Don't Forget, Super Trunko Go Is Out Today
Super Trunko Go is out today. Having been privileged enough to be on the invite list, I can verify that it’s a game you might want to have a look at if you like twin-stick shooters, a 16-bit vibe (but prettified – new word), and an infectious soundtrack that’ll be on your internal playlist for some time.
Developed by 88 Polygons, you play the titular Super Trunko, out to thwart the ruffian Lord Tusk with the help of Professor Ellie, traversing a land of six-something biomes. The Super in Trunko comes from their ability to blast robotic enemies into oblivion using their trunk, selecting from four different weapons during their adventure.
After a brief tutorial (no longer required after the last time playing the demo), Trunko jumps straight in, collects their ammo and aims, quite literally, to take out the trash and destroy the horrid ratbags. Even though they’re the baddies, the character modelling in the game, and the overall visual presentation, are lovely, and sometimes a tear was shed when they sadly passed. Then again, when a group of enemies swarms you, it can be a bit sticky.
Super Trunko Go Review
Ammo is limited in Super Trunko Go, so you must pace yourself with well-timed shots. Explodable crates are scattered throughout, but only a marginal amount has extra ammo or health hidden behind them. Is it worth risking it? Not always. As a result, running out of ammo will essentially end your run of that level. If not, falling off an edge will result in a restart from the beginning without any checkpoints.
This element proved to be quite frustrating for the game. Gameplay-wise, Super Trunko Go is very repetitive, but in a good way. It’s pure unadulterated arcade action without interruptions from cutscenes, long-loading times, or other irritants that sometimes spoil the flow. But getting two-thirds of the way through and either running out of health (no lives), ammo, or falling off the edge isn’t fun. Several times, I had to take a break, not in anger, of course, but frustrated in getting so far to only cock it up.
At the time of the review, the game did not have controller support but will no doubt be updated in due course, and when it comes to console, it’ll have the support then. For me, I played entirely on the Steam Deck. Initially, it worked great as Trunko has a laser-guided sight that made it easy to pick off targets. However, after loading a saved game, I’d lost the ability and could not unlock it for some time, significantly impacting the accuracy levels. As a twin-stick shooter, moving with the left stick and aiming with the right works well, but using the Steam Deck’s touchpads was more precise and felt good.
Compared to the Super Trunko Go demo, there have been improvements. The first thing noted was how swift Trunko now is as before; they were very slow. The levels are just about right in scale and variety, but it could do with the occasional map when searching for a Tri-Key to exit a level. Backtracking isn’t so much of an issue, so get over it and stop being impatient.
Verdict
A quick round-up for Super Trunko Go, then. It’s an entertaining twin-stick shooter with a steady pace, enjoyable mechanics (mostly), and a lot more polished than the demo. The limited ammo and lack of checkpoints make it frustrating sometimes, so be mindful of that. Otherwise, it’s a decent indie worth looking at.
