Derek Bodner’s Blog

Two recent developments have renewed my interest in the Nintendo Wii:

• Punch Out
• Wii Motion Plus

Punch Out

Punch out isn’t a simulator. If you’re looking for realism, you’re obviously not looking here. Nor are you looking here for exceptional graphics. Or a robust boxing engine. Probably not for many hours of gameplay or depth, either.

But it’s some of the most fun I’ve had on a console in quite a bit.

Sure, part of it is reliving my youth. Every now and then I need to bring out my inner 8 year old, and Nintendo did an amazing job of that, bringing back (mostly) the familiar cast, primarily from the original NES version. It has a very familiar feel, with very familiar characters, tendencies, and gameplay that invokes a very large sense of deja vu.

And that’s what makes it a great divergence. Sure, there’s a market for boxing simulators. I love Fight Night (make one for the Wii, damnit!), but there’s also a great market for good, fun, simple arcade games. Something to play with friends, something to enjoy yourself for 10 minutes after a stressful day. There’s just something inherently fun about hitting King Hippo with a star punch and watching him fall over the ropes.

This didn’t need a remake. It needed an update. I love it.

Wii Motion Plus

There’s part of me that feels the Wii Motion Plus should have been what the Wiimote was originally. When I first heard about the Wiimote, this is what got me excited. Not saying the Wii was a disappointment at first, but it definitely wasn’t realizing its potential. That being said, it works incredibly well. The Wii Motion Plus brings it a lot closer to unlocking its full potential.

Tiger Woods ’10 makes good use of the new controls, but I can’t wait to see the new possibilities. Tennis (I don’t have Grand Slam Tennis), Boxing, Sword Fighting (re-do the star was game please, we need lightsabers with the WMP), Bowling. Endless possibilities. Can’t wait.