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Punch-Out!!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the video game series. For the individual games and other uses, seePunch-Out (disambiguation).
Punch-Out!!
The most recentPunch-Out!!series logo. Based on the title screen logo of the originalPunch-Out!!arcade game.
Genre(s)Sports,Fighting,Puzzle
Developer(s)Nintendo R&D3(1984-1998)
Next Level Games(2009)
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Creator(s)Genyo Takeda
Makoto Wada[1]
Platform(s)Arcade,Game & Watch,NES,Super NES,Wii,Wii U
First releasePunch-Out!!
February 17, 1984
Latest releaseDoc Louis's Punch-Out!!
October 27, 2009

Punch-Out!![a]is abo xingvideo gameseries created byNintendo's general managerGenyo Takeda,and his partner Makoto Wada. It was originally created because Nintendo had too many TV screens lying around in their warehouse, due to buying an abundance of them after the success ofDonkey Kong (1981 video game).[2]Genyo Takeda was consulted as to what to make, and he suggested a bo xing game.[3]

The first game wasPunch-Out!!made in 1984 and released during February of that year at Japan as an arcade unit. The game was then released in the US during March of 1984,[4]which was followed by a sequel, titledSuper Punch-Out!!(1984). The series was released on home consoles soon after, starting withMike Tyson's Punch-Out!!on theNESin 1987 (with a re-release of the game in 1990, which removed Mike Tyson, due to the license for his likeness expiring. His loss of the heavyweight title toBuster Douglasmade Nintendo choose to not renew the contract,[5]and Tyson was instead replaced by the fictional Mr. Dream for the final opponent, who was just a palette swap) andSuper Punch-Out!!on theSuper NESin 1994, which went back to the style of the arcade games.

A reboot of the series entitledPunch-Out!!was released in May 2009 on theWii,along with a Club Nintendo exclusiveWiiWareprequelDoc Louis's Punch-Out!!in October 2009. Both games were made by Canadian studioNext Level Games.

The series also had a spin-off calledArm Wrestlingfrom 1985, which was released only in North American arcades, and was Nintendo's last arcade game they independently developed and released.

Gameplay

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Playing asLittle Mac,a 17-year old boxer from theBronx,the player must climb the ranks of the World Video Bo xing Association (WVBA for short), and fight their way against other boxers from around the world, going from the Minor Circuit then the Major Circuit and then the World Circuit, while fighting challengers includingGlass Joe,King Hippo,Piston Hondo, Don Flamenco, Bald Bull, Mr. Sandman, or in the original NES version, the former heavyweight bo xing champion himself,Mike Tyson.Gameplay differs slightly between each game, but generally, Mac can attack using his left and right fists, performing either a hook, a dodge, or an uppercut. He can also dodge and block to avoid the opponent's attacks, the block dealing less damage. Many games in the series give the player a powerful uppercut ability; its use is limited, must be earned during matches, and is earned from well-timed punches or rapid combos, depending on the game.

The key to defeating each opponent is to learn their fighting patterns, avoid their attacks and respond with a counterattack. Opponents will always give a visual or audible cue to signal their next attack, though as the game progresses, the time given to the player to successfully react significantly decreases. If the player successfully dodges an attack, the opponent will be left vulnerable for a while, allowing the player to strike back. Little Mac can block some of his opponent's punches by holding up his gloves, but he will eventually tire out if he blocks too much.

Characters

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Main article:List of Punch-Out!! characters

