The 1987 NES classic Punch Out!! could soon be making its way to the Game Boy Color, in the form of Steel Joe's Punch Out!! B-Side, a new fan game featuring cut content from a recently discovered prototype build of the original game.
According to a recent Reddit post published over the weekend, the fan developer Bitcrunched downed tools on their GB Studio-based Game Boy Color version of Punch Out!! approximately two years ago, but has decided to return to the project to pick up from where they left off (thanks, @yoshinokentarou, for the spot!). They've even published some new footage of the game in action, giving a tease at their unique take on the Nintendo boxing game.
Just in case it wasn't clear enough from the new title, Steel Joe's Punch Out!! B-Side isn't exactly a straightforward port of the NES game, but rather a remixed version with noticeable changes from the original.
The World Champion, Mr. Dream (the character who replaced Mike Tyson), for instance, has been moved to the minor circuit after being "repeatedly beat down by Little Mac (specifically Summoning Salt trying to get the world record fight on the PAL version of Punch-Out!!)" and Glass Joe has also got a new name, Steel Joe, to indicate he is now the "best of the best" and the person to beat.
What excites us most, however, is the addition of some of the cut characters named in the "Guest Stars" section in the recently discovered NES prototype build. These include Mongol Khan, whom Bitcrunched has had to design from scratch, as the character has no official appearance and "no CHR data" to speak of; Rockyhead, who also lacks CHR data and is yet to be implemented (but will reportedly take a spot in the major circuit); and Pizza Pasta (who previously appeared in the 1984 arcade game).
From the looks of things, it is already shaping up to be a knockout and is one project we'll definitely be keeping an eye on going forward.