During the madness that is known PAX Prime I had the chance to get away from the main floor and head off to a quiet area that Nintendo had kindly set-up to check out some of their upcoming games. Amongst the craziness of people playing Smash Bros. for the 3DS and Bayonetta 2 on the Wii U, there was one game that I really wanted to try as I didn’t get to at E3, and that game was Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. For those unaware of what this is, it is a standalone game based on the Adventures of Captain Toad, a mini-game found in Super Mario 3D World. It takes advantage of the Wii U GamePad’s features to immerse you into the game.
As I sat down in front of the console and started playing I can honestly say that I was immediately hooked. It’s a combination of puzzle and platform genres. Simply put you have a level that you must navigate from start to finish. At the finish line is a gold star. The trick to the game is that you can manipulate the camera to find hidden paths, hidden items, and areas that didn’t look like they were there to begin with. The use of camera manipulation is paramount in being able to collect all items and finding the right way to get from A to B. Nintendo only had six levels open for play, and after I finished all six I found myself wanting to play more of them. I am not usually a puzzle kind of guy, but this game literally hit me in the face and said “you want more”, to which I replied “yes…yes, I do”.
There were numerous things that stood out for me. One such thing was the use of the GamePad. It didn’t seem forced or gimmicky nor did you have to use it at all times. Manipulation of the camera was done by moving the GamePad itself of using the right analog stick, it was your choice which to use. You were also able to use the GamePad motion-sensing ability during a stage where you were riding a minecart and shooting at items. By moving the GamePad and viewing the level through the GamePad screen, it added a whole new experience to the game. The game also utilizes the touch capabilities of the controller’s screen to stop enemies from moving or moving certain things within the puzzle. It was pretty neat to explore the ways that the GamePad features were used.
The other key thing for me that heightened my enjoyment was the pace of the game. There is no timer and you can take as long as you like to complete the level. This includes exploring the view by moving the camera around, collecting all the coins, turnips and emeralds, and find hidden areas that you didn’t even know was there. Toad can take two hits before he dies, and if you meet an untimely death you start from the beginning of the level you are on. Toad can only run or walk, no jumping, so taking your time can be paramount, especially when you are trying to figure out how to navigate to one particular area of the level. It’s funny that I am about to say this, but the Treasure Tracker is somewhat relaxing as you are free to go about your task at whatever pace you want. It’s not that stressful, just takes some mind power and patience now and then to get to where you need to go.
Presentation wise, things were done with the quality you’d expect from a first party game. The visuals in the six levels I got to play were pretty impressive, especially given that this is a puzzle/platform mix. Water effects are some of the best I have seen, and shadowing, lighting, and special effects are great, eventhough you wouldn’t expect them to in a game of this nature. The six levels varied in look too, from a castle like structure with a water filled moat, the inside of a volcano with rising lava, the sandy dune of a mine-cart level, to that of a scary night with ghosts floating all around the house. There was no issues as you moved the camera around and zoomed in to check things closer either. As for sound, Toad was more than recognizable and what music I heard blended in perfectly with the game as a whole. Overall I can’t wait to see what other levels have to offer in these areas.
At the end of the day I have to say that the brief taste I got of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker has me wanting it more than I thought I would.  From its addictiveness and playability to its presentation and “no-time-limit” approach, this game seems to have a lot going for it. What will really put it over the top will be the amount of levels that the final retail version has. If there is a substantial amount, then I can’t see any reason not to want to add this game to my collection. Now if only the Holiday 2014 season can get here to this game can finally hit the masses.
