Nintendohas consistently brought its A-game with its first-party lineup on the Nintendo Switch. Many of the most iconicNintendofranchises have had some of their best and most popular entries on the Switch and have contributed to the platform becoming a cultural phenomenon. The Switch has also been a playground for Nintendo to revive some long-dormant franchises, including even obscure games likeEndless OceanandFamicom Detective Club.
Naturally, though,not every Nintendo franchise has seen a revivalon the Switch. No matter how much demand there is, some games simply exist as a product of the time and environment they are released in, and can’t hold as much water in the modern gaming climate. One such example comes in the form ofPunch-Out!!, a franchise whose latest development may be disappointing for longtime fans of the series.
Nintendo May Not Bring Punch-Out!! Back Anytime Soon
Punch-Out!! Is A Cult Classic In Nintendo’s Library
Originally released as an arcade game in 1984,Punch-Out!!became a big hitprior to Nintendo’s jump into the home console market. This boxing game eventually saw its way to the NES and Super NES and became very successful, but the franchise fell into dormancy and “cult” status for years after. It eventually got a reboot on the Wii in 2009 that proved successful in capturing the old-school charm of the classic entries.
Sadly, the franchise never got a new mainline title after that, and it doesn’t appear that will change anytime soon. Gaming industry insider Imran Khan recently revealed thatNintendo is unlikely to revisit the franchiseanytime soon. He cited that the Wii reboot proved controversial because of the characters leaning into stereotypes, while also noting that other Nintendo franchises came with greater sales potential than thePunch-Out!!IP.
Sales And Stereotypes Sink Punch-Out!! Significantly
As unfortunate as this news is, it’s probably for the best thatPunch-Out!!stays on the sidelines, as there isn’t really much the publisher can do with the series.Punch-Out!!has always rested on its old-school appeal and charm, and it would probably be challenging for Nintendo to bring the franchise back without it feeling like a relic from the past. As far as Nintendo’s boxing-related franchises, 2017’sARMSis a more developed titlethat appears more ripe for a proper sequel.
Furthermore, as Khan noted, it would be hard to put out a newPunch-Out!!game given that its cast of characters centered so heavily around stereotypes. Khan pointed out that even with assurance from the development team that the Wii title wouldn’t be controversial, the backlash surrounding these stereotype-heavy characters was greater than expected. This isn’t to say that Nintendo can’t do aPunch-Out!!game without relying on stereotypes, but rather, the publisher may be stuck in a rock and a hard place in terms of how faithful they can be to past titles.
Punch-Out!!has always rested on its old-school appeal and charm, and it would probably be challenging for Nintendo to bring the franchise back without it feeling like a relic from the past.
Punch-Out!! Developer Has Moved Onto Other Games
It’s worth pointing out that the Wii’sPunch-Out!!title was also developed by Next Level Games, a team that has simply moved on to other franchises that have proven more successful. Next Level is now theprimary developer of theLuigi’s Mansionseries, and 2019’sLuigi’s Mansion 3was the highest-selling title in the franchise with over 14 million copies sold. From a business perspective, it makes sense for Nintendo to have the team focus on that franchise instead of reviving a niche title that may not perform nearly as well.
It’s unfortunate thatPunch-Out!!seems to be gone for the time being, and fans may only hear of it because of Little Mac’s appearancesin theSuper Smash Bros.series. Still, it’s understandable why Nintendo would back off of it for the time being and focus its attention on other franchises. Besides, Nintendo has a lot to choose from on the Switch at the moment, and the publisher is sure to still have a packed lineup once the next platform is ready to go.
WHERE TO PLAY
Get ready for some head-to-head punching action!Little Mac is back and ready to step into the ring once more! Our favorite underdog from the 1980s joins the best of the original Punch-Out!! fighters, including Glass Joe, King Hippo, Von Kaiser, and more. These boxers come to life in cel-shaded 2-D, complete with hilarious fighting animations and backstories that capture all the fun and flair of the original Punch-Out!! games.Hook, jab, swing, then flawlessly execute a Star Punch to take down your opponent. Train with Doc to prepare for the next match, then get back into the ring to face your next challenger. Some defeated opponents may return for a rematch, but come out victorious and you’ll be one step closer to winning the Championship Belt!The following controllers are required to play this game: Wii Remote.
