Pro A.
08-02-2004, 09:12 PM
August 1, 2004
In that glorious year of 1994, when Nintendo cleaned out Sega in the gaming department, it released several brilliant games. Among them were NBA Jam, Earthworm Jim, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Mega Man X, and Final Fantasy III. The one that is often cast in the shadow of those monsters is Super Punch-Out. We've all heard of the original Punch-Out. You might say, "Yeah, yeah. Wasn't that the game where you could fight that circus freak Mike Tyson?"
Reply: "Why, yes. He was also damn near impossible to beat."
That game is notorious for the brutal challenge and the fact that it has Mike Tyson. After being charged and convicted of rape, Nintendo had a new character, Mr. Dream, thrown into the foray. Super Punch-Out is an excellent game in its own right. It was much fairer than the original, certainly. The last five fights won't have you clipping your teeth. Several of the old characters have returned. Among them include Bald Bull, Mr. Sandman, and Super Macho Man. The one significant addition is a meter that allows you to build a super punch that can deal more damage to an opponent. In some cases, it can knock them out if timed properly.
The reason for the game being forgotten might have to do with the fact that it was boxed in between some brilliant games. It was released in the early autumn of 1994. By then, all of the talk was on the Super Game Boy and on Mega Man X, which was released about the same time. So, this little hyped sequel sold well, but nowhere near the levels which Mega Man X or any of the game mentioned above. All of them broke a million walking.
Super Punch-Out is divided into four circuits. You have the Minor, Major, and World Circuits. The fourth is the Special Circuit. You can't get into that one until you go 4-0 in the first three circuits. The Minor Circuit lives up to its name. The first three fights are a joke. Gabby Jay, Bear Hugger, and Piston Hurricane (Piston Honda renamed and made Cuban. What's the point?). Bald Bull makes a nice reappearance, but is also pretty easy if you time your punches right when he charges.
The Major Circuit gets a little tougher. Bob Charlie is a Jamaican (say what?) and is pretty much like Gabby Jay but he blocks more. Dragon Chan might have been the early idea for Jackie Chan. He has a couple of really fast moves that can automatically knock you out. His pattern is easy though. Masked Muscle spits at you, but he has no stomach. Just hit him there. Mr. Sandman isn't as difficult as he was in the original. In the original, he was about as bad as Tyson. Tyson did knockout punches for ninety seconds, though. So, he wins. Just keep your guard up and you should be okay.
The World Circuit has a tough fight to start with in Aran Ryan. You have to keep hitting him when he charges. The super punch is a must here. Your regular punches do nothing. Heike Kiero is a lot like Dragon Chan. Only major difference is he uses his hair to hit you and looks like a cross dresser. Mad Clown is like Bear Hugger but he has more tricks in the bag. Super Macho Man has four basic special attacks and all of them are pretty easy to avoid. Problem is, if you get caught, you are going down.
The Super Circuit starts off with a fight with Narcis Prince. He won't let you hit his face. When he uppercuts, stun him and hit his face. Then it gets easy. Hoy Quarlow is probably the hardest because he has a gnarled stick. The only advice here is to learn his patterns and keep fighting him. Rick Bruiser's best move is he can disable one of your punches. He isn't terrible. Nick Bruiser is much stronger and can really pummel you with some of his combos. Just keep learning and you'll eventually break him.
The game has gone off in some kind of infamy, but it was a key game in the 1994 blitz over Sega. It started the beginning, along with Mega Man X, to a four-month hell that would open the door to Final Fantasy III and Donkey Kong Country.
In that glorious year of 1994, when Nintendo cleaned out Sega in the gaming department, it released several brilliant games. Among them were NBA Jam, Earthworm Jim, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Mega Man X, and Final Fantasy III. The one that is often cast in the shadow of those monsters is Super Punch-Out. We've all heard of the original Punch-Out. You might say, "Yeah, yeah. Wasn't that the game where you could fight that circus freak Mike Tyson?"
Reply: "Why, yes. He was also damn near impossible to beat."
That game is notorious for the brutal challenge and the fact that it has Mike Tyson. After being charged and convicted of rape, Nintendo had a new character, Mr. Dream, thrown into the foray. Super Punch-Out is an excellent game in its own right. It was much fairer than the original, certainly. The last five fights won't have you clipping your teeth. Several of the old characters have returned. Among them include Bald Bull, Mr. Sandman, and Super Macho Man. The one significant addition is a meter that allows you to build a super punch that can deal more damage to an opponent. In some cases, it can knock them out if timed properly.
The reason for the game being forgotten might have to do with the fact that it was boxed in between some brilliant games. It was released in the early autumn of 1994. By then, all of the talk was on the Super Game Boy and on Mega Man X, which was released about the same time. So, this little hyped sequel sold well, but nowhere near the levels which Mega Man X or any of the game mentioned above. All of them broke a million walking.
Super Punch-Out is divided into four circuits. You have the Minor, Major, and World Circuits. The fourth is the Special Circuit. You can't get into that one until you go 4-0 in the first three circuits. The Minor Circuit lives up to its name. The first three fights are a joke. Gabby Jay, Bear Hugger, and Piston Hurricane (Piston Honda renamed and made Cuban. What's the point?). Bald Bull makes a nice reappearance, but is also pretty easy if you time your punches right when he charges.
The Major Circuit gets a little tougher. Bob Charlie is a Jamaican (say what?) and is pretty much like Gabby Jay but he blocks more. Dragon Chan might have been the early idea for Jackie Chan. He has a couple of really fast moves that can automatically knock you out. His pattern is easy though. Masked Muscle spits at you, but he has no stomach. Just hit him there. Mr. Sandman isn't as difficult as he was in the original. In the original, he was about as bad as Tyson. Tyson did knockout punches for ninety seconds, though. So, he wins. Just keep your guard up and you should be okay.
The World Circuit has a tough fight to start with in Aran Ryan. You have to keep hitting him when he charges. The super punch is a must here. Your regular punches do nothing. Heike Kiero is a lot like Dragon Chan. Only major difference is he uses his hair to hit you and looks like a cross dresser. Mad Clown is like Bear Hugger but he has more tricks in the bag. Super Macho Man has four basic special attacks and all of them are pretty easy to avoid. Problem is, if you get caught, you are going down.
The Super Circuit starts off with a fight with Narcis Prince. He won't let you hit his face. When he uppercuts, stun him and hit his face. Then it gets easy. Hoy Quarlow is probably the hardest because he has a gnarled stick. The only advice here is to learn his patterns and keep fighting him. Rick Bruiser's best move is he can disable one of your punches. He isn't terrible. Nick Bruiser is much stronger and can really pummel you with some of his combos. Just keep learning and you'll eventually break him.
The game has gone off in some kind of infamy, but it was a key game in the 1994 blitz over Sega. It started the beginning, along with Mega Man X, to a four-month hell that would open the door to Final Fantasy III and Donkey Kong Country.