List of Punch-Out!! characters

{{Short description|List of characters from Punch-Out!!}} {{hatnote|"Bear Hugger" redirects here. For the convective anti-hypothermia device, see Bair Hugger.}} {{ititle|Punch-Out!!}} {{nihongo foot|''Punch-Out!!''|パンチアウト!!|Panchi-Auto!!|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a series of boxing video games created by Genyo Takeda and Makoto Wada, and published by Nintendo. The main protagonist and player character of the series is Little Mac, a short boxer from the Bronx who climbs the ranks of the fictional World Video Boxing Association (WVBA) by challenging various opponents. These opponents come from different countries and feature various ethnic stereotypes associated with their place of origin.

==Concept and creation== In the original ''Punch-Out!!'' arcade game, the characters were named by Genyo Takeda, who chose names with the intention of appealing to the American market. The developers used the two screens in the cabinet to be able to display the opponents' face, which they intended to ensure that players would have a more vivid recollection of their faces.<ref name="Iwata Asks">{{cite web |url=https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/punchout/0/1/ |title=Iwata Asks: Punch Out |work=Nintendo |last=Iwata |first=Satoru |accessdate=January 20, 2024}}</ref> The characters in this game were animated in conjunction with Studio Junio, who used art by Shigeru Miyamoto as reference for the animations.<ref name="Iwata Asks 2">{{cite web |url=https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/punchout/0/2/ |title=Iwata Asks: Punch Out |work=Nintendo |last=Iwata |first=Satoru |accessdate=January 20, 2024}}</ref> Many of the characters in the 1984 title ''Super Punch-Out!!'' are similar to each other by design because they are variants of the same programming; the code recycling and the lack of character differentiation outside of crude nationalistic stereotypes is a result of the game's limited development time and storage resources. For example, Soda Popinski's obnoxious laughter is also used for Mr. Sandman, Bald Bull, and Super Macho Man, and in other Nintendo games,<ref name=Greatest>{{cite book |editor=Jaime Banks |editor2=Robert Mejia |editor3=Aubrie Adams |title=100 Greatest Video Game Characters |date=June 23, 2017|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield, 2017 |pages=176–178|isbn=978-1-59582-768-5}}</ref> such as for Ganon in the Game Over screen of the game ''Zelda II: The Adventure of Link''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Altice |first1=Nathan |title=I Am Error: The Nintendo Family Computer / Entertainment System Platform |date=May 2015 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-02877-6 |page=382 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GBXqCAAAQBAJ&dq=soda+popinski&pg=PA382 |access-date=31 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

The 2009 release of ''Punch-Out!!'' for Wii is primarily made up by characters from ''Punch-Out!!'' for the Nintendo Entertainment System, who play similarly to the characters in this version. They intended to ensure that the player could beat the first three opponents just by throwing punches. Their models in the Wii game were based on the original designs, put into 3D and given cel shading. The fighters also received new fights that were more difficult in a mode called "Title Defense".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/punchout/0/4/ |title=Iwata Asks: Punch Out |work=Nintendo |last=Iwata |first=Satoru |accessdate=October 10, 2025}}</ref>

