Super Punch-Out!! is a boxing game made by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom. It first came out in North America on October 1994, and was re-released there in 1996.
The original Punch-Out on the NES was quite amazing, but this sequel missed the mark. By increasing the damn difficulty and removing the beloved classic characters, Nintendo took away the fun and replay value. What could have been a really outstanding boxing game ended up falling short of expectations.
The Story
The hit boxing series is back and roaring on the Super NES!
Fight your way through intense boxing matches in the Minor, Major, and World Circuits, and rise to the final Special Circuit. Dodge those hard-hitting punches and rise your way to the top!
You will face old favorites like the Bear Hugger, Piston Hurricane, Bald Bull, Mr. Sandman, and Super Macho Man, along with some new, wacky challengers. With quick jabs, body blows, and those powerful right hooks, you will knock out opponents to claim the title of being the Nintendo Video Boxing Association Champion!
The Graphics and Sound
The game keeps the cartoony style of the original Punch-Out on the NES but enhances it with the improved graphics of the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom. While the visuals are colorful and a bit lively, they feel a bit underwhelming considering what the Super Nintendo was capable of.
The sound is a big improvement, with actual voices being added for the announcer, referee, and even the fighters. It is a good feature, but unfortunately, it is not used as much as it could have been throughout the entire game.
The Gameplay
In Super Punch-Out!!, you once again play as Little Mac—though he looks quite different from his earlier self, almost like he has gone through a complete makeover. Your goal is to fight through 16 opponents on your way to the boxing championship. On the positive side, the fighters are all unique in their own way, with a variety of fighting styles that require different strategies to defeat. However, just like the original game, the characters lean heavily on racial stereotypes, and some of them even make a comeback from the first game to fill out the roster, which feels somehow a bit unoriginal.
The fights themselves only bring little improvements. Instead of earning "stars" like in the original, you now build up a power meter by landing hits without taking damage. Once it is full, you can unleash a combo of powerful punches. Other than that, the mechanics remain largely the same; with no moving around the ring and no major new features. It is fun but does not feel groundbreaking.
Replay value is mediocre. If I am in the mood for some arcade-style boxing, I will always reach for the original Punch-Out on the NES. It just delivers that classic fun. Unfortunately, this one does not quite satisfy my craving for exciting boxing action. Honestly, I even prefer Legends of the Ring on the SNES, which I would recommend alongside the original Punch-Out over this game.
My Verdict
Super Punch-Out!! is a decent game, but as a sequel, it falls short of my expectations. I was hoping for a bit more innovation, but underneath the surface, it feels like the same game, making it a kinda repetitive. While the sound is good and there are some creative fighters, there just are not enough new ideas to make it stand out. Overall, I’d give it a pretty good rating for lacking originality.
Play it on the mighty Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a well-developed emulator.
Let's keep on gaming in the free world!
Hope you enjoyed your games
Yes, I did.
I think the most curious thing is how this game actually takes more from the arcade Punch-Out games rather than the NES game, down to the KO meter instead of Star Punches and a random boxer instead of Little Mac.
Can see how you can feel this game doesn't have this bigger vibe compared to the first Punch Out or the much more bombastic Wii game - but I guess that's also funny to think about when there aren't that many Punch-Out like games out there to fill the gap.
Unless you know about Teleroboxer - but that's an even more obscure shot than this game (which is why I know bout it 🤣)
I certainly have to come back to this one despite everything though. I still have to complete the World Circuit...
Sandman being second to Super Macho Man here is funny in retrospective when SMM was the boss in Arcade Super Punch Out, but became second place to the OG final boss (Sandman) from both the first Arcade and NES Punch-Out games when the Wii game rolled out.
Thanks for the input!😀
Grandioso juego