Crossovers with Punch-Out!!
It has been requested that this article be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: Overhaul the Super Smash Bros section to conform to the standards set in Crossovers with The Legend of Zelda
| Punch-Out!! | |
|---|---|
| |
| First installment | Punch-Out!! (1984) |
| Latest installment | Doc Louis's Punch-Out!! (2009) |
The Punch-Out!! series is a series of boxing video games developed and published by Nintendo. The games have the player control a boxer through a series of bouts to become champion of the World Video Boxing Association (WVBA). The series is noted for its humor and challenge.
With Super Mario Bros. and the 1987 NES adaption of Punch-Out!! being early hits for the NES, the Super Mario and Punch-Out!! series have frequently referenced each other and interacted in crossover media.
Overview[edit]
The Punch-Out!! games have the player take the control of a boxer (a generically-named "challenger" in the arcade titles and Little Mac in the console games) through a series of boxing matches, which are usually divided in Minor, Major and World Circuits of four or five opponents each. Through combination of directions and buttons, the player can dodge, block, and performing a variety of boxing techniques such as jabs and uppercuts. Bouts last up to a maximum of three rounds and can be won through Technical K.O, regular K.O or referee's decision.
Punch-Out!! was described by its designer as having elements of a puzzle game. As opponents are highly resilient and will easily block the player's blow, a key skill needed for success is to memorize the opponents patterns and find the ideal strategy to defeat them.
Though one of the relatively few Nintendo games to take place in the real world, Punch-Out!! is not intended to be a realistic simulation of boxing: rules and controls are simplified for the sake of gameplay and opponents frequently use techniques that would be illegal in a real boxing promotion. The games have a humorous tone, with the opponent characters often reflecting real-world stereotypes about their country of origins in an exaggerated comedic fashion.
Prominent crossover elements[edit]
Little Mac[edit]
- “It's your time, Mac. Show 'em what you got, baby!”
- —Doc Louis, "Champion of the Ring" Trailer for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Little Mac is the protagonist of the Punch-Out!! series. A boxer from the Bronx, New York City, Little Mac trains under Doc Louis in order to become the world champion of the WVBA.
The protagonist of the arcade Punch-Out!! and Super Punch-Out!! titles fights several fighters for the world championship, and is depicted as a tall, green-haired man with a cleft chin who appears as a wireframe model during gameplay. The character "Little Mac" did not appear until Punch-Out!! for the NES (also known as Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!), which featured a younger and shorter protagonist mentored by his manager and trainer, Doc Louis. Mario cameos as the referee. Despite his short size (a compromise made for visibility, as the developers of the NES game were unable to replicate the see-through wireframe graphics of the arcade game), Little Mac can stand blow-to-blow with boxers three times his size.
In Super Punch-Out!! for the SNES, Little Mac received a redesign, being depicted as a much taller man with sandy blond hair, a pair of blue shorts, and lacking a tank top, There was initially confusion over whether the protagonist of the game was Little Mac or an entirely different character, however, later materials have referred the character as being the same person as the protagonist of the NES game.[1][2]
After a 15-year hiatus, the Punch-Out!! series was rebooted with a titular installment for the Wii. After fighting through all of his opponents once again, Mac gets tired of his fame and decides to go out in a blaze of glory. Dubbed "Mac's Last Stand", his condition for retiring and thus vacating the world championship is losing three times. In the latest title so far, Doc Louis's Punch-Out, he spars with Doc.
King Hippo[edit]
King Hippo is the second opponent of the Major Circuit and the final opponent of the Minor Circuit in the NES and Wii Punch-Out!! games respectively, hailing from the fictional Hippo Island in the South Pacific. A monstrous fighter, King Hippo is impervious to all damage as he always blocks his stomach and mouth with his gloves. He represents a notable difficulty spike as the strategy of dodging and counter-punching is ineffective due to King Hippo's impenetrable defenses. Instead, he must be attacked before he throws a punch rather than after, which causes his trunks to fall down. This allows the player to start punching his stomach as he is distracted by trying to pull his trunks back up. King Hippo also cannot get up from a knockdown, meaning that he only needs to be knocked down once for a KO victory.
In the Wii game, King Hippo wears Power Star-print underwear.
History in the Super Mario franchise[edit]
Super Mario-kun[edit]
In the last chapter of Super Mario-kun Volume 2, while recalling his previous adventures, Mario also recalls his part-time jobs, including the time he was a boxing referee. In the panel, Mario is shown starting counting after Little Mac is knocked down.
WarioWare series[edit]
Various Microgames based on Punch-Out!! have been featured in the series, usually as part of 9-Volt's set.