==Introduced in ''Punch-Out!!'' (1984)== {| class="wikitable sortable" !scope="col" width="6%"|Name !scope="col" width="6%"|Nationality !scope="col" width="100%"| Description |-id="Little Mac" |Little Mac |American<ref name="NWR"/> |{{nihongo foot|'''Little Mac'''|リトル・マック|Ritoru Makku|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 17-year-old boxer from the Bronx and the main protagonist of the series.<ref name="NWR">{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/33641/super-smash-bros-dreams-little-mac-namp-stumpy |title=Super Smash Bros. Dreams |work=Nintendo World Report |last=Berube |first=Justin |date=March 29, 2013 |accessdate=October 10, 2025}}</ref> In the NES game, he was made shorter than the opponents.<ref name="HG101-2">{{cite web |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/mike-tysons-punch-out/ |title=Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! |work=Hardcore Gaming 101 |last=Gill |first=Charles P. |date=November 26, 2012 |accessdate=October 10, 2025}}</ref> He appears in each subsequent entry of the series, as well as a playable character in the fighting games ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'' and ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. |-id="Glass Joe" | Glass Joe |French<ref name="HG101">{{cite web |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/punch-out-introduction-characters/ |title=Punch-Out!! (Introduction / Characters) |work=Hardcore Gaming 101 |last=Gill |first=Charles P. |date=May 4, 2013 |accessdate=October 10, 2025}}</ref> | {{nihongo foot|'''Glass Joe'''|グラス・ジョー|Gurasu Jō|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a boxer born in Paris, France. He was originally designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and was revised by Makoto Wada for the NES game. He is voiced by Christian Bernard in the Wii game. He is the player's first opponent in every game in which he appears, and is famous for his weakness and cowardice. Glass Joe has a record of 1-99. These elements are considered by critics to be stereotypes of French people. |-id="Piston Hurricane" | Piston Hurricane |Cuban<ref name="HG101"/> | {{nihongo foot|'''Piston Hurricane'''|ピストン・ハリケーン|Pisuton Harikēn|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a boxer from Havana, Cuba.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> Piston Hurricane reappeared in the SNES version of ''Super Punch-Out!!''.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |-id="Bald Bull" | Bald Bull |Turkish | {{nihongo foot|'''Bald Bull'''|ボールド・ブル|Bōrudo Buru|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a boxer born in Istanbul, Turkey,<ref name="Retro Hall of Fame">{{cite magazine |title=Retro Hall of Fame: Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! - Retro-Special NES |magazine=GamePro |date=25 March 2009 |page=3 |url=https://www.gamepro.de/artikel/reo-hall-of-fame-mike-tysons-punch-out-retro-special-nes,1960441,seite3.html |access-date=12 November 2021 |language=de-DE}}</ref> created by Shigeru Miyamoto.<ref name="Jaime Lendino" /> His next appearances were in the 1985 arcade game ''Arm Wrestling'' as "Mask X",<ref>{{cite web |title=Arm Wrestling |url=https://nindb.net/arcade/arm-wrestling/index.html |website=NinDB |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328210133/https://nindb.net/arcade/arm-wrestling/index.html |archive-date=March 28, 2015}}</ref> in the 1987 video game ''Punch-Out!!'' for NES as Champion of the Major Circuit,<ref name="Spoortskeeda" /> in the 1994 video game ''Super Punch-Out!!'', and in the 2009 video game ''Punch-Out!!'' for Wii. Bald Bull features an instant knockdown attack called the Bull Charge, where Bald Bull rears back and charges forward. In the first fight against Bald Bull in the NES game, the camera flash fired by a man in the audience indicates the exact moment Little Mac can counter Bald Bull's attack.<ref name="Polygon">{{cite news |last1=Good |first1=Owen S. |title=Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! still has secrets to share, 29 years later |url=https://www.polygon.com/2016/4/9/11397458/mike-tysons-punch-out-bearded-man-easter-egg-bald-bull-piston-honda |access-date=16 October 2021 |work=Polygon |date=9 April 2016}}</ref> This detail was revealed in 2009 by Makoto Wada in an interview with the former president of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata.<ref>{{cite web|date=March 16, 2006|title=Secrets abound in NES Punch Out!!, here's one|url=http://www.destructoid.com/secrets-abound-in-nes-punch-out-here-s-one-143346.phtml|access-date=August 8, 2010|website=Destructoid}}</ref> |-id="Kid Quick" | Kid Quick |American | {{nihongo foot|'''Kid Quick'''|キッド・クイック|Kiddo Kuikku|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a boxer from Brooklyn, New York, whose only appearance was in the arcade version of ''Punch-Out!!''.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> He was later modernized as Disco Kid in ''Punch-Out!!'' for Wii due to his "dated representation".<ref name="kid">{{cite web|last=Yarwood|first=Jack|date=January 8, 2025|title=Punch-Out!!'s Characters Aren't To Blame For The Series's Hiatus After All|url=https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/01/punch-outs-characters-arent-to-blame-for-the-seriess-hiatus-after-all|website=Time Extension|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108182616/https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/01/punch-outs-characters-arent-to-blame-for-the-seriess-hiatus-after-all|archive-date=January 8, 2025|access-date=January 25, 2025}}</ref> |-id="Pizza Pasta" | Pizza Pasta |Italian | {{nihongo foot|'''Pizza Pasta'''|ピッツァ・パスタ|Pittsa Pasuta|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a boxer born in Napoli city. His only appearance is in the arcade version of ''Punch-Out!''.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |-id="Mr. Sandman" | Mr. Sandman |American |{{nihongo foot|'''Mr. Sandman'''|ミスター・サンドマン|Misutā Sandoman|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 31-year-old black boxer from Philadelphia, United States, and was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto.<ref name="Retro Hall of Fame" /><ref name="Jaime Lendino">{{cite book |last1=Lendino |first1=Jamie |title=Attract Mode: The Rise and Fall of Coin-Op Arcade Games |date=27 September 2020 |publisher=Steel Gear Press |page=279 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d6wCEAAAQBAJ&dq=mr.sandman+shigeru+miyamoto&pg=PA279 |access-date=11 November 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He is voiced by Riley Inge in the Wii game.<ref name="Metacritic">{{cite web |title=Punch-Out!! |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/punch-out-2009/details/?platform=wii |website=Metacritic |access-date=22 November 2021 |language=en}}</ref> |}

