Editing Punch-Out!! (universe)

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Several years later in October 1994, a Super Nintendo sequel was released in North America named ''Super Punch-Out!!'' (not to be confused with the second arcade game of the same name), but it would not see a Japanese release until March 1998, when it was released as part of the Nintendo Power flash RAM cartridge series, a Japan-only peripheral for the Super Famicom which allowed owners to download Super Famicom and Game Boy games onto a special flash memory cartridge for less than what the full cartridge would have cost. Its presentation bears a closer resemblance to the arcade originals than its NES forerunner in that the player can see through the protagonist (in a different and more realistically-sized incarnation with brownish-blonde hair) while fighting his opponent, but instead of a wireframe, the protagonist's body is transparent. The identity of the protagonist of this game is a subject of debate, as official sources conflict on whether the protagonist is Little Mac or not. The game received mostly positive reviews for its colorful and detailed graphics and its accessible gameplay controls, and was both praised and criticized for its differences and conceptual separation from its NES forerunner, which many say ultimately had a wider audience and appeal. The game's cast included many omissions and newcomers compared to the NES game's, with several "new" characters originating directly from the arcade games.
Several years later in October 1994, a Super Nintendo sequel was released in North America named ''Super Punch-Out!!'' (not to be confused with the second arcade game of the same name), but it would not see a Japanese release until March 1998, when it was released as part of the Nintendo Power flash RAM cartridge series, a Japan-only peripheral for the Super Famicom which allowed owners to download Super Famicom and Game Boy games onto a special flash memory cartridge for less than what the full cartridge would have cost. Its presentation bears a closer resemblance to the arcade originals than its NES forerunner in that the player can see through the protagonist (in a different and more realistically-sized incarnation with brownish-blonde hair) while fighting his opponent, but instead of a wireframe, the protagonist's body is transparent. The identity of the protagonist of this game is a subject of debate, as official sources conflict on whether the protagonist is Little Mac or not. The game received mostly positive reviews for its colorful and detailed graphics and its accessible gameplay controls, and was both praised and criticized for its differences and conceptual separation from its NES forerunner, which many say ultimately had a wider audience and appeal. The game's cast included many omissions and newcomers compared to the NES game's, with several "new" characters originating directly from the arcade games.


Despite this strong track record for Takeda's series, the ''Punch-Out!!'' franchise was retired after the SNES release, and entered a state of dormancy that lasted for well over a decade, besides the aforementioned re-releases of both the NES and SNES games on Virtual Console and the like. And despite being a fighting-oriented Nintendo IP, ''Punch-Out!!'' was never featured in a primary contributing role in the crossover Nintendo fighting game series ''[[Super Smash Bros. (universe)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' during any of its first three installments, at most receiving a minor cameo in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''. The series was referenced a few times in this hiatus, namely the SNES boxer appearing as a secret character in the [[GameCube]] release of ''{{iw|wikipedia|Fight Night Round 2}}'' and Little Mac appearing in {{uvm|Captain Rainbow}}, fittingly in a land full of forgotten Nintendo characters. The series was finally brought back into public attention with the mid-2009 release of a Wii reboot named ''Punch-Out!!'', developed by the then independent Canadian developer {{iw|mariowiki|Next Level Games}}. The development prioritized preserving the look and feel of the NES iteration in the cel-shaded design style of the returning boxers, including the reintroduction of the black-haired short-sized incarnation of Little Mac. The game provides the controller setup of holding the Wii Remote controller sideways to convey the simple layout of the NES controller, but also incorporates the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as an optional control method for throwing virtual punches, and the game is also compatible with the Wii Balance Board debuted and popularized by ''[[Wii Fit (universe)|Wii Fit]]'', in which it is usable as an optional means for players to duck and dodge. The game received many positive reviews for its high-quality throwback to the gameplay style of the NES title while incorporating substantial new modes (including the first two-player mode in a ''Punch-Out!!'' game) and emphasizing a hardcore gameplay slant, and it sold over a million copies. As a result of the series' successful reintroduction through the Wii title, the Wii ''Punch-Out!!'' version of Little Mac was included as [[Little Mac (SSB4)|a playable fighter]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. Despite the success of the reboot, however, a new ''Punch-Out!!'' game is nowhere in sight, with the series only receiving its primary ''Smash'' representation, cameos of Little Mac in other Nintendo games thanks to amiibo, and a minor nod in Next Level Games' ''Luigi's Mansion 3'' since the release of the Wii entry in 2009.
Despite this strong track record for Takeda's series, the ''Punch-Out!!'' franchise was retired after the SNES release, and entered a state of dormancy that lasted for well over a decade, besides the aforementioned re-releases of both the NES and SNES games on Virtual Console and the like. And despite being a fighting-oriented Nintendo IP, ''Punch-Out!!'' was never featured in a primary contributing role in the crossover Nintendo fighting game series ''[[Super Smash Bros. (universe)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' during any of its first three installments, at most receiving a minor cameo in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''. The series was referenced a few times in this hiatus, namely the SNES boxer appearing as a secret character in the [[GameCube]] release of ''{{iw|wikipedia|Fight Night Round 2}}'' and Little Mac appearing in {{uvm|Captain Rainbow}}, fittingly in a land full of forgotten Nintendo characters. The series was finally brought back into public attention with the mid-2009 release of a Wii reboot named ''Punch-Out!!'', developed by the Canadian independent developer {{iw|mariowiki|Next Level Games}}. The development prioritized preserving the look and feel of the NES iteration in the cel-shaded design style of the returning boxers, including the reintroduction of the black-haired short-sized incarnation of Little Mac. The game provides the controller setup of holding the Wii Remote controller sideways to convey the simple layout of the NES controller, but also incorporates the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as an optional control method for throwing virtual punches, and the game is also compatible with the Wii Balance Board debuted and popularized by ''[[Wii Fit (universe)|Wii Fit]]'', in which it is usable as an optional means for players to duck and dodge. The game received many positive reviews for its high-quality throwback to the gameplay style of the NES title while incorporating substantial new modes (including the first two-player mode in a ''Punch-Out!!'' game) and emphasizing a hardcore gameplay slant, and it sold over a million copies. As a result of the series' successful reintroduction through the Wii title, the Wii ''Punch-Out!!'' version of Little Mac was included as [[Little Mac (SSB4)|a playable fighter]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. Despite the success of the reboot, however, a new ''Punch-Out!!'' game is nowhere in sight, with the series only receiving its primary ''Smash'' representation, cameos of Little Mac in other Nintendo games thanks to amiibo, and a minor nod in Next Level Games' ''Luigi's Mansion 3'' since the release of the Wii entry in 2009.


