El Gancho Review (Xbox Series S)

by Jim Smale · February 10, 2022

For our El Gancho Review, we tell the story about how The Pogovon Empire has invaded the Cocodu planet and captured the cocos! In their search for an unlimited source of power amongst species from across the galaxy, the Pogovons learned about the unlimited happiness of the cocos. Now they’ve devised evil plans to extract that happiness to power their deadly weapons. El Gancho is set in the same universe as Task Force Kampas, but this time there’s no help around. Play as coco that finds an experimental laser hook and swing your way through cosmic platforming stages in retro pixel art style.

El Gancho Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
406.8MB download size.
1000 Gamerscore.
Platformer gameplay.
Tutorial level.
The twin-stick style controls work for shooting and aiming the hook.
Bullets are in limited supply.
All bullets bounce off the walls and go until it hits an enemy.
Ammo and food can be picked up in the level.
Rescue coco’s to finish the level.
Challenges are time-based goals for each level.
Full stats screen.
Physics plays a big part, especially in movement.
Looks and feels excellent when you nail a fluid movement motion.
End of level breakdown.
Every run will be randomized.
Your goal each time is to rescue X amount of cocos.
Big boss fights.
A run consists of a group of levels with boss fights and bonus rounds for power-ups.

El Gancho Review Cons:

Cannot rebind controls.
It has a large entry point in learning the hook and jumping traversal.
RNG can make or break it.
A lot of replay value.

El Gancho:

Official website.

Developer: SIDRALGAMES

Publisher: Eastasiasoft

Store Links –

Xbox

7/10
Graphics - 7/10
6/10
Sound - 6/10
6/10
Accessibility - 6/10
7/10
Length - 7/10
8/10
Fun Factor - 8/10

6.8/10

Summary

El Gancho is a funny little game, it sounds like a simple platformer that runs and jumps around worlds collecting your friends, in truth that is what it is except you have a grappling hook! With this, you can traverse the level in unique ways and dare I say creative ways! Add in the limited ammo mechanic and you have a fast-paced platformer with an almost puzzle element to proceedings. The controls are all on the top shoulder buttons that it less than ideal and aiming is twin-stick that again is fine but less than ideal as it is very floaty and over sensitive. Every run you go on will be randomized and consist of bonus rooms and boss battles. El Gancho is a game that will take time to learn, the controls will let you down in the most inconvenient positions and boss fights take ages to learn but that said, it’s a game I poured a lot of time in, I wanted to get better I loved the way you move around the world, the gameplay loop was not only solid but also entertaining and satisfying. Whilst it won’t set the world on fire, El Gancho is a game that delights and frustrates in equal measures but the idea is solid.