==Introduced in ''Super Punch-Out!!'' (1984)== {| class="wikitable sortable" !scope="col" width="6%"|Name !scope="col" width="6%"|Nationality !scope="col" width="100%" |Description |-id="Bear Hugger" | Bear Hugger |Canadian | {{nihongo foot|'''Bear Hugger'''|ベア・ハッガー|Bea Haggā|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a Canadian boxer from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. After an appearance as the second opponent in ''Super Punch-Out!!'' for the Super NES, he appeared in ''Punch-Out!!'' for the Wii, where his hometown was changed to Salmon Arm, British Columbia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Elliot |first1=Jim |title=Salmon Arm! Burly boxer of arcade game fame calls Shuswap community home |url=https://www.vernonmorningstar.com/entertainment/salmon-arm-burly-boxer-of-arcade-game-fame-calls-shuswap-community-home/ |website=Vernon Morning Star |access-date=30 October 2021 |language=en-CA |date=21 February 2020}}</ref> |-id="Dragon Chan" | Dragon Chan |Hongkonger | '''Dragon Chan''' is a boxer from British Hong Kong. (Hong Kong was a British crown colony during his appearances.)<ref name="Jesse Schedeen">{{cite web|last1=Schedeen|first1=Jesse|date=24 March 2009|title=Punch-Out!!'s Top Fighters|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/03/24/punch-outs-top-fighters|access-date=14 November 2021|website=IGN|language=en}}</ref> |-id="Soda Popinski" | Soda Popinski |Russian | {{nihongo foot|'''Soda Popinski'''|ソーダ・ポピンスキー|Sōda Popinsukī|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 35 year old Soviet (Russian in releases after 1992) boxer born in Moscow.<ref name="Kotaku Australia">{{cite web |last1=Wong |first1=Kevin |title=Every Punch-Out!! Opponent, Ranked |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/01/every-punch-out-opponent-ranked/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108020209/http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/01/every-punch-out-opponent-ranked/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 8, 2016 |website=Kotaku Australia |access-date=24 October 2021 |language=en-AU |date=5 January 2016}}</ref> He was originally called Vodka Drunkenski, but his name was changed to Soda Popinski in subsequent entries due to marketing concerns with younger audiences.<ref name="Vodka Drunkenski">{{cite web|title=Arcade Archives Super Punch-Out!!|website=Nintendo Life|date=21 August 2020 |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/arcade_archives_super_punch-out}}</ref><ref name=Greatest/><ref>{{cite journal|first=Peter |last=Smucker|journal=The Computer Games Journal |title=Gaming Sober, Playing Drunk: Sound Effects of Alcohol in Video Games |year=2018|volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=291–311|doi=10.1007/s40869-018-0069-4 |s2cid=256478843 }}</ref> He drinks vodka in the first game, but drinks soda in later versions in alignment with the censorship.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} He drinks soda in the Wii version to recover health, either during combat or after being knocked down. If prevented from doing so during combat, he becomes enraged.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Lucas M. |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/05/15/punch-out-review|title=Punch-Out!! - Wii Review at IGN |publisher=Wii.ign.com |date=April 18, 2007 |access-date=July 8, 2022}}</ref><ref name=Greatest/> A version of the character appears in an unlicensed ''Punch-Out!!'' PC game titled ''Frank Bruno's Boxing'', where he is named "Andra Puncharedov".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/punch-out-assorted/|title=Punch-Out!! (Assorted)|website=Hardcore Gaming 101|author=Charles P. Gill|date= December 10, 2013}}</ref> The character is the namesake of Soda Popinski's, a bar located in Nob Hill, San Francisco, California<ref name=Ring/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ktvu.com/news/san-francisco-bar-owner-relieved-at-soon-not-having-to-check-proof-of-vaccination|title=San Francisco bar owner relieved at soon not having to check proof of vaccination|first=Elissa|last=Harrington|date=March 9, 2022|website=KTVU Fox 2}}</ref> since 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hoodline.com/2022/04/soda-popinki-s-granted-liquor-store-license-for-craft-bottle-shop-over-nimby-neighbors-concerns/|title=Soda Popinki's granted liquor store license for craft bottle shop, over NIMBY neighbors' concerns|date=April 29, 2022|website=hoodline.com}}</ref> The bar's name is an allusion to a "USSR-era Siberian hunting lodge" which references the character's in-universe depiction, serving a double shot of Russian vodka served neat named Vodka Drunkenski.<ref name=Ring>{{cite web |title=Soda Popinski's enters the San Francisco bar ring |url=https://www.sfexaminer.com/lifestyles/soda-popinski-s-enters-the-san-francisco-bar-ring/article_e72aef16-6ffb-5a74-8a00-adcd1f50eff3.html |work=The San Francisco Examiner |last=Goszkowski |first=Rob |date=February 7, 2013 |accessdate=May 30, 2014}}</ref> |-id="Great Tiger" | Great Tiger |Indian | {{nihongo foot|'''Great Tiger'''|グレート・タイガー|Gurēto Taigā|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 29-year-old boxer born in Mumbai. He first appeared in ''Super Punch-Out!!'' for arcade,<ref name="Spoortskeeda" /> and later appeared in ''Punch-Out!!'' for the NES in 1987 and ''Punch-Out!!'' for the Wii in 2009, the latter featuring Sumit Seru as his voice actor.<ref name="Metacritic" /> He uses teleportation in his fight, and his turban has a jewel that flashes when he is about to perform an attack.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomas|first=Lucas M.|date=April 18, 2007|title=Punch-Out!! - Wii Review at IGN|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/781/781723p1.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213105554/http://wii.ign.com/articles/781/781723p1.html|archive-date=December 13, 2010|access-date=August 5, 2010|publisher=Wii.ign.com|df=mdy-all}}</ref> He also uses a flying carpet,{{sfn|Elston|2009|p=3}} and in the NES version, the skin of a Bengal tiger is seen hanging on the post in his corner of the ring.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 8 Most Ethnically Stereotypical Punch-Out!! Characters |url=https://www.toplessrobot.com/2012/02/the_8_most_ethnically_stereotypical_punch-out_char.php |website=Topless Robot |access-date=15 November 2021 |date=16 February 2012}}</ref> These have all been referred to as stereotypes of Indian people.<ref name="escapist222">{{cite web|last=Huling|first=Ray|date=January 13, 2009|title=The Escapist : Punch-Out!!'s Black Eye|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_184/5649-Punch-Out-s-Black-Eye.2|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613085844/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_184/5649-Punch-Out-s-Black-Eye.2|archive-date=June 13, 2011|access-date=August 27, 2010|publisher=Escapistmagazine.com|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Davey Nieves of Comics Beat commented that "Decent people in India or Pakistan have been seeing much more offensive stereotypes in the media for years." Reason for which he stated that "looking at Great Tiger with his tiger skin robe dangling behind him like he's opening a nightclub is probably not the worst they've ever seen on a screen."{{sfn|Nieves|2018}} Kakuchopurei believed that the stereotypes helped make him more memorable.<ref>{{cite web |last1=KKP |first1=Team |title=Happy Diwali 2021: Celebrating Indian Characters in Games {{!}} KAKUCHOPUREI.COM |url=https://kakuchopurei.com/2021/11/03/happy-deepavali-best-indian-characters-videogames/ |website=Kakuchopurei.com |access-date=29 November 2021 |date=2 November 2021}}</ref> |-id="Super Macho Man" | Super Macho Man |American | {{nihongo foot|'''Super Macho Man'''|スーパー・マッチョマン|Sūpā Matchoman|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 27-year-old (28 in Super Punch Out (SNES) American boxer from Hollywood, California.<ref name="Mental Floss" /> He first appeared in ''Super Punch-Out!!'' for the arcades, where he was the final boss of the game. He later took this role again in the Gold version of ''Punch-Out!!''.<ref name="Mental Floss">{{cite web |title=16 Hard-Hitting Facts About Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63640/16-hard-hitting-facts-about-mike-tysons-punch-out |website=Mental Floss |access-date=16 November 2021 |language=en |date=6 May 2015}}</ref> However, in ''Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!'' he appeared as the penultimate game boss.<ref name="TheGamer">{{cite web |title=Nintendo: 10 Hardest Punch-Out Opponents In The Series, Ranked |url=https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-hardest-punch-out-opponents-series-ranked/ |website=TheGamer |access-date=11 November 2021 |date=13 January 2020}}</ref> Macho Man also appeared in ''Super Punch-Out!!'' for the SNES, and ''Punch-Out!!'' for the Wii, where he was voiced by Mike Inglehart.<ref name="Metacritic" /> An ESRB description of ''Punch-Out!!'' for the Wii mentioned a boxer who flexed his pectoral muscles and glutes, leading editor Stephen Totilo to question whether this was Super Macho Man or not.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 26, 2009|title=ESRB Confirms Belching And Glute-Flexing In 'Punch-Out!' Wii » MTV Multiplayer|url=http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/02/26/esrb-confirms-belching-and-glute-flexing-in-punch-out-wii/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307014552/http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/02/26/esrb-confirms-belching-and-glute-flexing-in-punch-out-wii|archive-date=March 7, 2009|url-status=dead|access-date=August 28, 2010|publisher=Multiplayerblog.mtv.com|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Since appearing in ''Super Punch-Out!!'' for the arcades, Super Macho Man has received generally positive reception. He is considered a memorable character of the franchise.<ref>{{cite web|author=-By Stephen Johnson|date=March 30, 2009|title='Super Punch-Out' Available On Wii Virtual Console|url=http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/694381/super-punch-out-available-on-wii-virtual-console.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312233623/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/694381/super-punch-out-available-on-wii-virtual-console/|archive-date=March 12, 2014|access-date=August 28, 2010|publisher=G4tv.com}}</ref><ref name="SI.com">{{cite web|title=SI.com - Scorecard - Daily List: 5/13/07 - 5/20/07|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/scorecard/daily_list/archive/2007_05_13_index.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203075023/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/scorecard/daily_list/archive/2007_05_13_index.html|archive-date=February 3, 2014|access-date=August 8, 2010|publisher=Sportsillustrated.cnn.com}}</ref> Super Macho Man appeared on the cover of an issue of ''GameFan'' magazine,<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=September 10, 1994|title=Gamefan|url=http://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_2_issue_10|magazine=Gamefan|volume=2|issue=10|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> ''GamesRadar'' editor Chris Antista included it as an exception in his list of the most embarrassing gaming magazine covers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embarrassing game magazine covers - REDEEMED!|date=3 July 2010|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/f/embarrassing-game-magazine-covers-redeemed/a-2010070214403480028|access-date=August 28, 2010|work=GamesRadar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008055014/http://www.gamesradar.com/embarrassing-game-magazine-covers-redeemed/|archive-date=8 October 2012}}</ref> ''IGN'' editor Jesse Schedeen named Super Macho Man one of the series' top fighters, describing him as a "thinly veiled parody mash-up of "Superstar" Billy Graham and another famous fighter who goes by the nickname "Macho Man".<ref name="Jesse Schedeen" />

