Of all the terrifying characters I have met in the gaming world: Pyramid Head, the Cyberdaemon, Big Daddies or these guys, one villain in particular stands out. One who frightens me in a way that no other can...
Soda Popinski.
Besides having the laugh of a homicidal manic: he's big, ugly as hell, freakishly proportioned, and has a questionable addiction to "soda" (yeah, um...more like PCP.) The real secret to Soda Popinski's reign of terror though, is his speed. He is fast. Fast and strong. Like many of the later characters in the original Punch Out, he will take advantage of even the smallest mistake in your game and pummel you to quivering pulp in a matter of seconds. The ability that the Punch Out's baddies have - to instantly turn a fight in their favor - always kept me in a state of total panic. As far as I am concerned, a large part of what made the original Punch Out so amazing was it's power to strike deep and intense fear into even the coldest, most un-shakable gamer. The villains of Punch Out got into your head, and once they were there, they were there for good.
Of course, I absolutely loved both the OG Punch Out and its Super Nintendo sequel, Super Punch Out. Even though they both scared and frustrated the hell out of me, they were fantastic games boasting imaginative characters and absolutely addictive gameplay. Naturally, I was incredibly excited when I first heard that Nintendo would be bringing back their beloved franchise, but when the news hit they would be farming the development to the barely known Next Level Studios, I got a bit nervous. Would they be able to capture the character? The heart? The FEAR? Well, the wait is finally over and I have been able to spend some quality time with the latest installment in Nintendo's classic series.
Does Punch Out!! Wii live up to the hype? See the full review after the break!!!
Right off the bat, it's obvious that that Next Level is aims to hold true to the Punch Out legacy and pump the nostalgia factor as far as it can possibly go. Innovation and new ideas were not high on the developer’s priority list, but that’s not really what I was expecting, or hoping for, to be quite honest. This game makes no qualms about its fan-service: nearly every character in Punch Out!! Wii's roster has appeared previously in the series and they all look, act and fight just the way you hoped they would. Hearing Doc Louis giving Little Mac inspirational pep-talks between matches for the first time is a load of fun, especially since his voice sounds exactly the way you imagined it would back in the day. All the classic tunes are there as well, only this time, with the added punch of live horns and shredding guitars. The controls feel just the way you would expect, left and right dodging, high and low punches, the heart meter, the star punches, it's all there and it all feels great.
It isn't until you reach the final third of the game that the true essence of Punch Out!! Wii comes to life. That’s when things start to feel less like nostalgia and more like reliving a nightmare from your past. I mean that in the best possible way, of course. When the fights start to get really scary, you know that Next Level has done their job. You’ve got your Soda Popinski, just as blood-hungry and bat-shit-insane as ever before, you’ve got Bald Bull with easily one of the most intimidating special moves in gaming history and of course, Super Macho Man, who brings not only the fear of an instant knock-out but also the unease of a potential sexual assault on our Little Mac. When you finally meet Mr. Sandman at the "end" of the game, he is so massive, so quick and so powerful that the hardest part of the fight is getting past the intimidation factor. He will literally syke you out with an occasional "boo" between hammering your head into your shoulders with overhead punches. My friends, the fear you remember is there, maybe more so now than ever.
I imagine working on a game series that people love and treasure as much as Punch Out is a lot like that fight with Mr. Sandman: intimidating and overwhelming. Despite the odds, the little game company that could, Next Level, has really won me over with their heartfelt sequel to the most racially and culturally stereotyping videogame of all time. Much the way that the Little Mac always gets his win, no matter how huge the goon you throw against him.
Soda Popinski.
Besides having the laugh of a homicidal manic: he's big, ugly as hell, freakishly proportioned, and has a questionable addiction to "soda" (yeah, um...more like PCP.) The real secret to Soda Popinski's reign of terror though, is his speed. He is fast. Fast and strong. Like many of the later characters in the original Punch Out, he will take advantage of even the smallest mistake in your game and pummel you to quivering pulp in a matter of seconds. The ability that the Punch Out's baddies have - to instantly turn a fight in their favor - always kept me in a state of total panic. As far as I am concerned, a large part of what made the original Punch Out so amazing was it's power to strike deep and intense fear into even the coldest, most un-shakable gamer. The villains of Punch Out got into your head, and once they were there, they were there for good.
Of course, I absolutely loved both the OG Punch Out and its Super Nintendo sequel, Super Punch Out. Even though they both scared and frustrated the hell out of me, they were fantastic games boasting imaginative characters and absolutely addictive gameplay. Naturally, I was incredibly excited when I first heard that Nintendo would be bringing back their beloved franchise, but when the news hit they would be farming the development to the barely known Next Level Studios, I got a bit nervous. Would they be able to capture the character? The heart? The FEAR? Well, the wait is finally over and I have been able to spend some quality time with the latest installment in Nintendo's classic series.
Does Punch Out!! Wii live up to the hype? See the full review after the break!!!
Right off the bat, it's obvious that that Next Level is aims to hold true to the Punch Out legacy and pump the nostalgia factor as far as it can possibly go. Innovation and new ideas were not high on the developer’s priority list, but that’s not really what I was expecting, or hoping for, to be quite honest. This game makes no qualms about its fan-service: nearly every character in Punch Out!! Wii's roster has appeared previously in the series and they all look, act and fight just the way you hoped they would. Hearing Doc Louis giving Little Mac inspirational pep-talks between matches for the first time is a load of fun, especially since his voice sounds exactly the way you imagined it would back in the day. All the classic tunes are there as well, only this time, with the added punch of live horns and shredding guitars. The controls feel just the way you would expect, left and right dodging, high and low punches, the heart meter, the star punches, it's all there and it all feels great.
It isn't until you reach the final third of the game that the true essence of Punch Out!! Wii comes to life. That’s when things start to feel less like nostalgia and more like reliving a nightmare from your past. I mean that in the best possible way, of course. When the fights start to get really scary, you know that Next Level has done their job. You’ve got your Soda Popinski, just as blood-hungry and bat-shit-insane as ever before, you’ve got Bald Bull with easily one of the most intimidating special moves in gaming history and of course, Super Macho Man, who brings not only the fear of an instant knock-out but also the unease of a potential sexual assault on our Little Mac. When you finally meet Mr. Sandman at the "end" of the game, he is so massive, so quick and so powerful that the hardest part of the fight is getting past the intimidation factor. He will literally syke you out with an occasional "boo" between hammering your head into your shoulders with overhead punches. My friends, the fear you remember is there, maybe more so now than ever.
I imagine working on a game series that people love and treasure as much as Punch Out is a lot like that fight with Mr. Sandman: intimidating and overwhelming. Despite the odds, the little game company that could, Next Level, has really won me over with their heartfelt sequel to the most racially and culturally stereotyping videogame of all time. Much the way that the Little Mac always gets his win, no matter how huge the goon you throw against him.
No comments:
Post a Comment