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Game Debate to the Death!<br>Excitebike VS Punch-Out!! photo

Last week's PS2 platformer debate brought out various different opinions from readers, with a healthy amount of fan support from all sides. While there was one clear winner, there was a vicious fight for second place, with a single deciding vote preventing it from finishing as a tie. Here are the close results:

  • 1st: Ratchet & Clank series (42 votes) -- Winner!
  • 2nd: Sly Cooper series (22 votes)
  • 3rd: Jak & Daxter series (21 votes)

This week, not only do I feel like starting some retro debates, but I'd also like to rekindle an element of these debates we haven't visited in a while. I used to enjoy debates between two games that aren't very similar. Discussions that force you to think outside the box, consider all the pros and cons of each game, and compare and contrast them in a way that really makes you think about why you did or didn't enjoy a certain game.

With debates like these, it's not good enough to just vote with your gut -- it forces you to be more analytical and think like a game designer. It's my opinion that you should be able to compare any two games to each other no matter how drastically different they are in their nature.

For tonight we'll start off simple though, with Excitebike and Punch-Out!! -- two sports games with completely different gameplay styles. Which game do you think is better, and why? Give it some serious thought, get some NES friends to share their opinions as well, and check back next week for the winner and an even odder Retro debate matchup.

Bonus Question: What other NES retro games would you like to see fight to the death in a debate?


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66 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Jordan Devore's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 21:55
Jordan Devore
Punch-Out all the way.
NukaCola's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 21:56
NukaCola
Definitely Punch Out!! Excitebike is a game that's kinda fun at first but gets boring as hell after 5 minutes of playing. Too repetetive and definitely overrated.

As for future NES retro fights...Final Fantasy III V.S. Dragon Warrior/Quest IV? Super Mario Bros. V.S. Mega Man? Metroid V.S. Castlevania? Bionic Commando V.S. Ninja Gaiden?

More than anything, I know what would cause a shitstorm: Shadowrun SNES V.S. Shadowrun Genesis.
Crunshii's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 21:57
Crunshii
Mos Def Mike's slap out.

"U WANT SUM STATIC!?"
-PL-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 21:58
-PL-
Punch Out. It just has more meat on its bones, more variation in gameplay. Excitebike is awesome, I loved the track editor when I was a kid, but Punch Out is just a better game all around.
Fronz's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:00
Fronz
Well, if I went with my gut, I think the gameplay hours I put into each game would speak for themself. I used to play Punch-Out!! several times a week for probably a year, while I would only play Excitebike occasionally. It wasn't that Excitebike wasn't fun, it was just that Punch-Out!!'s sprites offered so much more personality than Excitebike, and losing to those damn ugly looking strange boxers made me want to beat them even more on the next retry.

But since these analytical debates AREN'T about going with your gut, I quickly realized two huge things: (1) -- Excitebike is a multiplayer game. Whenever friends were over, it was a blast to both play at the same time, whereas Punch-Out!! was fun passing the controller back and forth for only a few weeks. And (2) -- Excitebike has a track editor, and building your own levels back in the 8-bit era was jaw droppingly black magic that consumed many extra hours of our lives.

In my opnion, these two aspects bury Punch-Out!! with far more pros than cons. I also find it funny that Excitebike controls were mostly pressing up or down, and Punch-Out!! was the exact opposite, pressing mostly left and right. Next week's debate will be even harder to compare though.

Vote: Excitebike.
king3vbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:00
king3vbo
Excitebike

DURR
NegFactor's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:04
NegFactor
Punch-Out, if it's Mike Tyson's Punch-Out. Why? 007 373 5963 has been carved into my memory for what feels like time immemoriam.

That and nothing feels as satisfying as finishing off some cocky bastard like Bald Bull with the good gut shot.

Bonus: Kid Icarus vs. Blaster Master (there you go, Conrad)
TheRemedy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:04
TheRemedy
Punch-out

DURR

Bonus: Final Fantasy 1 vs. Dragon Warrior 1
pendelton21's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:04
pendelton21
king, you know I love you, but you're a moron.

Punch-Out

DURR
Daxelman's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:05
Daxelman
Excitebike.

It spawned Excitetruck, and hopefully Nitrobike.
Debeo Laurus's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:08
Debeo Laurus
Punch-out for sure, I still to this day play it on occasion. As well as its fantastic super nintendo counterpart Super Punch-out. A lot of good inspiration can also be seen in most of the story, kind of a like a Rocky movie except your the main character. Whereas Excitebike has... I mean come on who wants to be Jeremy McGrath, he's never had his own movie?
Jaren Face's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:09
Jaren Face
A cast full of colourful/memorable characters, a shit-my-pants worthy final boss, and one of my favourite protagonists of all time.

Punch Out!!
...
And Little Mac for the next Smash game. Probably the only reason I'd play it.
-PL-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:14
-PL-
Oh Fronz, you're so iconoclastic!
Puppy Licks's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:14
Puppy Licks
I'll vote for Punch Out because it actually has characters and a story.

