June 2nd, 2009

After a 15-year hiatus, the plucky pugilist returns to the ring in Punch-Out!!, a delightful remake of the classic boxing game for the Nintendo Wii.

Although first released in arcades, the franchise packed its strongest punch after appearing on the Nintendo Entertainment System as Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! in 1987.

The reincarnation for the Wii features many of the fighters from the NES game. In fact, most of the boxers require the same strategies players will recall using over 22 years ago.

The boxers’ styles have been tweaked subtlely with new attacks, but the most striking difference is the vibrant, cartoonish visuals used to depict each fighter. Boxers such as King Hippo and Bear Hugger look enormous when looming over Little Mac’s small stature.

Punch-Out!! follows Little Mac’s journey toward the World Video Boxing Association championship, as he battles through three circuits of fighters with the help of his trainer Doc Louis.

Opponents are comical caricatures representing various countries and backgrounds. Baguettes spin around Frenchman Glass Joe’s head after knockouts, while California native Super Macho Man sounds like a digital Jeff Spicoli, shouting phrases like “Dude!” during bouts.

As veterans of the franchise may remember, Punch-Out!! is as much as puzzle game as it is brawler. Each opponent follows specific patterns and requires a unique strategy for victory. Opponents will also tip off players as to when they throw a punch, indicated by the character blinking purple a second before.

Punch-out2manual For those unfamiliar with the franchise, Little Mac can throw standard punches either to the torso or head. If he catches an opponent off-guard, he earns a star representing a super punch that delivers more damage.

Players control Mac in one of three ways: holding the Wii remote sideways like an NES controller, using motion controls with the remote and nunchuk, or adding the Wii Balance Board to duck and dodge hits.

The first option is by far the best. This game has always been about timing and precision, both of which are difficult to master with the Wii’s motion controls. Punching with the remote and nunchuk feels off. On the Balance Board, players must give themselves a little extra time before dodging or ducking. This proves frustrating when fighting quicker boxers. It’s surprising this game didn’t take some cues from the boxing game on Wii Sports in creating the motion controls.

Once Mac claims the WVBA World Title, the highlight of Punch-Out!! emerges in the form of Title Defense Mode. Each fighter returns for a rematch faster, smarter and stronger. They also pack a couple new tricks for Mac to conquer. For example, to protect his fragile jaw, Glass Joe wears headgear, forcing Mac to only attack the body during bouts. To assist players, a training mode allows players to virtually battle opponents and study their techniques.

Punch-Out!! hits all the right buttons when it comes to video game nostalgia. It instantly conjures up memories of the NES game, from Doc’s quirky words of encouragement (”Join Club Nintendo today, Mac.”) to the image of Mac jogging behind Doc on a bicycle. Like its predecessor, half the fun of Punch-Out!! is studying the patterns and mapping out plans of attack.

The local multiplayer option is fun for a brief time, but pretty thin. Basically, two players fight each other as Little Macs. When one player lands enough punches, he bulks up into a stronger boxer, delivering more powerful strikes.

It’s worth trying, but part of the appeal of Punch-Out!! lies with the iconic opponents. It would have been fun to see them incorporated better in this mode through events such as a time trial where players battle over who can knock out a fighter the fastest, for example.

Overall, Punch-Out!! feels comfortable and familiar, yet seems reinvigorated through bright visuals and refreshing attempts at challenging the player.

What if you had to live your whole life in one location—and then one day, suddenly, you could step outside and go anywhere in the whole neighborhood? The Sims 3 lets you immerse truly unique Sims in an open, living neighborhood just outside their door! The freedom of The Sims 3 will inspire you with endless possibilities and amuse you with unexpected moments of surprise and mischief. Release Date :Tue, 02 Jun 2009

Go here to see the original:
The Sims 3 (Collector’s Edition) – PC (T)

What if you had to live your whole life in one location—and then one day, suddenly, you could step outside and go anywhere in the whole neighborhood? The Sims 3 lets you immerse truly unique Sims in an open, living neighborhood just outside their door! The freedom of The Sims 3 will inspire you with endless possibilities and amuse you with unexpected moments of surprise and mischief. Release Date :Tue, 02 Jun 2009

Read the rest here:
The Sims 3 – PC (T)