Video: Hands-On With Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker On Wii U

Can't wait for this game

I read somewhere that this is going to be a retail release (and a $60 one, no less). It looks fun, but I was expecting a cheaper e-Shop title. Not sure if I wanna shell out that kind of cash for a game consisting mostly of expanded SM3DW minigames.

Not sure how everyone else feels, but I adored the Captain Toad levels in SM3DW, and am really looking forward to playing this game. They were fun enough just navigating the min-cubes to grab stars, so I imagine Treasure Tracker will be all the better with its' larger stages, more diverse moveset and enemies, and especially the boss fights. Basically it's bigger, better, and more bad***.

If you kind of think about it, Captain Toad is a natural evolution of the original Donkey Kong games. Guide a character up, down, and all around obstacles, through various paths and enemies, to find the goal (or goal-oriented object).

Idk, I just think that if it were 1989 again, and someone told me they could take me in a time machine and show me the future of video games, I would look at this game as the ultimate future of the arcade DK (gameplay-wise).

@ricklongo Watch that video. Does that look like "just a minigame?" Clearly they're putting in the effort to make it more than the 5 minute bonus levels they are in 3D World.

Yes, it's retail. And so is Mario Maker, and even Mario vs Donkey Kong.

Not sure if it's $60, but when was the last time Nintendo sold a game that wasn't worth the asking price? I wouldn't be too worried about it. In fact, I'm actually hoping it's $60. Higher price means more game, and I want as much of this game as I can get.

With that said, we've seen $50 games (DKC Tropical Freeze), $40 games (Game & Wario), $30 games (New Super Luigi U) and $20 games (Ducktales Remastered). Retail doesn't mean anything anymore as far as price goes. Just means physical disc. But again, I'm hoping for a full $60 MSRP for all of these games.

As long as the game has enough content to warrant a full retail price I am cool with paying that. Luckily this Nintendo, and I have NEVER felt llike I didn't get my money's worth for any game I have ever bought from them.

I read somewhere that it will incorporate amiibo. I wonder how? I'm still not sure if I'm gonna go physical or digital in this one.

I'm interested in this game because I found the Captain Toad levels quite interesting in SM3DW.

I don't doubt it'll be worth the asking price, but I think I'll watch the video now to see how they expanded on those intriguing little mini stages.

Just watched about half of it...and I'm impressed.

It definitely looks like there's a lot more than just more Captain Toad stages (which to be honest would be worth the asking price if there were enough of them).

Personally, whatever engine they used for SM3DW (and now Captain Toad) is a great one and I hope it gets used more. It looks absolutely stunning in even 720p!

Any idea on a release date?

@OneBagTravel Holiday 2014

@LunaticPandora I had watched that same stage before, during E3. While it's definitely larger in scope, it's still the same minigame-like gameplay. Nothing wrong with it, just not what I want to spend $60 on; a matter of taste. Probably because I liked the Captain Toad levels in SM3DW, but didn't really love them.

@JaxonH GoNintendo recently published an ad for a store chain (can't remember which) with the game as a retail package, and with a $60 price. Mario Maker I'll totally get as a retail release, by the way.

@ricklongo

Well even Best Buy, Amazon and Newegg have the game for pre order for $60, but that's all placeholder price. I pre order games a lot so I see this all the time. They put a $60 price tag by default, then when it nears release, they adjust accordingly. Not saying it won't be $60, just saying it won't NECESSARILY be $60.

@JaxonH I'd say Pikmin 3 was a 39.99 game based on content. I loved every minute if it, but it could have been longer or had online multiplayer.

That being said I am really looking forward to captain toad! When it comes to puzzle type games Nintendo does seem to have plenty of content, so I am sure it will be a good buy.

I got one thing that kind bugs me about this game ever since I saw it. Isn't it too easy? I mean I like almost everything I see about it, but it looks almost like it's playing itself, like you can't fail and are just going through the motions. Don't get me wrong here, it might still be good fun for a while, but I prefer to be at least challenged to make a bit of an effort in some way. Be it precision and timing in a platformer, or some flexing of mental muscles during a puzzle ... it doesn't have to be an extreme FE:A or Fallblox style challenge ... just something so the game doesn't feel as if it doesn't take me seriously.

