Editing Punch-Out!! (1984 video game)

{{short description|1984 video game}}
{{about|the 1984 arcade game|other uses|Punch-Out (disambiguation)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Punch-Out!!
| image = Punchout arcadeflyer.png
| caption = North American arcade flyer
| developer = [[Nintendo R&D3]]
| publisher = [[Nintendo]]
| producer = [[Genyo Takeda]]
| designer = Genyo Takeda
| artist = [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]
| composer = [[Koji Kondo]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo Interview: Koji Kondo|url=http://archive.videogamesdaily.com/features/koji_kondo_iv_p1.asp|publisher=Kikizo|accessdate=7 October 2014|archive-date=7 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007211957/http://archive.videogamesdaily.com/features/koji_kondo_iv_p1.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>
| platforms = [[Arcade video game|Arcade]]
| released = {{vgrelease|JP|February 17, 1984<ref name="Copyright"/><ref name="Akagi"/>|NA|March 1984<ref name="Akagi"/>|EU|July 1984<ref name="cvg"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=thumbs&db=videodb&id=2972|title=The Arcade Flyer Archive – Video Game Flyers: Punch-Out!! (Spain)|author=Daniel Hower, Eric Jacobson|website=The Arcade Flyer Archive|access-date=2014-10-06|archive-date=2019-03-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325031938/https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=thumbs&db=videodb&id=2972|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| genre = {{cslist|[[Sports game|Sports]]|[[Fighting game|fighting]]}}
| modes = [[Single-player]]
| series = ''[[Punch-Out!!]]''
}}

{{nihongo foot|'''''Punch-Out!!'''''|パンチアウト!!|Panchi-Auto!!|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 1984 [[boxing]] [[video game]] developed and published by [[Nintendo]] for [[Arcade video game|arcades]]. It is the first installment of the ''[[Punch-Out!!]]'' series.

The arcade game introduced recurring characters such as [[Glass Joe]], [[Bald Bull]] and [[Punch-Out!! (series)#Mr. Sandman|Mr. Sandman]]. It was also the debut project at Nintendo for composer [[Koji Kondo]], better known for his later contributions to the ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' series.

The original arcade game was a global commercial success, becoming the top-performing [[1984 in video games|arcade game of 1984]] in the United States. It produced an arcade sequel known as ''[[Super Punch-Out!! (arcade game)|Super Punch-Out!!]]'', a spinoff of the series titled ''[[Arm Wrestling (video game)|Arm Wrestling]]'', a highly popular version for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] originally known as ''[[Punch-Out!! (1987 video game)|Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!]]'', and ''[[Super Punch-Out!!]]'' for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]].

== Gameplay ==
{{See also|List of Punch-Out!! characters}}
[[File:Punch out (arcade).png|upright|left|thumb|The first match against [[Glass Joe]]]]

In the game, the player takes the role of a green-haired unnamed boxer (sometimes claimed to be [[Little Mac]] from the NES versions<ref name=Miiverse>[https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAAADVHkNotf5VQ One of the Origin/Game Settings Tips about Little Mac's origin and All-Star Mode for ''Super Smash bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U'' implies that Little Mac actually debuted in the 1984 ''Punch-Out!!'' arcade game, yet the trophy from the game says he debuted in the NES game]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>), known by three initials the player chooses when the game begins. During matches, the player's boxer is viewed from behind and above as a [[Wire-frame model|wireframe]] so the opponent can be seen. The player must time his punches, dodges and blocks in order to defeat the opposing boxer. Opponents' impending offensive moves are telegraphed by subtle eye changes (the whites of the eyes flash yellow), but the player must ultimately predict what moves the opponent will make and react appropriately.

Once the player defeats the last opponent, the opponents repeat with increased difficulty. The player has one 3-minute round to score a knockout and will automatically lose if time runs out. A fighter who is knocked down three times in one round will be unable to rise, leading to a knockout. In the event the player loses, the computer-controlled victor will taunt the player and the corner man for the player will try to entice the player to play again ("Come on, Get up and fight!") via the game's distinctive [[Speech synthesis|digitized speech]]. Players are only allowed one continue per play through. Like many games made during the [[Golden Age of Arcade Games]], there is no actual ending and the game continuously loops until the player loses.

