Little Mac may not be as well known as Mario, Link or Donkey Kong in the Nintendo universe, but most people who remember the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) likely recall throwing a few punches in a virtual boxing ring as him in Mike Tyson's Punch-Out.
That was over 20 years ago. And while there were further Punch-Out games that followed, the last time Little Mac put on a pair of boxing gloves was in 1994. The Wii has been out for almost three years, but its motion-sensitive gameplay seemed like the perfect complement to what a Punch-Out game could be.
Beyond Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson may not be what he once was, but what has been assembled in this game is nothing short of nostalgic brilliance. Little Mac is as prominent as ever with Doc Louis in his corner as trainer and mentor. Throw in tough old rivals like King Hippo and Super Macho Man and Little Mac has his work cut out for him.
The 3D graphics, which is a first for this franchise, are augmented by the Wii remote (aka the Wiimote) and the Wii Balance Board. But the game is equally exciting, and possibly less frustrating, when you use the Wii remote as a regular controller (though the Classic controller isn't supported for some reason).
Generally, the gameplay here has a little button-mashing but there's a whole guessing game to how this all works that makes it so compelling. Rather than pressing buttons feverishly, winning bouts has more to do with good placement and timing. There are 13 different fighters to go through, but you technically have to fight them twice because each one wants a title shot right after you become the champ.
Every fight has its own flair and character, even when going up against the same boxer. And the tension in some of these battles is as good as anything you'll find in a video game. A couple of well-placed punches can change the momentum of a match.
There's an Exhibition mode that is more like practice than anything else. A hologram of your latest competitor gives you the chance to test out some moves and strategies without having to blemish yourself or your record. You can also practice against boxers you've already beaten, but they give you challenges that you have to complete, which adds a nice element to make you better at the game.
Multi-Player Letdown
The big letdown, though, is in the multiplayer offline. It would've been better if you could just choose any of the fighters that you defeated in the Career mode. Instead, two Little Macs throw punches at each other until one of them hulks up into Giga Mac and his monster gloves. It's nice to try it once or twice, but it gets old fast.
Writing anymore about it still wouldn't do this game justice. It's easily one of the best games on the Nintendo Wii right now. And now that Little Mac is back in a big way, expect him to stick around a lot sooner than another 15 years.