Also how would a Streets of Rage Vs River City Ransom debate go?
Scrixx's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:15
Scrixx
ExciteTruck.

OH NO I DIDN'T
Ghil's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:18
Ghil
I will vote for Punch Out because from time to time, I still play it ;)
DanlHaas's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:23
DanlHaas
Excitebike.
Why?

Level editor. It was like looking into the future.
AgentMOO's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:27
AgentMOO
Punch Oot!
AndyCat's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:28
AndyCat
Level Creation FTW
whormongr's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:31
whormongr
punch out- I was playing it today in fact...
hpv's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:34
hpv
Glad to see the last one came out correct. There is no contest with this one either. Excite Bike FTW!
SuperCracker's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:35
SuperCracker
Punch Out, all the way. And if you guys dare to disagree, Mike Tyson will rape your mothers, bite your ears off, and eat your babies.
Agent Orange's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:38
Agent Orange
Hours of my youth were spent on Excitebike, plus it has the track editor and multiplayer, so the choice was pretty easy.
GrayFox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:40
GrayFox
Love Excitebike, but I gotta go with Punchout here.
Nick Chester's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:43
Nick Chester
Punch Out!! because it's still really, really fun. Also, Bald Bull.
Luigi takes over's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:44
Luigi takes over
Punch out all the way. Excitebike was great but Punchout was just meant so much more to me when I was little.
ryanrab1's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:44
ryanrab1
Easy, Excitebike!
The-Excel's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:45
The-Excel
The latter just because it was referenced in Shin-chan.
Shin Oni's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:47
Shin Oni
I adore Excitebike...but seriously, I only love it cause of the main theme, constantly crashing and seeing a bunch of random dirtbikers pass by and seemingly disappear after you hop back on the bike.....the looooooooooooooong run to the bike, and sillyness. But I had more fun trying to reach Mike and figure out the trick to beating boxers in Punch out.

so punch out for me this time.

bonus answer: out of sheer randomness, Any Contra game. (i'm talking SNES/Genesis/NES versions.)
Cheeburga's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:48
Cheeburga
Going to have to go with Punch-Out
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 22:56
Samit Sarkar
Punch-Out!! for sure. The wacky characters in that game are iconic, especially because they were so damn stereotypical (I love how Soda Popinski was once Vodka Drunkinski).

Bonus: Contra vs. Bionic Commando
Spykron's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:00
Spykron
excitebike gets old too fast. punch out has my vote.
free touch's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:00
free touch
You can NOT compair punch-out to anything... except super punch-out. This contest is null and void.

Punch-out!! is better
Kent's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:01
Kent
PUNCH OUT
F Whipple's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:04
F Whipple
Excite bike

Legend of Zelda vs Urban Champion
Rampage vs Turtles 2/3

or for something completely different...
favorite Mega Man boss
Shadowstew's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:08
Shadowstew
It's definitely Punch-Out!!

Bonus: I would love to see love to see a NES retro fight on...

Nightmare on Elm Street vs. Friday the 13th


Why?
Just cuz!
F Whipple's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:11
F Whipple
nother idear

Best nes disney game
DarkTravesty's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:11
DarkTravesty
punch out
NihonTiger90's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:16
NihonTiger90
This is like deciding which child to kill, but I like Punch-Out slightly more than Excitebike.
Druid 01's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:23
Druid 01
guess ill assist in the landslide vote, punch out.
XL1ska's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:25
XL1ska
I've got to go with Punch-Out. It was just the better game. Excitebike's gameplay itself was certainly fun and could get addictive, and yes the multiplayer and level design aspects were certainly great and ahead of their time. But Punch-Out had so much more personality to it, and the boxers were just so goddamn fun to fight. Punch Out had it in terms of pure fun, and I think that's always what's most important in a game.

VOTE! Punch-Out!!
nukka jdav's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:37
nukka jdav
Punch Out out punches Excite Bike excitingly.
Fronz's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:52
Fronz
Hahaha, in a month or so I'll have to have a whole game debate dedicated to "which punch out boss is your favorite?"
madninja's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/19/2008 23:54
madninja
Excitebike.
killias2's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/20/2008 00:31
killias2
Punch Out. It's just better.
Detry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/20/2008 00:59
Detry
Punch Out.

SNES BATTLE

Earthbound vs. Secret of Mana
ArrestedDeveloper's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/20/2008 01:01
ArrestedDeveloper
Punch out.
iSweat's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/20/2008 01:05
iSweat
Excitebike, it was the first console video game I ever played and I owe it big time. A lot better than the old MS-DOS games I had before like Carmen Sandiego and some Olympic game. One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird was the shit though.
D Sane's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/20/2008 01:26
D Sane
Excitebike!

I'd like to know everyone's favorite Megaman game (original NES games only)
Falciase's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/20/2008 02:04
Falciase
I like them both, but Punch Out is more fun to me. Excite Bike gets old after a couple of minutes... however, the track editor is pretty flipping sweet.

@ Fronz:
Excite Bike has no two player simultaneous play! If it did, I'd definitely go for Excite Bike. That'd be flipping awesome.
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