WarioWare: Smooth Moves[edit]
WarioWare: Smooth Moves features a microgame called "Punch-Out!!" based on the game of the same name. In it, Mac knocks out his opponent (Glass Joe on Level 1, Von Kaiser on Level 2, and Bald Bull on Level 3), and the player, as Mario, has to count down the KO. Mac cheers if the count reaches ten in time. In addition, Super Punch-Out!! is one of the possible cartridges in the Super Nostalgic Entertainment System microgame.
WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase[edit]
In the microgame "Punch-Out!!" in WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase, Mac, controlled by the player, has to dodge Bald Bull's attacks. If all of the attacks are dodged, Mac knocks him out, while getting hit results in Mac getting knocked out.
WarioWare Gold[edit]
In WarioWare Gold, Wario's amiibo Sketch allows the player to scan in a Little Mac amiibo to have him be crudely drawn by Wario.
WarioWare: Move It[edit]
The microgame "Punch-Out!!" has the player control Mac, who has to uppercut the other boxer while their guard is down. Glass Joe is fought on Level 1, Von Kaiser on Level 2, and Piston Honda on Level 3.
Other appearances[edit]
The WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! /WarioWare Gold microgame "Punch-Out", and the third level of the WarioWare: Touched! microgames "Famicom" and "Button Masher" are inspired by the series, though they use generic characters.
Luigi's Mansion 3[edit]
On the walls of the Entrance Hall in Paranormal Productions are posters referencing other games developed by Next Level Games, including a poster of Little Mac in his victory pose, with Doc Louis and Mr. Sandman in the background. Pulling on this poster with a Suction Shot causes a large green boxing glove (similar to those worn by Little Mac) to fly out. A Hammer wearing Little Mac's gloves can also be found in the Fitness Center's Weight Room.
Yoshi's Woolly World[edit]
In Yoshi's Woolly World, scanning a Little Mac amiibo unlocks a playable Yarn Yoshi design based on Little Mac.
Super Mario Maker[edit]
Little Mac makes an appearance as a Mystery Mushroom costume in Super Mario Maker, which can be unlocked by scanning his amiibo or randomly after completing the 100 Mario Challenge on Expert or higher. Upon transforming into him, the bell from the original Punch-Out!! can be heard. The theme that plays after losing a match and the victory theme also play when the player loses a life and clears the course, respectively.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]
A Punch-Out!! themed restaurant called the Punch-Out Pizzeria appears in the The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Located in Brooklyn, it features pictures of various Punch-Out!! characters on its walls and is shown to be one of Mario and Luigi's favorite hang-outs.
History in the Punch-Out!! franchise[edit]
Punch-Out!! (Arcade)[edit]
Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr. all appear in the crowd. This is one of the first games to feature Luigi, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr. as cameos.
Super Punch-Out!! (Arcade)[edit]
Like in the previous game, Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. all appear in the crowd.
Punch-Out!! / Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (NES)[edit]
- “Hey! Mr. Referee Mario...I like your hair!”
- —Don Flamenco, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
Mario acts as the in-ring referee. This is the earliest game in which Mario has discernible speech. Previously, he could be heard grunting in Crazy Kong. The next game he speaks in is the MS-DOS version of Mario Teaches Typing released in 1992.
Super Punch-Out!! (SNES)[edit]
Names such as Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Peach are present in the scoreboards.
Punch-Out!! (Wii)[edit]
- Main article: Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Donkey Kong appears as the game's secret and final opponent, being a possible fight in the game's Last Stand mode. He can then be fought anytime in the Exhibition mode. Donkey Kong can also be seen in the audience sometimes when fighting anyone other than him.
[edit]
Captain N: The Game Master[edit]
Punch-Out! is represented in the animated series Captain N: The Game Master, where King Hippo is part of the main cast. He is one of the first character to appear in the series, as the opening sequence shows Kevin Keene playing his stage in Punch-Out!! before being sucked by his television into the dimension of Videoland. King Hippo is one of Mother Brain’s main henchman and is often sent out with Kid Icarus' Eggplant Wizard to enact her schemes. King Hippo is loyal and extremely strong, but also stupid, cowardly, gullible and frequently gets into arguments with his partner. Unlike most of the characters featured in Captain N, King Hippo is relatively accurate to his game appearance outside of being drawn with a blue skin. He was voiced by actor Garry Chalk.
Despite King Hippo’s prominent role, Captain N otherwise feature little elements from the Punch-Out series. The exception to this is the episode "Videolympics", where a scene shows the Forces of Chaos training in a gym in the world of Punch-Out!! for the titular competition. Glass Joe makes a cameo in this sequence, being the only other Punch-Out!! character to appear in the series.