List of games

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Release timeline
Main entries inbold
1984Punch-Out!!(Arcade)
Punch-Out!! / Bo xing
Super Punch-Out!!(Arcade)
1985Arm Wrestling
1986
1987Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
1988–1993
1994Super Punch-Out!!(SNES)
1995–2008
2009Punch-Out!!(Wii)
Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!
Title Platform(s) Released Notes
Punch-Out!! Arcade,Nintendo Switch(eShop) Japan:1984,2018
North America and Europe:1984,2018 		The firstPunch-Out!!title. Later released on Nintendo Switch as part ofHamster'sArcade Archivesseries.
Punch-Out!!/Bo xing Game & Watch North America and Europe:1984 Originally released under the generic titleBo xing.Its name was later changed toPunch-Out!!due to the popularity of the arcade game.
Super Punch-Out!! Arcade,Nintendo Switch Japan:1984
North America and Europe:1985 		The sequel to the originalPunch-Out!!arcade game. Later released on Nintendo Switch as part of Hamster's Arcade Archives series.
Arm Wrestling Arcade North America:1985 The first spin-off in thePunch-Out!!series, as well as Nintendo's last arcade exclusive game it independently developed and released.
Punch-Out!!/Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! NES,Wii(Virtual Console),Nintendo 3DS(Virtual Console),Wii U(Virtual Console), Nintendo Switch (NES game library) Japan:1987,2007
North America:1987,1990,2007
PAL region:1988,1990,2007 		The firstPunch-Out!!title to appear on a home console, and the first to feature a plot. The original Japanese version had Super Macho Man as the final Boss, while the international version featuredMike Tyson.The game was later re-released in 1990 with fictional boxer Mr. Dream in place of Tyson.
Super Punch-Out!! Super NES,Wii(Virtual Console),Wii U(Virtual Console),New Nintendo 3DS(Virtual Console), Nintendo Switch (SNES game library) Japan:1998
North America:1994,1996,2009
Europe:1995,2009 		An updated home console version of the arcade game of the same name and the sequel to the NES game. It is the first to allow players to select any boxer they want to battle against, instead of a group.
Punch-Out!! Wii,Wii U(Virtual Console) North America: May 18, 2009
Europe: May 22, 2009
Japan: July 23, 2009
Australia: August 27, 2009 		A reboot of thePunch-Outseries. It is the first title in the series to be published in over a decade, and was developed byNext Level Games.It is the first title in the series to be rendered in3D,as well as the first to include a multiplayer option. The game was digitally re-released on the Wii U via the Nintendo eShop in 2015.
Doc Louis's Punch-Out!! WiiWare North America: October 27, 2009 A prequel toPunch-Out!!(Wii). It is aWiiWaretitle originally available exclusively toClub NintendoPlatinum members in 2009.[6]It was later re-released between January and June 2015 to all users, prior to Club Nintendo's closure.

In other games

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The series has made multiple appearances in other games as well. The Super NES version ofSuper Punch-Out!!was included in theGameCubeversion ofElectronic ArtsgameFight Night Round 2.The protagonist of the Super NES version ofSuper Punch-Out!!appears as a secret boxer in full 3D with the name "MAC" on his boxers and was referred to as "Little Mac" as part of the Nintendo-exclusives deal between Nintendo and EA in allowing several Nintendo characters to star in EA sports games. Due to the third-party nature of his role in the game, it is considered by several fans of the series, to be uncannon. Little Mac further made a cameo appearance inskip Ltd.'sWiivideo gameCaptain Rainbow,where the title character has to help train Little Mac to get in shape to regain his championship title.[7]Little Mac also appears as an assist trophy inSuper Smash Bros. Brawlbefore becoming a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U[8]andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Appearances in other media

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Punch-Out!! would get referenced inFamily Guyon multiple occasions. In "Tales of a Former Sport Glory", during Peter's bo xing fight for the title they use the sound effects from the Arcade ( "Nintendo" ) Punch-Out!!, since they were "out of budget to take it (music) from the movie." In "A Fistful of Meg", when Meg goes to Quagmire to help get training, they re-enact the famous bicycle scene from Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!. And in "Not All Dogs go to Heaven", when Meg gets the family together to say grace and let's Peter lead, Peter prays to God for the cheat codes to Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, stating that he was stuck on Bald Bull for years.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie,co-produced by Nintendo and based on the company'sMariofranchise,features a pizzeria inBrooklyn, New York Citynamed after thePunch-Out!!series as a prominent location. Photos of characters from the games can also be seen inside the pizzeria.[9]

Notes

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  1. ^Japanese:パンチアウト!!,Hepburn:Panchi-Auto!!

References

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  1. ^"N-sider: Makoto Wada".N-Sider.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-10-28.Retrieved2009-07-01.
  2. ^Smallwood, Karl (2018-03-29)."This is Why Punch-Out!! Had Two Screens".Fact Fiend.Retrieved2024-04-05.
  3. ^Smallwood, Karl (2018-03-29)."This is Why Punch-Out!! Had Two Screens".Fact Fiend.Retrieved2024-04-05.
  4. ^"The Evolution of Punch-Out!!".stoneagegamer.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-04-05.Retrieved2024-04-05.
  5. ^Baird, Scott (2020-05-13)."Mike Tyson Is Bringing Back Punch-Out (On His Terms)".ScreenRant.Retrieved2024-04-06.
  6. ^Craig Harris (2009-07-14)."Doc Louis Hits the Ring - Wii News at IGN".Wii.ign. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-07-17.Retrieved2011-04-18.
  7. ^"IGN: Captain Rainbow".Wii.ign. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-11-09.Retrieved2011-04-18.
  8. ^Schreier, Jason (13 February 2014)."Smash Bros.' Newest Contestant: Punch-Out's Little Mac".Kotaku.Archivedfrom the original on 2014-02-14.Retrieved2014-02-14.
  9. ^Oddo, Marco Vito (2023-04-06)."Every 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Easter Egg and Reference".Collider.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-04-07.Retrieved2023-10-04.
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