''GamesRadar'' editor Brett Elston states that Super Macho Man embodies the stereotypes of American celebrities of being "too tanned, narcissistic, materialistic, and obsessed with fame, money, and looks." He added that Super Macho Man was not just a parody of celebrities, but "Hollywood and American's fascination with celebrities."{{sfn|Elston|2009|p=2}} In the video game for NES he has two versions of his signature move called Super Spin Punch. One in which he performs a spin after a few seconds to be still and another in which he performs several multiple spins that could instantly knock the player down. |}

==Introduced in ''Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!'' (1987)== {| class="wikitable sortable" !scope="col" width="6%"|Name !scope="col" width="6%"|Nationality !scope="col" width="100%"|Description

|-id="Doc Louis" | Doc Louis |American | {{nihongo foot|'''Doc Louis'''|ドック・ルイス|Dokku Ruisu|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a former heavyweight boxing champion<ref name="Spoortskeeda" />{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:SPORTSKEEDA).|date=March 2025}} and Little Mac's trainer, who stands in Mac's corner during fights. Between rounds, Doc provides Mac with advice, encouragement, or sometimes a humorous anecdote. He is the creator of the "Star Punch", the most powerful move in Mac's arsenal. In the Wii title, he has a fondness for chocolate bars. In ''Punch-Out!!'' for Wii, he is voiced by Riley Inge. Doc Louis appears as the sole challenger in the Club Nintendo exclusive ''Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Doc Louis Hits the Ring|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/100/1003433p1.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717055711/http://wii.ign.com/articles/100/1003433p1.html|archive-date=July 17, 2009|access-date=September 12, 2010}}</ref> |-id="Von Kaiser" | Von Kaiser |German | {{nihongo foot|'''Von Kaiser'''|フォン・カイザー|Fon Kaizā|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} (From the Emperor) is a 42-year-old German boxer born in Berlin. He is an instructor of this same sport in an unknown military academy.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! |url=https://nindb.net/nes/mike-tysons-punch-out/encyclopedia.html |website=NinDB |access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref> Von Kaiser made his first appearance in ''Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!'' for the NES in 1987. Years later, he returned in the installment of ''Punch-Out!!'' for Wii released in 2009, now voiced by Horst Laxon.<ref name="Metacritic" /> In both ''Punch-Out!!'' games, he is the second opponent Little Mac faces on the Minor Circuit, having a record of 23 wins and 13 losses. In addition, he appeared with Bald Bull in a micro game of ''WarioWare: Smooth Moves'', in which Referee Mario has to count to ten to win.<ref name="GameSpot">{{cite web |title=WarioWare: Smooth Moves Import Hands-On |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/warioware-smooth-moves-import-hands-on/1100-6162922/ |website=GameSpot |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> |-id="Piston Hondo" | Piston Hondo |Japanese | {{nihongo foot|'''Piston Honda'''|ピストン本田|Pisuton Honda|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 28-year-old Japanese boxer born in Tokyo. He first appeared in ''Punch-Out!! (NES)'',<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> where he is the Minor Circuit Champion.<ref name="Spoortskeeda">{{cite web |last1=Sharma |first1=Deepit |title=How many characters are in the Mike Tyson's Punch-Out video game? |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-mike-tyson-s-punch-out-characters-how-many-characters-boxing-video-game |website=Sportskeeda |access-date=24 October 2021 |language=en-us |date=27 February 2021}}</ref> In ''Punch-Out!!'' for the Wii, his name is changed to {{nihongo foot|'''Piston Hondo''',|ピストン・ホンドー|Pisuton Hondō|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} to avoid legal problems.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> He is voiced by Japanese voice actor Kenji Takahashi.<ref name="Metacritic" /> |-id="Don Flamenco" | Don Flamenco |Spaniard | {{nihongo foot|'''Don Flamenco'''|ドン・フラメンコ|Don Furamenko|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 23-year-old Spanish boxer born in Madrid. His first appearance was in ''Punch-Out!!'' for the NES. He did not make another appearance until ''Punch-Out!!'' for the Wii where he was voiced by Juan Amador Pulido.<ref name="Metacritic" /> He is considered to have multiple stereotypes of Spaniards, ''GamesRadar'' writer Brett Elston citing things like him being a bullfighter, holding a rose, and his vanity as examples. {{sfn|Elston|2009|p=3}} ''The Escapist'' writer Sumantra Lahiri felt that his "pretty boy" stereotype was a common stereotype held by people aware of Spain's culture.<ref>{{cite web|last=Huling|first=Ray|date=January 13, 2009|title=The Escapist : Punch-Out!!'s Black Eye|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_184/5649-Punch-Out-s-Black-Eye|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126001440/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_184/5649-Punch-Out-s-Black-Eye|archive-date=November 26, 2009|access-date=August 25, 2010|publisher=Escapistmagazine.com|df=mdy-all}}</ref> |-id="King Hippo" | King Hippo |Pacific Islander | {{nihongo foot|'''King Hippo'''|キング・ヒッポー|Kingu Hippō|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is an obese boxer who hails from a fictional island in the South Pacific. In ''Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!'', his navel is taped over providing a target for Mac, and once hit in the body, he constantly tries to pull his shorts up. Hippo is the only opponent in the game who never gets up once Mac puts him on the mat. In the Wii version's title defense, he uses a manhole cover to protect his torso. King Hippo appeared blue in cartoon Captain N: The Game Master, where he is played by Garry Chalk. |-id="Mike Tyson/Mr. Dream" | Mike Tyson/Mr. Dream |American | {{nihongo foot|'''Mike Tyson'''|マイク・タイソン|Maiku Taison|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is the final opponent of the original release of ''Punch-Out!!'' for the NES, titled ''Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!'', whom Little Mac faces in a bout called "The Dream Fight", in which his boxing record is 31-0 with 27 KOs. After Tyson's contract with Nintendo expired, he was replaced with {{nihongo foot|'''Mr. Dream'''|Mr. ドリーム|Misutā Dorīmu|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}},<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lizardi |first1=Ryan |title=Nostalgic Generations and Media: Perception of Time and Available Meaning |date=31 May 2017 |publisher=Lexington Books |isbn=978-1-4985-4203-6 |page=44 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EysnDwAAQBAJ&dq=the+dream+fight+punch+out&pg=PA44 |access-date=16 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref> a boxer from Dreamland and with a total record of 99-0 with 99 KOs. Writer Kevin Wong described him as a "completely broken video game character who can knock you out with a single uppercut," adding that "that's just fun and meaningful when you're fighting Iron Mike himself. With Mr. Dream, it's just pathetic."<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> Writer Jesse Schedeen criticized the character, saying that "he has never given us the same sense of joy and accomplishment."<ref name="Jesse Schedeen" /> The licencing agreement with Tyson expired shortly after his 1990 loss to James "Buster" Douglas in Tokyo. |}

