I’ve just recently started playing the NES Punch-Out!! on Virtual Console, and two things came to my attention quickly. The first is how simple it really is: it’s one of those games that can be played with almost zero instruction, and takes time and effort to master. It’s a perfect blend of simple and challenging, and beating each new fighter feels rewarding, especially after a quick TKO.
The second is the opening screen. Not the logo, what comes before it. There’s a simple ringing of the bell on a black screen. Understated and simple, but it’s a wonderful touch. Rather than surrounding the player and the moment with the flashing lights of the cameras in the crowd, it’s the simple bell. It’s the sound all boxers want to hear, either from the beginning of a fight when they can pound the opponent’s face in, or raise the arms in victory after a win. Either way, the bell is more important than any other ringside element, and it accentuates the contest more than the show.
Punch-Out!! is a great example of keeping something so exciting so simplified, where it’s an upper cut or a dodge that keeps the underdog moving up the ranks to become Champion. Even if that means plowing through 1980’s stereotypes as the token 1980’s New Yorker kid.
A New High Score 