The game is a modified upright, and was unusual in that it requires two video monitors, one atop the other, for the game's display. The top monitor is used to display statistics and fighter portraits, while the bottom one is the main game display (similar to Nintendo's Multi-Screen [[Game & Watch]] titles and the [[Nintendo DS]]) with the gameplay and [[Health (gaming)|power meters]]  (representing stamina) for each fighter.<ref name="cvg" /> Apart from this, the game is more or less a standard upright. The game has a [[joystick]] and three buttons. Two buttons control left and right punches, one for each arm (denoted by "Left!", or "Right!" when hitting the head, or "body blow!" when hitting the body with either arm). The third, larger button allows the player to deliver a powerful [[uppercut]] or right hook, but only when the "KO" meter a meter on the top of the bottom display is completely full. The meter increases when the player successfully lands a punch, decreases when the opponent lands one, and drops to zero when the player is knocked down. Once the meter is full, the corner man's digitized speech encourages the player to either "Put him away!" or "Knock him out!" The joystick can be used to raise/lower the player's guard and dodge left or right.

== Development and release ==
[[File:Auron from Final Fantasy X playing Punch-Out.jpg|upright|thumb|An arcade patron playing the arcade version of ''Punch-Out!!'' at [[Barcade]] in Brooklyn, New York]]

The game was developed in 1983<ref name="Copyright">{{cite web |title=Punchout (Registration Number PA0000204664) |url=https://cocatalog.loc.gov/ |website=[[United States Copyright Office]] |access-date=6 May 2021 |archive-date=31 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531152425/https://cocatalog.loc.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ボクシングゲームの名作，「パンチアウト!!」がWiiでカムバック！">[http://www.4gamer.net/games/095/G009525/20090715007/ ボクシングゲームの名作，「パンチアウト!!」がWiiでカムバック！] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404143109/http://www.4gamer.net/games/095/G009525/20090715007/ |date=2019-04-04 }}. 4gamer.net. 2009-07-15. 2015-02-14.</ref><ref name="CVG-111">{{cite magazine |title=Success Joe |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=16 January 1991 |issue=111 (February 1991) |page=94 |url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-111/page/n93}}</ref> and released in February 1984.<ref name="Copyright"/><ref name="Akagi">{{cite book |last1=Akagi |first1=Masumi |title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) |trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005) |date=October 13, 2006 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |language=ja |location=Japan |isbn=978-4990251215 |pages=57, 128 |url=https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n58}}</ref> [[Genyo Takeda]] from the Integrated Research & Development Division was the lead developer, and [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] designed the characters. It was released in the first quarter of 1984, when [[Nintendo]] was making several coin-operated arcade machines. Nintendo had an excessive number of video monitors after the success of the [[Donkey Kong (series)|''Donkey Kong'' series]], basing the purchases on the estimate for the demand for arcade games. They were offered a proposition to make an arcade game that used two monitors. They chose to make a boxing game, which utilized the ability to zoom in and out of an object. This was a feature more commonly found in games that involve flying such as flight simulators, but the developers chose boxing because they thought it would be a different way to use it.<ref name="iwataasks1">{{cite web|date=2009-08-07|title=Iwata Asks: Punch-Out!! - The Proposition is to Use Two Televisions|url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/punchout/0/0|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111064027/http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/punchout/vol1_page1.jsp|archive-date=January 11, 2010|accessdate=2009-08-07|publisher=[[Nintendo]]}}</ref>

Miyamoto and Takeda discussed an earlier arcade game created by Takeda: ''EVR RACE'', a horse racing game from 1975, which used a video tape. It was a mechanical game, and was hard to maintain after it was released and had many breakdowns. While they were developing ''Punch-Out!!'', laserdisc-based games were considered to be the next major advancement in the arcade industry. However, the maintenance requirement would be very large if they released laserdisc-based games worldwide. Despite this, domestic sales people wanted something like laserdisc, so they tried to find if it could be done with semiconductors. Miyamoto explained that that's why they were interested in microchips that could perform zooming and show pictures at a similar size as a laserdisc. However, he called it a "rascal of a project", explaining that when he made ''[[Donkey Kong (arcade game)|Donkey Kong]]'', he had to animate each rolling barrel pixel by pixel. When he asked if they could use processing on the hardware side to rotate the image, they said "it's not impossible", changing from "it can't be done."<ref name="iwataasks1" />

He stated that a lot of new things were being created, but most of it was still under development. They told Miyamoto that they could zoom in or rotate the image, but not both at once. They were planning on using the new microchips as well as the two monitors, considering lining them up side by side and making a big racing game, but it was not powerful enough to accomplish this, only able to expand one of the images. Takeda stated that if they could only expand one image, it could be a person. This eventually allowed it to become a boxing game, with one opponent, deciding that one monitor was good enough for a boxing game. They were stuck at that point, but thought that a boxing arena has big lights and banners hanging from the ceiling with things like "World Heavyweight Title Match" written on them. The game would also feature several meters, so they thought it would be more fun to have two screens instead of one.<ref name="iwataasks1" />

