Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! - NES / Arcade / Gamecube (1987)

Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! (America)

Punch Out!! (America)

Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is a bit of a departure from the arcade games. Players assume the role of Little Mac, an eighteen year old New York City hopeful who's determined on become the greatest boxer. With the help and training of your coach Doc Louis, you will duke it out against several much larger boxers to win the title of greatest boxer. The look and feel of the game differs greatly from the arcade games. First of all, instead of being a wireframe character, your character is just incredibly short. It kind of makes the game even more humorous seeing how he has to pretty much jump up to punch the opponents in the face. (This was done to accommodate the NES hardware, since it wasn't quite powerful enough to replicate the arcade game.) Little Mac has the usual four punches and he can dodge left or right, duck, and only block upwards for the opponents never hit make below his face (probably due to his size). Gone is the KO meter and is now regulated by a star counter. As you throw punches at your opponent, at certain points a punch will give you a star. Once you have obtained a star, you can throw a KO punch by hitting the Start button. To get these stars, you have to time a punch just right to get them, say like punch the opponent right as he's about to punch you. These punches are valuable and you should only use them if you have a huge opening, like when the opponent is stunned. Also new and only used in this game is the fatigue meter, signified by hearts. You have a set number of punches you can throw before becoming tired. The counter goes down as you either miss, have your attacked blocked, you block an opponents punch and/or when you receive a punch. If the counter goes down to zero, you will become purple and unable to attack. You can only dodge or block moves. If you are hit while you're fatigued, you are still disabled and can not attack. Block moves still leaves you fatigued, but once you dodge a move, you can begin attacking again as the fatigue meter is reset. It makes the fights more challenging, but it gets in the way as you try to defeat your opponents and suddenly you can't attack because you weren't paying attention to the meter. One minor change from the arcade version - instead of their eyes turning yellow, their entire body will flash when they're about to attack. The last major addition would be when you're knocked down. When this happens, you have to frantically button mash to get back up and fight. The more damage that was done to you from your opponent, the harder it is to get back up. However, the more damage you did to the opponent before, the faster you'll get back up. The game's timer is also different as this game introduces rounds. Each round is three minutes, but you do not have to defeat your opponent in that specific time. You are now given three rounds, so you actually have a total of nine minutes to KO your opponent. If neither character gets a KO, a decision will be made on who wins the match based on performance. This makes it more realistic than the arcade and Super NES versions of the game, where when the time is up, you automatically lose the match. In between rounds, your coach will talk to you and usually gives you a hint on how to defeat your enemy and your opponent will sit there and say something that is completely stupid and/or hilarious ("Make it quick ... I want to retire." - Glass Joe). Each time a new round begins, you still have whatever stars you had in your star meter, and you and your opponent's damage is carried over as well. (Although you can "cheat" and hit select between matches to gain a bit of health.) The game is set up by circuits, and there's three fights per circuit. Once you have bested the final opponent in the circuit, you win the title for that and move on to the next circuit. After each title, the game gives a little cinematic of Little Mac running through the streets of New York City in a pink sweatsuit with Doc Louis following you on a bike, then it gives you a password so you can go back to fighting at any time. The scene with Little Mac and his coach has produced an internet fad that has spawned a song and several flash videos from sites like YTMND and Newgrounds. Thankfully, there's a password system that lets you restart a game at the beginning of each circuit. A lot of characters return from the arcade games such as Glass Joe, Bald Bull, Great Tiger, and Vodka Drunkenski (renamed Soda Popinski), while new characters include Piston Honda (who is really only a Japanese version of Piston Hurricane), Don Flamenco, and fan favorite King Hippo. The main draw to the game would have to be the inclusion of Mike Tyson. He's the final match for a good reason for he is ridiculously fast and powerful. The first time you fight him, you probably won't even last for fifteen seconds. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! was one of the many NES titles that was featured on the Playchoice 10 arcade machine. The game is exactly the same except now you are timed on playing the game with 300 seconds for each quarter you put in. The only noticeable change is the ability to put your initials right at the beginning. Nintendo did not take out Mike Tyson due to his trouble with the law about his rape conviction. When it came time to re-release the game, the game's star had lost his title belt. So when it came to resign the contract, Nintendo opted not to renew it. Punch-Out!!'s new boss became Mr. Dream. Although different in appearance, he has the exact same moves as Mike Tyson so the method of defeating him is exactly the same. It is a shame though, seeing how Mr. Dream is in no way as intimidating as Mike Tyson was. This version can be found in Animal Crossing for the Gamecube but is one of the rarer NES games to find. Nintendo also released a "special" gold cartridge for the Famicom. Simply titled "Punch Out!!", the game is pretty much the same as the normal version, except it's missing Mike Tyson. Once you beat Super Macho Man, the game is over. Both Japanese versions use a different color scheme than the Western versions, and have a bit more hilarious Engrish. Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! is also the only NES game to use the MMC2 chip. (MMCs were memory mapper chips that allowed the system to pull off effects that would otherwise be impossible for the NES.) This allowed for the huge character seen in the game. The Japanese version uses the MMC4, although it's not clear why it uses a different chip, because there aren't any immediately noticeable differences. In fact, the whole game is still in English, even referencing the Nintendo Fun Club newsletter, which didn't exist in Japan. A few other Japanese games, like Fire Emblem, also use the MMC4 chip. MP3s Download here Main Theme Password

Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!

