What Super Punch-Out!! accomplishes more than anything is proving I'm just as ineffectual at fighting in a video game as I am in real life. Now in real life I'm 5'6" - more of a shrimp than Little Mac! - meaning the only way I can feel like a tough guy is by acting out my aggression on digital facsimiles of boxers and strong men, but even then I get my ass kicked. What the hell!?
This is because Super Punch-Out!!! is a game all about spotting tells, reacting on a dime, and developing a careful rhythm tailored to your foe. Unfortunately, I never could quite get this down. I'm just bad at it, and rather than make this out to be a shortcoming of Super Punch-Out!!!! itself, I'd rather just be honest and admit that this isn't my kind of game. A shame too, as I think the sprite work and general presentation here is incredible. The sound effects, music, and character art is easily among my favorite on the SNES, but it is perhaps better enjoyed by watching someone else play.
I did manage to beat Super Punch-Out!!!!!, but only in the most cowardly way possible: abusing save states. Look, when push comes to shove and the weakest among us are called to fight, the meek will use the most crooked methods they can to survive. I'm the kind of guy who will blindside you with a pipe rather than fight fair, but unfortunately Punch-Out!!!!!! doesn't allow you to fight so dirty, and I had to make use with what I had.
If you're more adept than I am at this sort of game, I think there's a lot to love here. It's still pretty fun even if you're not really good at it, and I definitely find it more enjoyable than Mike Tyson's Punch-Out on the NES.
This is because Super Punch-Out!!! is a game all about spotting tells, reacting on a dime, and developing a careful rhythm tailored to your foe. Unfortunately, I never could quite get this down. I'm just bad at it, and rather than make this out to be a shortcoming of Super Punch-Out!!!! itself, I'd rather just be honest and admit that this isn't my kind of game. A shame too, as I think the sprite work and general presentation here is incredible. The sound effects, music, and character art is easily among my favorite on the SNES, but it is perhaps better enjoyed by watching someone else play.
I did manage to beat Super Punch-Out!!!!!, but only in the most cowardly way possible: abusing save states. Look, when push comes to shove and the weakest among us are called to fight, the meek will use the most crooked methods they can to survive. I'm the kind of guy who will blindside you with a pipe rather than fight fair, but unfortunately Punch-Out!!!!!! doesn't allow you to fight so dirty, and I had to make use with what I had.
If you're more adept than I am at this sort of game, I think there's a lot to love here. It's still pretty fun even if you're not really good at it, and I definitely find it more enjoyable than Mike Tyson's Punch-Out on the NES.