Joystiq [Nintendo]

Boxing Referee

Job experience: Punch-Out!! (NES, 1987)

Two years later and Mario has taken his talents as a referee into the world of boxing. And why not? He's got the experience of a tennis referee, which is by and large the same sport minus the incredibly tall chair.

The peculiar thing, though, is that despite his typical high-pitched yelps Mario sounds as though he's had a tracheotomy when he speaks in the boxing ring. His talk bubble reads "TKO," but the sound effect resembles a beehive stuck in a meat grinder. We can't be surprised if you don't know what that sounds like, but of all the sounds it's certainly not a good one.

02/07/08