In 2014, Nintendo released Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker for the Nintendo Wii U. Back then, it was a successful hit although it didn’t save the Wii U from meeting its demise. Now that the Switch has been getting some momentum around the world, Nintendo has released the Switch version, giving a chance for gamers who missed it out the first time around and allowing them to play it on-the-go with the Switch’s portability.
For Mario fans, Toad is a pretty familiar character and for the first time, our mushroom friend has finally received his own game. Unlike the mainline Mario games where it’s all from the platforming genre, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is quite different. Instead of jumping around and stomping on Goombas, players will be controlling Captain Toad on different dimensional levels where his objective is to solve puzzles as he has to find his way to collecting gems and reaching the star.
Storywise, there really isn’t anything deep to the plot. The game starts off with Toad and Toadette going for a Super Star, but as Toadette grabs it, they are taken away by a bird called Wingo and Toad has to go save them. Similar to past Mario games, the story is more of a basic one where the protagonist has to save someone. As soon as the player finishes the first episode and saves Toadette, the story repeats itself, only this time Toad is taken and Toadette has to save him, with the final episode having the two working together.
Compared to the Wii U version, there really hasn’t been a lot of changes in the game. Gameplay wise, it’s the same where Toad has to go through different levels finding stars while of course finding Toadette. Since Toad can’t jump due to the weight of his backpack, players will need to explore stages and find your way to the exit. Players must use the joycon or the Pro Controller to look from different sides and angles, which may reveal additional paths and hidden rooms.
As far as new content goes, there are four new levels that’s been added. The four new levels are heavily inspired by Super Mario Odyssey. While there are four new levels added, Nintendo also took out four that were originally dated around the Wii U title Super Mario 3D land. Fans of Super Mario Odyssey will find the four levels that are based off the Sand, Cascade, New Donk City, and Luncheon Kingdom.
In the Switch version, the game plays significantly better than the Wii U version. The visuals look crisper when docked as it shows the game in full 1080p. Those who will play it on-the-go will be treated with a 720p display and retains the Wii U’s graphical settings.
Thanks to the Switch’s Joy-Con controllers, Nintendo added some new ways to play the game. When playing the game on handheld mode, players can use the gyro controls that are built into the system, forcing the players to point and click at the game as if they are playing it on the Wii.
Verdict
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is much closer to a port than an enhanced version like we’ve seen with other Wii U titles. However, those who haven’t played it are better off getting one of the new releases, since those also offer portability. Since the levels are short, it is the perfect title to pick up and play. Despite the flaws, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker still might be one of the best puzzle-action game for Switch.
[Editor’s Note: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was reviewed on the Nintendo Switch platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
