This is a part of a series of reviews I write called "The Week After", where I review games 1 week after I complete them. I wait in order to give it time to completely soak in, so I'm not blinded by the love and/or hatred that I was exposed to during the experience. I just want to make it clear that in no way, shape or form am I trying to be objective here; I'm just going to be stating my opinions, for whatever they're worth, so if you disagree...cool. You're entitled to that. Now, without further ado, I shall begin.
EP 2: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Pros:
Graphics - This game is simply gorgeous. It uses the Super Mario 3D World engine, but in very compact, cube-shaped levels. It's basically as good-looking as that game was, however some things look noticably better, such as the clear pipes and shadows, due to improvements in lighting. There are some low-res textures here and there, but they don't detract from the aesthetic of the game too much. The character and enemy designs/animations are flawless and have an incredible amount of charm to them. Small touches such as Toadette cowering in fear when around boos and Toad dancing once he's beaten a boss really make this game welcoming and an absolute joy to even just watch.
Gameplay - Again, if you've played Super Mario 3D World, you know what to expect here. The levels play out just as they did in the Toad segments of that game. You play as Captain Toad (and later Toadette), a treasure-hunting explorer that is unable to jump as a result of the weight in his backpack. You must navigate through each floating cube world to find the gold star at the end, solving puzzles and defeating enemies along the way. There are additional objectives, however, that you may feel inclined to complete as well. These include collecting 3 Super Gems in each level, or completing a challenge that is revealed after you complete the level for the first time. The challenges can be anything from 'Collect 160 coins' to 'Don't get noticed by the Shy Guys'. Some of these can provide a real challenge in comparison to the simple objective of collecting the star, and I found that they were more demanding and time-consuming than the main game ever was. In addition to the normal levels, there are also minecart levels in which you have a first-person view on the gamepad and you throw turnips at enemies around you whie a third person view is displayed on the TV. I found these to be a very good use of the gamepad, although I wish there were more of them. If you collect all the Super Gems and finish all of the added objectives, a bonus book will be unlocked for you, which provides harder versions of levels you've previously completed. The gameplay is simple, fast and addictive and going back to complete the objectives never felt like a burden because the levels are so small.
Controls - This game is as responsive and satisfying as I could have ever wanted. It brings back the mechanics of Super Mario 3D World, but also provides new moves for Toad and Toadette to utilize. They can now pluck turnips, coins and gems out of the ground, using the aforementioned turnips to defeat the enemies around them. They can turn wheels to move certain platforms around them (this also uses the gamepad, as you touch the screen to perform the action), use the new pickaxe item to quickly break blocks and kill enemies, and ride in the minecart I mentioned earlier. The camera is very smooth and gives you full control in any given situation. It is worth mentioning that the camera is automatically connected with the gyrosensor of the gamepad and there is no way to turn this feature off, yet I never had a problem with this.
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Cons:
Content - Don't get me wrong, for the price of $40, I do believe there is enough content in this game. However, it is worth noting that while I clocked in a total of 23 hours into this game (having 100% completed it, minus the time trials and spending about 4 hours on the final level of the game), this number would've been considerably lower had I not gone for any of the objectives or gems. To simply complete the main game, it takes about 6-7 hours, depending on how fast you are. I think even just another book would've provided enough content as a basis, but there are really only 3 (technically there are 4, but the last book consists of walking-simulator levels carried over from your SM3DW file, levels that add new challenges to stages you've already completed, and the grand finale level).
Music - Again, don't get me wrong, this game has absolutely fantastic music. The problem here is, almost all of it has been carried over from SM3DW. There are a few unique tracks to this game, and they are great, but the rest is simply rehashed. I would've liked for the entire soundtrack (bar the main theme, of course) to be completely new.
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Verdict: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a delightful, warm experience that any fan of the puzzle genre, or Mario series, should experience. Its inviting environments, charming characters and clever level design are simply second-to-none. While the overall game is a bit on the short side, the value in its simplicity is one that can be appreciated for years to come.
Story: Ready for adventure!
Graphics: 9.4/10
Control: 10/10
Sound: 8/10
Gameplay: 8.5/10
Overall: 8.8/10
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Feel free to ask questions addressing things I didn't talk about in this review, or just comment about how stupid and/or intelligent I am based on how much you agree with me. I'm welcome to any sort of criticism.
