History VideoGame / PunchClub

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: In addition to various fictional characters, a few celebrity fighters were mixed in, some which include Creator/BruceLee as Mighty Bruce, Don "The Dragon" Wilson as "Dragon Ray", and Creator/HulkHogan as Kulk Kogan. Additionally, characters resembling certain figures show up as an NPC, including Creator/DonKing as Din Kong the boxing promoter, Creator/StevenSeagal as a [[Film/UnderSiege former sailor turned pizza chef named Casey]], and Creator/MarlonBrando as a mafia leader named Don.

* LimitedWardrobe: You only wear a yellow T-shirt with an indistinct pattern and red gym shorts. Unless you [[WalkingShirtlessScene shuck your shirt while at the gym or at home]]. In some cutscenes, though, you have other clothes.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: In addition to various fictional characters, a few celebrity fighters were mixed in, some which include Creator/BruceLee as Mighty Bruce, Don "The Dragon" Wilson as "Dragon Ray", and Creator/HulkHogan as Kulk Kogan. Additionally, characters resembling certain figures show up as an NPC, including Creator/DonKing as Din Kong the boxing promoter, Creator/StevenSeagal as a [[Film/UnderSiege pizza chef named Casey]], and Creator/MarlonBrando as a mafia leader named Don.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: In addition to various fictional characters, a few celebrity fighters were mixed in, some which include BruceLee as Mighty Bruce, Don "The Dragon" Wilson as "Dragon Ray", and HulkHogan as Kulk Kogan. Additionally, characters resembling certain figures show up as an NPC, including DonKing as Din Kong the boxing promoter, StevenSeagal as a [[Film/UnderSiege pizza chef named Casey]], and MarlonBrando as a mafia leader named Don.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: In addition to various fictional characters, a few celebrity fighters were mixed in, some which include /CreatorBruceLee as Mighty Bruce, Don "The Dragon" Wilson as "Dragon Ray", and /CreatorHulkHogan as Kulk Kogan. Additionally, characters resembling certain figures show up as an NPC, including /CreatorDonKing as Din Kong the boxing promoter, /CreatorStevenSeagal as a [[Film/UnderSiege pizza chef named Casey]], and /CreatorMarlonBrando as a mafia leader named Don.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: In addition to various fictional characters, a few celebrity fighters were mixed in, some which include [/CreatorBruceLee Mighty Bruce], Don "The Dragon" Wilson as "Dragon Ray, and [/CreatorHulkHogan Kulk Kogan]. Additionally, characters resembling certain figures show up as NPCs, including [[/CreatorDonKing Din Kong the boxing promoter]], [/CreatorStevenSeagal a pizza chef named Casey], and [/CreatorMarlonBrando a mafia leader named Don].

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: In addition to various fictional characters, a few celebrity fighters were mixed in, some which include [[/CreatorBruceLee Mighty Bruce]], Don "The Dragon" Wilson as "Dragon Ray, and [[/CreatorHulkHogan Kulk Kogan]]. Additionally, characters resembling certain figures show up as NPCs, including [[/CreatorDonKing Din Kong the boxing promoter]], [[/CreatorStevenSeagal a pizza chef named Casey]], and [[/CreatorMarlonBrando a mafia leader named Don]].

* DenserAndWackier: The core game doesn't take itself too seriously, but its plot is still generally in the boxing and martial arts genres and most of the supernatural elements (like the medallion) fit into the latter (aside from [[spoiler: TimeTravel]]). The Dark Fist plotline is a superhero plot that goes into full-on parody. The sequel takes a lot of further steps by setting it in a [[cyberpunk]] setting.

* DenserAndWackier: The core game doesn't take itself too seriously, but its plot is still generally in the boxing and martial arts genres and most of the supernatural elements (like the medallion) fit into the latter (aside from [[spoiler: TimeTravel]]). The Dark Fist plotline is a superhero plot that goes into full-on parody.

* NoStatAtrophy: Averted. At the end of each day, you lose some points from each stat, but there are perks in the skill tree that prevent stats from dropping below certain levels.

''Punch Club'' is a boxing tycoon [[ConstructionAndManagementGames management game]] with multiple branching story lines. The game was released on 8 Jan, 2016, developed by Lazy Bear Games, and published by Creator/TinyBuild. A sequel, ''Punch Club 2: Fast Forward'' was announced with a 2023 release date.