[[Mario]], [[Luigi]], [[Donkey Kong (character)|Donkey Kong]] and [[Donkey Kong Jr. (character)|Donkey Kong Jr.]] all appear in the audience. The game's title music, also heard in the arcade version of ''Super Punch-Out!!'' and the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] version of ''Punch-Out!!'', is actually the "Gillette Look Sharp March". This jingle, originally heard in [[Global Gillette|Gillette]] radio and television commercials in the 1950s, was later used as the theme song to the ''[[Gillette Cavalcade of Sports]]'', which aired boxing matches.

== Reception ==
The arcade game was a hit in all regions for Nintendo.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Beyond Donkey Kong: A History of Nintendo Arcade Games |date=30 July 2020 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-1-4766-4176-8 |page=144 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UXD0DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA144 |access-date=12 April 2021 |archive-date=17 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240817160736/https://books.google.com/books?id=UXD0DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA144#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Punch-Out!!'' on their April 15, 1984 issue as being the second top-grossing upright/cockpit [[arcade cabinet]] of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=234|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=15 April 1984|page=29|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19840415p.pdf#page=15}}</ref>

In North America, ''Punch-Out'' took the arcade market by storm according to ''[[Play Meter]]'' magazine in 1984, capitalizing on the success of [[sports video games]] following ''[[Track & Field (video game)|Track & Field]]'' (1983).<ref name="Sharpe">{{cite magazine |last=Sharpe |first=Roger C. |title=1984—Every Which Way But Up |magazine=[[Play Meter]] |date=December 1984 |volume=10 |issue=23 |pages=39, 49–51 |url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-10-number-23-december-15th-1984/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2010%2C%20Number%2023%20-%20December%2015th%201984/page/39}}</ref> It was one of the more successful arcade games during the post-[[Golden age of arcade video games|boom]] period of the mid-1980s.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Replay Years: Video Systems |magazine=RePlay |date=November 1985 |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=128, 130 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-2-november-1985-600DPI/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%202%20-%20November%201985/page/128}}</ref> ''Punch-Out'' topped the US arcade charts during 1984, including the ''RePlay'' charts in July (upright cabinets)<ref>{{cite magazine |title=RePlay: The Players' Choice |magazine=RePlay |date=July 1984}}</ref> and December,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Hit Games & High Scores: Arcade Games |magazine=Computer Games |date=December 1984 |volume=3 |issue=4 |publisher=Carnegie Publications |location=United States |page=12 |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Games_Vol_3_No_4_1984-12_Carnegie_Publications_US/page/n11}}</ref> and the ''[[Play Meter]]'' charts for dedicated arcade cabinets from August 1<ref name="August">{{cite magazine |title=National Play Meter |magazine=[[Play Meter]] |date=August 15, 1984 |volume=10 |issue=15 |pages=20–21 |url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-10-number-15-august-15th-1984/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2010%2C%20Number%2015%20-%20August%2015th%201984/page/20}}</ref> through November 15.<ref name="November">{{cite magazine |title=National Play Meter |magazine=[[Play Meter]] |date=15 November 1984 |volume=10 |issue=21 |pages=28–29 |url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-10-number-21-november-15th-1984-600DPI/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2010%2C%20Number%2021%20-%20November%2015th%201984%20%28Compressed%29/page/28}}</ref> ''Punch-Out'' went on to become the top-performing [[1984 in video games|arcade game of 1984]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Top 20 Performing Video Games of 1984 |magazine=[[Play Meter]] |date=1 November 1984 |volume=10 |issue=20 |page=47 |url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-10-number-20-november-1st-1984/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2010%2C%20Number%2020%20-%20November%201st%201984/page/47}}</ref>

The arcade game was reviewed in the August 1984 issue of ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'', published in July 1984. The magazine gave the game a positive review, describing it as a "knock-out" and a "fabulous boxing game". The review also praised the [[Video game graphics|graphics]] as being "great" and "cartoon-style" and concluded that it is "a very addictive game which is great fun to play."<ref name="cvg">{{cite magazine |title=Glass Joe Boxes Clever! Punch-Out!! |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=16 July 1984 |issue=34 (August 1984) |publisher=[[EMAP]] |location=United Kingdom |page=47 |url=https://www.solvalou.com/arcade/reviews/190/544}}</ref>

