Punch fans shouldn't be holding their breath for a new game anytime soon

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Summary

  • Next Level Games probably won't be returning to the Punch-Out series anytime soon because it's considered dead due to sales and stereotypes.

  • Resistance to stereotypes played a significant role in preventing the Punch-Out series from continuing.

  • Although Punch-Out was popular, it did not reach the same sales potential as other Next Level Games titles.

Gaming insider Imran Khan said he is unlikely to visit Next Level Games again Punch-out series soon, with Nintendo's cult classic series effectively dead. The Punch-out the series is one of Nintendo's more niche titles, with the first title released in 1984 for arcades. The series is better known for its home console counterpart, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out on the NES in 1987, with many players claiming it to be one of the most challenging yet rewarding titles on the system. The game then received a sequel on the SNES in 1994, which more closely resembled its arcade iteration.

Most fans will probably be familiar with Next Level Games' 2009 game Punch-out revival, rebooting the series and pitting Little Mac against some truly difficult and cartoonish boxers. Next Level Games' Punch-out the reboot was both a critical and commercial success and helped cement the studio as a trusted partner with Nintendo. Next Level Games has since been acquired as a first-party developer for Nintendo, working on games such as Luigi's Mansion 3 and Mario Strikers: Battle League. Despite Nintendo being its parent company, it seems it has no plans to revisit Punch-out anytime soon.

Super Punch Out multiplayer mode

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In a recent ResetEra thread, Imran Khan talked about how he spoke to someone “a while ago” who was involved in the latest Punch-out title from Next Level Games and if any new ones were in the works. According to the person Khan spoke with, despite the popularity of the cult classic Nintendo series, the amount of backlash Punch-out received through the characters and represented stereotypes was more than expected. Apparently the development team assured Nintendo that they are not relying on bad stereotypes that would give them a bad reputation. Khan notes that this is also not the case Punch-out a team that doesn't want to use stereotypes, but rather can't “completely cut itself off from the past” without backlash. “I think it's less 'We can't do it without stereotypes, so let's not bother!' and others and world warriors problem where they can't fully cut themselves off from the past without people revolting,” Khan said. “This and other games from the studio will sell 14 million more copies, so why bother.”

Crippled Punch-Out Wii sales and stereotypes

Khan also comments on the sale Punch-out series compared to other titles developed by Next Level Games. While Punch Out it sold over a million copies on the Wii, but didn't have the sales potential of Next Level Games Mario Strikers and Luigi's mansion spin-off. In particular, these titles have surpassed Punch-out also seemingly dooming it to another niche Nintendo series.

It's probably less “You can't do without stereotypes, so let's not bother!” and others and world warriors a problem where they can't fully cut themselves off from the past without people rebelling. That and other games from the studio will sell 14 million more copies, so why bother.

Punch-out is still loved today. Some indie games like Thunder beam to have a strong Punch-out vibes in their playing and presentation. Little Mac is still the dominant character Super Smash Bros. also debut in Brawl as an Assist Trophy and be promoted to a playable fighter on 3DS/Wii U and final games. An entire ResetEra thread wailed Punch-out's fate, many say, Next Level Games did a spectacular job with the 2009 Wii game.

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