==Introduced in ''Super Punch-Out!!'' (1994)== {| class="wikitable sortable" !scope="col" width="6%"|Name !scope="col" width="6%"|Nationality !scope="col" width="100%" |Description |-id="Gabby Jay" | Gabby Jay |French | {{nihongo foot|'''Gabby Jay'''|ガビー・ジェイ|Gabī Jei|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 56-year-old boxer from Paris, whose record is 99 losses and 1 win against Glass Joe.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> Bit Mob editor Andrew Fitch criticized Gabby Jay, calling him a "wannabe" Glass Joe.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How Glass Joe Knocked Out My Gaming Apathy|url=http://www.bitmob.com/articles/how-glass-joe-knocked-out-my-gaming-apathy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110116092850/http://bitmob.com/articles/how-glass-joe-knocked-out-my-gaming-apathy|archive-date=January 16, 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=September 14, 2010}}</ref> ''Allgame'' editor Skyler Miller agreed with this sentiment, commenting that while humorous, he is not quite as "out there".<ref>{{cite web|title=Super Punch-Out!! - Review|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2633&tab=review|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141212103139/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2633&tab=review|archive-date=December 12, 2014|website=AllGame|access-date=September 14, 2010}}</ref> In his article "One and Done: Nine Videogame Characters Who Were Never Heard From Again", editor John Teti listed Gabby Jay, stating that it was "not easy to replace a legend, but that was the bum hand dealt to Gabby Jay". He added that Gabby Jay not appearing in the Wii ''Punch-Out!!'' in favor of Glass Joe was something that ''Star Trek'' fans would deem "the Dr. Pulaski treatment".<ref>{{Cite web|title=One and Done: Nine Videogame Who Were Never Heard From Again|url=http://www.crispygamer.com/features/2009-07-06/one-and-done-nine-videogame-characters-who-were-never-heard-from-again.aspx|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811115431/http://www.crispygamer.com/features/2009-07-06/one-and-done-nine-videogame-characters-who-were-never-heard-from-again.aspx|archive-date=August 11, 2010|website=Crispy Gamer|access-date=September 14, 2010}}</ref> |-id="Bob Charlie" | Bob Charlie |Jamaican | {{nihongo foot|'''Bob Charlie'''|ボブ・チャーリー|Bobu Chārī|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 26-year-old boxer from Kingston, Jamaica, whose only appearance was in the SNES version of ''Super Punch-Out!!''.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> Kevin Wong criticized the character saying that "not only does he suck as a fighter, but he dances during his match while his manager yells 'shuck and jive' at him."<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |-id="Masked Muscle" | Masked Muscle |Mexican | {{nihongo foot|'''Masked Muscle'''|マスクド・マッスル|Masukudo Massuru|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 29-year-old former Luchador masked man from Mexico City, whose only appearance was in ''Super Punch-Out!!''. His main attack is to spit in Little Mac's eyes to temporarily blind him. Writer Kevin Wong described it as "a missed opportunity," commenting that "the developers could have done something really cool with a professional wrestling character, but instead opted for a lazy joke."<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |-id="Aran Ryan" | Aran Ryan |Irish | {{nihongo foot|'''Aran Ryan'''|アラン・ライアン|Aran Raian|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is an Irish boxer born in Dublin. His first appearance was in ''Super Punch-Out!!'' for the Super NES, and most recently appeared in the Wii video game ''Punch-Out!!'', where he was voiced by Stephen Webster.<ref name="Metacritic" /> While he was more sedate in ''Super Punch-Out!!'', cheating occasionally, the Wii version depicts him as a loud, boisterous cheater.{{sfn|Elston|2009|p=3}} The developer Bryce Holliday describes him as the game's "resident hooligan".<ref>{{cite web|date=July 27, 2009|title=Punch-Out Devs Talk Graphics, Difficulty, Nixed Princess Peach Idea|url=https://kotaku.com/punch-out-devs-talk-graphics-difficulty-nixed-princes-5320198|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090909014012/http://kotaku.com/5320198/punch+out-devs-talk-graphics-difficulty-nixed-princess-peach-idea|archive-date=September 9, 2009|access-date=August 26, 2010|publisher=Kotaku.com|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In discussing Ryan's fighting style, ''GamePro'' editor Will Herring described it as being momentum-based.<ref name="gp22">{{cite magazine|last=Herring|first=Will|date=May 18, 2009|title=Punch-Out!! Review from|url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/210288/punch-out/|magazine=GamePro|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727151533/http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/210288/punch-out/|archive-date=July 27, 2010|access-date=August 26, 2010}}</ref> ''GamesRadar'' writer Brett Elston commented that his uncontrollable rage, his disposition to cheating, his love for fighting, and his penchant for adorning his clothing with four-leaf clovers were strong stereotypes of the Irish people.{{sfn|Elston|2009|p=3}} |-id="Heike Kagero" | Heike Kagero |Japanese | {{nihongo foot|'''Heike Kagero'''|平家 陽炎|Heike Kagerō|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 19-year-old Japanese boxer born in Osaka. His only appearance in the SNES version of ''Super Punch-Out!!''.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |-id="Mad Clown" | Mad Clown |Italian | {{nihongo foot|'''Mad Clown'''|マッド・クラウン|Maddo Kuraun|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 27-year-old Italian clown from Milan who decided to take up boxing. He made his only appearance in the SNES version of ''Super Punch-Out!!''. Mad Clown began his life as a famous opera singer, however he suffered from a nervous breakdown. Later he dedicated himself to being a clown, and after failing at that as well, he decided to dedicate himself to boxing.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |-id="Narcis Prince" | Narcis Prince |British | {{nihongo foot|'''Narcis Prince'''|ナルシス・プリンス|Narushisu Purinsu|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 20-year-old British boxer from London that appeared for the first and last time in the SNES video game ''Super Punch-Out!!''. Kevin Wong commented on this by saying that "the privileged handsome boy from across the pond definitely has the most elegant boxing style of all the fighters in ''Super Punch-Out!!''."<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |-id="Hoy Quarlow" | Hoy Quarlow |Chinese | {{nihongo foot|'''Hoy Quarlow'''|回 鍋肉|Pinyin: Huí Guō Ròu|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is an 78-year-old Chinese boxer born on Beijing, whose first and last appearance was in ''Super Punch-Out!!'' for SNES. Hoy Quarlow is the only boxer who carries a weapon in his hands, in this case a stick, he also has a "sick arsenal of special moves".<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |-id="Rick Bruiser" | Rick Bruiser |Unknown | {{nihongo foot|'''Rick Bruiser'''|リック・ブルーザー|Rikku Burūzā|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a boxer and brother of Nick Bruiser. Rick has 41 wins on his record and 1 loss from his brother. Both Rick and Nick can use the "Arm Breaker", a special move that temporarily takes Little Mac's left or right arm out of action.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |-id="Nick Bruiser" | Nick Bruiser |Unknown | {{nihongo foot|'''Nick Bruiser'''|ニック・ブルーザー|Nikku Burūzā|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is the final opponent of the game, and holds a record of 42 wins and 0 losses.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> |}

