A rare prototype of the English version of Nintendo's 1987 Punch-Out!!, before Mike Tyson's inclusion, fetched $45,000 at auction on March 27, 2026. The buyer shared the ROM online via The Cutting Room Floor, revealing unique differences from the final game. This version lacks Tyson as the final boss and includes early debug features.
The prototype, distinct from the Japanese Gold Version or the 1990 Mr. Dream edition, drew skepticism at auction due to its board design and retail-like cartridge artwork. Collectors noted these anomalies compared to typical NES prototypes, which often use placeholder labels. However, the Video Game History Foundation highlighted its plausibility, citing Nintendo's Punch-Out!! announcement at the 1987 Winter Consumer Electronics Show and prior Gold Version distribution to tournament winners a month before the final release. Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa's viewing of Mike Tyson at the 1986 Heavyweight World Series influenced the boxer's addition to the game, as per historical context around the prototype's cover art possibilities. The Cutting Room Floor documented key variances, including an opening credits roll naming fighters Rockyhead and Mongol Khan, absent from the franchise, and listing the character later known as Soda Popinski as Vodka Drunkenski from the 1984 arcade Super Punch-Out!!. Debug menus allow players to control unfinished opponents and cycle their movesets, often triggering visual bugs due to incomplete animations. This release offers a glimpse into the development of one of Nintendo's iconic NES titles.
