"Now On To The Next Challenge" Punch Out Wii : A Story Of Resilience

I recently have been playing 5 games mainly on my Wii in the past couple months since I began collecting for it and going down memory lane/trying new things, Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, Tatsunoko V.S Capcom, Wii Sports Resort, and Punch Out Wii. That last entry not only being a childhood favorite but... much harder then I remember. I love the Punch Out series, the gameplay is so engaging and always encourages me to learn patterns and give just one more try to knock out my opponent in this arcade-style boxing classic. Yes there is a ton of content that is outdated across the series and I acknowledge that, stereotypes branching from the arcade to the latest and last version here on the Wii. Though I will admit it seems that the Wii game is making the strongest effort to represent these countries and those who come from them over just being silly characters and is a step forward.  The gameplay is incredible as tough and sometimes borderlines on unbalanced, but it also leads to a huge satisfaction of learning your opponents moves and memorizing them until victory is achieved. A fun but challenging arcade experience, that has a super tough but rewarding post game and some fun secrets. All with a super solid presentation, but under all of this there lies more, a message and a lesson, no I am not kidding. This game is a story is never giving up, never stopping on your dreams, but also knowing when you've reached the top. 

At first on the surface this just seems like a goofy arcade experience where you box, punch, and try not to get punched yourself. But the first lesson of this game that I learned was resilience and that was not through a cutscene or inspiring moment, as most of those were just training montage or character intros, it came in the gameplay. When you beat every opponent and the credits roll, it seems alls well that ends well. But then the real challenge comes in, every opponent demands you defend your title at a shot at the belt with new moves, strategies, and defenses. Moving faster, new tricks, some even packing a homemade weapon. This is far from easy, even the easiest of knockouts flip the script entirely come the rematches, and I found myself hitting the restart or even power button... very often. Needing pitch perfect timing, correct inputs, the right directions, and in one case even needing to land star punches especially in order to keep the title of champion. Trying again and again to oppose these challengers who grow and change along with you, wanting revenge as they try new tricks to try and dethrone you. 

The game teaches you to keep trying, maybe using a secret cheat once per match for a heal, and if you get knocked down, to press the buttons with all your might to crawl back up. The animation of mac pulling himself back into the ring shows the determination to push through the pain and keep going. Encouragement or jokes for your amazing coach Doc Louis also add more not just to the personality to the game but also the theme of what we love to see in live sports or films based on them, the underdog pressing onward to the most unlikely of victories. Even if you lose you can retry and go at it again, and later on if you lose the belt the player can take as many tries as they want to claim the belt back, letting only your own determination be the deciding factor. 

But then the narrative moves one final time towards the end of the game. Yes there are challenges and practice matches for 100 percent and even some multiplayer, but the narrative comes to a sunset at the point of "Little Mac's Last Stand". Lose three matches and the true credits roll, three random matches of foes you know in their revenge states, with maybe a guest popped in. In one cutscene it is shown that Mac wants to end on top, he wants to go out fighting. Before the credits roll the you get one more scene showing Mac's legacy, and shows a powerful emotion how he will always be the champ to the coach.

The player and Mac have reached the top and over the course of this game, knowing when to stop, knowing you can have an endurance round but even then, there's a time for every story to end. The story ends not with a victory in the moment, but after three losses. It ends showing that even if your record is not spotless, you can still be a champion. The game shows it's about not giving up until you fulfill your dream, knowing when to stop, and that fulfilling your dream is the true meaning of going out on top. A lesson shown to the player in a game where the lead never speaks, conveying a journey to the top, keeping it, and in a way staying there after the story ends.