Unlike many boxing video games, which include competitive multiplayer modes and usually play like traditional one-on-one fighting games, each game in the ''Punch-Out!!'' series is a single-player experience where the player character fights defensively against a variety of imposing computer-controlled opponents. Little Mac usually cannot effectively attack the larger opponents because they are nearly guaranteed to block a lot of his hits, so in a pseudo-puzzle game element, Little Mac must constantly dodge and block different types of attacks (relying on subtle indications in the opponent's visual movements to determine what move the opponent will use next) and wait for a specific opening to launch a specific, well-timed attack to lower the enemy's health meter. Each individual opponent has very different patterns and twists to both his offense and method of getting damaged, and all of the enemies are just as varied in their outlandish, over-the-top designs - Little Mac's most famous foes include King Hippo, a massive and rotund boxer with an inhumanly-round face whose only weak point is his mouth whenever it is open or a patch on his belly button which can only be found by knocking his pants down, a weak-willed and weak-minded French boxer named Glass Joe, and the intimidating Turkish boxer Bald Bull, who will run towards Little Mac in a "bull rush" move and must be stopped in his tracks with a pinpoint punch right before he would knock Little Mac out in one hit with a body tackle. Furthermore, in the Wii game, [[Donkey Kong]] is featured as a hidden opponent. Little Mac is allowed to get knocked down and get back on his feet only so many times in a given match, and must knock out his opponents enough times before he himself gets T.K.O.'ed.  
Unlike many boxing video games, which include competitive multiplayer modes and usually play like traditional one-on-one fighting games, each game in the ''Punch-Out!!'' series is a single-player experience where the player character fights defensively against a variety of imposing computer-controlled opponents. Little Mac usually cannot effectively attack the larger opponents because they are nearly guaranteed to block a lot of his hits, so in a pseudo-puzzle game element, Little Mac must constantly dodge and block different types of attacks (relying on subtle indications in the opponent's visual movements to determine what move the opponent will use next) and wait for a specific opening to launch a specific, well-timed attack to lower the enemy's health meter. Each individual opponent has very different patterns and twists to both his offense and method of getting damaged, and all of the enemies are just as varied in their outlandish, over-the-top designs - Little Mac's most famous foes include King Hippo, a massive and rotund boxer with an inhumanly-round face whose only weak point is his mouth whenever it is open or a patch on his belly button which can only be found by knocking his pants down, a weak-willed and weak-minded French boxer named Glass Joe, and the intimidating Turkish boxer Bald Bull, who will run towards Little Mac in a "bull rush" move and must be stopped in his tracks with a pinpoint punch right before he would knock Little Mac out in one hit with a body tackle. Furthermore, in the Wii game, [[Donkey Kong]] is featured as a hidden opponent. Little Mac is allowed to get knocked down and get back on his feet only so many times in a given match, and must knock out his opponents enough times before he himself gets T.K.O.'ed.  

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