Great Tiger
Encyclopedia
is a fictional character in the Nintendo
-produced Punch-Out!!
video game series. He is an India
n boxer, hailing from Mumbai
. He first appeared in Super Punch-Out!! for the arcade
s, then returned in Punch-Out!! for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
, and again in Punch-Out!!
for the Wii
. He was originally designed by Makoto Wada in the NES game, and by Eddie Viser in the Wii game. He is voiced by Sumit Seru in the Wii version as well. He utilizes several Indian stereotypes, typically ones depicting Indians as mystical, such as the ability to use magic carpet
s and teleport
ing. He wears a turban
on his head, adorned with a jewel that indicates when he is going to attack. He also wears tiger
-print pants. In the NES version, he keeps the skin of a Bengal tiger
in his corner of the ring.
Since appearing in Punch-Out!! for the NES, he has received mostly positive reception. He has been featured in multiple pieces of merchandise, including Topps
trading cards and action figure
s, and has been noted as being one of the favourites of the series by outlets such as IGN
and Official Nintendo Magazine. He has been described as a difficult opponent by outlets such as The Daily Sentinel, The Globe and Mail
, and Operation Sports, the latter commenting that he found Great Tiger to be harder than the champion opponent, Mr. Sandman
. He has also been described as a racial stereotype of Indian people; Editor Sumantra Lahiri stated that Punch-Out!! acts as an encyclopedia to stereotypes, specifically mentioning the Indian stereotypes that they skin tigers alive and wear turbans. GamesRadar
editor Brett Elston commented that he "plays up in the mystical side of Indian culture so much we’re surprised they didn’t work in a snake charmer joke in there somewhere."
n boxer hailing from Bombay, India
. He first appeared in Super Punch-Out!! for the arcade
s, and again in Punch-Out!! for the NES
, where he was designed by Makoto Wada. He would not appear in a video game again until 22 years later in Punch-Out!!
for the Wii
, where he was designed by Eddie Viser and voiced by Sumit Seru. The NES and Wii games depict him as having mystical powers. In the first game, he can become intangible and spin around the ring at high speeds while punching Little Mac--the so-called "Magic Punch." However, if Little Mac succeeds in blocking this barrage, the spinning leaves Great Tiger dizzy, and he can be sent to the mat with one punch to the face. The Wii Punch-Out!! gives him the ability to fly on magic carpet
s and teleportation
. He wears a turban
on his head adorned with a jewel that indicates when he is going to attack. He also wears tiger
-print pants. In the NES version, he has the skin of a Bengal tiger
sitting in his corner of the ring. These have all been referred to as stereotypes of Indian people. While he spoke in English in the NES version, he speaks in Sanskrit with no subtitles in the Wii version.
, Great Tiger has received mostly positive reception. He has been featured in multiple pieces of Punch-Out!!-related merchandise, including a series of Topps
trading cards and a series of action figures. Both Official Nintendo Magazine and GameSpot
described him as a favourite of the series. Sarcastic Gamer
editor called Great Tiger one of his personal favourites of the series, stating that Nintendo had sold him on the Wii Punch-Out!! by adding him. New York Daily News
described him as a familiar character in the Punch-Out!! series. IGN
described him as a memorable foe, owing to his "teleporting punches." Kotaku
editor Michael McWhertor called him quirky as well as mystical. GamePro
listed him as one of the characters they want to return in the Wii
Punch-Out!!
, stating that "may not be the most PC character from the original NES classic, but his crazy techniques will fit in well with the outlandish style Next Level Games has been known to apply." Great Tiger's turban
as the 10th best headwear in video games, stating that it will "light up like a Christmas tree
before he throws a punch."
Operation Sports editor Christian McLeod described him as one of the toughest opponents in the game, noting him as even more difficult than the champion of the World Circuit, Mr. Sandman
. IGN editor Jesse Schedeen listed him as one of the top fighters in Punch-Out!!, stating that his powers took a more "supernatural bent." MTV
editor Jason Cipriano stated that Great Tiger's Tiger Punch was hard to beat if the player is a "bit rusty." Jasen Bowen of The Daily Sentinel commented that while Glass Joe was easy, Great Tiger "proved to be nearly unbeatable." The Globe and Mail
editor Chad Sapieha commented that the roster of fighters in Punch-Out!! "would send chills down the spine of any potential pugilist," describing Great Tiger as a "mystical Indian who can vanish in a puff of smoke, making him nearly impossible to hit." Humour web site The Onion
wrote an article about a series of interviews with Mike Tyson
and other Punch-Out!! characters. The author suggests that a part of this documentary included a clip of Mike Tyson blocking Great Tiger's "Magic Punch." In a humour article, ESPN
created several parodies of Punch-Out!! characters based on real-life "punch-worthy palookas", including one of Great Tiger called "Great Packer", in reference to Brett Favre
. MeriStation stated that unlike the previous battle with Bear Hugger
, which they state did not require much effort.
. Freelance writer Sumantra Lahiri, in discussing the stereotypes of Punch-Out!!, stated that it gives players an "encyclopedic knowledge of ignorant American sentiments," mentioning the Indian stereotype that they skin tigers alive and wear turbans.
