Modern remakes of old movies, games and TV shows have to tread a fine line. Change it too much, and you'll enrage the existing fans. Don't change it enough and you get accused of just cynically re-hashing a classic. So you might imagine some trepidation at Next Level Games when Nintendo asked them to develop the first new Punch-Out!! game since the early '90s.
But to our delight, the Vancouver-based studio pulled it off with aplomb. Punch-Out!! on Wii brought back all the charm, character and reflex-based gameplay of the old games, as well as creating an incredibly handsome new stylised look, motion controls and a much deeper challenge.
We loved it, and we wanted to know more. So we asked gameplay lead Bryce Holliday, producer Ken Yeeloy and audio director Chad York all about the game's journey from concept to the store shelves.
ONM: What did you find were the main challenges involved in resurrecting such a treasured franchise?
Bryce Holliday: There were many challenges in resurrecting the Punch-Out!! franchise but two really stuck out during development of the game. The first was how much can we stick to the original gameplay mechanics and camera. In the beginning there were grand designs of adding lots of controls, moving around the ring and adding new camera movements but during the prototype phase these were all left on the cutting room floor because, as fans of the original games, they just did not 'feel' like the old Punch-Out!!.
After discussions between Next Level Games and Nintendo, we felt that the old way of playing was still really fun and we could build an entertaining product from the base that already existed.
Secondly, there was modern era feature-creep stuff like building your own character, making RPG elements to increase Little Mac's skill or adding mini-games to the mix. All these ideas went through various stages of design and implementation and they were eventually all chopped because we wanted to get people interested in Little Mac again by using their own skills to solve new and interesting boss puzzles. We really wanted old fans to 'feel' the nostalgia while giving new users a taste of the classic gameplay.
ONM: What's the thinking behind the look of the game, and what were your influences in terms of the art style?
BH: Next Level and Nintendo were pretty much always together on what the 'look' of the game would be. Both teams thought that it should be immediately identifiable to someone passing by a booth displaying the game. The art style needed to invoke the old while treating the user to some new visuals. The cartoon/sprite style evolved as the logical choice and I think we've been successful in bringing the old characters new life and adding a little more depth with the move to stylized 3D.
ONM: How long did the game take from concept stage to completion, and what part of the process was most enjoyable for the team?
Ken Yeeloy: The game took approximately two years from the start of prototype to the finished product.
Chad York: Speaking for myself, the most enjoyable part of the process was recording and integrating the voice elements. It really brought the characters to life and we had a lot of fun doing it! The trickiest part of development was tuning the game to appeal to casual gamers but having enough gameplay challenge for the longtime fans of the franchise.
BH: The most enjoyable part for the team at Next Level was the creation of the puzzles. We created tools and a workflow that allowed us to really crank through puzzle design to find the fun elements rather than design it on paper. During the production push we were showing new puzzles to the team weekly, slowly honing each gameplay puzzle to the boss character's persona and difficulty. This was fun because every Monday we got a rough version of a Punch-Out!! puzzle to solve. The trickiest part was multiplayer, due to the fact that the mechanics don't lend themselves to competitive multiplayer that well. We went through many iterations of the game to find something that we thought was fun enough to compare to the single player experience. I hope one day this will be the challenge we tackle again in a potential sequel.
ONM: What's it been like working with Nintendo, and how much active input did they have during the development process?
KY: Nintendo is really a great partner. They were very involved with the project from start to finish and the process was very collaborative on both the creative and production side of things. Creatively, they really allow us to flex our creative muscle and 'guide' us rather than 'tell' us. It's really apparent that we build off each others' ideas.
CY: We love the exchange of ideas we get to share with them and value their input immensely. Plus they are really great people which makes the process even more fun.
BH: At Next Level we have been working with Nintendo for five years and the collaborative relationship could not be stronger. They trust us enough to let us dream big ideas and to push our boundaries. Nintendo is always a fun-first company and the creative development of the game will focus on that until it is found. Once the team has figured it out, then the other parts of the game are sorted out. That's what makes them great. They are a toy company at heart, which is refreshing in these days of profit-conscious corporate entities.
During the development of Punch-Out!! we were in constant email and phone contact and would send them monthly milestones for feedback and status updates. They directed us to get the best out of our team and the product we intended to make together. That leadership and vision really helped with tough decisions and solidified game ideas when needed.
ONM: Can you tell us any funny stories from the development of the game?
CY: One day on our way back from lunch, Riley (the voice actor that plays Doc Louis) decided to burst into song in the car. He was looking right at the other directors sitting in the back seat and singing a very soulful R'n'B ditty while still in Doc's character. The looks on their faces was priceless. They didn't know whether to laugh or applaud!
ONM: Would you consider making more Punch-Out!! games? What other Nintendo franchises would you like to resurrect?
KY: I would love to make a sequel. I think with this first product, we wanted to make sure there was a definite, undeniable connection to the original. The sequel would be our opportunity to evolve the franchise further and add some cool, new things.
CY: Yeah, I'd make another Punch-Out!! product. Definitely!
BH: The next Punch-Out!! would be different. Hopefully the fans appreciate what we've done here and that Punch-Out!! gathers strength in the marketplace as well as in pop culture. We've seen great online videos and fan content already. When the current title has gathered its new fanbase I would personally love to take the IP and the mechanic and give it a little twist.
Cooperative, competitive multiplayer, online support or create-a-boss mode would be places to start but we'd need to come up with a new 'hook' like the motion controllers gave us in this iteration.
As for old franchises, hardcore fans want Kid Icarus but Next Level dreams of Pilotwings as we love and are known for arcade sports titles like the Mario Strikers series and now Punch-Out!!.
