Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!

aka: Punch-Out!!, Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
Moby ID: 10305
Arcade Specs
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Description official descriptions

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out is one of the most popular and biggest selling video games of all time. Step into the ring as Little Mac, a 17-year-old fighter from the Bronx, ranked number three in the minor circuit. Your goal is to work your way up through the rankings so that you can challenge Mike Tyson, Kid Dynamite, in a dream fight.

But the road to the championship is long and hard. You'll have to work your way up through the minor, major, and world circuits by winning 14 bouts against some very tough opponents.

The rules of the World Video Boxing Association govern your bouts. Each match is three three-minute rounds long. Any boxer knocked down for a 10 count is Knocked Out (KO). If a boxer goes down three times, he'll find himself a Technical Knock Out (TKO). If both boxers make it to the end of the third round, the ref determines the winner.

Once you're in the ring you'll have to beat your opponent with smart fighting. Use left and right punches, as well as uppercuts to knock your opponent to the mat. Dodge your opponent's blows with some fancy footwork. Dazzle them with your brilliance and you'll be the World Video Boxing Association Champion. On the other hand, you might find yourself down for the count.

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Credits (NES version)

13 People

Producer
Supervisor
  • Nintendo of America
Director
Game Designer
Character Design
Music Composer
Electrical Engineer
Programmer
Secretary

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 85% (based on 31 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 103 ratings with 6 reviews)

"Let's keep it clean! Now come out boxing!"

The Good
It is so hard to write about a game I'm so fond of. I guess usually it is easier to speak about things we like, but I don't know, it is as if the game has so much good things that I don't know how to start... or maybe I'm just blind by the love I have for it, heh.

Well, about the graphics. This game is just beautiful! Remember the lack of color that most NES titles used to have? Remember when you compared the same game on NES and on other similar platforms and thought: well, the NES version is a bit colorless, a bit "tasteless"? Well, this game came out just for the NES, but you need no comparison to see how beautiful it is. Maybe because there's not much else to show besides a ring, two fighters, a referee and a crowd. Nonetheless, the game looks so colorful, the characters are so well designed, that I'm not exaggerating when I say this game is among the most beautiful games that came out for the NES. Even Mike Tyson looks really like Mike Tyson (and they didn't use a digitized image)!

The characters are also unforgettable. I mean, if you played it enough to go a bit far in the game, you'll surely remember them: Glass Joe (the French guy who teaches you how to fight), Von Kaiser (the German guy with a mustache and really tight pants), Piston Honda (the scary Japanese guy), King Hippo (with his ever falling pants), Don Flamenco (the dancing narcissistic guy), Great Tiger (the Indian magician), Bald Bull (and his bull charge), Soda Popinski (the drunk Russian), Mr. Sandman (that guy really gives you nightmares) and Super Macho Man (the freak with dancing breast muscles). Ok, maybe you didn't go that far, 'cause this isn't an easy game (we'll talk about that latter), but you surely will remember the characters you fought. Every one of them has his single punches and special moves, every one has his tips and flaws. They sometimes share features, but they're truly unique. Not to mention your coach, Doc Louis (the perfect retired boxer), the referee (none other than Mario) and Little Mac, your own character.

The gameplay is also perfect. I really like when developers try to take everything that they can from a controller. You use all the directions in the d-pad in a very intuitive way, dodging, blocking, punching your opponents face' and abdomen. Also, you have to alternate right and left punches (A and B buttons) so you can "lock" your opponent on a series of punches. You will even forget that nor your character neither you opponent move around the ring. Learning your opponents moves is really fun, and if you get them right, you'll be mastering the game in no time.

The sound is pretty good also. There's only one tune for the battle, but it's a really nice tune. As said in other review, the training cutscene tune, played when you become champion of a league, is unforgettable.

And I'd like to point out the fact that Mike Tyson in this game is really a cool thing! Back then, Mike wasn't yet what he's now, he was just the greatest boxer in the world. Having him on a game was a really cool thing, at least for me, at my 11. It is just ironic that the title screen said "let's keep it clean" and you remember the whole bitten ear stuff.

The Bad
Humm, that's a tough one. Actually, maybe this game is a bit too hard close to the end. Mr. Sandman is a really tough guy, and I can count on my fingers how many times I've beat him. The same goes to Super Macho Man, who I recall being a bit easier, but not that I've beat him many times also. Of course, I never beat Mike Tyson, and just getting there was sort of finishing the game...

The Bottom Line
This is a classic. This game taught me to like boxing games (I loved to play a lot of them afterwards). How to describe it? Simply the best boxing game on the NES, even if it isn't close to the real thing (actually, maybe none sports game can be).

NES · by chirinea (47504) · 2006

Nintendo's Knock out punch!

The Good
Mike Tyson was one the best Boxers of all time through 1986-1990. He was a dominant power house in the boxing ring and the greatest, until Buster Douglas knocked him out in Tokyo in 1990. Though he still boxes now, he's a mere shadow of his former self. Ear bitings, facial tattoos and racial abuse outbursts, oh and major bankruptcy... that's all he is known for now. But his most substantial contribution from his former legacy may not be his boxing in an actual ring, but a digitized one, and that is Mike Tyson's Punch out, without a doubt one of the greatest games of all time. If not the most fun, truly a game that gets better with age.

