mac, a boxer aspiring to become the W.V.B.A. champion. He must ascent each W.V.B.A. circuit, taking out more talented boxers as he ranks up. Mac possesses a relatively limited repertoire of moves. He can throw left and right body blows, as well as left and right jabs.
His defensive capabilities amount to dodges, ducking, and blocking. When blocking, Mac will take a slight amount of chip damage, and lose a single heart. Mac will lose three hearts when he is hit, having failed to block or dodge. When Mac's hearts are depleted, he'll become exhausted, being slow to react and unable to fight. Hearts are regained by dodging attacks. Mac also has a star punch, which is a very powerful uppercut. Mac earns stars through good performance, and loses them whenever he gets hit. The stars are used for the star Punch, his most powerful attack, a charging uppercut with devastating power. Only three stars can be held at a time.
Each character has a life meter, representing how much stamina they have left. Their stamina will drain as they take punches from their opponent. Once it has been depleted, the character will be down for the count. If a character is knocked down three times in a round, they lose by Technical Knockout (TKO). If a character is knocked down and fails to get up during the count, they lose by Knockout. If both characters last three round, the victor is selected by decision. Usually, whomever has the most points and the most knockdowns will come out victorious. In single player mode, not all matches can be won by decision. The object of the game is, of course, to knock out the opponent without letting Little Mac get knocked out first.
The many opponents Mac faces in Punch-Out come from all corners of the world, and possess a wide variety of attacks and special moves. The goal is to read opponents patterns, dodge their attacks, and punish them. Each character has a variety of tactics that they will mix into the fight, which Mac must memorize to succeed. Many fighters often give off cues as to when they are going to make a move, and the player can read these, and if they act quickly enough, can catch their opponent off guard to earn a star. Each character has a special attack that they will use to try and finish Mac off. These are often the most difficult attacks to counter. A large part of the game is discovering the weakness of every opponent Mac faces. Not all characters will go down with a simple dodge and counter strategy. Fighters like King Hippo are almost a puzzle in the ring, as their weaknesses are not so obvious.
The game goes into slow motion when a knockout occurs and characters show bruises and lumps when they are damaged. The game has a cartoony vibe with characters doing things like flexing muscles or belching in a cut scene before a mach. The game also displays twirly stars on the characters head to show that they are stunned or dizzy. There are also slapstick signature moves like growling, dropping shorts, clonking oneself on the head, twirling, etc. Whenever a character gets hit, they often bleed foods native to their home.
Once the player has completed a circuit, they will unlock a title defense mode that pits them against previous opponents who have learned from their mistakes. King Hippo and Glass Joe will bring protection for their weapon points, and have all new patterns and tells.
Control Options:
- Motion Control (Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers) - Punch-Out!! uses the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers to simulate throwing punches. Use the Nunchuk to throw a left punch and the Wii Remote to throw a right punch. Press up and throw left and right punches for an uppercut. The Wii Balance board can also be utilized for an even more engrossing experience.
- Classic Control (Wii Remote NES™ style) - Fans of the NES version and core gamers will be excited to see Nintendo has also included the option to play Punch-Out!! using the classic layout from the original NES controller. Use the 1 and 2 buttons along with the cross pad to throw hooks and jabs or to dodge.
Game Modes
Career
Career Mode is the main single player experience. The player will play as Little Mac and fight through three circuits to try and win the World Circuit Title Belt.
Exhibition
In Exhibition Mode, the player can take-on any opponent he has previously beaten in any of the other modes, but this time there are criteria that must be met to accomplish certain goals instead of just trying to win.
Head-to-Head
In Head-to-Head Mode, two players can compete against each other in a multiplayer bout. This mode also features Giga Mac, which one player at a time can transform into to do additional damage upon their opponent.
Title Defense
This new mode will unlock after Mac beats the Minor, Major, and World Circuits in Career Mode. In Title Defense Mode, the difficulty is upped substantially and most of the boxers are faster, have new moves, timings, and ways to protect their weaknesses, essentially giving the player a whole slew of new opponents.