In the episodes "Simon the Ape-Man", "Queen of the Apes" and "The Lost City of Kongoland", King Hippo contributes to mischief in the world of Kongoland and thus becomes a target of Donkey Kong's ire.
Nintendo Comics System[edit]
Punch-Out!! comics[edit]
Punch-Out!! was one of the series featured in Valiant Comics' Nintendo Comics System imprint, though it was the first title to be dropped from the comic’s rotation. The comics were a straight adaptation of the NES game, showing Little Mac’s training with Doc Louis and his struggle to become a boxing champion. Mario makes a cameo in the story "Outsiders", as a referee for the match between Little Mac and Piston Honda.
Captain N comics[edit]
King Hippo is featured in the comic adaption of Captain N, having the same appearance and role as in the animated series.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
Little Mac appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as an Assist Trophy. Once he appears, he throws a damaging one-two combo against enemies while moving quickly around the stage. After a while, he will throw an extremely powerful uppercut that launches enemies far before disappearing. Little Mac is among the strongest Assist Trophies in the game, as he can KO opponents as early as 35%. He is also invulnerable, although he can nevertheless be rendered useless if he falls off the stage.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U[edit]
- SmashWiki article: Little Mac (SSB4)
- “Little Mac Punches In!”
- —Introduction, "Champion of the Ring" Trailer
Little Mac was revealed as a new playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U on February 13, 2014, becoming the first fighter in the series to have previously been an Assist Trophy.[3] Unlike in Brawl, Little Mac sports a slightly modified version of his design from the Wii version of Punch-Out!! As expected for a boxer, Little Mac is a close-ranged fighter, with all but one of his moves being some variation of a punch. In general, Little Mac has extremely powerful close-ranged attacks but lacks projectiles and has abysmal air mobility. He uniquely has a Power Meter (referencing the Star Punch mechanic from his home series) that charges whenever he inflicts and/or receives damage. When the meter is fully charged, it changes his neutral special attack to the powerful KO Uppercut.
His Final Smash transforms him into Giga Mac, a transformation that debuted in the Wii version of Punch-Out!! Giga Mac functions similarly to Giga Bowser: he boasts considerably stronger attack power and is immune to flinching.
Little Mac has a number of alternate costumes that reference the Punch-Out!! series. Four are from the Wii version of Punch-Out!!, which are based on his World Video Boxing Association (WVBA) Champion attire in Title Defense Mode; his attire in Contender Mode during the World Circuit; his attire during the Major Circuit; and his attire when used by player 2 in Head-to-Head Mode. Two are from the NES version of Punch-Out!!, which are based on his signature pink hooded sweatsuit used during training sessions, and how he appears after he defeats any opposing boxers.
Another is based on the SNES Super Punch-Out!! design. Lastly, Little Mac also has "wireframe" variants of all his alternate costumes, based upon his appearance in the original arcade version of Punch-Out!! In addition to making his body consist of green wireframe, Little Mac's voice is replaced by 8-bit sound effects, while his boxing gloves and sweatsuit's colors are inverted to being green and pink, respectively.
The overweight version of Little Mac from Captain Rainbow also appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.[4] If Little Mac wins a match, Doc Louis appears alongside him on the results screen. When Little Mac uses a taunt, Doc Louis also appears to encourage him.
The game also introduces a stage called the Boxing Ring, which comes in both Super Smash Bros. and Punch-Out!! variants.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
- SmashWiki article: Little Mac (SSBU)
Little Mac returns as an unlockable playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, retaining many of his moves from the previous installment. His alternate costumes now consist of six normal costumes and two wireframe costumes, to keep the total number of costumes consistent with other characters.
Captain Rainbow[edit]
In Captain Rainbow, Little Mac has been out of boxing for some time and has become largely obese due to the events of the game. The game's protagonist, Nick, helps him get back into shape. This appearance also appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
NES Remix 2[edit]
Several mini-games in NES Remix 2 are based on the NES Punch-Out!!. They all involve Little Mac beating various opponents with different restrictions, like knocking out Von Kaiser with an uppercut, blocking Great Tiger's attacks while the screen fades out, or beating a powerful Glass Joe. These challenges were later included in Ultimate NES Remix.
Notes[edit]
- The first release of the NES/Famicom game was as a contest prize for the Golf: US Course Disk Fax tournament. This version comes in a gold Famicom cartridge and features Super Macho Man as the final opponent.
- Punch-Out!! was one of two series to be part of a deal between Nintendo and Electronic Arts to include Nintendo characters in the later's Nintendo Gamecube games. The Gamecube versions of SSX on Tour and NBA Street V3 included a trio of Super Mario characters, while the Gamecube port of Fight Night Round 2 featured Little Mac (in his Super Punch-Out!! design) as an exclusive character.
