Collection essentials #270: Super Punch-Out!! (SNES)

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! (later released with Mike Tyson removed) was a big hit on the NES, so a SNES sequel isn’t too surprising. The title makes the names of games in the series quite confusing, though. You see, this series originated with two arcade games in the early ‘80s, “Punch-Out!!” and then “Super Punch-Out!!” Then, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out on the NES was really it’s own thing and not just a port of the original game, and some of the characters from both the arcade games were brought back. And now, this SNES sequel called “Super Punch-Out!!” is once again its own thing and completely different from the arcade game of the same name, though once again it brings back some characters from those games.

Like the games before it, Super Punch-Out!! is a rather cartoony and unrealistic boxing game, not meant to accurately simulate the real-life sport. There are no real-life boxers this time, but honestly I think they would have felt out of place. Once again, the enemy boxers can be rather silly. There are boxers from various parts of the world, sometimes leaning into exaggerated stereotypes, though in my opinion it doesn’t come off like the developers (Japanese people, for what that’s worth) were trying make any kind of an offensive statement, and I tend to interpret it as the existence of stereotypes in general being made into a joke. (Though some people may feel differently and I wouldn’t necessarily write off what they might have to say)

Gameplay involves the ability to punch and block high or low. You can’t freely move around the ring, but you can do a quick dodge in three different directions for those cases where blocking isn’t enough. There are some mechanics that are different from the original game, notably how the player gets access to more powerful punches. In the previous game, you had to punch the opponent at specific times to earn “stars” that you could expend to perform a more powerful attack. In this game, if you land blows without getting hit, a meter builds up, and when it’s full you can unleash more powerful attacks. Like all Punch-Out!! games, gameplay very much involves trial and error, as they’re “pattern memorization” games. You have to memorize the attacks each opponent uses and how to deal with them, and aside from the game’s easier opponents, you’re generally not going to do that on the first try. Sometimes trial and error gameplay is really frustrating, but I feel like it works out well here, in part because the penalty for losing isn’t that steep. The worst that happens usually is that you simply have to briefly do over some fights that you’ve already mastered anyway. I enjoy the gameplay here more than in the NES Punch-Out!!, as I felt like that game demanded a more rigid and specific set of actions to conquer the different opponents, whereas when I played this game I felt like I had just a little more choice in my strategy. Not to mention, going to town with powerful attacks without expending a resource is really fun.

Something very interesting about this game is that it features a hidden mode that went undiscovered for nearly 30 years. In 2022, people found a code that accesses a secret practice mode where you can pick between any of the game’s opponents, and the coolest part is that player 2 can control them! It’s not a very balanced versus mode, but it sure is cool.

Super Punch-Out!! was well-received, but certainly did not receive the same sales and accolades as its NES predecessor. I think part of that is because it didn’t have as much charm as the original, with the main character Little Mac being completely reimagined and his trainer not really being a character at all this time around. Not to mention, this game lacks a big iconic memorable fight like the previous game had with Mike Tyson. But the substance of the game is still very good.

As a kid, I played this game on at least one occasion, and I believe it was at my cousins Kevin and Peter’s house. They may have only rented the game or something, as I don’t recall them owning it for a long period of time. I remember playing it and getting stuck on the game’s second fight, not understanding how you’re supposed to beat the big intimidating boxer “Bear Hugger”. It certainly seemed like an interesting game and that memory stuck out in my mind. Some years later when I was 15, I grabbed the copy in the photo off of eBay. I dabbled in it back then, but I didn’t make a serious attempt to beat it until years later in adulthood, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a challenging game that feels very rewarding to master. It may not be one of the very best or most iconic SNES games, but it’s a quality essential all the same. If you have a Nintendo Switch online subscription, you can play the game for free right now (I’ve been neglecting to point that out for games I’ve covered lately!!), and if you enjoy a challenge then I certainly recommend it.