Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series of boxing games has quite the twisted history.  Most fans remember the Nintendo Entertainment System's Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! with fond memories even after the game was re-released with Tyson swapped out for the generic Mr. Dream.  Apparently there was once a NES sequel in the works featuring Tyson as the star player instead of Little Mac, but for a variety of reasons, that sequel — Mike Tyson's Intergalactic Power Punch — never saw the light of day.  Now, seventeen years later, the game has reappeared online as yet another unreleased prototype.  GameSetWatch has the story.

Unlike the series' other entries, this follow-up was slated to star Tyson, and not Little Mac as the protagonist. Familiar trainer Jerome "Doc" Louis was also replaced with Don King's outrageous hair.  Beam [Software] and Nintendo's Mike Tyson’s Intergalactic Power Punch never got released, apparently due to both licensing and quality issues.  So the developer and a new publisher removed Tyson from the sequel, switching him out for a generic fictional boxer named “Tough Guy” Mark Tyler, and American Softworks eventually published a modified version of the title as Power Punch II in 1992, despite the non-existence of a Power Punch I.

After Don King brags that there isn't a man walking this earth that stands a chance against Tyson, the Intergalactic Boxing Federation challenges the boxer to fight its ridiculous lineup of alien pugilists (some even use vehicles during the fights). Also, instead of ring girls or Mario bookending each round, the game uses ring slugs.  The alien fighters are much too strong, and Punch-Out!!'s dodging and counter-attacking element has been left out. Playing the game is awful, regardless if you're “Tough Guy” Mark Tyler or Mike Tyson.

It sounds like we dodged a bullet by missing out on this game.  There's already a minor clamor for playing this unreleased title, but I have to wonder if anyone would be this interested had the game made it to stores as originally planned.  After all, has anyone ever held Power Punch II up as a must-play game?  Intergalactic Power Punch is a curiosity.  It's a historical footnote.  Y'know, now that I think about it, I know Beam Software from another lackluster NES game.  Think... think... oh, of course!  Back to the Future II & III.  Yeah, we're better off not knowing Mike Tyson's Intergalactic Power Punch.

(via MetaFilter)