==Introduced in ''Punch-Out!!'' (2009)== {| class="wikitable sortable" !scope="col" width="6%"|Name !scope="col" width="6%"|Nationality !scope="col" width="100%" |Description |-id="Disco Kid" | Disco Kid |American | {{nihongo foot|'''Disco Kid'''|ディスコ・キッド|Disuko Kiddo|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 20-year-old American boxer from Brooklyn, New York.<ref name="Kotaku Australia" /> He was voiced by Donny Lucas.<ref name="Metacritic" /> Disco Kid is one of only two new characters to appear in the Wii video game ''Punch-Out!!'', which consists of mostly characters from ''Punch-Out!!'' for the Nintendo Entertainment System. He was one of the first characters revealed in the Wii ''Punch-Out!!''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomas|first=Aaron|date=March 31, 2009|title=Punch-Out!! hands-on|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/wii/punch-out/preview/punch-out-hands-on/a-20090331143517829075/g-2008100214264597030|access-date=May 9, 2011|publisher=GamesRadar}}{{Dead link|date=May 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> He is a modernized version of the character Kid Quick from the first arcade game.<ref name="kid" /> He is characterized as flamboyant with a high-pitched voice and an affinity for clubbing.{{sfn|Elston|2009|p=1}} Multiple critics felt that he fit in well with the old cast in ''Punch-Out!!'' with the characters returning from previous games, including Craig Harris, Oli Welsh, Ricardo Madeira, and DJPubba.<ref>{{cite web|last=Harris|first=Craig|date=May 15, 2009|title=Punch-out!! Review|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/983/983268p1.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213105859/http://wii.ign.com/articles/983/983268p1.html|archive-date=December 13, 2010|access-date=August 25, 2010|website=IGN|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Welsh|first=Oli|date=May 21, 2009|title=Punch-Out!! Wii Review|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/punch-out-review|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717183615/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/punch-out-review|archive-date=July 17, 2010|access-date=August 25, 2010|website=Eurogamer|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Madeira|first=Ricardo|date=June 25, 2009|title=Punch-Out!! Wii Análise|newspaper=Eurogamer.pt |url=http://www.eurogamer.pt/articles/punch-out-review_6|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724111702/http://www.eurogamer.pt/articles/punch-out-review_6|archive-date=July 24, 2011|access-date=August 25, 2010|publisher=Eurogamer Portugal|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=DJPubba|date=May 18, 2009|title=Hardcore Gamer Magazine|url=http://www.hardcoregamer.com/index.php?option=com_magazine&id_rubrique=1&type=article&id_article=301|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526175754/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/index.php?option=com_magazine&id_rubrique=1&type=article&id_article=301|archive-date=May 26, 2010|access-date=August 25, 2010|publisher=Hardcoregamer.com|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Deam|first=Jordan|date=May 28, 2009|title=Review: Punch-Out!!|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/6103-Review-Punch-Out|url-status=live|magazine=The Escapist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613085143/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/6103-Review-Punch-Out|archive-date=June 13, 2011|access-date=August 25, 2010|df=mdy-all}}</ref> He has also been seen as flamboyant and a stereotype of black Americans by critics such as Kotaku's Michael McWhertor.<ref>{{cite web|last=McWhertor|first=Michael|date=May 19, 2009|title=Punch-Out!! Review: Call It A Comeback|url=http://kotaku.com/5261201/punch+out-review-call-it-a-comeback|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814033405/http://kotaku.com/5261201/punch+out-review-call-it-a-comeback|archive-date=August 14, 2009|access-date=August 25, 2010|website=Kotaku|df=mdy-all}}</ref> ''GamesRadar'' writer Brett Elston also felt he was stereotypical, citing his appreciation of cars, bass, and clubbing. He believed that these stereotypes were comparatively mild compared to other ''Punch-Out!!'' characters, with the exception of Mr. Sandman.{{sfn|Elston|2009|p=1}} |-id="Donkey Kong" | Donkey Kong |DK Islander | '''Donkey Kong''' appears as a secret opponent in the game's Title Defense mode.<ref>{{cite web | last=Wilson | first=Tony | title=19 of the best unlockable characters | website=gamesradar | date=January 1, 2015 | url=https://www.gamesradar.com/19-best-unlockable-characters/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}}</ref> He previously made a cameo in the background of the arcade games ''Punch-Out!!'' and ''Super Punch-Out!!'' alongside Mario, Luigi and Donkey Kong Jr. |}