* {{Expy}}: Damn near every NPC you meet, from the [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Indian convenience store clerk]] to the old retired fighter named [[Film/{{Rocky}} Mick]], to [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles sewer-dwelling mutant reptiles]].

''Punch Club'' is a boxing tycoon [[ConstructionAndManagementGames management game]] with multiple branching story lines. The game was released on 8 Jan, 2016, developed by Lazy Bear Games, and published by Creator/TinyBuild.

* StoryBranching: There are two ways to gain access to the Man in Black's tournament: by becoming a professional fighter, or by allying with the local Don and winning the gang wars. The path taken also changes the final opponent in said tournament, as it's [[VideoGame/MortalKombat Sub-273]] for the latter and [[spoiler:your brother]] for the former, though the ending is the same.

''Punch Club'' is a boxing tycoon [[ConstructionAndManagementGames management game]] with multiple branching story lines. The game was released on 8 Jan, 2016, developed by Lazy Bear Games, and published by [=tinyBuild=].

* CriticalExistenceFailure: Until you get down to 0 hp, you're still just as fearsome as you were when you started a fight.

* LightningBruiser: The Way of the Turtle requires high Stamina to soak up damage (and to unlock in the first place), but Strength and Agility have to be balanced as well. A badly-trained fighter is nothing but a StoneWall with weak strikes or PowerfulButInaccurate ones, and that doesn't win fights. A well-trained Turtle is a solid meat shield plus a nastier slugger than the average fighter following the [[MightyGlacier Way of the Bear]], with hard-ass strikes that hit consistently even against a fighter focused on dodging like someone in the [[FragileSpeedster Way of the Tiger]]. Not only that, the Turtle controlls the energy battle, letting the enemy tire out while you keep your breath by blocking and sometimes retaliating, and then knocking him down repeatedly. The problem is that, since you have to keep all the stats high, training time becomes a grindfest later on.

* NoStatAtrophy: Averted. At the end of each day, you lose some points from each stat, but there are perks in the skill tree that prevent stats from dropping below certain levels.

* YouKilledMyFather: The game opens with the protagonist's father being shot and killed by [[BigBad the mysterious man in black]] so he can takes [[MacGuffin your father's enchanted medallion]].

* UnwinnableByMistake: It's possible to lock yourself into a situation where you have no money, energy or food, and you've already used up Mick's free meals, so you can't sleep or get a job to feed yourself. If you do this before you unlock the bar, you can't dumpster dive for a free burger, so restarting is your only option.

* BeastlyBloodsports: Your last training opponent before fighting Ivangief is a bear.

* CasualtyInTheRing: [[spoiler:Roy takes your place in the international tournament and then Ivangief kills him in the ring]].

* GainaxEnding: After hard training and fighting your way to to the top, you head to a secret island for [[BigBad the Man in Black's tournament]] and fight your brother. The result of this fight has no effect on anything but two lines of dialogue, and then you confront the Man in Black, who reveals that [[spoiler:he is your father. Yep your father's killer is your father; he traveled back in time, killed his past self, and stole the medallion so he could destroy it. This is because, in the original timeline, splitting the medallion in half so both his sons could use its power led to one piece becoming cursed, driving one of you insane (he doesn't tell you which), and then the insane one killed the other one and became a crime lord who somehow turned the city into an apocalyptic wasteland.]] Nothing else is explained, no one reacts, asks questions or says anything else. You merely get to walk around for a few more seconds before the credits roll.

** If you take the Pro Fighter route, [[spoiler: you break your leg before the tournament with Ivangief, and there's no option to fight on the broken leg or go have the acupuncturist fix it.]]

* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:Red Eye is actually your dad, who is obviously not dead]].

* ShaggyDogStory: [[spoiler: The ending reveals that the Man in Black, who killed your father, also ''is'' your father. The quest to avenge your father and recover the medallion was ultimately pointless.]]
* ShoutOut: The game is filled with references to other media, such as the protagonist's friend suffering a fatal wound from [[Film/RockyIV Ivan]][[VideoGame/StreetFighter gief]], or the local pizza place making special deliveries to [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles Mutant Ninja Alligators and their Raccoon Master]].
* SiblingRivalry: The protagonist has a brother, but [[spoiler: in the Pro Fighter path, rather than working together to solve your father's murder, he wants to do it all himself and prove he's the rightful inheritor of the medallion]].