Super Punch Out!! - SNES / Gamecube (1994)

American Cover

Super Punch Out!! (SNES)

Super Punch Out!! (SNES)

Though different from the arcade game of the same name, the Super NES Punch Out!! is much closer to the arcade game than Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! was. Gone is the little boxer named Little Mac, who's been replaced by a new nameless blonde haired kid, whose mission is to win the title of the greatest World Video Boxing Association boxer. The perspective is the same as the arcade game, except your character is transparent instead of being a wireframe model. The timer has gone back to the three minute limit instead of the many rounds you had in the NES game. There are a total of four circuits (Minor, Major, World, and Special), with the Special Circuit only being accessible with a record of twelve wins, zero losses. Besides the regular game mode called Championship Mode, this game features a Time Attack Mode that lets you beat your time records which can be viewed in Records View Mode. This time, the game is battery backed memory instead of having to write down passwords. Your regular punches have now been tampered with in this game, as each punch has varying speed and power. From fastest to slowest, and weakest to strongest: Left Jab, Right Jab, Left Body Blow, Right Body Blow. The star KO meter has been ditched for the original KO meter, where the more blows you land, the higher your meter goes to finally deliver KO punches (uppercuts, huge body blows, and new to the series rapid punches). New to the series is the power-up system. As time passes, the color of your character's portrait above your stamina meter changes signifying the changing of your power. It will go from blue, to green, to yellow, finally to red - you can also think of it as weak to strongest. When your KO meter is filled, your boxing gloves will flash while your normal punches will have more speed and your KO punches will have more power. You can actually change the settings of your power-up in the Button Setting Mode to change from Auto (power-up begins when your power is at maximum and you throw a punch) to Manual (lets the player choose when to start power-up with a button you mapped out when your power is at maximum). Knowing the properties of your punches and utilizing them is key to besting your opponents. The dodging system has been revamped as well, making this version the easiest to defend one's self. In the other games, you had to press the direction you wanted to block an attack with (Up blocking upwards, Down blocking downwards). In Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, you could only block upwards anyway. Here, pressing up blocks upwards - however not pressing anything allows you block body blows by itself. It really makes the game that much easier, and gives more control about the character instead of being thrown off due to not pressing the correct directional button. You can also dodge left and right as well as duck. Another much welcome addition is the self healing in the game. When you knock down your opponents and the referee is counting down, you can press any button as fast as you can to regain lost health in the battle (as usual, your enemies' punches are always much stronger than your own). You still need to mash buttons to get up after being knocked down. Don't think that the game is any easier with the added defensive and offensive options, because it's still quite difficult, especially against the final two circuits. If anything, the result is a much faster-paced game compared to the others. The game features a diverse group of boxers to challenge. Many of them have been in previous outings such as Bear Hugger, Piston Hurricane, Bald Bull, Mr. Sandman, Dragon Chan, etc. while featuring new faces such as Mad Clown, Aran Ryan, Heike Kagero, Masked Muscle and the Bruiser brothers. Much like the last games, each fighter has a pattern that they usually do. Each of them has a huge arsenal of signature moves, while previous games had around two or three moves that separated them from the other boxers. An example would be Heike Kagero, a Japanese kabuki dancer who floats around the ring with a fast dance, and will hit you with his large grey hair. Or Mad Clown, who will at one point do black flips to the back of the ring, juggle balls, and then throw them at you - all before jumping forwards and attempting to smack your head and knock you down with a single attack. Or a match up against Hoy Quarlow, a 78 year old martial artist, who will literally beat the living tar out of you with his walking stick. Despite the frustration with some of these cheesy attacks, it lends even more to the personality of the series (get knocked down from Super Macho Man and watch him flex the entire time you're down. It's ridiculous). Your opponent's coaches will even yell tips at them, telling them to either attack or take it easy. These should be a sign that there about to lay a huge attack on you, so dodge or attack accordingly. This game was criticized by fans of the NES game for being too different. What people didn't realize though is that this version was closer to the original spirit of the arcade games. If anything, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is the only game in the series that deviates from the norm. For a few years, Super Punch Out!! was an American/European exclusive game - it was initially released in 1994, and didn't come out in Japan until 1998. The game was only sold through the "Nintendo Power" vending system, where you would purchase a blank cartridge, and pay to have various games written on to it. Super Punch Out!! has also made an appearance in the recent EA boxing game Fight Night Round 2. Since the Gamecube version lacks the online modes of the Xbox and PS2 versions, EA gave Gamecube owners the ability to play Super Punch-Out!! in the game. It's actually emulated very well, and is definitely a welcome bonus to an already great boxing game. You can even unlock the fighter from Super Punch-Out!! for the modes in Fight Night Round 2 all in 3D glory, although the game has the boxer wearing shorts that say "MAC" on them, implying that the boxer is Little Mac which is incorrect (again, your fighter in Super Punch-Out!! did not have a name).

