'Captain Toad Treasure Tracker' Breathes New Life Into a Wii U Gem

Nintendo continues to breathe new life into Wii U titles by porting them to the Switch, and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is the latest to get the treatment. Captain Toad was a hidden gem when it was first released back in November 2014, and the on-the-go capabilities of the Switch make this charming, fun puzzle experience even better the second time around.

GAMEPLAY

Your mission in Treasure Tracker is to save Toadette from the clutches of a giant bird. The game drops our protagonist in various miniature 3D worlds, in search of the Golden Star that will allow you to progress to the next level.

This is where the magic of Captain Toad is found. Each intricate 3D level is filled with enemies, mysterious compartments and other secrets. You'll carefully walk over bridges, around ledges and onto floating platforms to snag the Star.

Three optional gems in each level will satisfy completionists in search of replay value. While there are points in the story that won't let you progress without a set number of gems, this number is low enough that you will easily find enough to never have to backtrack.

The basic gameplay mechanics of Captain Toad sound simple, and they are, but the game adds a layer of complexity by limiting our hero's mobility. Toad can walk and grab turnips from the ground to toss at enemies, and a dash button that gives him a small speed boost, but there's no jump button.

Rotating the camera and zooming in and out are essential to help Toad get to the end of the stage. Patience is the name of the game here as you meticulously navigate through each level while avoiding enemies or simply falling off the stage.

The levels get progressively more intricate and complex, subtly ramping up the challenge. Boss battles vary gameplay basics enough to make navigating various obstacles and avoiding attacks as you make your way out of the boss' lair feel consistently fresh.

That said, Captain Toad is a bit too easy (especially in co-op) and there's not much to do beyond the story.

CO-OP IS THE BEST WAY TO PLAY

Captain Toad on the Nintendo Switch doesn't just give players a great portable title but it allows for easy co-op play that is perfect for all ages. For instance, a player can control Toad using one Joy Con while the other launches apples and controls the camera. If you have a child, you can let them handle launching the apples while you explore each miniature world, or have them explore while you make sure they aren't attacked. It's a chill, casual experience as you figure out how to progress and find all the goodies in each stage.

VERDICT

Nintendo successfully brings a forgotten Wii U title to the Switch with Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. It's 3D worlds are beautifully crafted and its puzzles are more than meets the eye. It would have been nice to see more than a handful of Super Mario Odyssey levels. The added content also might have given more depth to Treasure Tracker. Even so, Captain Toad is a perfect choice for on-the-go puzzle solving, and the local co-op experience makes the game even more fun for gamers of all ages.