Post by Nester the Lark on Nov 11, 2007 14:03:28 GMT -5
3PS #36
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
System: Wii
Listen up, ye scurvy sea dogs! Classic point-and-click adventures, like LucasArts’ Maniac Mansion and The Secret of Monkey Island, have mostly gone the way of Davy Jones’s Locker. And while the DS has recently seen some examples of the genre in the way of Nintendo’s Trace Memory (Another Code: Two Memories) and Hotel Dusk: Room 215, it’s Capcom’s Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros’ Treasure that could really blow some wind back into the sails. Bravely making full use of the Wii Remote’s potential, Zack & Wiki moves the genre beyond mere pointing and clicking and on to a new horizon of puzzle solving adventure!
As a pirate, Zack was a little wet behind the ears. But while making a simple cargo run, Zack and his monkey sidekick, Wiki, have come across a talking golden skull. It turns out that this skull belongs to a pirate named Barbaros, and understandably, he wants the rest of his body back! In return for Zack and Wiki’s help, he promises to lead them to the legendary Treasure Island. In true pirate fashion, the allure of treasure is too much for Zack to pass up, so the group sets sail to find the rest of Barbaros’ bones.
Each level is one big puzzle that’s broken into smaller tasks, each of which is a puzzle unto itself. It’s a matter of figuring out how to use various items, enemies, or parts of your environment to help you progress. Some levels even have multiple solutions.
The game does provide some methods of help for those of you who haven’t earned your sea legs. You can use coins you collect to buy hints for when you get stumped, or extra lives to resurrect yourself at the exact spot you bit the dust, so you don’t have to replay the entire level. However, the more hints you use and the longer it takes to get through each level, the lower your score will be.
The game contains 24 levels, including boss battles, and the puzzles quickly get tough, so don’t expect to blow through this game in an afternoon. Argh! Thar be rough waters ahead, matey!
The real key to Zack & Wiki is the way in which the Remote is utilized. It’s not just a matter of pointing and clicking. In fact, it’s not even a matter of simply jiggling the Remote every now and then. Each item that Zack holds essentially becomes the Remote, and you need to figure out how to manipulate it in order to use the item. You may need to make a certain motion, or hold it a certain way, or even press a particular button on the Remote to operate the item. The variety of uses becomes like a series of mini-games that has been likened to those found in WarioWare: Smooth Moves.
Not to be outdone, the graphics aren’t too shabby either. Using a cell-shaded style reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the visuals are sharp and colorful, and even make use of particle effects. The look of the game effectively draws you into its nautical world.
So, you think if you just sit around, the treasure will come to you? ‘Fraid not, matey! You’ll need to use cunning to solve each clever puzzle on your way to Treasure Island. You’ll also find some of the most effective uses for the Wii Remote among any game on the console. The graphics are the icing on the cake, providing a vivid, stylish world. A game like Zack & Wiki doesn’t come around too often, and unfortunately, it’s easy to overlook. Don’t let that happen, matey! Ye treasure is right here!
Bonus Links
Official Site
Trailer
Interview with Producer Hironobu Takeshita (...Heh, heh. The swear filter tried to censor his name as "Takehoboa".
)
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
System: Wii
Listen up, ye scurvy sea dogs! Classic point-and-click adventures, like LucasArts’ Maniac Mansion and The Secret of Monkey Island, have mostly gone the way of Davy Jones’s Locker. And while the DS has recently seen some examples of the genre in the way of Nintendo’s Trace Memory (Another Code: Two Memories) and Hotel Dusk: Room 215, it’s Capcom’s Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros’ Treasure that could really blow some wind back into the sails. Bravely making full use of the Wii Remote’s potential, Zack & Wiki moves the genre beyond mere pointing and clicking and on to a new horizon of puzzle solving adventure!
As a pirate, Zack was a little wet behind the ears. But while making a simple cargo run, Zack and his monkey sidekick, Wiki, have come across a talking golden skull. It turns out that this skull belongs to a pirate named Barbaros, and understandably, he wants the rest of his body back! In return for Zack and Wiki’s help, he promises to lead them to the legendary Treasure Island. In true pirate fashion, the allure of treasure is too much for Zack to pass up, so the group sets sail to find the rest of Barbaros’ bones.
Each level is one big puzzle that’s broken into smaller tasks, each of which is a puzzle unto itself. It’s a matter of figuring out how to use various items, enemies, or parts of your environment to help you progress. Some levels even have multiple solutions.
The game does provide some methods of help for those of you who haven’t earned your sea legs. You can use coins you collect to buy hints for when you get stumped, or extra lives to resurrect yourself at the exact spot you bit the dust, so you don’t have to replay the entire level. However, the more hints you use and the longer it takes to get through each level, the lower your score will be.
The game contains 24 levels, including boss battles, and the puzzles quickly get tough, so don’t expect to blow through this game in an afternoon. Argh! Thar be rough waters ahead, matey!
The real key to Zack & Wiki is the way in which the Remote is utilized. It’s not just a matter of pointing and clicking. In fact, it’s not even a matter of simply jiggling the Remote every now and then. Each item that Zack holds essentially becomes the Remote, and you need to figure out how to manipulate it in order to use the item. You may need to make a certain motion, or hold it a certain way, or even press a particular button on the Remote to operate the item. The variety of uses becomes like a series of mini-games that has been likened to those found in WarioWare: Smooth Moves.
Not to be outdone, the graphics aren’t too shabby either. Using a cell-shaded style reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the visuals are sharp and colorful, and even make use of particle effects. The look of the game effectively draws you into its nautical world.
So, you think if you just sit around, the treasure will come to you? ‘Fraid not, matey! You’ll need to use cunning to solve each clever puzzle on your way to Treasure Island. You’ll also find some of the most effective uses for the Wii Remote among any game on the console. The graphics are the icing on the cake, providing a vivid, stylish world. A game like Zack & Wiki doesn’t come around too often, and unfortunately, it’s easy to overlook. Don’t let that happen, matey! Ye treasure is right here!
Bonus Links
Official Site
Trailer
Interview with Producer Hironobu Takeshita (...Heh, heh. The swear filter tried to censor his name as "Takehoboa".
)