Mac's Last Stand
Mac's Last Stand is unlocked after clearing Title Defense mode. In this mode, Mac faces random opponents until the player loses three times.
Line-up of Opposing Contenders
Minor Circuit
Hailing From: Paris, France
Age: 38 years old
Weight: 110 lbs.
Height: 5' 10"
Signature Moves: Taunt
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
- Knock Glass Joe down 3 times and let him win... by decision.
- Find the one-punch-knockdown weak spot.
- Win the fight without dodging, ducking, or blocking a punch.
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Win the fight and land EVERY punch thrown!
2. Land 50 jabs...
3. Defeat Glass Joe in only 4 punches!!!
Hailing From: Berlin, Germany
Age: 42 years old
Weight: 144 lbs.
Height: 6' 0"
Signature Moves: Neck Rattler
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
- Win the fight and land every punch thrown.
- TKO Von Kaiser... in under a minute.
- KO Von Kaiser throwing only 5 punches.
Title Defense Exhibition Challenges:
1. Win the fight and evade EVERY Spin Attack!
2. Win the fight without dodging or ducking ANY fake uppercuts!
3. Find 7 different ways to earn Stars.
Hailing From: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Age: 20 years old
Weight: 210 lbs.
Height: 6' 3"
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Land a Three-Star Punch and win the fight!
2. Find different ways to earn Stars.
3. TKO Disco Kid throwing only 6 punches!
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Win the fight and evade EVERY Disco Flurry (3-Jab Combo).
2. Last a full round...without getting hit!
3. KO or TKO Disco Kid in less than 90 seconds!!
Hailing From: Hippo Island, South Pacific
Age: ?? years old
Weight: ??? lbs.
Height: ?' ??"
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Win the fight...without getting tired.
2. KO a CROWNLESS King Hippo!!
3. Defeat King Hippo with ZERO landed jabs!
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Knock King Hippo's manhole cover off in under 30 seconds!
2. Win the fight and never get knocked down!
3. Land a Three-Star Punch with King Hippo's pants are down...
Major Circuit
Hailing From: Tokyo, Japan
Age: 28 years old
Weight: 174 lbs.
Height: 6' 2"
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Defeat Piston Hondo and land EVERY punch thrown!
2. Find both one-punch knockdown weak spots.
3. Win the fight with 34 or more remaining Hearts!
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Knock Piston Hondo down in under a minute!
2. Block 44 jabs!
3. Defeat Piston Hondo and never lose a Heart!
Hailing From: Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada
Age: 32 years old
Weight: 440 lbs.
Height: 6' 3"
Signature Moves: Bear Hug
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
- Win the fight and evade every Bear Hug.
- TKO Bear Hugger in Round 1.
- Find 5 different ways to earn Stars.
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Land a One-Star, Two-Star, and Three-Star Punch!
2. Win the fight without dodging or ducking ANY fake Bear Hug.
3. Defeat Bear Hugger and NEVER duck!
Hailing From: Mumbai, India
Age: 29 years old
Weight: 132 lbs.
Height: 5' 11"
Signature Moves: Teleportation / Mirage (Mirror Image) / Rushing Magic Attack
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
- Win the fight and evade every Rushing Magic Attack.
- TKO or KO Great Tiger only using right jabs.
- TKO Great Tiger... in only 3 punches.
Title Defense Mode Challenges:
1. Find the one-punch knockdown weak spot!
2. Defeat Great Tiger and every EVERY Blinking Jewel Combo!
3. Put Great Tiger down...Win the fight in Round 1!
Hailing From: Madrid, Spain
Age: 23 years old
Weight: 152 lbs.
Height: 6' 1"
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Knock Don's toupee off in Round 1!!
2. TKO or KO Don in a round where he has thrown no more than 3 punches!
3. Find 6 different ways to earn Stars.
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Win the fight and NEVER get hit after knocking Don's toupee off!
2. Win the fight and dodge EVERY hook in Don's Rose Flurry (Hook Combo).
3. Knock Don Flamenco down in under 40 seconds!
World Circuit
Hailing From: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 23 years old
Weight: 160 lbs.
