Captain Toad Treasure Tracker Review (Nintendo Switch)

Game: Captain Toad Treasure Tracker
System: Nintendo Switch
Publisher/Developer: Nintendo
Price: £34.99|$39.99|€39,99
Age Rating: EU 3+/USA E

The Switch version of Captain Toad Treasure Tracker is a title I’ve been eager to buy for a long time. I originally purchased the Wii U version back in 2015, and despite the game being semi-portable, even then I wished for a fully portable version to play on the go. So imagine how happy I was when Nintendo announced Captain Toad for both Switch and 3DS consoles last year. I held off from purchasing the game until I decided a platform of choice, which I finally did once Nintendo announced additional DLC for the Switch version.

What is Captain Toad Treasure Tracker?

Players were first introduced to Captain Toad in Super Mario Galaxy. Since then, he’s made some other cameo appearances, but it was Super Mario 3D World that gave us a taste of what a fully fledged Captain Toad title would look like.

Captain Toad Treasure Tracker is an isometric puzzle game. Unsurprisingly, it uses an assortment of Mario style environments and characters such as Shy Guys, Boos, Bullet Bills, Hammer Bros, Piranha Plants, aka. Piranha Creepers. Every level requires either Toad or Toadette to obtain power stars, and gems to unlock further levels. Each stage is cube-shaped, cleverly designed, and fun to play.

A Learning Curve

Captain Toad is a family friendly game which is suitable for all ages, but there’s a small learning curve to overcome to enjoy it. Experienced gamers should have no problem adapting to the game’s mechanics, but new players may need time to adjust. For example, due to its cuboid structure, gamers must learn to both control toad and rotate the in-game camera at the same time. Even though this concept is second nature to advanced players, more casual players may need extra time to adjust. As I discovered with my seven-year-old son, some may struggle to use both left and right thumb-sticks in tandem.

Another element which needs time to adjust to is the touch/gyroscopic controls. As previously mentioned, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker was designed initially for the Wii U control pad. Some gameplay elements were developed to be played and controlled asymmetrically. Players could interact with Blocks, platforms and enemies with a single touch, and some wondered if Nintendo would succeed in porting the same functionality to Switch. I’m pleased to say that they did thanks to the gyroscope technology that features in both Joy-Con and Pro-Controllers.

A Great Pointing System

While playing TV mode, a blue dot appears on-screen which is controlled by simply moving your controller. Regardless of whether you use Joy-Cons, Nintendo’s Pro Controller, or another compatible controller such as Power A’s Enhanced Wireless Controller, the pointer functionality works great. To interact with on-screen elements, simply point, and press the right shoulder button. If calibration becomes an issue, just press the right thumb-stick to re-calibrate.

Handheld Mode

The hybrid nature of Switch means that gamers can also enjoy Captain Toad in handheld mode. Unlike in TV mode, hand-held mode enables players to play with full touch-screen capabilities. A part of me misses the precision of the Wii U stylus, but overall, Nintendo has done a great job.

Extra Content

The Switch version boasts substantial content which makes the purchase even more worthwhile. The ‘Find Pixel Toad’ mode is now available without the need of an additional Amiibo and a fully fledged two-player co-op mode which was recently added thanks to a free DLC update.

Players can also purchase additional content titled Captain Toad’s special episode. This DLC pack launched on March 14th, and it includes 18 new challenges, 5 new courses, as well as added additional objectives to existing courses. It would be unfair for me to comment on the DLC because I’m still playing through the main game. From the little time I’ve spent with it, I’ve noted small but nice variations in terms of gameplay, for example, some stages introduce a time-limited to collect a required amount of gems to finish the stage. The DLC costs under £6, and adds even more value to what is already a great family title.

https://youtu.be/G5Oe-uuyBTY

Overall

I’m thoroughly enjoying Captain Toad Treasure Tracker for Nintendo Switch. I’m also pleased that players who missed out on Wii U will have another chance to play the game on Nintendo’s current flagship system.

I Like Captain Toad Treasure Tracker for Switch a lot!