Punch-out got Mario without Miyamoto’s permission

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Punch-out! is apart of the foundation of the Nintendo Entertainment System’s classic catalog. There have been sequels here and there, but the one that will always stick out is Mike Tyson version. Well recently Nintendo released a transcript from a developer round table, as they do with most of their major first party games.

The latest interview was with Shigeru Miyamoto and Genyo Takeda talking about the original Punch-Out. The transcript reveals that, while Mario was in Punch-Out, the development group added him without asking Miyamoto. “I drew that myself without permission,” said Wata. Miyamoto futher explained by saying “We didn’t have an approval system when using Mario images back then and it went right past my check.”

Besides Miyamoto not giving the okay on Mario in Punch-out, Wada also explained a strategy for one of the bosses in the NES game that no one has known about for 22 years. “There is a big boxer called Bald Bull in the NES version as well and a light flashes to the right in the audience when he charges. If you punch when it flashes you will land a body blow.” Stranger and stranger.

Full transcript on the developer roundtable

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