Height: 6' 1"
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Land 7 Star Punches during the fight!
2. TKO or KO Aran Ryan without getting hit!
3. Find 4 different ways to earn Stars.
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Win the fight by TKO...
2. Earn a Star from EVERY Rope Attack and still win the fight!
3. Defeat Aran Ryan in the 7th minute of the fight!
Hailing From: Moscow, Russia
Age: 35 years old
Weight: 237 lbs.
Height: 6' 6"
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Stop Soda Pop from drinking EVERY time he holds out his bottle!
2. Go a full round without losing a Heart!
3. TKO Soda Pop with at least 1:11 remaining in Round 1.
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Land 15 punches in a stun.
2. Crush this Soda Pop...Win the fight in Round 1!
3. Let Soda Pop drink as much as he wants and still win the fight!
Hailing From: Istanbul, Turkey
Age: 36 years old
Weight: 298 lbs.
Height: 6' 2"
Signature Moves : Bull Charge
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
- Stop the Bull Charge... with a Star Punch.
- TKO or KO Bald Bull in Round 1.
- Find 4 different ways to earn Stars.
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Land 3 Three-Star Punches!!!
2. Complete Round 1 without taking or dealing damage and still win!
3. Defeat Bald Bull in less than 100 seconds!
Hailing From: Hollywood, California, USA
Age: 27 years old
Weight: 242 lbs.
Height: 6' 4"
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Win the fight and evade EVERY Clothesline attack!
2. Find 3 different ways to earn Stars.
3. Defeat Super Macho Man in Round 1!
Title Defense Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Find 5 different ways to earn Stars.
2. Defeat Super Macho Man in Round 1 and NEVER earn a Star!
3. Win the fight in under 2 minutes...
- Mr. Sandman
Mr. Sandman
Hailing From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Age: 31 years old
Weight: 284 lbs.
Height: 6' 3"
Signature Moves: Dreamland Express (3 x Uppercut Combination)
Contender Mode Exhibition Challenges:
1. Win the fight and evade every Dreamland Express (3-Uppercut Combo).
2. Find 7 different ways to earn Stars.
3. Win the fight without dodging, ducking, or blocking a punch!
Title Defense Exhibition Challenges:
1. TKO Mr. Sandman in Round 1!
2. Come back from almost beating TKO'd or KO'd and defeat Mr. Sandman
3. Knock Mr. Sandman down in under 33 seconds!!!
Extra Opponents (in Last Stand and/or Exhibition Modes)
Exhibition Challenges:
1. TKO or KO Donkey Kong...without ducking!
2. TKO or KO Donkey Kong and NEVER stun him!
3. Defeat DK in less than 150 seconds!
Unlockables
Fighters' Music
For completing all of a specific fighter's Exhibition Challenges, the player unlocks a set of music for that fighter. By completing the Challenges under Title Defense rules, it unlocks a different set of music for that fighter.
Headgear
By losing 100 fights in Career Mode (Exhibition Matches don't count) the player unlocks Headgear which significantly lowers the amount of damage Mac takes.
Champions Mode
By winning 10 fights in Mac's Last Stand, the player can unlock Champions Mode. By checking off the option in Exhibition Mode, Mac's opponents are able to knock him down with a single hit.
Trivia
- Instead of Donkey Kong, the original character thought of for inclusion as the secret opponent was none other than Princess Peach. The idea was subsequently dropped due to concerns regarding the representation of violence against women.
- Mario was considered to make his return as referee just as he was in the original game for the NES. In the end they decided against this as they felt his character model wouldn't have suited cel-shaded atmosphere and overall design flow.
- Before even unlocking him as an opponent, Donkey Kong's silhouette can be seen in the audience of certain fights, just as he was in the arcade version of Punch-Out!!.
- Announced on February 13, 2014, this version of Little Mac went on to become a new challenger in Nintendo's highly-acclaimed crossover brawler Super Smash Bros. for the WiiU/3DS.
