Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.
This guy modified his Slam Man Boxing Dummy, adding arcade buttons, so he can throw punches in NES Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out by punching buttons of the dummy. His Instructable shows you how he did it.
14 thoughts on “Interactive Punch-Out arcade dummy”
sam seidesays:
Thanks for putting up my boxing dummy! I had a lot of fun building this and it’s been more fun playing it.
Sean Michael Ragansays:
I’ve wanted something like this for a long time. I believe in the digital exercise revolution, but I’d much rather box than dance or whatever. I do punching-bag workouts all the time, but they’d be a lot more interesting if I had something like this, something between a “Simon” and a punching bag that would randomly flash lights that I’d have to punch in a certain order with a certain minimum impact. Good exercise, automatic training progression, and entertainment to boot. Plus there’s the amazing stress relief of working out with your fists.
sam seidesays:
When I originally bought the slam man, I believed that was what I had bought – a simon style game involving punching. What I ended up was a cheap imitation of that where the punch sensor was nothing more than a ball bearing that connected two wires together when you moved the dummy hard enough with your punch. It didn’t care where you punched or if you followed along with the lights that lit up as the “sensor” is located in the middle of the chest and reacts no matter where you punch. I was very disappointed with it until I saw the potential of using it to create something that actually gave me that sense of competition and skill that I wanted in the first place.
Mike Gagnonsays:
Its an interesting idea, but if you get your butt kicked by Glass Joe, you need to do some tweaking!
sam seidesays:
hahaha. Actually Glass Joe is really easy, just like in the real game. We’re releasing another video wednesday or thursday showing us actually playing it. I was just demonstrating all the buttons and wasn’t paying much attention to if I was winning or not.
sam seidesays:
Just thought I’d let everyone know we posted up the follow up video to this one where we actually play the game using the dummy. This shows the durability of the machine and that you truly can play it using punches, even though it increases the difficulty.
Well, I wish I could have that machine. Instead of punching your boss, you can just put it all against that dummy. You can kick, punch and knock it out until you’re relieved.
Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.
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Thanks for putting up my boxing dummy! I had a lot of fun building this and it’s been more fun playing it.
I’ve wanted something like this for a long time. I believe in the digital exercise revolution, but I’d much rather box than dance or whatever. I do punching-bag workouts all the time, but they’d be a lot more interesting if I had something like this, something between a “Simon” and a punching bag that would randomly flash lights that I’d have to punch in a certain order with a certain minimum impact. Good exercise, automatic training progression, and entertainment to boot. Plus there’s the amazing stress relief of working out with your fists.
When I originally bought the slam man, I believed that was what I had bought – a simon style game involving punching. What I ended up was a cheap imitation of that where the punch sensor was nothing more than a ball bearing that connected two wires together when you moved the dummy hard enough with your punch. It didn’t care where you punched or if you followed along with the lights that lit up as the “sensor” is located in the middle of the chest and reacts no matter where you punch. I was very disappointed with it until I saw the potential of using it to create something that actually gave me that sense of competition and skill that I wanted in the first place.
Its an interesting idea, but if you get your butt kicked by Glass Joe, you need to do some tweaking!
hahaha. Actually Glass Joe is really easy, just like in the real game. We’re releasing another video wednesday or thursday showing us actually playing it. I was just demonstrating all the buttons and wasn’t paying much attention to if I was winning or not.
Just thought I’d let everyone know we posted up the follow up video to this one where we actually play the game using the dummy. This shows the durability of the machine and that you truly can play it using punches, even though it increases the difficulty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_WaqSnvJ1o&feature=channel
Well, I wish I could have that machine. Instead of punching your boss, you can just put it all against that dummy. You can kick, punch and knock it out until you’re relieved.