I don't have any concrete information about it yet, like a release date or anything, but it looks like Nintendo is pulling another classic game from the vault and bringing it back on the Wii.
The Wii re-imagining of the NES classic Punch-Out!! will come with a new two-player mode and see the return of more well-known old-school boxers, according to information released by Nintendo of Europe.
According to a press release from the publisher's web site, which has since been pulled, Punch-Out!! for the Wii supports "1-2 players."
Nintendo's release describes that mode like so: "Punch-Out!! includes a multiplayer mode that lets you and a friend slug it out to the bitter end. As in the single player mode, you'll want to land punches at the right moment to build up Star Punch points that translate into almighty haymakers! Landing and dodging blows in Head-to-Head mode also builds up a Giga Mac gauge. Once full, your fighter is ready to inflict some serious damage."
While we knew that Bronx-born boxer Little Mac and his trainer Doc Louis will go up against Punch-Out!! vets Glass Joe, King Hippo, and Von Kaiser, Nintendo confirms that Spanish boxer Don Flamenco will also return. The roster totals 13, according to the company, meaning there are nine more fighters still to be officially revealed. That includes the unnamed boxer who appears on the Wii game's box art.
Nintendo hit us with an update on a handful of Wii and Nintendo DS games today, including fresh details on the Wii version of Punch-Out!!. Perhaps most exciting is unwavering confirmation of "classic" NES-style controls.
Sure, the company has to eat its own dog food and legions of Wii owners are clearly comfortable boxing with a Nunchuk and Wii Remote. But that didn't stop us from nervously anticipating the new Punch-Out!!, which we understood to be motion control-only based on comments from Nintendo.
According to Nintendo of America's press site, the alternate control scheme has the same button layout as the NES controller, using the D-pad to dodge, with the 1 and 2 buttons used to throw punches. Big deal? Maybe we're just excited for the upcoming blister possibilities. So much better than perspiring while gaming.
Nintendo didn't reveal much more beyond that, merely reconfirming the appearances of boxers Little Mac, Glass Joe, King Hippo, Doc Louis, and Von Kaiser, plus "other unannounced favorites."
The game hits in May, so we'll probably know soon enough who those might be. I'm pulling for Soda Popinski and a handful of more modern stereotypes!
Punch-Out! hits May 18 and is an update of the class NES title.
I'm actually very disappointed because the press release notes that there are only 13 boxers. Seriously, they should put EVERY guy from every other PunchOut game (minus the Bruiser Brothers & "Mr. Dream"), add a couple new guys, a new boss and I'd be more than happy. 13 is not enough.
Basically my only worry was that it would be like Wii Boxing (which I have come to hate actually) So I am sooooo very happy they put in the option to unplug the nunchuck and you can use the classic controls! Because of that, this is next on my list to get.
This was truely a classic for the Wii, i am so glad nintendo decided to dust it off and make it. I also heard they made a special disc for their most devoted fans where Little Mac faces off against Doc Louis, i totally need to get a copy of that!