In his article on the stereotypes of Punch-Out!!, GamesRadar
editor Brett Elston stated that Great Tiger embodies several Indian stereotypes, including the ability to fly on magic carpet
s, living in Taj Mahal
-like structures, and wear turbans that grant them magical powers. He described him as an "over caffeinated Jafar, adding that he "plays up in the mystical side of Indian culture so much we’re surprised they didn’t work in a snake charmer joke in there somewhere." Editor Scott Jones stated that in 2009, "fighting a man from India who flies around on a magic carpet and who telegraphs his punches via a glowing jewel in his turban doesn't feel terribly dramatic." In their article on the six most politically incorrect video games, Cracked listed Punch-Out!! as the second most, citing how his turban's jewel would glow whenever he became vulnerable to attack. They joked that this is a stereotype that "Indian people have fought long and hard to shed." Bit Mob editor Brian Shirk commented that while Great Tiger looked more human than King Hippo
, he still doesn't seem quite human judging by the animal sounds he makes and his teleportation abilities."
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
-produced Punch-Out!!
Punch-Out!!
is a 1983–1984 boxing arcade game by Nintendo. It was the first in a series of successful Punch-Out!! games that produced an arcade sequel known as Super Punch-Out!!, a spin-off of the series titled Arm Wrestling, a highly popular version for the NES originally known as Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!,...
video game series. He is an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n boxer, hailing from Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. He first appeared in Super Punch-Out!! for the arcade
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
s, then returned in Punch-Out!! for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, and again in Punch-Out!!
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Punch-Out!! is a boxing video game for the Wii. It is the latest game in the Punch-Out!! series. It was developed by Canadian developer Next Level Games. Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto served as the game's producer. It was first revealed at Nintendo's conference on October 2, 2008...
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. He was originally designed by Makoto Wada in the NES game, and by Eddie Viser in the Wii game. He is voiced by Sumit Seru in the Wii version as well. He utilizes several Indian stereotypes, typically ones depicting Indians as mystical, such as the ability to use magic carpet
Magic carpet
A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet that can be used to transport persons who are on it instantaneously or quickly to their destination.-In literature:...
s and teleport
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
ing. He wears a turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
on his head, adorned with a jewel that indicates when he is going to attack. He also wears tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
-print pants. In the NES version, he keeps the skin of a Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
in his corner of the ring.
Since appearing in Punch-Out!! for the NES, he has received mostly positive reception. He has been featured in multiple pieces of merchandise, including Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
trading cards and action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s, and has been noted as being one of the favourites of the series by outlets such as IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
and Official Nintendo Magazine. He has been described as a difficult opponent by outlets such as The Daily Sentinel, The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
, and Operation Sports, the latter commenting that he found Great Tiger to be harder than the champion opponent, Mr. Sandman
Mr. Sandman (Punch-Out!!)
is a fictional character in the Punch-Out!! video game series. He is an African American boxer hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. He was first created by Shigeru Miyamoto in the Punch-Out!! game for the arcades, and then by Makoto Wada in the Nintendo Entertainment System...
. He has also been described as a racial stereotype of Indian people; Editor Sumantra Lahiri stated that Punch-Out!! acts as an encyclopedia to stereotypes, specifically mentioning the Indian stereotypes that they skin tigers alive and wear turbans. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
editor Brett Elston commented that he "plays up in the mystical side of Indian culture so much we’re surprised they didn’t work in a snake charmer joke in there somewhere."
Concept and appearances
Great Tiger is an IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n boxer hailing from Bombay, India
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. He first appeared in Super Punch-Out!! for the arcade
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
s, and again in Punch-Out!! for the NES
Nes
-Localities:In Norway:* Nes, Akershus, a municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway* Nes, Buskerud, a municipality in the county of Buskerud in Norway* Nes, Hedmark, a former municipality in the county of Hedmark in Norway...
, where he was designed by Makoto Wada. He would not appear in a video game again until 22 years later in Punch-Out!!
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Punch-Out!! is a boxing video game for the Wii. It is the latest game in the Punch-Out!! series. It was developed by Canadian developer Next Level Games. Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto served as the game's producer. It was first revealed at Nintendo's conference on October 2, 2008...
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, where he was designed by Eddie Viser and voiced by Sumit Seru. The NES and Wii games depict him as having mystical powers. In the first game, he can become intangible and spin around the ring at high speeds while punching Little Mac--the so-called "Magic Punch." However, if Little Mac succeeds in blocking this barrage, the spinning leaves Great Tiger dizzy, and he can be sent to the mat with one punch to the face. The Wii Punch-Out!! gives him the ability to fly on magic carpet
Magic carpet
A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet that can be used to transport persons who are on it instantaneously or quickly to their destination.-In literature:...
s and teleportation
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
. He wears a turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
on his head adorned with a jewel that indicates when he is going to attack. He also wears tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
-print pants. In the NES version, he has the skin of a Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
sitting in his corner of the ring. These have all been referred to as stereotypes of Indian people. While he spoke in English in the NES version, he speaks in Sanskrit with no subtitles in the Wii version.
