May 20 2009
Initial Impressions: Punch-Out!! for Wii doesn’t disappoint
Unlike yesterday’s embarassing anecdote, I came out swinging in the Wii version of Punch-Out!!
One by one they fell as I dodged and countered my way through the Minor Circuit ranks and the likes of old-school fighters Glass Joe, Von Kaiser and King Hippo. For the most part, the old patterns still hold true, although the new animation and tweaks to the formula will trip up seasoned vets (Bald Bull’s timing is especially devious for returning players).
Sandman is the new king of the hill, and he’ll let you know it by pounding Little Mac’s face until it’s all bruised up and stuck to the canvas.
When you lose a fight, you have unlimited rematches and you can’t back up to replay past fights without starting a new profile or playing exhibition mode. Not being able to back up is odd since it means beginners will spend a lot of time in agony as their win-loss record begins to tip heavily into the L column when they meet up with a true test of their reflexes.
After being obliterated countless times by Mr. Sandman, I finally walked away with the World Title. And that’s where things get really interesting. Little Mac must defend his belt against re-configured versions of his previous opponents. My embarassing defeat to Glass Joe from 20 years ago returned this morning and this time I dropped the World title to him! Thankfully, I scanned twitter.com and learned that this time, I’m not alone. The title defense circuit freshens up the experience with new patterns and sequences, showing us nostalgic gamers what it feels like to play for the first time.
Say it ain’t so. World Circuit champion?!
The motion controls are great, but you can get a bit more precision from holding the remote sideways. I’m looking forward to trying the Balance Board controls for a full body workout this weekend.
Punch-Out!! for Wii is dripping with charm: colorful graphics, fun opponents (including a couple from Super Punch-Out!!) and the genius idea to extend the circuit mode beyond capturing the title.
Lastly, know that when I opened the game case and saw an insert for the new Club Nintendo, I secretly wished that Mac’s trainer would make a reference to it like he did the Nintendo Fun Club back in the 80s. A few fights in and, surprise! I wasn’t disappointed.
As I progress, work on improving my record, and defend my title, there’s really only one thing left to wonder… Mr. Dream?
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