Little Mac (Punch-Out! Returns)

Little Mac is the main protagonist of Punch-Out! Returns and the Punch-Out! series in general. This article pertains to his appearance in the 2019 fighting game for the Switch, Punch-Out! Returns
== Background ==
After the events of the Wii Punch-Out! game, Little Mac retired from boxing and went to college, with his tuitions paid in full by his winnings from the WVBA. In the beginning of Punch-Out! Returns, he was approached by the current WVBA champion, Dapper Dan, who challenged him to a fight. Though he lost the match, Little Mac was still able to land the first blow to Dapper Dan's face in the latter's entire career, which led Dapper Dan to challenge him to fight him again at the VFX. With his fighting spirit rekindled by the fight, Little Mac sets off to fight Dapper Dan again in the VFX.
== Ending ==
In his arcade mode ending, Little Mac reclaims his honor and former title as the WVBA champion, as well as being crowned the champion of the VFX.
In Tetsuo Honda's arcade mode ending, Little Mac goes to the same university Tetsuo attends as part of a foreign exchange program, and the two become friends.
== Moves ==
Little Mac's overall gameplay is remniscient of Jotaro Kujo in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future, with a special emphasis on attacking the enemy several times at close range.
* Gatling Fists (QCF + Attack) - Little Mac's signature move, a rapid-fire punch technique that hits several times. Mac slowly advances forward as long as he's using this move. It can be followed up with a hook (Light Attack), a cross functionally identical to a point-blank West Side Line (Medium), or an uppercut that launches the opponent into the air (Heavy Attack), as well as Assault Fists
* Assault Fists (DPF + Attack) - a modified version of Gatling Fists where Little Mac focuses his rapid-fire punches on a specific target: Down by the opponent's feet (Light Attack), straight forward at the opponent's midsection (Medium Attack), or diagonally upwards, hitting both the opponent's head and jumping opponents coming in close (Heavy Attack)
* West Side Line (QCB + Attack) - Little Mac dashes forward and attacks the enemy with a powerful right cross, which can send the opponent flying farther inversely proportionate to how close Mac to his opponent when he uses it. If he inputs the command for Gatling Fists right before the West Side Line connects, Mac can cancel the West Side Line into a Gatling Fists.
* Star Punch: Rising Star (QCF + QCF + Attack) - Little Mac unleases a powerful dragon punch or Shoryuken move that goes in different directions depending on which button is pressed (straight up for Light Attack, diagonally forward for Medium Attack, and straight up following a West Side Line for Heavy Attack). If used at a close enough range, it will hit the opponent multiple times. The best way to avoid the Light and Medium Attack versions of this technique is to crouch.
* Light Attack + Medium Attack + Heavy Attack - Little Mac's basic combo of left jab, right cross, and left hook. The left hook, if used in this combo, temporarily dazes the opponent.
* Uppercut - while crouching (holding the control stick down rather than tapping it to sidestep), Little Mac can unleash an uppercut launching the opponent to the air.
* Overhand - after Slipping (moving to the left or right just before an attack hits), Little Mac can follow up with an overhand punch that knocks the enemy down.
* Check Hook - against dashing opponents, Little Mac can use a Heavy Attack to execute a Check Hook, in which he first attacks the opponent with a hook to stop the dash and then moves around the opponent so that he is facing behind the opponent. (Little Mac can also use this technique as his basic grapple by pressing two attack buttons together)
== Quotes ==
* Victory vs. Himself: "So, you're Doc's old apprentice, huh? Guess he didn't teach you half the stuff he taught me!
* Victory vs. Himself (player 2): "How's Doc doing these days?"
* Victory vs. Dapper Dan: "Mac is BACK!
* Victory vs. Glass Joe: "It doesn't matter if you punch or kick, you're still the same loser you've always been!"
* Victory vs. Tetsuo Honda: "You're nothing compared to your big brother, kiddo."
* Victory vs. King Hippo: "You can't put a manhole over your belly button this time, big guy!"
* Victory vs. Saurian: "Your face just got a close encounter of the fist kind!"
* Victory vs. Manny the Mangler: "That was for Doc!"
* Victory vs. Hanzo: "Pfft. Ninjas. I've faced those guys before!"
== Trivia ==
* If Little Mac is fought in a mirror match, dialogue from Little Mac and Doc Louis suggest that the second Little Mac is actually the Challenger, the green-haired protagonist from the original Punch-Out! game.
* Little Mac's quote against Hanzo references Little Mac's appearance in the Super Smash Bros. games.
Category:Punch-Out! Returns Characters
Category:Punch-Out!! Characters