Reception
Since appearing in Punch-Out!! for the NESNes
-Localities:In Norway:* Nes, Akershus, a municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway* Nes, Buskerud, a municipality in the county of Buskerud in Norway* Nes, Hedmark, a former municipality in the county of Hedmark in Norway...
, Great Tiger has received mostly positive reception. He has been featured in multiple pieces of Punch-Out!!-related merchandise, including a series of Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
trading cards and a series of action figures. Both Official Nintendo Magazine and GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
described him as a favourite of the series. Sarcastic Gamer
Sarcastic Gamer
SarcasticGamer.com is an independent video gaming related blog and community site. A part of the GamerCast Network, a community of independent podcasters, the website focuses on parodying the latest events happening in the gaming industry. Although the website is best known for its satirical news...
editor called Great Tiger one of his personal favourites of the series, stating that Nintendo had sold him on the Wii Punch-Out!! by adding him. New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
described him as a familiar character in the Punch-Out!! series. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
described him as a memorable foe, owing to his "teleporting punches." Kotaku
Kotaku
Kotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...
editor Michael McWhertor called him quirky as well as mystical. GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
listed him as one of the characters they want to return in the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
Punch-Out!!
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Punch-Out!! is a boxing video game for the Wii. It is the latest game in the Punch-Out!! series. It was developed by Canadian developer Next Level Games. Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto served as the game's producer. It was first revealed at Nintendo's conference on October 2, 2008...
, stating that "may not be the most PC character from the original NES classic, but his crazy techniques will fit in well with the outlandish style Next Level Games has been known to apply." Great Tiger's turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
as the 10th best headwear in video games, stating that it will "light up like a Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
before he throws a punch."
Operation Sports editor Christian McLeod described him as one of the toughest opponents in the game, noting him as even more difficult than the champion of the World Circuit, Mr. Sandman
Mr. Sandman (Punch-Out!!)
is a fictional character in the Punch-Out!! video game series. He is an African American boxer hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. He was first created by Shigeru Miyamoto in the Punch-Out!! game for the arcades, and then by Makoto Wada in the Nintendo Entertainment System...
. IGN editor Jesse Schedeen listed him as one of the top fighters in Punch-Out!!, stating that his powers took a more "supernatural bent." MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
editor Jason Cipriano stated that Great Tiger's Tiger Punch was hard to beat if the player is a "bit rusty." Jasen Bowen of The Daily Sentinel commented that while Glass Joe was easy, Great Tiger "proved to be nearly unbeatable." The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
editor Chad Sapieha commented that the roster of fighters in Punch-Out!! "would send chills down the spine of any potential pugilist," describing Great Tiger as a "mystical Indian who can vanish in a puff of smoke, making him nearly impossible to hit." Humour web site The Onion
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
wrote an article about a series of interviews with Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
and other Punch-Out!! characters. The author suggests that a part of this documentary included a clip of Mike Tyson blocking Great Tiger's "Magic Punch." In a humour article, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
created several parodies of Punch-Out!! characters based on real-life "punch-worthy palookas", including one of Great Tiger called "Great Packer", in reference to Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
. MeriStation stated that unlike the previous battle with Bear Hugger
Bear Hugger
is a fictional character from the Nintendo-produced Punch-Out!! video game series. He is a Canadian boxer who hails from Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada, and is the boxing champion of Canada. He first appeared in Super Punch-Out!! for the arcades, and again in Super Punch-Out!! for the Super...
, which they state did not require much effort.
Ethnic stereotyping
Great Tiger has been described as a stereotype of Indian peopleIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Freelance writer Sumantra Lahiri, in discussing the stereotypes of Punch-Out!!, stated that it gives players an "encyclopedic knowledge of ignorant American sentiments," mentioning the Indian stereotype that they skin tigers alive and wear turbans.
In his article on the stereotypes of Punch-Out!!, GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
editor Brett Elston stated that Great Tiger embodies several Indian stereotypes, including the ability to fly on magic carpet
Magic carpet
A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet that can be used to transport persons who are on it instantaneously or quickly to their destination.-In literature:...
s, living in Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
-like structures, and wear turbans that grant them magical powers. He described him as an "over caffeinated Jafar, adding that he "plays up in the mystical side of Indian culture so much we’re surprised they didn’t work in a snake charmer joke in there somewhere." Editor Scott Jones stated that in 2009, "fighting a man from India who flies around on a magic carpet and who telegraphs his punches via a glowing jewel in his turban doesn't feel terribly dramatic." In their article on the six most politically incorrect video games, Cracked listed Punch-Out!! as the second most, citing how his turban's jewel would glow whenever he became vulnerable to attack. They joked that this is a stereotype that "Indian people have fought long and hard to shed." Bit Mob editor Brian Shirk commented that while Great Tiger looked more human than King Hippo
King Hippo
is a fictional boxer from Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series. King Hippo first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System game Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, as the second competitor in the Major Circuit. Hippo also garnered huge fame on the NBC Saturday morning cartoon Captain N: The Game Master, which...
, he still doesn't seem quite human judging by the animal sounds he makes and his teleportation abilities."