Punch-Out!! (1987 video game)

This article is about the video game. For the earlier arcade version on which this game is based, see Punch-Out!! (arcade game). For the boxing term, see Punch-out (boxing slang).

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
File:MikeTyson'sPunchOutBoxart.jpg The box cover of the Template:Vgy Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
Developer(s)	Nintendo IRD
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Designer(s)	Genyo Takeda (director)
Platform(s)	Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Gamecube, Virtual Console (see article)
Release	1987
Genre(s)	Sports game
Mode(s)	Single player

Punch-Out!!, known originally as Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (マイクタイソン・パンチアウト!!), and later re-released as Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream is a boxing video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System developed and published by Nintendo in 1987. It is a semi-port of both the Punch-Out!! and Super Punch-Out!! arcade games (mostly inclined towards the latter) with some variations.

Development

Genyo Takeda, who produced the arcade versions of Punch-Out!!, directed the NES versions. Because the NES was not as powerful as the arcade hardware, Takeda and his crew realized that it would be too difficult to make the NES port completely simulate the arcade versions. Instead of making the playable boxer wire-framed or transparent to see an opponent, they decided to shrink the playable boxer, so that players could see his opponents over his head easier. And while the playable boxer didn't have an official name, he was called "Little Mac", because of him being small. Nintendo's mascot, Mario, was also added as the referee. Also, developers decided to give Mario speech balloons instead of the voice samples of the referee from the arcade versions to save space in the cartridge ROM. Other things added to the NES version that the arcade versions lacked was a plot, a background music track played during fights, animation sequences and a password system.

Gameplay

File:Punch Out (NES).png

The first match in Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! against Glass Joe.

The game features a boxer named Little Mac working his way up the professional boxing circuits, facing a series of colorful, fictional boxers, leading to a final fight with real-life boxer, and then-World Heavyweight Champion, Mike Tyson.

The game requires good reflexes in reaction to the computer-controlled boxers' moves, as the more advanced boxers give very little indication of their coming moves. Punch-Out!! incorporates enough variety to be a challenge to even the most experienced of players. Still, many have mastered Punch-Out!! by learning the computer-controlled boxers' consistent patterns.

Little Mac has a limited repertoire compared to many of his opponents. His punches are limited to left and right jabs, left and right body blows, and a powerful uppercut. The uppercut can only be used once the player earns a star, which can often be accomplished by counter-punching the opponent directly before or after certain attacks are launched. On the defensive side, the player can also dodge left or right, duck, and block attacks.

Little Mac also has a heart meter, which decreases by three upon being struck by an opponent and one upon blocking an attack or an opponent blocking the player's attack. When the heart meter decreases to zero, Little Mac temporarily turns pink and appears exhausted; leaving the player unable to attack, but still able to defend. At this point, the player regains a few hearts and Little Mac reverts to his original palette, but only if Mac is able to successfully avoid his opponent's attacks. Mac will remain exhausted until he has successfully defended against an opponent's move.

Doc Louis serves as Little Mac's faithful trainer and corner man who will gives advice between rounds on how to defeat Mac's opponent.

• • During the rest between rounds, Little Mac can recoup some of his health by pressing the 'select' button on the controller.

The progression of the game is as follows:

Minor Circuit

• • Glass Joe
  • Von Kaiser
  • Minor Circuit Title fight: Piston Honda

Major Circuit

• • Don Flamenco
  • King Hippo
  • Great Tiger
  • Major Circuit Title fight: Bald Bull

World Circuit

• • Piston Honda
  • Soda Popinksi
  • Bald Bull
  • Don Flamenco
  • Mr. Sandman
  • World Circuit Title fight: Super Macho Man

Dream Bout

• • Mike Tyson or Mr. Dream

Another World Circuit

• King Hippo
• Great Tiger
• Piston Honda
• Soda Popinski
• Bald Bull
• Don Flamenco
• Mr. Sandman
• Super Macho Man
• Mike Tyson / Mr. Dream

Other versions

This game was inspired by the 1984 arcade game Punch-Out!!, also by Nintendo, as is its sequel, Super Punch-Out!!. Neither arcade version used Tyson's image or name, but several of the other characters were taken from one of the two arcade games. Glass Joe, Bald Bull, and Mr. Sandman are from Punch-Out!!, while Great Tiger, Soda Popinski, and Super Macho Man are from Super Punch-Out!!. Furthermore, Piston Honda is similar to Punch-Out!!'s Piston Hurricane without visual alterations, while Bear Hugger was replaced by King Hippo, due to Bear Hugger's appearance being too detailed to convert to the NES version.

