Soda Popinski

Soda Popinski (ソーダ・ポピンスキー, Sōda Popinsukī?), originally known as Vodka Drunkenski (ウォッカ・ドランケンスキー, Wokka Dorankensukī?), is a fictional boxer from Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series. Soda Popinski first appeared in the Arcade game Super Punch-Out!!, featuring the above mentioned Vodka Drunkenski name. He was designed by Makoto Wada for the NES video game Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! in 1987, and by Eddie Viser for the Wii video game Punch-Out!! in 2009, his most recent appearance. Ihor Mota portrays him in the 2009 Punch-Out!! release.

Nintendo changed his name from Vodka Drunkenski to Soda Popinski in Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! in order to avoid controversy, replacing his affinity for vodka with soda. However, other Soviet stereotypes, such as his wearing red, his ability to handle cold weather, his use of the Song of the Volga Boatmen as his entrance music, and scenes depicting him doing the Kozachok remained throughout the series. While his country of origin was originally the USSR, this was changed to Russia in the 2009 Punch-Out!! due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union after the release of Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!.

Since his appearance in Super Punch-Out!!, he has received both criticism and praise for his racial stereotyping; 1UP.com used Soda Popinski as an example of the racism in Punch-Out!!. The challenge involved in defeating him has been a notable aspect, with Destructoid editor Colette Bennett expressing her disposition for the character, considering him one of her most frustrating encounters. He has also appeared in some merchandise related to Punch-Out!!, which includes being a part of a series of Topps trading cards.