Virtual Boy Complete - Game #16
Teleroboxer is a Punch-Out, hmm, I'm not sure if to say "spin-off" or "clone" - apologies for making obscure behind-the-scenes Scooby-Doo references two times (and in fact, referencing Scooby-Doo 3 times as a whole), but I guess it's the same thing as like, Goober & the Ghost Chasers. Technically it's own thing, maybe, but same creators, same concept, yadda yadda. Anyway, it's the same gameplay as Punch-Out, just in first person - dodge an enemy's attacks, figure out their pattern, hit them when they're vulnerable. For reference though, I am going to be judging this game as if it's a Punch-Out game.
The boxers you fight against, at least from the little I played, are well-designed for this purpose - the first boss is a decent no-frills beginner boss but has a little more punch than Glass Joe, which makes sense since the game is shorter than NES Punch-Out, second boss is quite cleverly a snake-gorilla who will put his head on his belly, meaning that you have to learn to lower your fists to attack him, some classic Punch-Out game design right there.
I have two big issues with this game however: one is the controls. This is a twin stick game, when it has no real reason to be. To dodge left you have to use the left D-pad, and to dodge right you have to use the right D-pad. This is not impossible to adjust to, but it's very easy to forget the controls and try to play it as a single D-pad game, especially if you're in a situation where you don't need to dodge for a bit (for example, if you've scored a rapid hit) - the other problem I have is that the HP system is way too simplistic. When you are knocked out, you're out, there is no "get up get up" referee element - since the game does have HP transfer between time-out rounds, this removes an essential failsafe and means you'll often start rounds in a situation where you are obviously going to lose and there is no point.
The 3D is impressive, even if not the best I've seen on VB, but the character designs don't really say much to me, and if anything are a bit of an eyesore. I like the robot concept in theory, even if there is a bit of sci-fi oversaturation on VB, but these character designs just feel a bit uncanny with a few exceptions - and, in Punch-Out tradition, one of them is racist (straw hat + Fu Manchu moustache). Because of course.
I do think Teleroboxer is a game that I may enjoy more if I go back to it, games like this get significantly better with mastery (that is true of Punch-Out itself).
Also, if I were ranking games based entirely off of how funny their game over screens are, this would be #1. Best of all time.
Teleroboxer is a Punch-Out, hmm, I'm not sure if to say "spin-off" or "clone" - apologies for making obscure behind-the-scenes Scooby-Doo references two times (and in fact, referencing Scooby-Doo 3 times as a whole), but I guess it's the same thing as like, Goober & the Ghost Chasers. Technically it's own thing, maybe, but same creators, same concept, yadda yadda. Anyway, it's the same gameplay as Punch-Out, just in first person - dodge an enemy's attacks, figure out their pattern, hit them when they're vulnerable. For reference though, I am going to be judging this game as if it's a Punch-Out game.
The boxers you fight against, at least from the little I played, are well-designed for this purpose - the first boss is a decent no-frills beginner boss but has a little more punch than Glass Joe, which makes sense since the game is shorter than NES Punch-Out, second boss is quite cleverly a snake-gorilla who will put his head on his belly, meaning that you have to learn to lower your fists to attack him, some classic Punch-Out game design right there.
I have two big issues with this game however: one is the controls. This is a twin stick game, when it has no real reason to be. To dodge left you have to use the left D-pad, and to dodge right you have to use the right D-pad. This is not impossible to adjust to, but it's very easy to forget the controls and try to play it as a single D-pad game, especially if you're in a situation where you don't need to dodge for a bit (for example, if you've scored a rapid hit) - the other problem I have is that the HP system is way too simplistic. When you are knocked out, you're out, there is no "get up get up" referee element - since the game does have HP transfer between time-out rounds, this removes an essential failsafe and means you'll often start rounds in a situation where you are obviously going to lose and there is no point.
The 3D is impressive, even if not the best I've seen on VB, but the character designs don't really say much to me, and if anything are a bit of an eyesore. I like the robot concept in theory, even if there is a bit of sci-fi oversaturation on VB, but these character designs just feel a bit uncanny with a few exceptions - and, in Punch-Out tradition, one of them is racist (straw hat + Fu Manchu moustache). Because of course.
I do think Teleroboxer is a game that I may enjoy more if I go back to it, games like this get significantly better with mastery (that is true of Punch-Out itself).
Also, if I were ranking games based entirely off of how funny their game over screens are, this would be #1. Best of all time.