Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Switch review

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker has always been a handheld title masquerading as a console game. On the WiiU the best way to play it was on the gamepad with the nifty touchscreen controls that let you easily manipulate the camera to reveal secrets, stun enemies and find a path to the exit, while its short yet satisfying doses of puzzle platforming are the perfect length for a quick fix during the morning commute. The only problem, you couldn’t take the WiiU gamepad more than 20 feet from the console. 

However, with the new port to the Switch and 3DS Captain Toad is finally free to join gamers on their own adventures, anywhere, any time.   

On the Switch the best way to play the game is in portable mode because it retains all the features of the WiiU version, however, in docked mode the touch controls are replaced with the right analogue stick moving the camera, and pointer controls used to stun enemies. 

It works well enough in docked mode but lacks some of the finesse of the touch controls. There’s also a rudimentary co-op mode that lets one player using pointer controls to pelt enemies with deadly carrots while the other controls toad.

Overall, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a great fit for the Switch. It’s 79 stages or micro universes as it calls them, offer simple but, rewarding mechanics that are perfect for pick up and put down play, though to tell you the truth I found it very hard to put down. With the improved performance of the Switch, the colourful worlds and adorable critters really pop both in both docked and portable modes.

If you played the side missions in Super Mario 3D World you will know exactly what to expect form Toad, for the many that didn’t though, each level sees Toad try to collect each levels power star (and three optional gems). 

However, unlike Mario, Toad can’t jump and instead needs to use his wits to solve puzzles and avoid enemies (although you can also toss turnips at them Super Mario Bros 2 style in some stages).

New to the Switch and 3Ds versions are four new bonus stages base don worlds from Super Mario Odyssey. These can be unlocked through the course of normal gameplay, or early if you use one of the Super Mario Odyssey amiibo. (while the toad amiibo makes you invincible for a level, and all others give you extra lives.)  

However, for reasons only known to Nintendo, the original bonus missions based on Super Mario 3D world have been cut. Surely a re-release should only add content and not cut it – especially when there is no logical reason for doing so.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker on Switch is another solid port of an underappreciated gem. Those that already played It on WiiU might find it hard to justify the double-dip, but If you missed it the first time around now is the perfect time to go on an adventure with Toad. 
 

8/10