Poncho Reviews

A robot, a poncho and a journey of discovery! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Eph3Ci9cyM The Wii U eShop is flush when it comes to retro inspired platfor

Though shallow in its execution, the plane-switching mechanics of Poncho contain enough cleverness to prove intriguing. With a pleasingly melancholy atmosphere and beautiful pixellated visuals, the titular robot seems destined for a truly memorable side-scrolling puzzle platformer. Unfortunately, this is not it.

That being said, at times its reliance on collecting items is too high. There just isn’t anything else driving the game forward. I’m not someone who aims to 100% complete most games, so the draw for me was just to experience the next level and get to each exit portal. There was satisfaction in finding hidden areas, but be prepared for a lot of exploring and jumping into empty space to find them all.

Still, this beautiful wrapper isn’t enough to cover up Poncho’s fundamental flaws. It’s a lovely experiment and although it works well in some parts, an overall sense of cohesion is missing. Being able to move along the z-axis is a clever feature yet Poncho uses this as a crutch, failing to flesh out other essential areas of the game. In short, there’s certainly something special here yet, sadly, only a minority will succeed in finding it.

In the end, this helps make Poncho a rewarding platform puzzle experience. When the player has truly got to grips with the ‘easy to learn, difficult to master’ parallax layer mechanics, together with additional skills Poncho acquires, the player will find themselves with a pretty, interesting, and fun platformer. Although the game’s pacing may leave some players wanting for a little more urgency, overall Poncho is a good addition for any platform games enthusiast, particularly one that has enjoyed other titles such as Shovel Knight, Fez, or VVVVVV. Poncho is not without its issues, but it’s a worthwhile purchase for any retro gamer’s library.