Super Punch-Out is a real knock out!
THE GOOD
-Excellent control scheme
-Challenging enemies
-Superb Graphics
-Entertaining sound effects
THE BAD
-Music is easily forgettable
OVERVIEW
Super Punch-Out is the direct sequel to Punch-Out for the NES. This SNES version puts you in the control of an anonymous boxer in his pursuit of becoming the World Video Boxing Association (WVBA) champion. You'll go up against some familiar faces like Bald Bull and Super Macho Man and you'll even have a chance to square off against some new opponents like Aaron Ryan, Gabby Jay and Mad Clown. Now, this is a boxing game but you'll quickly find that your opponents use less than legal methods to knock you out. Aside from dodging typical punches you'll also have to watch out for kicks, weapons and grapples; somehow this is all legal in the WVBA. Super Punch-Out is just as exciting as its predecessor but its tighter gameplay makes this sequel a better game.
GAMEPLAY
Super Punch-Out has you fighting your way through 16 boxers divided evenly in 4 different Circuits (Minor, Major, World, and Special). The Circuits consist of four boxers and the last challenger is the circuit belt holder. Your opponents come from all over the world and each have different (some unorthodox) styles of boxing. Each contender is challenging and memorable, especially in the latter Circuits.
Inside the ring your character appears in front of the screen as a silhouette with your opponent on the other side. Sadly, there aren't three rounds with a break in between for a humorous conversation like in the last game. Instead there is one, three minute round where your goal is to score a knockout or technical knockout (knocked down three times) to win the match. At the end of the match your scored based on your performance.
The controls for the game are intuitive and work really well. In Super Punch-Out you can perform left and right jabs to the face and body blows. On the defensive side you can dodge left and right, block and duck. There is a power-up meter located on the bottom of the screen that fills up every time you land a successful punch. When the power bar fills up all the way you can start throwing super punches. There are two kinds of super punches: rapid and strong. Tapping the A button will let you throw a volley of quick jabs taking down your opponent's health in small increments. Holding down the A button will charge up a stronger attack dealing a large amount of damage. Filling up the meter is actually quite easy to do which is both good and bad. Good in the fact that its fun to crush your opponent quickly but bad in the sense that it can be a little too easy to gain power punches which can lower the challenge a bit.
Once you've obtained the WVBA belt the fun doesn't stop there because there is a time trial mode where you can try to knockdown your opponents in record time. This can be really fun, especially for hardcore gamers. To put this in perspective, great players can beat Piston Hurricane in less than 7 seconds.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
The graphics look great in Super Punch-Out and definitely stands out among most of the SNES games on the market. The clarity with the characters combined with the flashy colors makes for a delightful visual experience.
The sound effects are pretty good; especially when you land those gratifying power punches. The music on the other hand, is dull and drab. Listening to the same uninspiring music isn't nearly as memorable as the soundtrack from its predecessor.
CONCLUSION
Super Punch-Out, in all honesty and I know I'm probably in the minority, is a superb game that's slightly better than Mike Tyson's Punch-Out for the NES. It may not have some of the fun and playful banter between rounds but the superb gameplay and controls more than make up for the lack of nostalgia. I would highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoyed Mike Tyson's Punch-Out. Also, those who haven't played the first Punch-Out and really enjoy boxing games will feel right at home here. Super punches, memorable opponents and knockouts, this superb game has it all and so much more.