''Punch-Out!!'' was later marked in the ''[[Killer List of Videogames]]'' Top 100, as one of their top 100 [[List of video games considered the best|best games of all time]]. They also listed it as the [[List of Game of the Year awards|Game of the Year]] for the year 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arcade-museum.com/TOP100.php|title=The Top Coin-Operated Videogames of All Time – The International Arcade Museum|website=www.arcade-museum.com|access-date=2015-01-02|archive-date=2013-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401225547/http://www.arcade-museum.com/TOP100.php|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1995, ''[[Flux (magazine)|Flux]]'' magazine rated Punch-Out!! 21st in its "Top 100 Video Games."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=April 1995 |title=Top 100 Video Games |url=https://archive.org/details/flux-issue-4/page/n25/mode/2up |journal=Flux |publisher=Harris Publications |issue=4 |pages=27}}</ref> In 1996, ''[[GamesMaster (magazine)|GamesMaster]]'' ranked the game 83rd on their "Top 100 Games of All Time."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=July 1996 |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf |journal=GamesMaster |issue=44 |pages=75 |access-date=2022-07-05 |archive-date=2021-12-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211211224737/https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Legacy ==
In ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', series protagonist [[Little Mac]] appears as a playable fighter. The character features a set of wireframe alternate costumes based on his appearance from the original arcade games. Little Mac also features a special mechanic based on the KO gauge from the arcade titles, which, once full, can usually let him instantly KO an opponent with a powerful uppercut.

=== Re-releases, sequels, and spin-offs ===
During the same year, an arcade sequel to ''Punch-Out!!'' titled ''[[Super Punch-Out!! (arcade game)|Super Punch-Out!!]]'' was developed and released by Nintendo, which has fewer, but tougher boxers to fight against.

In [[1985 in video gaming|1985]], a spin-off called ''[[Arm Wrestling (video game)|Arm Wrestling]]'' was developed and released in the arcades only in North America by the same company, which is based on [[arm wrestling|real arm wrestling]].

In [[1987 in video gaming|1987]], the growing popularity of the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (NES) caused the development and release of ''[[Punch-Out!! (1987 video game)|Punch-Out!!]]'' for the console to happen. Several elements, such as opponents and their names, were changed for this version. In particular, professional boxer [[Mike Tyson]] was added as the game's [[Boss (video games)|final boss]]. In 1990, when the contract licensing the use of Tyson's name in the console version expired, Nintendo replaced Tyson with an original character named [[Mr. Dream (Punch-Out!!)|Mr. Dream]], re-releasing it as ''Punch-Out!!'' (or ''Punch-Out!! featuring Mr. Dream''). Like ''Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!'', ''Punch-Out!! featuring Mr. Dream'' bore no further resemblance to the arcade version.

During its release, the [[Game & Watch]] game called ''Boxing'' was re-released as ''Punch-Out!!'', which used the front box art of the Mr. Dream version as its package art. Sometimes it was released with different cover art.

A [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] sequel, ''[[Super Punch-Out!!]]'' was released in 1994. It was far more faithful to the arcade stand-up gameplay; however, it was not a direct port either.

A [[Wii]] title, ''[[Punch-Out!! (2009 video game)|Punch-Out!!]]'' was released in 2009. It is a reboot of the ''Punch-Out!!'' series, that brought back many characters from the previous games, as well as introducing Disco Kid and [[Donkey Kong (character)|Donkey Kong]] as opponents.

The game was released on March 30, 2018 on the [[Nintendo Switch]] by [[Hamster Corporation]] as part of their [[Arcade Archives]] series under license from Nintendo.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kohler|first=Chris|date=September 13, 2017|title=Nintendo Will Release Its Classic Arcade Games On Switch|url=https://kotaku.com/nintendo-will-release-its-classic-arcade-games-on-switc-1808933486|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Kotaku|language=en-us|archive-date=2020-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910023600/https://kotaku.com/nintendo-will-release-its-classic-arcade-games-on-switc-1808933486|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{KLOV game|id=9155|name=Punch-Out!!}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130114224834/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/punchout/punchout.htm Hardcore Gaming 101 Article on the Punch-Out!!! series]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100619122959/http://nindb.net/game/punch-out.html ''Punch-Out!!''] at [http://www.nindb.net/ NinDB]
* {{MobyGames|/64010/punch-out/}}

{{Punch-Out series}}

[[Category:1984 video games]]
[[Category:Arcade Archives games]]
[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:Boxing video games]]
[[Category:Hamster Corporation games]]
[[Category:Nintendo arcade games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Research & Development 1 games]]
[[Category:Punch-Out!!]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Koji Kondo]]