==Merchandise== Topps and Nintendo of America made a series of trading cards featuring characters from the ''Mario'', ''The Legend of Zelda'', ''Double Dragon'', and the NES ''Punch-Out!!'' series. The ''Punch-Out!!'' cards depict Little Mac's various opponents. The cards have scratch-off spots on them, which determine loss or win. As in real boxing, but not in this video game series, a "cow blow" is slang for the highly illegal blow to the kidneys and causes the scratch-off card to be an instant loss.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.trsrockin.com/gamepacks_scratch.html |title=Topps' Nintendo Game Packs - Stickers |access-date=September 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914031540/http://www.trsrockin.com/gamepacks_scratch.html |archive-date=September 14, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Stereotypes== ''Punch-Out!!'' extensively utilizes racial and ethnic stereotypes, particularly in the opponents faced by the player character. The stereotypes featured in the games are an important facet of ''Punch-Out!!''{{'s}} visual and aesthetic identity and have received substantial recognition and criticism.

===History=== Graphical advancements in the early-mid 1980s enabled the ''Punch-Out!!'' arcade game to display human-like characters with exaggerated features and animation.{{sfn|Chapman|2007|p=31}} Writing for ''Kotaku'', journalist Kevin Wong wrote that the 1984 ''Punch-Out!!'' "lacks cultural sensitivity, to put it mildly — the characters range from being slightly offensive caricatures to highly offensive caricatures."{{sfn|Wong|2019}} Notable stereotypical characters in the 1984 arcade game include Glass Joe, a French boxer who is easily defeated in combat,{{sfnm|1a1=Lahiri|1y=2009|2a1=Elston|2y=2009|3a1=Mendelson|3y=2010|4a1=Wilson|4y=2012|5a1=Speerbrecker|5y=2013|6a1=Nieves|6y=2018}} and Pizza Pasta, whose name was described by Wong as "just incredible; a shining testament to just not giving a shit. It's like naming a Chinese boxer Chop Suey Wonton, or a Thai boxer Pad Thai Curry Puffs.{{sfn|Wong|2019}}

''Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!'' continued the trend of using characters with "distinct stereotypical exaggerations."{{sfn|Chapman|2007|p=32}} The 1987 game is widely recognized as a landmark of racial stereotyping in video games: Brandon Mendelson described the boxer opponents as "a cavalcade of racial and ethnic stereotypes,"{{sfn|Mendelson|2010}} and Sam Machkovech described them as "a veritable United Nations of stereotypes."{{sfn|Machkovech|2014}} Writing for ''The Escapist'', Sumantra Lahiri detailed the Japan-developed{{sfn|Schwenkbeck|2017|p=177-178}} NES game's extensive stereotyping: {{blockquote|As you go through the game, you gain an encyclopedic knowledge of ignorant American sentiments: The French are weak and cowardly; the Germans are ultra-militaristic; the Japanese are sneaky and untrustworthy; the Spanish are flamboyant and vain; Samoans are fat and stupid; Indians skin tigers alive and wear turbans; Russians love their vodka; and black people are ruthless and a bit ignorant.{{sfn|Lahiri|2009}}}}

thumb|An illustration of Soda Popinski hauling crates of glass bottles in the snow, reflecting stereotypes of Russians. Of particular note in ''Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!'' is the stereotypical Soviet Russian character Soda Popinski, representing the stereotype of Russians as brutish alcoholics obsessed with vodka.{{sfnm|1a1=Lahiri|1y=2009|2a1=Elston|2y=2009|3a1=Wilson|3y=2012|4a1=Speerbrecker|4y=2013|5a1=Machkovech|5y=2014|6a1=Burns|6y=2015|7a1=Nieves|7y=2018|8a1=Wong|8y=2019|9a1=Jones|9y=2023}} In Soda Popinski's entry for the 2017 publication ''100 Greatest Video Game Characters'', Rahima Schwenkbeck analyzed the character's Russian tropes within the context of contemporary international relations in tandem with localized pressures faced by Nintendo in their attempts to penetrate the American consumer market.{{sfn|Schwenkbeck|2017|p=178}} Noting the pervasiveness of unflattering tropes about Soviet or Russian people in popular culture in the West, Schwenkbeck pointed out that this is not a phenomenon unique to American media, citing the historically turbulent Japan–Russia relations and the predominantly negative image of Russia among Japanese society based on the findings of a Pew Research Center survey in 2015.{{sfn|Schwenkbeck|2017|p=178}} Schwenkbeck observed that Popinski's continued depiction as a caricature of a vodka-loving Russian, regardless of changing political climates and expectations of improved character development with the advancement of technology, reflects a larger narrative about long-standing negative stereotypes of Russians prevalent in both American and Japanese culture.{{sfn|Schwenkbeck|2017|p=177}}

