Punch-Out Wii

[DaveMMR]

Just picked it up the other day.  So far, it has proven to surpass my expectations.  Control is as solid as the NES original, the fighters are colorful but tough and the graphics/presentation stands as some of the best on the Wii.  I was stuck on Don Flamenco (of all people - he used to be such a pushover, not so much anymore) and getting my butt beat, so I went over to exhibition mode where you have to try and meet certain challenges (i.e. on Glass Joe, "Knock him down three times and let him win - by decision" - a lot harder than it sounds).  The sheer amount of depth added makes this more than just an update to an old classic.

The callbacks to the old NES game are quite amusing (the remixed music, the "pink jogging suit", Doc quickly amending his "Nintendo Fun Club" advice). 

The two-player version is nice but nowhere near as fun as watching friends play and shouting advice.  Essentially, each player is a variation of Little Mac.  It starts off split-screen but as soon as someone has enough "juice", he turns into a hulking version of Mac that has powerful punches (but weak defense and easily stunned for those 1-2 counter punches).  It's amusing enough as a novelty, but it would have been nice if one player would have been able to play one of the other boxers who tries to beat Little Mac.  Doesn't matter, the two-player mode is not the biggest bullet-point on the box.

There are a few control options available, but old-school gamers will definitely make a beeline to the Classic NES scheme.  You can use the Nunchuk and make the punching motions (the analog nub acts as your dodge), but again I feel that's more for novelty and not for someone looking to really exploit each fighter's timing.  I don't have the balance board, but I've heard mostly negatives about using it for dodging attacks. 

Punch-Out is definitely a must-own for the Wii.  The Nintendo fans are finally getting a quality title after the title wave of bottom-of-the-barrel motion-control-exploiting nonsense that's become all too common.

(OFF TOPIC: Didn't want to start a new thread, but it seems they are also re-releasing the Metroid Prime trilogy to one disc in August that incorporates Wii play control for each title, as well as other improvements.  MSRP - $49.99.  Glad that Punch-Out won't be the last great offering for the Wii.)

[hypernova]

(OFF TOPIC: Didn't want to start a new thread, but it seems they are also re-releasing the Metroid Prime trilogy to one disc in August that incorporates Wii play control for each title, as well as other improvements.  MSRP - $49.99. 

I would recommend against this IF you want to play the games in their original programming.  No doubt, these new versions won't have the sequence breaking opportunities the others have if you enjoy sequence breaking a Metroid game.  (They already removed/altered many breaks in the player's choice versions, so there's bound to be even less this time around, if anything.)  So get the original GC versions.  Especially the first Prime.  It has a large SB as soon as the intro level is over!

I would highly recommend them though, in whatever form you can obtain them, regardless of what your position is on SBing.

[ChadTower]

I need to go back and finish Metroid Prime.  I never beat that Pirate boss.

[danny_galaga]

I never played any NES games. Would you recommend Punch-out to someone who has never played it? That is, is there more to it than nostalgia?

[DaveMMR]

I never played any NES games. Would you recommend Punch-out to someone who has never played it? That is, is there more to it than nostalgia?

If you had never played a Punch-Out game at all (i.e. both arcade, NES or Super NES versions)?  Yeah, I would still absolutely recommend trying Punch-Out (any of them) because of its unique style of game play.  And outside of a few minor rule differences (how "star punches" or "Punch-Outs" are obtained, number of rounds played), they all control more or less the same.

For the benefit of someone who has never played Punch-Out: Punch-Out has always been a puzzle/reflex game at its core.  The familiar dressings of boxing are all present, but a sim, it is not. 

When you start the game, it seems ridiculously easy (just keep punching).  But once you get up the ranks, not knowing the precise moment to duck, dodge, and throw a particular punch will find you quickly eating the mat.   Luckily, the fighters always have some ridiculous "tells" that telegraph what they're about to do.  The challenge lies in knowing how to react to those "tells".   It becomes the ultimate rush when you're getting your butt whooped constantly in thirty seconds and then you find that one little weakness that turns the tables. 

An appreciation for the NES original is not a prerequisite for enjoying the new version (although veterans of the former will have a slight advantage in knowing how to exploit the weaknesses of the more unique characters).   

