Mike Tyson's Punchout (NES) Review

   Mike Tyson's Punch Out, a game released by Nintendo in 1987, is a rare game.  No, it isn't hard to find, you can pick up a copy at any used game store.  It is a rarity in that it is a sports game that will stand the test of time, and stay relevant for as long as video games are around to play.  But it is more than just a sports game, Punch Out is a game that anyone can enjoy.  

   You start out as Little Mac.  You're 4'8, barely weigh 100 pounds, and are only 17 years old.  The fighters you face are going to be equipped with a wide range of abilities, from a simple whirlwind punch to a teleportation style array of punches.  You, however, have the simplest of abilities.  Punch high, left and right, and punch body, left and right.  But it's all you need.  The way you win this game is dodging, counter attacking, and taking every window of opportunity that presents itself to you.

   You first opponent is Glass Joe, coming in with an impressive record of 1-99.  Poor guy.  You think you'd give up at, say, 1-98.  But he keeps going.  You meet many interesting characters along the way, from Spanish playboy Don Flamenco, to drunk Russian Soda Popinski.   

  For example, one of the more memorable characters you'll meet in the game is King Hippo.  He is a powerful puncher that can get you on the ground in just a few hits, but has a pretty glaring weakness.  The bandage on his stomach is a dead giveaway.  When he is going to do his powerful overhand punch, quickly punch high, and then go straight to the body.  Repeat this until he's down, and then that's the match. He won't get up, he never gets up.  Probably couldn't even if he tried. 

   That is how Punch-out is won, finding the weakness, and exploiting it.  With the exception of Glass Joe, you can't just go in guns blazing and expect to knock someone out.  It just won't happen, you will get knocked out every time.  Stick and move Mac, stick and move.

   Your trainer is Doc Louis, but he is pretty much a glorified cheerleader.  He talks in between bouts, but barely anything useful.  You don't gain stats or train or anything like that, what you have is what you get for the whole game.  When you finish one of the circuits (there are 3 circuits, just varying levels of difficulty that progress in a linear fashion), you will see a little cut-scene of Doc Louis riding his bike while Little Mac runs behind, then you are presented with a password so you can come back to this part of the game at a later time.  This comes in handy so the earlier fights don't become too repetitive.  

   Gameplay is always fluid, and leaves it to the skill of the player.  Again, knowing when to dodge and counter attack is invaluable.  If you happen to catch your opponent napping with a surprise punch, you can earn a star.  This can be used to send your opponent a much more powerful super punch, and for some opponents this is an automatic knockdown.  Save them and use them wisely.  If you get hit, you will lose a star.  You can have up to 3 at time, and it is best to use whenever you opponent is stunned, almost always after a successful dodge and counterattack.

   Punchout also features a heart system.  When you punch and get blocked, or when you block, you will lose a heart.  When you run out of hearts you temporarily become unable to throw punches, you can only block and dodge.  This encourages players not to just run into a fight swinging, which will just about always result in being knocked out.  

   The final fight in the game is one of the top achievements you could earn on the NES at the time.  The final fight is against the man himself, Mike Tyson (or Mr. Dream in later versions of the game, after Nintendo's license with Mike Tyson ran out).  He features one punch knockout power.  I don't want to spoil it or provide any tips, just simply want to say good luck.  You'll need it.  Practice makes perfect.

  In conclusion, Mike Tyson's punchout is a game still played by many, over 25 years after its release.  And there seems to be no change in this trend, as players of any age group can find entertainment in this classic.  Whether it is an adult reliving their youth, or a teenager who finally decides to give it a shot after hearing about it, there is something here for anyone.  If you are on the bubble trying to decide if this is worth your time, it is.  Just play it.  

Graphics (9/10): The visuals aren't going to blow you away, but they don't need to.  The punch animations are always smooth, never a second of frame rate issues or choppy animations.  The goofy look on some of the fighters faces are priceless.

Sound (10/10): One of the best sounding games on the NES in this reviewers opinion.  The fighters entrance music are all unique, and pretty entertaining and catchy.  The goofy laughing sounds are kind of weird at first, but you'll grow to love them.  

Addictiveness (10/10): The game is pretty hard to put down.  You pretty much never want to give up, until you finally beat that one opponent that has been giving you trouble.  For instance, nothing is more gratifying then the first time you stop a bald bull rush and send him to the canvas.  Take that baldy.

Difficulty (9/10): Once you get the hang of the fighters in the first two circuits, you can pretty much blow by them with ease.  In the later circuits, not so much.  One wrong move, one mistimed dodge, can result in a knockdown.  Timing is crucial, knowing when to dodge, and when to punch.  Precision is necessary.  And the final fight in one of the toughest finales on the NES.

Thank you for reading.  This review started out simple, and eventually it just took over me and I couldn't stop.  A game like this needs a thorough review, and I have to give credit where credit is due.  The game is amazing and was worth my time that it took to write this.  I have screenshots that I have taken on the main game page, or you can look at the screenshots on my profile located here: https://www.vizzed.com/boards/profile.php?id=410474&profile=game&screenshots=250#screenshots
 

Impressive review! I really liked how you spaced out your review correctly, as well as added a lot of detail for the reader. I really enjoyed reading this review! Keep up the good work dude! Can't wait for your next review!

Now this is the review i'd love to see! You correctly put the details where they belong and a lot of positive things in this review!Not bad you had a great amount of words in this review which is what I want to see in a good review! Not bad after all in fact you did way better than I imagined!Keep up the good work!

  Nice review!  You put in good detail and you also went into more then is normally put into a review! Great job!

Thank you for the feedback, I plan on doing more from time to time.  I'll try to look for games that don't have any reviews so I can help fill out the game room a bit.