If you played Super Mario 3D World, you probably remember the segments featuring Captain Toad. I certainly do, and they were easily my favorite part of the game. So, imagine my surprise when, out of nowhere, during Nintendo’s E3 Digital Event, Nintendo drops a pretty big bomb (or is that Bob-omb?): Captain Toad finally plays a starring role in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, heading to the Wii U this holiday season.
From the looks of it, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker not only retains the highly addictive puzzle-platformer gameplay of the Captain Toad levels in Super Mario 3D World, but expands upon it. He ventures through much larger levels with more enemies, including Mario standbys such as Kamek. He also rides in a mine cart, complete with first-person views on the GamePad. He can also find and use weapons including pickaxes and vegetables (this is a Mario spinoff, after all). And, at the end of the trailer, Toad rides on a dragon. Yes, a dragon. Looks like Captain Toad will do anything in his quest for treasure.
Furthermore, at the Nintendo Treehouse Live@E3 event, Nintendo got the ball rolling with more on Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, including 20 minutes of gameplay footage. As in the original Super Mario 3D World stages, you are encouraged to manipulate the stages found in this game with the GamePad to collect stars at the end of the level. However, there are some notable differences. Similar to green stars found in pretty much every recent 3D Mario as of late, completionists can collect three white gems per stage.
Walleye Temple has the eponymous enemies guarding the star, and gamers can either run past the Walleyes or hold them back with the GamePad’s touch screen. Magma Mountain features that giant, fire-breathing dragon in the trailers, and the stage, more so than even some of the others, plays on the fact that Captain Toad cannot attack at all. Mine Cart Summit involves, well, a mine cart, and players must look at the GamePad for that important first-person view. Mystery Mountain serves as the typical Ghost House or Boo Mansion level, and is accordingly bizarre. Mushy Monument Mayday has killer Shy Guys. Heck, when Captain Toad cannot attack, even the lowliest Goomba is deadly.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is scheduled to come out this holiday season on the Wii U. A release strategy has not yet been announced, but whether it’s a full-on physical/digital release or an eShop exclusive, it’s safe to say that Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker will be worth the wait. Check out the trailer below.
