"The best boxing game on the SNES"

I'm not a boxing enthusiast. I just can't watch two sweaty guys try to deck each other for hours on end. While video games are my favorite hobby, boxing games still doesn't rank high on my list. To this day there are only a few boxing games I've played and I've considered them the best boxing titles ever created. One is Mike Tyson's Punch-out!! (or just Punch-Out!!) on the NES and the other is the sequel, Super Punch-Out!!

Those of you looking for a bonafide boxing game may be disappointed at first with Super Punch-Out!! This game is not a boxing sim. Super Punch-Out!! plays very much like an arcade game (one boxer fights with a cane, one boxer will try to kick you and one boxer will even try to spit in your eyes). Despite the arcade-style gameplay of Super Punch-Out!!, it still manages to be a fantastic game. Playing as a single boxer, you progress through four circuits (Minor, Major, World, and Special, each consisting of four boxers) to face off against Nick Bruiser, a boxer with a flawless boxing record. In order to reach the Special circuit, you must have a perfect boxing record. While this may seem impossible it's not. After each circuit, the game automatically saves your progress. Smooth controls help you box your way to victory. You use the Y and B buttons to throw left and right punches and as you do damage to your foe, a meter at the bottom of the screen charges up and once full, you can execute some devastating super punches by pressing the A button. When you knock out an opponent, you can quickly press the buttons to recover any lost health. Once you finish the Minor circuit, you'll unlock the Time Attack mode, which lets you face any boxers you've already defeated to improve your fastest times.

Anyone who has played either of the NES versions of Punch-Out!! will be overjoyed to see that Bald Bull, Super Macho Man, and the dreaded Mr. Sandman are here along with a host of new boxers. Each boxer has their own fighting style that you'll have to figure out in order to exploit their weakness. The game starts out easy but gradually gets harder. Even expert gamers will give their thumbs a good work out trying to pound Mr. Sandman. Despite the increasing difficulty, the game is still very fun to play.

From an audio perspective, the game has some pretty good tunes. I couldn't help but love the game's selection of music. Unlike the NES games, each circuit has a different tune that plays throughout the boxing match (the NES games had one repetitive tune that played EVERY single boxing match). Certainly better than what the NES games had to offer.

On the graphics side, Super Punch-Out!! has a very cartoony look that adds to the enjoyment of the game. Mr. Sandman and Bald Bull look better than ever.

Super Punch-Out!! is a wonderful game that should be in an gamer's collection. While challenging, the game still remains fun. It's a game that forces you to improve your skills. Nintendo made another fabulous game. A SNES must-have

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/05/01, Updated 06/05/01