The 2009 ''Punch-Out!!'' game for the Wii heavily uses ethnic and national stereotypes like its predecessors, largely through the use of recycled boxers from previous games.{{sfn|Kuchera|2009}} In addition to old stereotypical characters such as Glass Joe and Soda Popinski, the newest ''Punch-Out!!'' game also features the stereotypical boxer Disco Kid, portrayed as a Black American preoccupied with music and clubbing.{{sfn|Elston|2009}}

===Reception=== In contrast with ''Punch-Out''{{'s}} mainstream popularity, critical reception to the series' stereotypes has generally been negative. Davey Nieves and Wong condemned ''Punch-Out!!''{{'s}} ethnic and national stereotypes as offensive and mean-spirited.{{sfnm|1a1=Nieves|1y=2018|2a1=Wong|2y=2019}} John Speerbrecker described the stereotypes as "much worse" than those featured in ''Street Fighter II'',{{sfn|Speerbrecker|2013}} another popular fighting game whose stereotyping is often compared with that in ''Punch-Out!!''.{{sfn|Demby|2014}} Machkovech characterized ''Punch-Out!!''{{'s}} ethnic and national stereotyping as part of a broader lack of meaningful racial diversity in Nintendo video games and general bias in favor of white characters.{{sfn|Machkovech|2014}} Schwenkbeck unfavorably compared Soda Popinski to the ''Street Fighter'' character Zangief, calling the former "pure stereotype" while the latter is referred to as a "solid character."{{sfn|Schwenkbeck|2017|p=177}}

Despite the generally negative reception to ''Punch-Out!!''{{'s}} stereotypes, some critics have also expressed more forgiving views of the stereotypical characters. Brett Elston characterized the depictions as "friendly jabs at everyone's equal expense,"{{sfn|Elston|2009}} and Wong argued that "the developers took a 'scorched earth' approach to their stereotyping; every ethnicity was equally lampooned, which pre-empted any accusations of 'singling out' anyone."{{sfn|Wong|2019}}

== Notes == {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist|22em}}

===Bibliography of stereotypes=== {{refbegin}} *{{cite web |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63640/16-hard-hitting-facts-about-mike-tysons-punch-out |title=16 Hard-Hitting Facts About Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! |last=Burns |first=Janet |date=May 6, 2015 |website=Mental Floss }} *{{cite thesis |last=Chapman |first=Lacey |date=August 2007 |title=Do Modern Video Games Impact the Cultural Perceptions and Acceptance of Racial Stereotypes? A Qualitative Assessment of Video Game Usage |url=https://baylor-ir.tdl.org/bitstream/handle/2104/5053/Lacey_Chapman_phd.pdf |publisher=Baylor University }} *{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/03/16/290119728/street-fighter-ii-most-racist-nostalgic-video-game-ever |title='Street Fighter II': Most Racist Nostalgic Video Game Ever? |last=Demby |first=Gene |date=March 16, 2014 |website=NPR }} *{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/fun-with-stereotypes-starring-punch-out/ |title=Fun with stereotypes: starring Punch-Out!! |last=Elston |first=Brett |date=May 20, 2009 |website=GamesRadar+ }} *{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/63912/a-warriors-warrior-warriors-for-warriors-warriors-make-punch-out-warriors-you-cowards |title=A Warriors Warrior Warriors for Warriors' Warriors |last=Jones |first=James |date=June 11, 2023 |website=NintendoWorldReport }} *{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2009/05/classically-trained-ars-reviews-punch-out-for-the-wii/ |title=Classically trained: Ars reviews Punch-Out for the Wii |last=Kuchera |first=Ben |date=May 19, 2009 |website=Ars Technica }} *{{cite web |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_184/5649-Punch-Out-s-Black-Eye |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126001440/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_184/5649-Punch-Out-s-Black-Eye |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-11-26 |title=Punch-Out!!'s Black Eye |last=Lahiri |first=Sumantra |date=January 13, 2009 |website=The Escapist }} *{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/05/op-ed-its-time-for-nintendo-to-move-beyond-white-characters/ |title=It's time for Nintendo to move beyond white characters |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=May 21, 2014 |website=Ars Technica }} *{{cite web |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-people-who-made-mike_b_800463 |title=The People Who Made Mike Tyson's Punch-Out Are Racist |last=Mendelson |first=Brandon |date=December 29, 2010 |website=HuffPost }} *{{cite web |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/nss-the-nes-classic-has-me-seeing-punch-out-through-a-whole-new-lens/ |title=NSS: The NES Classic Has Me Seeing Punch-Out Through a Whole New Lens |last=Nieves |first=Davey |date=July 8, 2018 |website=ComicsBeat }} *{{cite encyclopedia |last=Schwenkbeck |first=Rahima |editor1-last=Banks |editor1-first=Jaime |editor2-last=Mejia |editor2-first=Robert |editor3-last=Adams |editor3-first=Aubrie |encyclopedia=100 Greatest Video Game Characters |title=Soda Popinski |date=June 23, 2017 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |series=100 Greatest... |location=Lanham |isbn=9781442278134 |pages=176–178 }} *{{cite web |url=https://gotgame.com/2013/01/06/fighting-for-stereotypes/ |title=Fighting for Stereotypes: Street Fighter II vs. Punch-Out!! |last=Speerbrecker |first=John |date=January 6, 2013 |website=GotGame }}{{Dead link|date=May 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} *{{cite web |url=https://www.toplessrobot.com/2012/02/the_8_most_ethnically_stereotypical_punch-out_char.php |title=The 8 Most Ethnically Stereotypical Punch-Out!! Characters |last=Wilson |first=Matt |date=February 16, 2012 |website=Topless Robot }} *{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/every-punch-out-opponent-ranked-1750664537 |title=Every Punch-Out!! Opponent, Ranked |last=Wong |first=Kevin |date=April 10, 2019 |website=Kotaku }} {{refend}}

{{Punch-Out series|state=expanded}}

Punch-Out!! Punch-Out!! Category:Punch-Out!! characters Category:Video game characters introduced in 1984