Treasure Island Z (Wii) Preview
Posted by Vincent Chiucchi on 04.26.2007
Vitals
Genre
Puzzle Action
System
Wii
Release Date
Q4 2007
This could be the best home console puzzle game in ages
Remember how Wii fans were getting so excited at all the possibilities that the Wii remote can be used for? Well, I think Capcom may have discovered every single one of them for it's upcoming puzzle game. Tentatively titled "Project Treasure Island Z", this could be the best home console puzzle game in ages and the best Wii game not made by Nintendo.
In Treasure Island Z, you take control of Zach, a kid who wants to be the best pirate ever. With his robot friend Wiki, they land on an island with a pirate's curse and loaded with treasure. The game will have 7 different worlds with 20 sub-areas, along with over 500 items to collect, over 80 objects to manipulate, 35 different kinds of enemies, and bosses to fight, all totaling what is said to be over 40 hours of gameplay.
The game plays with just the Wii's remote, but unlike games like WarioWare, you're not told how exactly you're supposed to be using the Wii remote. So basically, half the puzzle is figuring out what to do next and how to use the remote to make sure you get it done. Some of the possible scenarios include rotating the remote to turn a crank, pushing it forward to open a door, and holding it like a flute while treating the buttons like holes. The remote can also be used for Wiki to transform into a bell knocking out enemies and using them like items as well. With over 80 objects to use in this game, you can bet that anything you think you could be using the Wii remote for will somehow happen in TIZ.
The only thing that's going to be easy in this game is how to move the character, which you simply point and click. Even though it's a single player game, expect many people around you to start giving out "advice" on how to complete the puzzles. If the puzzles get too hard for you, you can always ask for a hint in the game, but that lowers the ranking you receive at the end for the puzzle. Guess now we know why there'll be over 40 hours of gameplay. Oh, and should you happen to fail at any of the puzzles, you have to start the whole puzzle over, and when you're doing puzzles that according to Capcom could take possibly a whole hour to finish...well, let's just say you'll be hearing more cases of Wii remotes breaking televisions.
So be warned everyone: This game may look like for kids, but there's a lot to like for the hardcore gamer (sort of like Viva Piñata). Priced at $39.95, the tentatively titled Treasure Island Z is tentatively going for a Fall release.
