One of Nintendo’s greatest assets is its back catalogue.
Few publishers can compete with the wealth of franchises and intellectual properties that Nintendo has released over the past few decades.
Many of the platform holder’s series are still with us, most notably the likes of Mario, Zelda and Metroid. But others have yet to receive a more modern update, being still virgins to the third dimension. After more than 15 years, one such franchise has been rescued from the realms of nostalgic memory and brought back to the shelves once more: Punch-Out!!
Debuting during the 1980s, the original Punch-Out!! soon gathered an impressive fanbase thanks to its memorable brawlers and addictive gameplay. Even with the technological limitations of the NES, the boxing title required good reflexes if players wanted to be triumphant in the ring.
Now, Nintendo brings the series up-to-date with Punch-Out!! for Wii. The game is the first in the franchise to be shown in full 3D and, as can be expected, boasts motion-sensitive controls using the Wii Remote. The publisher is confident that, despite the lack of a new Punch-Out!! for more than a decade, the Wii version is going to be a big hit come May.
“Punch-Out!! is our biggest Wii launch so far in 2009 and we see it as an important title that will appeal to both gamers and families in a similar manner to Mario Kart Wii,” says Nintendo’s senior product manager for Wii Rob Lowe.
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“It has a great pedigree with the previous titles on the NES and SNES, and this heritage is faithfully carried across to the Wii version, along with a host of new functions.”
One look at the screenshots and artwork shows that Nintendo has family in mind with this title. While a large element of the game’s appeal will be to adults with fond childhood memories of the original, today’s younger gamers will find it just as enjoyable thanks to the cel-shaded cartoon style that is perfect in keeping with the first games.
However, the biggest selling point will be the control schemes. The Wii Remote and Nunchuk can be used as players’ fists, allowing them to physically knock their opponents out of the competition in a manner similar to the popular boxing game in Wii Sports.
Alternatively, retro gamers can enjoy the original control system by turning the Wii Remote on its side and using it like a classic NES controller, where the emphasis is on quick reflexes rather than strong motions.
Fans of the original games will also be pleased to see the a roster full of familiar faces, including Little Mac, Glass Joe, King Hippo and Doc Louis. All characters make their 3D debut and have been re-imagined for the latest Punch-Out!!, each boasting hilarious animations and detailed back stories.
“Punch-Out!! has colourful cartoon cel-shaded graphics full of character and humour, as well as superb gameplay involving split-second reactions, and recognising your opponents’ weaknesses and patterns,” adds Lowe
REACHING OUT
Given Punch-Out!!’s lengthy absence and the colossal audience of new gamers Nintendo has picked up since the SNES version, the company is keen to raise awareness of the game before it hits shelves. Marketing initiatives have been planned to not only introduce new gamers and the expanded audience to the franchise, but also to call back fans of the original games.
The focus of the game’s marketing will be on a full TV campaign, currently planned to air around Punch-Out!!’s launch. Ads will run alongside family-based TV shows, particularly targeting fathers and sons by showing a dad playing Punch-Out!! with his son.
There will also be a full range of point-of-sale materials and trade marketing support for retailers. A big-screen Punch-Out!! sampling tour has also been organised, as well as a PR campaign that will feature some legendary names from boxing history, who will be settling old scores in a round of Punch-Out!!
Lowe concludes: “This will be a full triple-A launch as you’d expect from such a long-standing Nintendo series. Hopefully, we will be looking at a No.1 position in the Wii charts when the game is released.”
