Even with courses whose area does not exceed that of a Parisian studio, Nintendo is able to lay a chiseled level design. An even more admirable mastery when you know that Toad and Toadette, encumbered by their adventurer's backpack, are unable to jump; which changes everything in a game stamped Mario. To progress in the levels, it will therefore be necessary to decipher the perspectives by moving the camera with precision. A bad positioning of this one, and it is an opportunity to recover one of the three diamonds which contains each chapter which flies away. Afterwards, the possibilities of hiding the jewels in such confined spaces are not endless either, and we end up foiling the feints of the developers at first glance. Fortunately, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker is not based exclusively on the physical deficiencies of the two characters, and that other mechanics come to flesh out the gameplay to vary the puzzles. We think in particular of the possibility of uprooting turnips to throw them at enemies like Super Mario Bros. 2, to the small acceleration always useful to dodge the enemies a little too pressing, or to the crushing in rule when one throws oneself ten meters high. Super Mario 3D World DNA obliges, the tactile features of the GamePad are also put to use, and tapping on the screen will allow you to freeze enemies, reveal invisible pieces, move blocks or even activate levers. What also works well is when you have to control two characters simultaneously after having swallowed the famous cherries, without forgetting the accelerators which put light pressure in the narrow passages.
Even with courses whose area does not exceed that of a Parisian studio, Nintendo is able to lay a chiseled level design.
Ah yes, there is also the cart in which Toad and Toadette can embark to try their hand at shooting on rails; an exercise that highlights above all the weaknesses of the gyroscope that can never be deactivated. In any case, with no less than 70 levels to complete in almost six hours, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker has plenty of time to explore a multitude of universes with polished achievement. Nintendo for short, all in curves and colors. But despite these good intentions, the game leaves us a bit unsatisfied, as if it didn't have the shoulders strong enough to be marketed as a standalone. Probably because we gobble it up in one go, without needing to wake up the neurons to access the ending sequence. Some levels are wiped in not even two minutes, obviously without taking into account the additional challenges. But hey, these are far from being the ultimate puzzles: picking up a golden mushroom, eliminating all the enemies, recovering a certain number of coins, not being spotted by the guards who crisscross the surroundings, this is an example of the secondary challenges to overcome. By completing a course at 100%, you earn the right to participate in timed bonus events that allow you, most of the time, to fill your pockets and thus scratch a handful of extra lives. Since we are discussing the subject, note that access to certain courses is conditioned by the number of precious stones that we have, whether they are those that come in between during the adventure, or those given to players with a Super Mario 3D World save. Or how to reward fan loyalty.
EAT ME, EAT ME, EAT ME...
Despite its ultra ease illustrated by the diamonds that are kept in case of game over, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker is worth a detour if only to taste once again Nintendo's know-how, which even manages to stall bosses. Too bad they can be counted on the fingers of one hand, but the developers have been smart enough to ensure that the game is not repetitive. Nevertheless, it would have been easier to integrate a cooperation mode which would undoubtedly have allowed the developers to set up other mechanisms, and to reinforce the replay value of the game. Finally, it must be admitted that the option Off-TV Play from the Wii U has never been so comfortable. Since taking a regular look at the flat screen is anything but obligatory, it's hard not to play Captain Toad Treasure Tracker in the warmth, under the duvet. From there to imagine a port on 3DS...