@SavoirFaire

I've never counted hours once in my life to be honest. I don't think I've ever played a game where I was worried about content/price ratio. Some games are long, some are short, most are in between. Pikmin 3 was average. Took me about 15 hours to complete, which is pretty decent for length. I heard it could be beaten quicker, but all games can be beaten quicker. I play at a normal, exploratory pace. And I must say, Pikmin 3 was pure ecstasy to play. Savored every minute of it!

Pretty much every Nintendo game I've ever bought, I consider to be worth every red cent. But that's just me.

That level was the first time I cared the slightest about this game. Partly due to the awesome lava and cool ending, but it has potential for being a platformer rather than just a puzzler, though not by much.

Hopeing for the best, but put me on the - it looks more like a $30 game than a $60. Will be waiting for a price and reviews, though my kids want it for Christmas IF SSB gets delayed.

@Ralek85

Never judge a book by it's cover, especially when it comes to Nintendo.

It sounds like you never played Super Mario 3D World. The Captain Toad levels got to be pretty brutal toward the latter end of the game.

@rjejr

Why is everyone saying this looks like a $30 game, or a $20 game, or a $40 game? What part about this game says it's not gonna be a full game? What am I missing here?

Any game can be a full game if you add enough stages and content to make it last. Idk if people just have it permanently ingrained in their minds from 3D World that Captain Toad is a side game and that's why they think it's short? Idk.

But I can tell you now, this isn't a little eShop game that their stringing together. They're taking the Captain Toad concept and running with it full stop. I promise you, had Nintendo announced this as an ACTUAL $30 game, people would be complaining, saying "We don't need $30 games, we need more full retail releases! Why couldn't they have made this a full retail release?". Well, that's kind of what they're doing. They're making it a full retail release.

I don't care how much this one will cost. It seems to have the same level of polish and charm than its "parent" SM3DW, with some clever twists like the first person levels. Knowing Nintendo, there must be a ton of things we haven't seen yet.

Day 1 for me.

Looks good to me!

Unrelated, but the Pokemon Center online store is reopening! The original website closed back in 2008. Glad to see it reopen.

This looks great. Also I've heard that the game will contain 80 levels which I feel is more than enough to make it worthy of a full retail price. If it's true that is.

Side note - That bearded guy in the background in the Nintendo Team t-shirt looks like he's having the best time of his life.

@JaxonH My personal view is that if I pay $X for a game, I expect roughly X/2 in hours of content. At some point a fantastic game that is simply too short leaves me going "wait a minute, I feel I paid for more than this". Pikmin 3 made me feel that was, as did that recent Castlevania for the 3DS (granted, not a Nintendo game). A bad game is just bad, and I feel ripped off. A good short game is still good, I just feel a little bummed if it doesn't meet my own personal expectations. I was only responding to your comment on "when was the last time Nintendo sold a game that wasn't worth it's asking price". That's a subjective question, so I gave a subjective answer

I don't know why people would already get up in arms about captain toad. I will likely buy it barring horrid reviews (which I doubt will happen). Retail means a lot of different things to people (just like triple A), so I'd say people are putting their own expectations of retail to what their belief of what Captain toad will offer, and then going off on that. Again, I agree with you (as I generally do) and that I won't judge the value of captain toad vs. price until I buy it and play it. It is rare that I buy a Nintendo game and think they didn't live up to expectations.

I want it let's see what the price tag will be.....earth to echo was okay

@SavoirFaire

Right on.

I rarely get $/2 out of my games (that would be 30 hours). Maybe, if I'm really lucky, $/4 or $/5. 12-15 hours is pretty standard fair for most games I buy. Except for RPG's and games with replay value- like racers and fighters (but they have to have replay value because otherwise they'd be way too short lived). Even Wonderful 101 was just 20 hours long ($/3), and most considered that game to never end.

Idk, to me, as long as a game isn't like 5 hours for $60 (and yes that does happen sometimes, just look at MGS5 GZ- 2 hours for $30), I'm good. I have no set length really. I guess anything over 10 would be acceptable in my book if I really had to set a standard. But even then, if it's a really enjoyable game...

Basically, what it comes down to for me is games can be any length. Just so long as devs/pubs aren't abusing that privilege and responsibility. Those that do (EA, eh em...) I am more reluctant to buy their games.

@JaxonH @SavoirFaire

My ideal view is to get the same amount of hours as the dollars I paid. With some games I get a lot more than that (Smash Bros. Brawl) while in others I never reach that (No More Heroes 2) so it kinda balances. Also when you manage to pay less because a game is on sale.

A game like W101 is about 20 hours long, but I beat it in each difficulty level (except Very Easy), so again I got 100+ hours out of it. So even if a game is short, if it has unlockables or the gameplay is deep and rewarding enough to replay it, I feel it was worth it.

@sinalefa

Wow- I don't have time to play a game that long. I barely get through 1/4 of most games before another one comes out and it's on to the next. I always intend to come back to them, and sometimes I do, but most times I do not.

I do typically finish most games I really like, but a lot of them (especially on other platforms), I lose interest and never come back to them.

I had no idea so many people actually count hours in games. I just play em, and however long it takes, that's how long it takes. As long as I'm having fun doing it ya know...

Really looking forward to this game! Looks really great so far. I hope it gets some spotlight in maybe a July or August Nintendo Direct.

Looks good.

Captain Toad really made Toad a bit more like Luigi's Mansion made Luigi: a multi-dimensional character with so little characteristics, yet so much personality.
Luigi, Toon Link, now Toad... Samus also in a way, in other M - although she lost some of her 'bad-donkeyery'... Zelda herself in Skyward Sword seemed so 'real', Bowser in his Inside Story also became more of a character... Nintendo's way of adding depth to their own characters really makes me look forward to whoever they pick next.

Did someone say Wario & Waluigi: Underdog Saga? Evil Twins in Time?

@SavoirFaire @JasonX @sinalefa FWIW, according to my Wii U, I've now put more than 120 hours into Pikmin 3, but I got all the DLC as well. Obviously, the basic single-player campaign was the minor part of that time. In terms of hours played, that's my most played Wii U title almost every month, and we just keep on playing here (as local multiplayer).

I personally don't look at time vs. money in terms of gaming. Quality gaming time and memorable moments are worth much more to me than lots of gaming hours.

I am disappoint, this looks like a $10 title, but if it includes more then three ice world based areas, I'll admit it could be $15, but if toad gets orange shoes it will only be worth $5.

Honestly though, they should pay me $30 to play it because I can determine the value of a game from early trailers and off screen footage of one level of a demo.

@JaxonH Where does it say that Mario Maker and Mario vs. DK will be retail games? Because now I'm really curious.

This and Zelda are my two most wanted Wii U games. Bring it on!

@ricklongo i don't think it would be 60$, more like 40-50$ well that's what online retailers are pricing it

This is going to be great I can feel it!

@Octane Read it the other day on a news blog actually.

@JaxonH I've looked it up, and found some sites mentioning this. It seems that several retail stores have a temporary box art set up for those games. Other than that, no actual confirmation from Nintendo, and I have no idea if the temporary box arts can guarantee anything.

Will I buy this game? Definitely. Will I buy this game on launch day or close after? More than likely. Will I buy this game at launch if I'm still in the middle of a few other games (bear in mind it'll be near Christmas, and the sheer amount of games coming out, and I will get every one of them)? Probably not, because as good as this game looks and no doubt will be, there are others I'm anticipating more, such as Hyrule Warriors and Bayonetta 2

I was just playing some Super Mario 3D World yesterday and played one of the Captain Toad levels. The entire time all I kept thinking about was how cool it is that an entire Captain Toad game is coming, and how much I can't wait to play it. So yeah, I'm stoked for it.

@JaxonH That's correct, actually I'm still waiting for my WiiU to arrive sometimes next week. Nevertheless I'm glad to hear it, I really want to like this game, but sometimes games are just so easy, that all the joy gets sucked out of them. I know it might sound silly but I experienced it over and over again!

This game just looks so much fun and will be a Day one purchase. Sometimes Nintendo road test ideas before releasing them as full titles. Galaxy was first seen in Sunshine and look how that turned out.

This Autumn and Winter we will be getting a lot of action/intense games and Captain Toad's title looks like the perfect tonic for a nice change of space.

@JaxonH - "Why is everyone saying this looks like a $30 game,"

"Captain Toad is a side game and that's why they think it's short?"

Asked and answered

"I promise you, had Nintendo announced this as an ACTUAL $30 game, people would be complaining,"

Yeah, the other half. Half complain when it's $60, the other half complain when it's $30. The internet is full of complainers.

DKTF was $50. That has a long heritage, and it's multiplayer, and there are about 1,000 things to collect and speed runs to make. So far all we've seen of this is simple individual stages. Now this being Nitneod I'm sure it will be $50 - I don't see it hitting $60 myself - and hopefully it will justify the cost.

OK, one real big issue. No matter how many levels they make it's still basically a puzzle game, meaning once you solve the puzzle it's solved, no replayablity. Well I guess you could replay it for a speed run, but nobody is confusing Captain Toad w/ Sonic.

Also, they just published $10 Pushmo World w/ 250 levels. A 250 level really adorable looking puzzler w/ Miiverse support and create your own level editor, for TEN DOLLARS.

Thats why people have a problem w/ this as a full retail release. Hopefully we're all wrong though, but it will still be $40 or $50, not $60.

OK, maybe $60, if Captain Toad has the power to yawn and put Goombas to sleep. I'm easily swayed by a sexy E3 website. But I hate games w/o a jump button.

http://e3.nintendo.com/games/wiiu/captain-toad-treasure-tracker/

That FPS minecart level almost guarantees a Sunshine HD remake.

@rjejr

You want replayability in a puzzle game? Just replay it a year after you beat it. I am pretty sure you will forget a lot of things by then.

Things like level editor and/or DLC are not out of the question for me.

This game looks so much better than the SM3DW minigame stages. The boss shown is pretty cool too, it's more about avoiding it than attacking it.

Finally! Seven years after his debut, Captain Toad is getting his own game! I don't care what people have to say about this game, it's a massive improvement over the SM3DW Captain Toad stages. It looks much more immersive, and it definitely has the potential to be its own standalone game. I shall be picking this up at around Christmastime.

@rjejr Pushmo World was a great value, but it was just pulling blocks, nothing more. It was so simple even users could create levels that rivaled the programmers. Captain Toad is not just pulling blocks. It's puzzle platforming, key difference. And this one is expanded on the original idea, so you've got boss fights, enemies, varied environments, all that good stuff. Just because the gameplay is based around problem solving doesn't mean it's the same as pulling blocks.

I mean, for all intents and purposes, the original Captain Toad levels in 3D World were full stage equivalents. And these look much more fleshed out than the originals. So, think of Treasure Tracker as a sequel to 3D World, only the normal platforming levels are all Captain Toad levels this time instead of just a few, not to mention bigger and better.

I'm still not that convinced on this one. It seems very mini game'ish and there probably won't be much in regards to story, so I'm not sure if it would hold my attention for very long. But we'll see...

@JaxonH If you don't jump it is not a platformer. If it has the variety and quality of 3D World I will get it if it doesn't I won't.

@CaptainToad Heh, looks like you and me are going to be getting along just fine.

@unrandomsam

Yes, you're right. But seeing as there isn't a viable close alternative genre to label it by, platformer will have to do. It most closely conveys the type of gameplay present in the game- basically, all the same characteristics of platforming, but without a jump button.

Language is used to convey ideas. I think the term adequately conveys the type of gameplay found, even if not 100% technically accurate.

@JaxonH @unrandomsam - "If you don't jump it is not a platformer"

Yeah, this is part of my problem w/ this game (and why I absolutely hated Heroes on the Move - 3 of Sony's greatest platform mascots in a game w/ no jump button). It's hard to say it isn't a platform game though b/c he does kind of go on different platforms. I'm 3 hours into WW HD and Link is jumping all over the place despite the games lack of a jump button. Means I fail way too often when grabbing swinging lights. If Toad did jump though this would simply be SM3DLand 2, so they mixed it up a bit by taking jumping out.

So it's a puzzle adventure game w/ platforming elements. Like Starfox Adventures, another game that lacked a jump button but you still had to jump all over the place. Also one of my favorites.

So if they do have enough variety in here - so far I'ld say 3 concepts, simple puzzle, boss battles and FPS - this could be a really good retail game. It looks really good, and Kirby Canvas is a 2D game that will retail for $60 and nobody will bat an eye. The problem is the same every "free' app game faces when it goes to the 3DS, nobody wants to pay $29.99 for 3 99c Angry Bird games. Now nobody wants to pay $60 for what started as a SM3DW mni game. If the Captain Toad levels were never in that game I bet price wouldnt even be an issue. Nobody is talking about Kirby or Yoshi's Wooly World, yet more 2D platformers that will retail for $60. At least this seems orignal, is gorgeous, and in 3D worlds. But you know what they say about first impressions.

@rjejr

Wow. Spot on man! You're absolutely right- if this didn't originate as mini side-stages in 3D World, I know for a fact nobody would bat an eyelash at a $60 price tag. It's that "small side game" mentality that has permanently ingrained itself in peoples' minds.

But tbh, I don't like discussing value for money in video games. I mean, you can't put a numeric value on "fun". People just use length, but not all entertainment is the same. I'd pay twice as much for a game twice as short, provided the game was twice as fun. If people are really that concerned with price tag in video games, they might want to consider gaming on PC or on their smartphones. When you game on consoles, it's gonna cost you.

But to me, it's worth it. There's just no games in the world that are like Nintendo games. I've never had an issue with their price per se- it just comes down to evaluating each game individually and deciding, "Do I want to pay full price and pre order? Or do I want to wait on this one and get it for less?" If a person doesn't want to pay full price, they can wait for price to drop or catch it on sale.- I've just never seen people make a stink about it before. That's what sites like CAG are for. For all the cheap-a$$ gamers out there. Besides, when I grew up playing games, I was paying $50 for games like Mega Man 3, games that can be beaten in one hour, maybe two. Games whose equivalents (Shovel Knight) are only 25% of the cost nowadays. So I look at a game like Captain Toad, and it's WAYYYYYY more than I ever used to get for my money.

As for Kirby's Rainbow Curse and Yoshi's Wooly World, those are two of my most highly anticipated games of 2015. Rainbow Curse looks SO good, and wow did they do a nice job with the art style! Canvas Curse was fun- but this one looks even more refined, with more moves, and a larger touch screen this time which rocks. Yoshi's Wooly World though, that just might be THE most wanted game on my list. It's the Yoshi's game I've always dreamed of. You look at Yoshi's New Island, then Wooly World, and it's like, wow. Night and day. I'm SO glad the game isn't going to be super easy like Epic Yarn. The gameplay almost looks like a mix between traditional Yoshi's Island games and New Super Mario Bros. And the art style/graphics, WOW!

But just to refresh your memory, Toad didn't jump in 3D World. This plays exactly how it did in 3D World. If you loved it then, there's no reason to think you won't love this every bit as much and then some. Jumping isn't required for a game to be fun. Heck, some games you're not even controlling a character TO be able to jump. There are no set rules or boundaries when it comes to playing a game. From hop scotch and tic-tac-toe, to Mega Man and Marble Madness, all games are different. Some games you jump, some you don't, and some it's not even possible to entertain the notion. Just learn the games' set of rules, play the game and enjoy it how the developers intended!

