Review by Webster1209

"This is an all time classic!"

Mike Tyson's Punch Out is a great game that I hope will never be forgotten! You are Little Mac, a boxer who nobody knows. Your trainer, Doc Louis and you have dreams of making it to the top. Doc trains you and teaches you everything he knows, for he was once a heavyweight champion. You must rise through the ranks of the WVBA, starting with the Minor League, then up to the Major League, and finally, the World Championship. If you manage to get through all those, you will get to fight in a dream bout against Mike Tyson himself.

Gameplay: 10/10: This is where the game really shines. You get to go through up to three rounds against another boxer, punching them constantly, learning ways to get stars to cast vicious uppercuts, winning titles, training, and coming back for more at the next level of gameplay. You also start with a certain number of stars before each fight, and every time you get hit, or the other boxer blocks one of your punches, you lose some stars, and if you lose all your stars, your guy will turn purple, be tired, and not be able to punch, only dodge the incoming blows when the opponent starts trying to unload on you. To stop being tired, you must dodge the punches without being hit until you gain your stars back, then you can begin to punch again. The scoring system is great as well, and determines whether or not you win if nobody can KO the other person before the end of the third round.

Control: 10/10: The controls are very easy to understand, like they should be for all games. To block incoming punches, hold down the down button to put your gloves up. This will block jabs, hooks, but not uppercuts. To duck, press down twice very quickly, although this really serves no purpose. To dodge, press left and right, then counter with a punch of your own to stun the opponent. To quick dodge, dodge either to the left or right, then push up a little bit after to come back into the punching position very quickly, and if done correctly, you can land more punches on them while they are stunned. To punch with the left hand, hit the B button, and to punch with the right hand, press the A button. To hit their body, only press either of the buttons without pressing any of the control pad buttons, and to hit the face, hit either of the two buttons while holding up on the control pad. To do an uppercut while you have a star, hit the select button, and you will charge up, and deliver one. Just a little tip, if you tap the select button inbetween rounds, you can gain back any lost health, but can only do this one time in the fight.

Graphics: 10/10: The graphics are great also. The people look cartoony, especially when they fall down, the background when you are jogging looks good, especially at night after you win the Major Title, and the crowd behind you is good also. Inbetween rounds, if either you or the opponent have taken enough damage, injuries will show on their faces, which is cool. Graphics in this game are really good.

Challenge: 10/10: The challenge in this game is also really great. The first opponent is just a way of getting used to the game, then the next one introduces you to looking out for how people will always do something before they hit you, such as wink, or do some kind of head bob, ect. The people get harder every time, especially when you are moved up a circuit. The dream bout against Mike Tyson is also one of the hardest challenges I have ever faced in a boxing game, and when I finally beat him, I felt really good. Everything is how it should be in a great game.

Sound: 10/10: The sound effects in the game are great, and the song that plays while you fight is even better! When there is a knockdown, there is a little noise that sounds cool, and the song that plays while you are knocked down makes you want to get back up and fight even more! The songs in this game are some of the best for the NES, especially the jog theme.

Rent/Buy: Without a doubt, buy it! You will play this game over and over again, especially when you get to Mike Tyson and have to play him over and over again to beat him! This game will go down in history as the starting block of many other Punch Out games after it.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10 | Originally Posted: 07/08/05


Got Your Own Opinion?
