I think it should be clear that I am a massive fan of the Punch Out! series from Nintendo. It is a series that pops up every so often, but it seems Nintendo has moved onto other game ideas for now. Punch Out!’s influence lives on though, both in the indie scene and within Nintendo themselves as seen in the WarioWare series and Arms. When it comes to the indie scene, there have been some excellent attempts at recapturing the feel of the series, but non have come close until now.
Pato Box is a game that doesn’t just capture the feel of Punch Out! but expands on it as well. Instead of just going from fight to fight, you now have levels between the fights that vary up the experience. These include a casino gambling level and a race through the sewers. I am not saying these are better than the basic layout of Punch Out! but it is a welcome difference to set Pato Box apart from its inspiration.
The fights themselves are an interesting bunch. They can be frustrating to play while learning the pattern, but are a blast to play once that is done. The art style works well here to give the game a very different type of cartoonish look, instead going for a moir retro style that works well with the fights. Playing with motion controls works well for Pato Box and I had no difficulty at all as it felt like a natural extension of what Nintendo had pioneered.
One thing I loved was the story of the game.I will give no spoilers here, but it was so off the wall and yet grounded at the same time, that I was shocked at how well it worked. Pato Box should not be dismissed as a poor man’s Punch Out! but instead as a great game in its own right. I highly recommend this.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided