There are many, many ways that the Wii reboot of the Punch-Out franchise could have gone wrong. For fans of the series, there was only one way to do it right. Luckily, Next Level Games understood exactly what made the classic so beloved, and stuck with the primary mechanics from the original title. That's right, two buttons and a digital pad are all you need.

You can also play the game with a Wiimote and nunchuck, punching at the screen and using the analog pad of the nunchuk to control whether your punchers go high or low. Right or left and you dodge, push up without a punch and you block. Do you gain anything by using the waggle? Nothing much, although if you get into it, you can expect to break a nice sweat for your efforts. This is how I played, dancing on the balls of my feet, trying to knock Piston Honda on his ass.

Title Punch-Out!! Developer Next Level Games Publisher Nintendo Price $49.99 Shop.ars Platform Nintendo Wii

Punch-Out only looks like a boxing game, because at its core it's a puzzle title, and that's the way it should be. Each opponent is a maze of attacks, counters, and tells. It's your job to find out when it's safe to punch back, when you need to dodge or block, and when you can land a surprise blow to get those all-important stars that allow you to throw uppercuts. The game rewards observant players, and you'll need lightning-quick reflexes to take advantage of the slim openings your opponents leave you.

You'll see a number of recycled boxers from past games, although I won't list them here. Everyone looks great; this is the sort of game that uses strong art and design to make up for the technical shortcomings of Nintendo's console. You'll be treated to still images of each of the boxers doing whatever stereotypical thing they do best before each match, and while some of the stereotypes from past games have been toned down, expect the effete Frenchmen, a flapjack-eating lumberjack, and a disco-loving fop. If you're looking for reasons to get offended, you'll likely find one or two.

The main game isn't the only way for you to play. You can take on a friend in a split screen showdown where you try to sneak past the other's defenses, and while this mode is slight, it's a ton of fun with a friend. It would have been better if you could select other boxers to pit against each other, but as it stands it's just Little Mac vs. Little Mac. There's also an Exhibition Mode that challenges you to win in different ways. Defeat an opponent with a limited number of punches, use only one hand, or simply learn how to build up your uppercut stars reliably; this mode will serve up some serious frustration if you don't have a good amount of patience.

While the gameplay may seem straightforward, each fighter has a number of secrets, including instant knockouts and multiple ways to gain stars. Of course, some of the tricks from past games may work for getting your health back or staying alive when it looks like you'll be knocked out. All this information you'll be able to find by browsing strategy guides the moment the game is released, and that makes me miss the days of the NES when these secrets were talked about and shared in the schoolyard, gamer to gamer, in the oral tradition. While the secrets and challenges are welcome, I can't help but think something has been lost in the years since the last Punch-Out release.

For fans of the series, this is manna from heaven. I had a blast recognizing patterns and weaknesses from boxers I already knew, and it was fun to try to figure out the new ones. The game keeps you on your toes—quite literally, if you're using the waggle controls. If you want a real workout you can use the Wii Balance Board for ducking and dodging, which is a neat touch. I'm sure some gamers will complain that this isn't much of a boxing experience, but they're missing the point. If you have any love for the classic Punch-Out titles that came before, this is a must-buy. And that's before you have to face all the opponents again... but with all-new patterns. This is quite the impressive beast: a Punch-Out title with replay value.

Verdict: Buy