* LightningBruiser: The Way of the Turtle requires high Stamina to soak up damage (and to unlock in the first place), but Strength and Agility have to be balanced as well. A badly-trained fighter is nothing but a StoneWall with weak strikes or PowerfulButInaccurate ones, and that doesn't win fights. A well-trained Turtle is a solid meat shield plus a nastier slugger than the average fighter following the [[MightyGlacier Way of the Bear]], with hard-ass strikes that hit consistently even against a fighter focused on dodging like someone in the [[FragileSpeedster Way of the Tiger]]. Not only that, the Turtle has a GradualGrinder flavor to it by controlling the energy battle, letting the enemy tire out while you keep your breath by blocking and sometimes retaliating, and then knocking him down repeatedly. The problem is that, since you have to keep all the stats high, training time becomes a grindfest later on.

* BonusBoss: [[spoiler:The blue ninja from the Man in Black's tournament.]]

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: If you take the Pro Fighter route, [[spoiler: you break your leg before the tournament with Ivangief, and there's no option to fight on the broken leg or go have the acupuncturist fix it.]]

* ExperienceBooster: Training with Roy and/or being in love with Adrian increase your training effectiveness.

* SiblingRivalry: The protagonist has a brother, but rather than working together to solve your father's murder, he wants to do it all himself and prove he's the rightful inheritor of the medallion.

Your father was brutally murdered before your eyes. Now you must train hard, eat chicken and punch dudes in the face to earn your place in the Punch Club ranks, and discover who ended your father's life.

* ShoutOut: The game is filled with references to other media, such as the protagonist's friend suffering a fatal wound from [[Film/RockyIV Ivan]][[VideoGame/StreetFighter gief]], or the local pizza place making special delivery to [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles Mutant Ninja Alligators and their Raccoon Master]].

* AncientOrderOfProtectors: It turns out that your father and his three best friends are merely the modern guardians of the medallion, which has been protected for millenia.
* TheDogWasTheMastermind: The Dark Fist quest line, in which you become a superhero, ends with the revelation that the evil Mastermind is [[spoiler:your cat Fluffy, making this a literal example. After becoming empowered by your father's medallion, and resentful of the player for never feeding him properly, he set up a world-conquering scheme, even faking his own death when you started interfering. You stop him by telling him off, rubbing his nose in his weapon of mass destruction, telling him not to try taking over the world, and then taking him home]].
* DumpStat: In the game Punch Club, you have three skill trees to work with with one of them being the dump stat. Way of the Bear is all about hard hitting strikes while sacrificing agility, meaning you'll whiff a lot of attacks which suck up energy. Way of the Tiger is all about hitting people hard and often, though you sacrifice stamina in your fights. Way of the Turtle is all about being a tank, making people wear themselves out trying to take you down, though you'll also have to sacrifice agility.

* LightningBruiser: The Way of the Turtle requires high stamina to soak up damage, but strength and agility have to be balanced as well. A badly-trained fighter is nothing but a StoneWall with weak strikes or PowerfulButInaccurate ones, and that doesn't win fights. A well-trained Turtle is a solid meat shield plus a nastier slugger than the average fighter following the Way of the Bear, with hard-ass strikes that hit consistently even against a Fragile Speedster focused on dodging like someone in the Way of the Tiger. Not only that, the Turtle has a Gradual Grinder flavor to it by controlling the energy battle, letting the enemy tire out while you keep your breath by blocking and sometimes retaliating, and then knocking him down repeatedly. The problem is that, since you have to keep all the stats high, training time becomes a grindfest later on.

* ScrappyMechanic: Stats degrade every day unless you keep building them up through training, or earn a skill that prevents them from decaying past a set level (usually sacrificing the other skills in the process). In theory, this is supposed to encourage the player to set aside some time every day for training and encourage the player to focus on building up one area of training instead of trying to raise all three stats. In practice, a lot of players either forget or don't realize that the game is a time-management simulator instead of an RPG, and thus quickly get frustrated.