UPDATE ON THE REVIEW:  So I've had it for two days and I've beaten all the main characters.  The one feature that makes the game a little easier than its predecessors is the practice mode.  You can fight a hologram of an opponent without getting hurt or tired to see what you're up against.  So yeah, it does shorten game play, adding to that you can rematch as often as you like without having to go back to the start of the circuit.   However, beating the main roster opens up the real challenge, "Title Defense Mode".  Haven't gotten far into it but so far Glass Joe (now wearing protective head gear) is actually giving me problems for the first time in the series. 

[ChadTower]

OTOH, now the SD card slot is open, you can launch software right from it, and the upper limit for SD cards is now 32gig.

[shmokes]

I'll have to check this out some time.  Mike Tyson's is prob one of my top five.  It's one of only three games I've purchased for the Virtual Console (minus Mike Tyson, of course). 

[ChadTower]

It's worth checking out but you have to play it with the motion controls.  Not so much the balance board as that isn't so great but the physical exertion does add something new to the gameplay.  I suspect most of the people saying "same old ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---" are using the NES control scheme.

[DaveMMR]

It's worth checking out but you have to play it with the motion controls.  Not so much the balance board as that isn't so great but the physical exertion does add something new to the gameplay.  I suspect most of the people saying "same old ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---" are using the NES control scheme.

I'm partial to the NES control scheme, but then again, I also play Mario Kart Wii with the nunchuk.  It's worth it to try out both (you can switch control-schemes on the fly) and see what you prefer.

But yeah, I hear balance board support is a little wonky.

[SNAAKE]

I dont understand the hype. played this today. thought it was mediocre at best. I dont even know if I wanna play again. never played the nes version btw.

[SavannahLion]

Checked out Fry's to see if I could pick up a copy and to my surprise, the game was on sale (Not even $5 off of MSRP) and they were sold out! Checked everywhere for a copy of this in the store and the only one they had was running in their Wii demo. Didn't feel like hitting any of the other usual game spots so I just went home.

Wow, I guess this game hits more than a few nostalgic fans?

[ChadTower]

There are at least a couple new chars over the NES version.  I don't remember Disco Kid, or Bear Hugger, or Aran Ryan on the NES.  And in the NES version you faced Piston Honda and two other guys twice.  I haven't had enough playtime yet to see who is in Mr Dream's (or Mike Tyson's) place. 

I think a lot of people are confusing Super Punchout with the original.

[versapak]

I think a lot of people are confusing Super Punchout with the original.

...or combining, as they should.

Punch-Out Wii isn't specifically a sequel to the original. It is part of a series, and the only new character added to the series is Disco Kid, so to say there is only one new character is accurate.

[ChadTower]

...or combining, as they should.

Punch-Out Wii isn't specifically a sequel to the original. It is part of a series, and the only new character added to the series is Disco Kid, so to say there is only one new character is accurate.

I would agree if people here weren't specifically saying NES and not saying SNES.

[ChadTower]

I love how it's Piston Hondo now.   

My wife noticed that before I did and asked if it's a licensing thing with Honda or if they were afraid of stereotyping.  It does seem as though a lot of the comic stereotyping from the original games has been toned down - for everone except the French guy.   

[versapak]

...or combining, as they should.

Punch-Out Wii isn't specifically a sequel to the original. It is part of a series, and the only new character added to the series is Disco Kid, so to say there is only one new character is accurate.

I would agree if people here weren't specifically saying NES and not saying SNES.

Still... When talking new characters, it makes the most sense including the whole series. Calling any of the Super Punch-Out! fighters new would be FAIL of about 15-25 years depending one whether talking arcade or snes.

When talking gameplay, there is no substantial difference, so if talking consoles, it makes sense to just mention the NES.

[ChadTower]

When talking gameplay, there is no substantial difference, so if talking consoles, it makes sense to just mention the NES.

Motion control is a very substantial difference.   


EDIT:  may as well point out that I consider control scheme interlocked with gameplay so there is no separating the two in my eyes.

And the earlier versions never had head to head (which I have not tried yet) or training.

I wonder if we're going to get DLC for this.

[versapak]

When talking gameplay, there is no substantial difference, so if talking consoles, it makes sense to just mention the NES.

Motion control is a very substantial difference.   


EDIT:  may as well point out that I consider control scheme interlocked with gameplay so there is no separating the two in my eyes.

And the earlier versions never had head to head (which I have not tried yet) or training.

I wonder if we're going to get DLC for this.

I was talking about the game's history, and specifically what are new characters.

New characters would only make sense when talking about the series as a whole.

