Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Zero Revolution wrote:^ I doubt that both Toad and Toadette would be playing at the same time if it didn't have a 2-player mode.

NintendoWorldReport
Despite these issues, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is an incredibly charming game. Getting from beginning to end should take you just under six hours, but if you want to collect every single Super Gem and complete each stage’s special challenge, it’ll last you way longer. In addition, there are also quite a few bonus levels if you have save data from Super Mario 3D World on your system. If you manage to track down this game, you’ll have a real treasure on your hands.

NintendoLife
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a rare case of a game that feels truly designed — from the ground up — with the Wii U in mind. The GamePad is utilised just enough to be worthwhile without being a nuisance, and the only mis-step is that the difficulty later in the game can't be eased by assistance from a friend, parent or game-savvy son or daughter. That aside, it's relentlessly charming and joyous, and is another example of Nintendo's developers flexing their creative muscles along with game-making skill. There's nothing else like this on Wii U, and it's a welcome addition to the system's growing library.

Nintendo Insider
For me, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a reminder of why we all fell in love with Nintendo. Bursting with personality from every pixel, this puzzle-offering exemplifies their unique approach to game development in continually exploring new experiences to excite and often surprise their audience. In that they succeed once again, rounding off what has been an amazingly consistent year for their talented teams.

USGamer
Treasure Tracker may be relatively budget-priced, but it doesn't feel like a cheap, throwaway creation. Every inch of its nearly 100 stages and bonus levels has been buffed to a spit-shine finish, and the Nintendo content factory has produced dozens of one-of-a-kind stage concepts to explore here. Alternately a test of observation, reflex, planning, and deduction, Captain Toad's first standalone title (of assuredly many) demonstrates that spinoffs don't have to feel phoned in... and that there's room in gaming to give top-class love and attention to family-friendly creations, too. A perfect video game sorbet to finish up 2014.

Destructoid
Captain Toad is an experience that doesn't attempt to really wow you, but instead delivers consistent puzzle experiences at a rapid pace. There's more Nintendo could have done with it, but it is a puzzler in its purest form, and that will be more than enough for people who wanted more of the titular hero after playing the bonus games in 3D World.

Jimquisition
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker isn’t going to blow minds with its humble presentation and laid back puzzling, but it’s still got plenty of imagination and some really sagacious architecture in its level structure. There are moments that tread water, but overall this is a smart puzzler that ought to appeal to most folks. You can’t really say fairer than that.

Videogamer
That aside, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is exactly what it needed to be: a simple, fun and engaging experience that maintains its base competencies throughout. It’s a one-trick pony, but it’s a neat gimmick and one that didn’t get old in my time with the game. Had it been any longer I probably would have got bored, any shorter and it would have been hard to justify a purchase. You won’t be scratching your head like with other puzzle games, but that doesn’t make the experience any less enjoyable.

GameSpot
Were Captain Toad's world not so appealing, it would be easy to grow tired of the repeat playthroughs if you need to go back and collect items like I did, but the cartoony, whimsical Mushroom Kingdom is easy to love, with layer upon layer of charm. From goombas in swim rings that flap their little feet underwater, to the tiny birds that land on Toad's head when he's idly wasting time, Treasure Tracker has a lighthearted and lovable presentation. It has the right mix of atmosphere and challenging puzzles to keep you engaged, and it's a great experiment within the larger Mario universe. It may have started out as a minigame, but with its original take on the Toad character and a large number of enjoyably tricky puzzles, it's great to see it in the spotlight it so truly deserves.

PureNintendo
What started as small mini games in a flagship Mario game, is now a full fledged Wii U release and another stellar Nintendo title. A 'must buy' for any Wii U owner and quite possibly a contender for Nintendo game of the year. Help Toad discover more treasure and buy Treasure Tracker!

IGN
Treasure Tracker takes the core concept of Captain Toad and runs wild with it. It’s a smart, adorable puzzle game that presents some awesome locales and really rewards you for taking the time to unpack them. Despite the control issues and menu problems, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker proves that you can still be great without being Super.

Joystiq
I'd initially judged Treasure Tracker as a pleasant but temporary distraction, but I continued playing even after I'd completed every level, and I'm still working on rounding up the collectibles I missed the first time around. Treasure Tracker may be small in stature, but it's packed with depth and detail.

The Verge
Whatever fate awaits the Wii U, Nintendo is doing just about everything it can to make sure the console has some amazing games. It may not have third-party support, but Nintendo's own releases feel exciting in a way they haven't for years. At a glance, Captain Toad seems like a throwaway game, a weird little spinoff starring a character no one really cares about. Yet it's one of the best puzzle games of the year, and another one of a growing number of reasons to pick up a Wii U.

Giant Bomb
I consistently enjoyed my time with Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, but I frequently questioned the value component of this package. At $40, the offering does feel a bit slim. There are well under 100 small levels, and the two main boss fights are recycled in slightly-changed forms several times. The Captain Toad stages were nice changes of pace in the otherwise action-packed 3D World, but the novelty does wear thin quicker when you’re playing through a constant stream of them (despite the attempts to shake things up from time to time). Treasure Tracker is a charming game, but might disappoint some if they drop $40 expecting something more ambitious or substantial. If you know what you’re getting into and you’re alright with spending the money, there’s plenty of fun to be had on Captain Toad’s adventure.

GamesRadar
While it's good to see Nintendo stepping out of its Mario comfort zone, Captain Toad just isn't versatile enough to compete in the big leagues. What would be a budget eShop no-brainer is a little too slight at a higher price.

Polygon
For anybody else, Captain Toad's weird little experiment would be an afterthought. But Nintendo's exercise in digging has found something pretty special - an action puzzle game that succeeds on charm and smarts, rather than reflexes and spectacle.

Shacknews
Top to bottom, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a delightful little treat of a game. It shows a purity of puzzle design that few studios can match, and it wraps it all in a sugary-sweet presentation that only the most jaded could refuse. With a game this good, Captain Toad may just be Nintendo's next breakout star.

CVG
The majority of Treasure Tracker's levels, though well designed, feature gameplay revolving around established mechanics such as the Double Cherry, boost pads, projectile-lobbing Spikes and more, which sadly leaves the overall package with the feel of an expansion pack. An expansion pack that boasts more charm and appeal than most, but from the maker of some of the best 3D platformers of all time, we can't help but feel a little bit disappointed.

God is a Geek
Treasure Tracker does enough to justify its existence, offering up a short campaign that, once finished, offers scant reason to come back again unless you’re in love with it. It’s a gorgeous game, as you’d expect, and for the entire run-time it’s fun, delivering that visual flair and level design that it seems only Nintendo are truly capable of providing.

Gamnesia
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is not your typical big AAA adventure, but it's still one of the most fun games on Wii U. Its short levels make it perfect to pick up for just a few minutes at a time if you're busy, but it's interesting enough that you can play it for hours. It looks, sounds, and feels great, and it has the right balance between pure, unadulterated fun and challenge. It's a little on the short side, but the levels are packed with creativity, and you'll have a smile on your face from start to finish.

Luma Claus wrote:They were really boring in 3D World.
No jumping, and just small levels.
I don't know...