@JaxonH - You read me wrong if you think I was putting down Kirby or Yoshi. My point was I think Toad looks better. Much better actually the more I see of it. But people don't complain about Yoshi and Kirby being $50, they've been around forever at that price point, even though Toad has the potential to have much deeper game play. People viewToad is just a little Mario sidekick. Probably doesn't help that the Luigi levels were just $30, people are expecting cheaper games now.

And speaking of Luigi. I don't know what category of game the 2 Mansions games fall under - puzzle, adventure, not platformer - but this looks a lot like Luigi's Mansion (I only played the first) taken to a whole other level. And Luigi's Mansion was short on Gamecube, but it was $50, and worth it.

Oh, on your $ convo w/ the others. I have a $1 per hr limit (which I think is what Sina said only differently) it's $1 per hour in my head. Which between PS+, B1G1 sales, and Gamefly and Redbox rentals (never play HTTYD2, not even for free) its easier than you might think. Though I cheat as I have 3 people playing most games, hours add up. And I trade in games that cost $50, play for 20 hours and get $25 back. Its not an exact science. Of course I spent $8 on Advance Wars and played it for 140 hours so that makes up for some others. And $10 for 80 hours worth of Swords & Soldiers, hence 2 will be day 1. If it weren't for PS+ and Christmas I don't think I would play and AAA games at all. Christmas presents don't count

@rjejr

Oh man you would NOT approve of my gaming habits then lol... I can't tell you how many games I bought and stopped playing within the first couple hours. Some games I bought I still haven't even played yet!

I'm getting better though. For instance, I bought Armillo, Guacamelee and Mario Power Tennis (GBA) yesterday from the Wii U eShop. And I actually sat down and played Armillo immediately after buying it (which I usually don't do), and you know what? I'm glad I did. That's a fun little game right there! Today my mission is play more Armillo, try out Guacamelee and see what that's all about, and get back to Shovel Knight.

@JaxonH - Yeah, you and I are on different ends of the pay scale. I was like you when I was your age though. Grad school grad, good job, affordable rental apartment. Buy buy buy. Play play play. Now it's all mortgage, taxes and back-to-school shopping. No regrets.

@rjejr

I grew up with nothing- family didn't even own a computer until I was in my early twenties. A couple years ago, when I started the job I'm at, I was a low level die-cast operator making like ten bucks an hour. I've come a long way since then. Now I work with engineers, blueprints and CAD models, and lots of overtime if you're willing to put in the hours. I don't have kids though (even though I was married I still never had kids), which means most of my income is still disposable. And that's the ringer right there. Not having kids makes a huge difference I think.

@JaxonH - "Not having kids makes a huge difference I think."

Ya think

Actually it's not the kids. (Well it's not whats spent on the kids, but giving up the $50k/yr job to raise them doesn't help. I couldn't go the daycare route, seemed wrong.) And it's not the mortgage. It's the $9k/yr real estate taxes. I could enjoy life a lot more if my taxes were $3k/yr like the rest of the country. Oh well, we choose to live here. And I choose to stay home. It's not all bad, just some penny-pinching and belt tightening is a necessity. Videogames are not a necessity.

But ya know what, 2007 "great recession" and free games on FB explode. Coincidence? (Everybody can justify the price of a PC or tablet for work, we all know it's for FB.) Hasn't stopped PS4 ATM though, so maybe not?

@rjejr

Crazy taxes, my goodness. That's like $750/mo just in taxes! Here in WI, I know my folks pay about $3,600 every year in taxes. Which, once the home is paid off, isn't much at all. That's basically $300/mo for your property taxes. Which is reasonable I suppose. Well, I don't think an endless tax on ownership of one asset is reasonable in the first place, but you get the point...

You can't hear it during the footage, but Toad is constantly trembling in fear Lol! Our new Luigi.

Spoiler: And he beats the dragon by accident.