The first thing I liked was the main character Little Mac, a scrawny little man stepping in the ring with the professionals of pain and punishment. He has a long road to face the champ, but with the help of his trainer and a little blood and sweat, he might actually make it. Mac's attacks are standard fare at first, left and right jabs of sorts. As you damage your opponent, your power meter raises. When it's full (if you time it right) you can land one hell of a devastating Knock Out Punch, which, if your opponent is knocked down three times, delivers victory.

Another cool thing are your opponents, such as The Sandman, Soda Pop Pinski, Don Flamingo and my favorite: Bob Bull. Each character has its own special abilities and tactics in fighting styles. Don Flamingo, for instance, is an uppercut guy. He'll try to land a couple on you to weaken your health, then step back. He does a little cha cha, then lands a devastating uppercut. Bob Bull, on the other hand, will land some obvious jabs to weaken you, then step back, charge and uppercut you to unconsciousness.

All Opponents have two distinct attacks: a light and heavy one (both of which can knock you out). The light one, if connected, can consist of a combination flurry. The heavy is the bad one, which if connected, well...you're in dream world. There are however ways to avoid these attack and use them to counter attack your opponent and knock them out.

The cutscenes between matches are classic moments in video game history, especially when you're running with your trainer passing by the statue of liberty. Mario is another highlight in the game as the referee. The music and sound were also nicely handled, especially Mario's talking in the ring.

When you finally reach Mike, it's both an accomplishment and an ordeal. It'll take practice, skill and luck to defeat him, but if you succeed you'll pass one of the toughest bosses in video game history. You won't do it in one shot, however, that's why you need to practice, which is why the best thing of the game is the ability to use password codes to return to your original fight. And that'll come in handy when you face Mike. Very Handy indeed.

The Bad
The password codes are extremely long and are difficult to to input, due to the up and down letter selector. You can also save a game manually and reload it, but sometimes loading can take a half a minute and there is no guarantees the saved game will still be there the next time you play.

The Bottom Line
A boxing game starring Mike Tyson and the main character, Little Mac, trying to move up through the ranks of boxing to face the Mike Tyson himself to become the champ.

NES · by wade hampton (7) · 2005

Gameplay stands the test of time

The Good
I played this game 15 years ago and I thought it was really hard. I was 10 or 12 at the time. I just recently started playing it again, and guess what? It's still hard! The game is incredibly simple, but it's still entertaining and fun even today.

The Bad
I still can't beat Mike Tyson! It's been over a decade, and he still punches me out and then winks at me.

The Bottom Line
This one is a collector's item. If you still have a functioning NES, you'll want to find yourself a copy. It's solid gold.

NES · by Nick Seafort (16) · 2004

[ View all 6 player reviews ]

Trivia

Cutscene

In between each tournament, Little Mac jogs through New York while his trainer Doc Louis leads him on a bike. This harmless scene became one of the biggest internet sensations, at the same level of Zero Wing's All Your Base, when a SomethingAwful.com user added the caption "Nigga stole my bike!" in one of their weekly photoshop contests. The picture soon spread and became a hype, in spite of the racist undercurrent. One of the end results, a YTMND showing the animation, along with a voiced song, can be found in the related links section.

NES version differences

When the 3-year licensing deal with Mike Tysonwas up, Nintendo decided not to renew it as Tyson was no longer world champion. The character was redesigned and named "Mr. Dream" and the game was re-released as simply Punch-Out!!. Not all passwords from the old version were compatible with the new one.

Technical issues

The "Little Mac" storyline was a product of technical issues that developers were confronted with in bringing the game to the NES. The arcade games featured a see-through character to allow the player adequate view of their opponent. This method would not work on the NES, therefore the idea of a tiny main character (Little Mac) was adopted in successful effort to provide a clear and full view of the opposing boxer.

Version differences

Originally, the arcade version of Punch Out! featured a Russian character named "Vodka Drunkenski." In the NES version his name was changed to "Soda Popinski." Although it seems clear that the primary motivation for this change was Nintendo's censorship guidelines (one of which forbids liquor references), it's also possible that the name was changed at least partially motivated by a desire to tone down the character's image as a stereotypical Russian drunk.

Awards

  • EGM
    • February 2006 (Issue #200) - named #44 out of 200 of the "Greatest Games of Their Time"* Game Informer Magazine
    • August 2001 (Issue 100) - voted #14 in the Top 100 Games of All Time poll

Information also contributed by Big John WV, CaptainCanuck, D Michael, PCGamer77, and Sciere

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Related Sites +

  • Nigga stole my bike!
    A YTMND showing an animation of the famous "Nigga stole my bike!" phenomenon based on a scene from this game, along with a voiced song.
  • Video review of NES accessories (WARNING: Laguage)
    The Angry Video Game Nerd, James Rolfe, reviews some NES accessories and some associated games, including the U-Force and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! on NES.

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 10305
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by RKL.

Nintendo 3DS added by Lance Boyle. Wii U added by Michael Cassidy. Nintendo Switch added by Kam1Kaz3NL77. Wii added by Sciere. Arcade added by Pseudo_Intellectual.

Additional contributors: Shoddyan, Sciere, Alaka, LepricahnsGold, Thomas Helsing, Harmony♡.

Game added September 10, 2003. Last modified February 1, 2024.