Punch a Bunch Switch Review

There’s something so satisfying about mastering the sweet science in boxing games. Whether it be Little Mac taking on Mike Tyson or enjoying some Wii Sports with friends, nothing beats the satisfaction of landing a successful combo and knocking your opponent to the floor. Sadly, the boxing genre is not as popular as it used to be with the rise of MMA games like UFC and the steadfast release of the entertaining WWE Series of games.

Punch a Bunch by Pontypants and No Gravity Games enters the ring to try to go a few rounds with your money and attention, but can it go the distance? Let’s find out…

Punch a Bunch is a physics boxing game based solely on skill. You don’t level up or unlock new abilities, you only get better. At first, the idea of this made it a hard sell for me, as I like the idea of building up or leveling up a character seems like a much more rewarding approach. I’m glad I did try though as it’s a game that gives you the satisfaction of your own skills progression. My first opponent took me around 3 minutes to take down the first time around, but after a few hours with the game, I was deflecting shots and countering with heavy-hitting hooks, and well-timed swings to defeat them much faster.]

Defeating opponents under certain conditions will unlock cosmetic items which you can equip to give your avatar some style and personality. Your opponents are the same, however, some have unique skills and abilities which start out being downright frustrating as you are decimated within seconds, but after you learn patterns it adds to the rewarding feeling of personal progression. In your journey to the top, you will face off against Monks, Vikings, and Luchadors who employ moves that may not be technically legal in the boxing world, but add a nice variety and challenge throughout your journey to become the champ.

Graphically, the game is somewhat akin to Fall Guys. Characters have personalities based on their abilities and clothing and the game runs at a smooth framerate that never seems to dip. While graphically, some compromises were made from the PC version, the gameplay remains fluid and combat fun as you stumble, block, duck, dive, dip, and punch your way through the 3 different championship titles on offer.

The control scheme is confusing at first, but once it’s mastered, you will feel ready for the big leagues, weaving your way through enemies in no time. There’s still the occasional enemy that will knock you down a few pegs, but with a bit of practice, you will claw your way back. You have the option of using the R and ZR buttons combined with the control stick for an experience similar to the Fight Night series, or you can enable the “assist” controls with delegate high/low and left/right to the control buttons for a more tradition (and somewhat easier) fighting experience.

Gameplay is fluid, challenging, and exciting and it can be satisfying and immensely frustrating at times. I did wonder why some hits seemed to deflect off my opponent’s face, similar to boxing underwater and doing no damage, while the enemy could seemingly throw haymakers like it was going out of fashion. While this certainly would get my blood pressure pumping, it also helped contribute to the satisfaction of finally taking that opponent down. The developer does warn about the challenge in the product description, and it would appear Punch a Bunch aims to be the “Dark Souls” of the boxing world, so casual gamers, or gamers chasing a more relaxed experience need not apply.

All in all, Punch a Bunch is a solid, fun boxing game at a great price point of $24. It will provide hours of fun for those looking for a challenge and offers a slick and rewarding boxing experience, especially for fans of the sport. While it may seem childish in looks, gamers will find a complex, challenging, and rewarding game that’s a bunch of fun if you have the patience. Let’s go to the cards for the judge’s score…

So What’s it Like?

Punch a Bunch is a pedigree of Wii Sports mixed with Fall Guys