Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaro's Treasure (Wii) Review
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 11.28.2007
Put on your eye patch and thinking cap as you sail the high seas for some pirate's booty!
Title: Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaro’s Treasure
Publisher: Capcom
Type: Puzzle-Adventure
Players: 1
Rated E for Everyone
The ‘Point and Click’ adventure has long been a domain long enjoyed by PC gamers since the computer could play games. With the introduction of the Wii however, many gamers have been clamoring for such an adventure that they could call their own. Capcom apparently had the same idea when they created “Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaro’s Treasure”. The game takes you on a journey as you lead Zack and Wiki on various quests for treasure and help out your new buddy Captain Barbaro. With Wii remote in hand, I dove right into the one of the Wii’s most impressive titles, argh!
Gameplay
You begin your adventure as Zack, a curious, up and coming pirate along with your trust sidekick Wiki. You are on a quest to find a legendary pirate ship while looking to become the greatest pirate in the sea. You journey onto seven themed stages each with multiple sub-areas such as the jungle ruins, ice temple, airship and ancient castle. Each stage is divided into multiple sub-areas and includes various bosses and enemies to encounter.
The game is simplistic yet complex in the way you interact. To control where Zack goes, you simply point the Wii remote on the section of the level you want him to go and click on the A-button. To look or interact with things you simply click on that item to go into inspection mode. Where the game really begins to test you is in the way you interact. For instance, say you need to create a torch and you’re tossed into a jungle. There is a campfire nearby but no sticks lying around. You may think to yourself that you need a branch from a tree, but how do you get one if you can’t simply walk over to it and break it off? Sure this may seem like a very mild example of a brain teaser, but it’s the game’s ability to make you think without holding your hand to tell you what to do that makes it interesting and exciting at the same time. As you progress through the game, the puzzles will become more challenging making you really think before you act. Acting too quickly may result in game-ending consequences.
In interacting with different objects, you’ll find that there are many ways to manipulate them. If you are holding an umbrella for example, you may be able to flip it over, open it, jab it towards another item or use the bottom handle as a hook. There are so many different ways to use an object that the possibilities are nearly endless. You’ll also find that your companion Wiki can manipulate objects or enemies too. Wagging the Wii remote will turn him into a bell that can change the enemies into useful items; an option that you may forget from time to time that will be necessary to help you complete a stage.
Graphics
At first glance, Zack & Wiki appears to have a childish look what with the cel-shaded art style as in The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker. Don’t let that fool you however as the stages are all beautifully drawn and lend themselves perfect for this type of game. It’s also presented in 16:9 widescreen and 480p with a smooth framerate that doesn’t suffer. The characters also have distinct personalities that mesh well with the tongue and cheek humor found throughout.
I enjoy how each stage is presented as well as you get a quick tour of the entire area that also offers subtle hints as to what you need to do or focus on. Overall, a very colorful and rich atmosphere makes for a beautiful looking game.
Fun Factor
Funny thing about having fun with this game is that you almost feel like you’re doing work. Interestingly enough it’s the hard work you put into solving the puzzles that make it fun. Make sense? Well you’ll understand what I mean when you give this game a spin. An important aspect of this game is the storyline and overall humor that you’ll find. Reminds me somewhat of the Mario & Luigi RPG games on the Nintendo DS where half of the fun is just reading what the characters have to say. In Z&W, the characters are also memorable and every now and then you’ll actually want to fail at your mission just to see the hilarious cutscenes that outline your doom.
Though the game is a single player affair, the inclusion of a friend next to you actually increases the fun factor. On quite a few occasions specifically in the later, more difficult stages, my brother would sit next to me and we’d have to think together on how we could solve some of the puzzles. Though I was the only one holding a control, we both felt as we were part of the experience and this inclusion works great. You might even say that it’s a great learning tool for parents looking to make their kids think. Though the game appears to cater to younger audiences, it’s actually quite the opposite. Parents however would find this game fun to play with their children with whom they can share ideas.
Don’t take this to mean though that it’s a game for the family. Again, playing with my brother next to me was fun but I still enjoyed playing it by myself so that I could figure things out on my own. It’s quite the challenge.
Lasting Appeal
Zack and Wiki features over 20 sub-areas to explore and over 500 items to find and collect. Couple that with 30 hours-plus of gameplay and you have a game you can tackle for quite a long time. As you’ll be forced to think long and hard over each puzzle, you’ll find yourself needing a break after a little while so most gamers will likely play this game for 30-40 minutes at a time before their brains implode. Not that it’s a bad thing, but simply it should take the average gamer a good while before they run through the game in its entirety.
The 411
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaro’s Treasure is an exquisite title that makes exceptional use of the Wii’s motion sensing technology. It’s easy enough to pick up and play but complex and challenging enough to be extremely rewarding. This is a must-have title for any Wii owner that hasn't already picked it up and the best third party title to come out for Nintendo's console. Prepare to have some of the most fun you’ll have on the Wii while making your brain work overtime.
Graphics
9.0
Colorful, vibrant and a perfect fit for this adventure.
Gameplay
10.0
Capcom pushes the Wii's motion capabilities and offers a massive amount of challenges.
Sound
8.0
No voice work but the sound effects make for some funny moments.
Lasting Appeal
9.0
Lengthy game with a ton of hidden items to find. And we mean a TON!
Fun Factor
9.5
Who knew puzzles could be this much fun; bring a friend along too.