When talking about Wii Punch-Out, the ONLY new character is Disco Kid. <=period

As for gameplay...

I was never talking about Wii gameplay. Ever.

You brought up that people were referencing the NES version, and I was simply putting that into perspective.

"I would agree if people here weren't specifically saying NES and not saying SNES."

When people refer to the Punch-Out of old, it is usually in reference to its gameplay, and it is most common to just refer to NES, because there was no substantial change on the SNES.

[DaveMMR]

When talking gameplay, there is no substantial difference, so if talking consoles, it makes sense to just mention the NES.

When talking about Wii Punch-Out, the ONLY new character is Disco Kid. <=period

Just for the record, there is a secret character that is new to the series (but not "new" in the traditional sense).  You won't face him until after you beat Title Defense which is pretty. Damn. TOUGH. 

Aran Ryan and Bear Hugger, as was pointed out, were from Super Punch-Out (the SNES game, not the arcade).

Personally, I like familiarity and don't mind the lack of new faces.   Again, as with SSB: B, a lot of it is fan service.

My wife noticed that before I did and asked if it's a licensing thing with Honda or if they were afraid of stereotyping.  It does seem as though a lot of the comic stereotyping from the original games has been toned down - for everone except the French guy.

Toned down?  Every character is a blatant stereotype.  Bear Hugger, has a pine tree for chest hair and guzzles maple syrup.  Piston Honda Hondo has sushi flying around his head.  Great Tiger flies in on a magic carpet.  Disco Kid is the epitome of flamboyant.   Etc. etc. etc.  Even Americans are stereotyped via Super Macho Man.  I don't think it's anything terribly offensive.  They're just playing "Cultural Differences 101". 

[versapak]

Just for the record, there is a secret character that is new to the series (but not "new" in the traditional sense).  You won't face him until after you beat Title Defense which is pretty. Damn. TOUGH. 

Aran Ryan and Bear Hugger, as was pointed out, were from Super Punch-Out (the SNES game, not the arcade).

Personally, I like familiarity and don't mind the lack of new faces.   Again, as with SSB: B, a lot of it is fan service.

No, I agree. I am all for familiarity, and there are so many characters to choose from, already established in the Punch-Out franchise, that all together new ones weren't really necessary. I hadn't heard of the new character after title defense before. That's cool.

I don't have a Wii anymore, but Punch-Out is an all time favorite of mine, and this is literally the only game on the Wii that makes me wish I still had one.

[danny_galaga]

When Glass Joe knocked ---my bottom--- out when I was using the Power Glove I decided motion control and Punch Out don't mix.   

Frankly, Punch-Out demonstrates the intrinsic weakness in the Wii control system - no force feedback.  It's an awesome system for manipulating things and aiming, I can't even imagine a game like Boom Blox without it, but it just feels weird for driving, punching, swinging swords, etc.

wait for 'red steel 2'. I hear that is going to be THE sword fighting game we wanted all along...

[rmr]

is the 1st red steel games any good i was thing of getting it

[hypernova]

Just "got" the game.  All in all, I'm not too impressed with the game.  It's still fun and all, but for a new game, I was expecting something...new.  All they basically did was port the NES punchout with motion control.  I do like the challenges, though.  Haven't gotten to title defense mode, and haven't dove headfirst into motion control yet, but I have stuck my feet in, and it's nothing spectacular.

At the least, they could've designed some more, new opponents.  There's practically zero creativity in this installment.  I expected at least half of the characters to be recycled, but all of them save two?  Weak.

[Ginsu Victim]

I like it. I play it with the classic control setup, though.

[ChadTower]

I don't get it. Everyone keeps saying "there's nothing new here" and then saying "but I didn't use the major new feature".

The motion control is the new feature.

[ClubNinja]

I've had people question why I use the motion steering in Mario Kart Wii when I could apparently steer more tightly using the stick on the nunchuck.  If I wanted to use a stick to drive in Mario Kart, I'd play any of the other Mario Kart games. 

[ChadTower]

Using motion control doesn't change the fact that the timing on all the enemies is EXACTLY THE SAME. 

I disagree.  It's not the same at all.  The sequencing is the same but the timing is not.  Pauses are longer, enemies aren't responding quite the same, definitely different timing.  And it's all very different when you're tired after a few fights.

[Ginsu Victim]

Yeah, you can't do things the exact same as in the original.....unless you like getting KO'd.