10 Controversial Video Game Levels That Were Completely Misunderstood

6. Super Punch-Out - Just About Every Level

Most famously known for it's Mike Tyson fronted entry, the Punch Out series has been around for years. It's a Rocky-style story which sees the underdog Little Mac taking on bigger and badder opponents in a boxing ring. It features a bunch of colourful and interesting characters, though at first, you might be amazed at the sheer volume of stereotypes on show. There's a variety of fighters from a variety of backgrounds featured in the game and most are created specifically as stereotypes of one country. For example, Glass Joe (one of the weaker characters in the game) is from France and has a cowardly personality, whereas Bear Hugger is a Canadian Lumberjack who no doubt loves to swig on a bottle of maple syrup before a match. Arguably the most controversial character is Vodka Drunkenski, a Russian who makes constant references to being drunk. Some also took issue with his reddish pink colour, claiming it represented Russia's depiction as "the Reds". Vodka was renamed Soda Popinski in later versions of Punch Out, undoubtedly in an attempt to prevent controversy, but he still makes references to being drunk (for example, he declares that he can't drive frequently). Is this racist then? Perhaps, though it should be noted that none of these stereotypes are done with any particular malice. Sure, Vodka Drunkenski is pretty borderline to say the least (hence the change), but the vast majority of characters within the game are done in a similar style to most sitcoms or comedy films. They're done in a larger-than-life fashion which makes them ridiculous and cartoony, rather than realistic and hurtful. Besides, no character is ever depicted as stupid or lesser; they're just boxers with their own individual personalities and characteristics. Some may find it offensive, but the intention was clearly to poke fun at various stereotypes from across the world.