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dmacleod's Super Punch-Out (SNES)
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| [February 10, 2008 07:28:07 PM]
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/GAMEPLAY/ Session #2
After cleaning up the first half of the game, it took a corner and became downright challenging as I faced the boss, Mr. Sandman, reigning ass-kicker of the major circuit. His patterns were noticeably more difficult to predict, he had a plethora of attacks that were un-blockable, and he threw punches that were impossible to dodge unless you knew they were coming (which means fighting him four or five times over).
The patterns have become more complex, creating a more rewarding experience every time I complete a fight.
/DESIGN/ Session #2
The game feels like a game of emergence rather than a game of progression because of the limited amount of actions the player can take when presented with a direct challenge. It is a real time decision making game, ducking, dodging, blocking, punching are the tools that the player has. When you are attacked with, let’s say, a low left hook, you dodge right, block the punch, you can’t duck it, or you can try counter-punching your foe (a difficult undertaking).
These rules never change.
As the game progress, the player presents patterns that become un-predictable. Indeed some of the boxers have counter attacks of their own, and they begin to block and dodge punches more and more frequently. The AI improves in the latter stages as well, and the player must go beyond the skills they learned in early levels. The basic rules are unchanged, it is the way the player is forced to play that is changed. Pattern memorization is less important compared to “on-the-fly” tactics. This is a design feature that gives the player a lot of freedom when it comes to style of play and emergent strategy. This is a key characteristic of SPO that adds to the already fun game it is.
The notion of being the underdog is also a very powerful theme through out this game; it gives the player a sense of self-worth and confidence, which is a powerful game design feature. Playing off the stereotypes from a “Rocky” type setting, there are glorious cut-scenes after defeating the bosses in each circuit, strengthening the players resolve to keep fighting!
This entry has been edited 1 time. It was last edited on Feb 10th, 2008 at 23:19:14.
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| [February 10, 2008 07:17:48 PM]
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/SUMMARY/
Super Punch-Out is boxing game that puts the player in the third person perspective behind a scrappy little blonde fighter who I personally named “Lulz”. You compete your way through the minor, major, world and eventually special circuits, going up against wild looking fighters who are much larger and more intimidating than you. The game plays like a game of emergence but has elements of progression. Each circuit has four boxers, the fourth being “the boss fight” and the reigning champ of the circuit. The bosses from each circuit are actually characters from the original Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out game for the NES, a nice allusion to the classic videogame.
/GAMEPLAY/
I blasted the lights out of the first fighter Gabby Jay who apparently has won only once in his whole boxing carrier. I know this because before each fight, you are briefed with a short description of your next opponent, where you can see their boxing record and the trash talk they are dishing at you.
The characters, Gabby Jay in particular, are extremely memorable and equally wild, indeed there are only a few fighters that you could actually imagine in a boxing match. For the most part, and this is why the game is so cool, you are fighting fat Canadian lumberjacks, mad clowns, old Chinese men who beat you with sticks and other crazy people. This keeps the game interesting as its not simply just dodging punches-- you are constantly confronted with new attacks every time you advance to the next stage.
As I just finished TKO’ing Bald Bull, and am half way through the major circuit (where I fought a Bob Marley look a like boxer and a Bruce Lee imitator) the game has yet to really be too challenging, and the patterns have been quite predictable.
This entry has been edited 1 time. It was last edited on Feb 10th, 2008 at 19:27:44.
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dmacleod's Super Punch-Out (SNES)
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Current Status: Finished playing
GameLog started on: Friday 8 February, 2008
GameLog closed on: Sunday 10 February, 2008 |
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