Super Punch Out!! (SNES) Super Punch Out!! (SNES) Super Punch Out!! (SNES) Super Punch Out!! (SNES) Super Punch Out!! (SNES) Super Punch Out!! (SNES)

Punch-Out!! - Wii (2008)

American Cover

Punch-Out!! (Wii)

Punch-Out!! (Wii)

After fifteen years, Nintendo finally decided to revitalize the franchise. Given to the Canadian development team Next Level Games after the success of Super Mario Strikers series, the game isn't so much a remake as it is a full on upgrade taking elements from each and every Punch-Out!! before it, with the most inspiration drawing from the NES game. Yet again players take control of Little Mac, the little boxer who could. With the return of his coach Doc Louis, it is time to set the world on fire again and battle it out in three circuits to take the title of greatest boxer in the world. The game has the same setup and some mechanics as the NES game: three 3 minute rounds to try and knock out your opponent. You fight every boxer and when you become the champ, you have to defend your title much like before and defeat ever boxer yet again. The fatigue meter is back with the hearts showing you how many times you can miss / have your attacks blocked before Little Mac has to rest and can't throw anymore punches. Also making a return is the star counter system and it works similarly it did in the NES version. However, instead allowing up to three super moves, it allows you to perform a single super punch of varying strengths. Getting hit also drains all stars instead of just one. Of note, it seems easier to obtain stars in the Wii version than the prior. The best defensive maneuver from the Super NES version of mashing buttons during downed opponents to regain health also makes a glorious return. The game has multiple configurations, with the much lauded one having the ability to use the nunchuk attachment and hold them like you are actually boxing. It feels natural and is surprisingly accurate. However due to the fast paced nature of the game its not entirely useful. For the best reaction time with punches, you'll end up just holding the Wii remote sideways and playing it like a NES controller. The Wii balance board can also be used, with leaning left and right to dodge and shifting your weight in the back to duck. This unfortunately is also a gimmick and most people's reaction time in real life is nowhere near the speed of the game, so you will just get hit a lot. Adding to the nostalgia is the return of the more popular boxers from past Punch-Out!! games. Many boxers make their triumphiant return after not being seen since the NES version like King Hippo, Von Kaiser, and Great Tiger or from the Super NES version like Aran Ryan and Bear Hugger. The selection of past boxers is perfect, with each one realised in true 3D. While this will make most fans of the series squeal with glee, its the infused personalities that really take center stage. Every action and word said (which is spoken in their native tongue!) has been well thought out to make every boxer come to life, like Great Tiger flying on his magic carpet in the ring, or when Bald Bull slides his feet in anger much like a bull before he charges. It makes every character seem over the top and stereotypical, but in turn makes you love all the characters even when you've beaten them to a pulp. There's also lots of great artwork of your opponents getting ready for their fights. The Wii version also features two new boxers, one being a well known Nintendo icon, Donkey Kong, and the other one is Disco Kid. His appearance in the game is amusing and he fits so well with the rest of the cast that its almost as he could have been in earlier titles. While the addition of Disco Kid is fantastic and the return of so many lovable boxers are put it, it is a little odd and sad that almost all the characters are from past games. Why couldn't Next Level Games create even more new boxers? Besides the regular career mode of the usual boxing, there is also an exhibition mode with many challenges that are just absolutely ridiculous. Expert players need only apply. Also added for the first time in the series history is a head to head two player mode. Here, you both control two Little Macs in split screen and try to punch the other the most and fill up your meter. Once filled, the winning player becomes Giga Mac and switches to the typical single screen setup. From there, Little Mac must face off against Giga Mac as it turns into a typical Punch-Out!! match. These games were never about multiplayer at all, but this mode certainly made it creative at least. There's also a practice mode that lets you face a holographic version of each of your foes. All in all, it's a great remake. The graphics are obviously fantastic, with huge, cel shaded characters and incredibly charasmatic animation. All of the music themes are remixes of the main theme from Punch Out. The theme during the regular game is played on guitar and it has a cool 80s rock feel to it, and it changes with each circuit. What's particularly cool is that each enemy has their own unique arrangement for the theme. Also, announced in July 2009, Doc Louis's Punch-Out!! is a reward for Club Nintendo platinum members. Using the Punch-Out!! engine, it looks as though all it is is that you can now fight or spar with Doc Louis himself. No word yet on whether it will just be that or much more (perhaps being able to play as Doc Louis?) or if non Nintendo members will be able to download the game at some point. MP3s Download here Major Circuit Theme Macho Man's Theme

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Cutscenes