You'll take control of Little Mac, a boxer with a dream. It's all about memorization and reaction time. Sure, you'll breeze through Glass Joe, probably Von Kaiser too. The comes Piston Honda. Yeah, now you need to start paying attention. This isn't real boxing, not by a long shot. It's not supposed to be. Instead, it's flat-out fun.

You're immediately drawn into the game form the start. Boasting some of the best graphics on the console is only the beginning. The characters are 10 times your size and caricatures of just about every nationality on the planet. Each one is filled with personality, and their between round quotes only serve to infuriate you more.

Not only do they personify the meaning of personality, they each have their quirks that end up being their demise. Dodge just one of Don Flamenco's punches and begin clobbering him with a left-right combo and he's done. King Hippo can only be combo'd when hit in the gut. Macho Man is wide open after his "spinning punch of death." Finding out how to beat these guys is what makes this one so enjoyable.

People will tell you it's the characters, people will tell you it's the story, some may even say it's Mario as a ref, but rest assured the most redeeming part of this game is the music. Get knocked down and the stirring theme music almost immediately sends a single to your brain that shouts "get up damn it!" Knock down an opponent and the music picks up the pace and you'll instantly believe you have a shot. You can't ask for much more than that.

How many games can you say honestly took you 11 years to beat? Not only that, but how many games still remain enjoyable after such a period of time without becoming insanely frustrating? THAT is the sure sign of a bona-fide classic. It's one of those games that you'll be talking about over bingo when you're 90 years old, and even when you're trying to run down old women in your hover-chair. It's that fantastic, and it's because of the Nintendo style.