During the release of Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! in North America, Nintendo released it in a gold-colored Famicom cartridge simply titled Punch-Out!! in Japan, without Mike Tyson in it, as a prize for the Golf U.S. Course Famicom Tournament. This version's final boxer was Super Macho Man. When Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! sold well in North America, Nintendo later released the Mike Tyson version in Japan, in order to let more people play it.

Punch-Out!! featuring Mr. Dream

Front cover of Punch-Out!! featuring Mr. Dream

Towards the end of the NES's run, Nintendo's license to use Mike Tyson as a special Punch-Out!! character expired. Therefore, Nintendo replaced Tyson with a fictional and official character by Nintendo, Mr. Dream. A popular myth is that Tyson was removed due to his rape conviction, which did not occur until a year after the changeover. In reality, he had lost the Heavyweight Championship to James "Buster" Douglas by the contract expiration, and Nintendo made no attempt to negotiate a new one with him.

In August, 1990, the game was re-released simply as Punch-Out!! (or Punch-Out!! featuring Mr. Dream according to Nintendo Power) only in North America. This later became the main version of the three NES Punch-Out!! titles, which was later ported to several other things in Nintendo media. For some examples, in Animal Crossing, the Mr. Dream version was one of the unlockable NES games, as well as one of the rarer ones available in the Nintendo GameCube title. This was also the first time the Mr. Dream version made an appearance outside of North America. It was also released through Nintendo's Virtual Console service on March 30, 2007 to the European and Australian regions, April 3, 2007 in Japan, and in North America on April 16, 2007. Only the Punch-Out!! version (with Mr. Dream) is available. Reports have surfaced stating that when the game is played in progressive scan, the Virtual Console version of Punch-Out!! suffers from a lag in controls, which significantly raises the difficulty level compared to the NES version.

Reception

With its unique playability, graphics, and characters, Punch-Out!! is highly regarded as one of the greatest Nintendo games of all time and greatest video games in general. It was rated the 17th best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games list. GameSpot has also placed it among the best games of all time. The title has been a source of satire and nostalgic tribute throughout the several years following its release.

Other appearances

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! was featured in the comic book series, Nintendo Comics System. A few stories are based around Little Mac, Doc Louis, and other boxers from the NES version, and Mac briefly appears in the comic that introduces the story of Captain N: The Game Master. Mac doesn't appear in the Captain N stories himself; however, King Hippo is featured as a villain. Also, in the opening sequence of the Captain N TV series, the protagonist Kevin Keene was seen playing Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! before being forced into a vortex that formed in his television's screen.

One of the microgames in WarioWare: Smooth Moves for the Wii console involves the player taking on the role of Mario as the referee and counting down Glass Joe, Von Kaiser, and Bald Bull.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Little Mac appears as a regular Trophy and an Assist Trophy. He sports a more textured look and performs punches and uppercuts. In the same fighting game, the music from the Manhattan skyline scene in Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! can be heard in the song titled "Famicom Medley."

In the upcoming Wii game titled Captain Rainbow, Little Mac appears as a supporting character.

In Team Fortress 2, one of the Heavy's unlockables is the K.G.B. (The Killing Gloves of Boxing). When he taunts with this weapon he throws a series of uppercuts, the sound of his swings are very similar in the 8-bit fashion of the opponents of Punch-Out!! make when using their special attacks.

Power Punch II

Main article: Power Punch II

Soon after the release of the game, Beam Software began developing a sequel starring Mike Tyson with manager Don King. Originally titled Mike Tyson’s Intergalactic Power Punch, the game was supposed to take the series into outer space where Tyson would participate in an intergalactic boxing tournament against various space aliens. The game's production ran into immediate trouble, however, following Tyson's incarceration for the rape of Desiree Washington.

Beam changed Tyson's name to Mark Tyler and modified King but did little to change Tyler's in-game character sprite. Soon after, Nintendo saw the title and disliked what they saw, refusing to publish it. Eventually, American Softworks Corp. published the title, and the game was released on the NES as Power Punch II, despite the fact that there never was a first Power Punch title. The game was documented on the video game website ScrewAttack as part of the Guru Larry's Retro Corner.

External links

• Template:GameFAQs
• Template:GameFAQs
• Punch-Out!! at MobyGames
• Template:StrategyWiki
• ScrewAttack's Video Retrospective Power Punch II & its comparisons to Punch-Out!!