Captain Toad:Treasure Tracker - The Power of Mushrooms

I sit, coffee in one hand and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker in the other, as the game boots up I'm welcomed with some jolly tunes. It's all thing's Captain Toad from the Go!

My main man Captain Toad

Being it his first self titled outing, popular in Mario Galaxy, Mario Galaxy 2 and the super adorable Mario World 3D, Captain Toad is somewhat pissed, as a giant bird named Wingo has taken his current piece of squeeze Toadette, hostage.

This resulting in Captain Toad solving 70, Yes 70 puzzles all in the name of whacky mushroom love.

The save system opens up as a giant Tome annoyingly only capable of handling one save at a time, meaning no one is ever going on my save, as they'll ruin it! You can track every finished level, whether you've horded all 3 gems and completed all challenges across this leather bound treasure tome, breaking each level into a separate page, very clever!

Super hard chocolate kettle challenge

Challenges vary from level to level, some being as simple as pick 'Captain Toads nose' or more frustrating ones like level 15's 'Don't defeat any Para-biddybuds' leaving a lot to worry about if you're a completionist like me.

 (also a bad one at that)

Replayability is in good hands with this game as challenges often take more than one play through per level, often only becoming clear once the level is complete, then your rewarded with the covenanted 'king hat stamp' of approval upon completion.

Enter annoyingly judgemental black line when all challenges are not finished, destroying that perfect run of red ribbon across the top of Caps Tome.

Currently sitting at between 5-6 hours of game play, 18 levels en- counting, I can say my time has been short but very sweet indeed.

One key point making this game hard at times is Captain Toad's rubbish ability at taking a hit for the 'One', two punches in and he decides Toadette's not worth this shit on a Monday morning,continuing to shrivel up and die in the sun.

This not helped by the fact that every time you see an enemy you run away, that being half of Caps skill set right there, This so called 'run' ability currently only moving at 'slow' and 'very slow'.

The game being a beautiful feast for the eyes with bright displays of colour and charm all over the place, I want to say Fez could have inspired some of captains cubism journey? maybe, anyway

Captain Fez, Fez Tracker.

The controls handle somewhat well.

Captain Toads extensive skill set has been broken down to 'RUN' and 'PULL', like any man if Captain Toad can't pull, he just runs away.

Other than that, the annoying 'stick your face on the controller and blow' move which is more disruptive than helpful, always ruining the camera angle as you get close to that special controller.

This move used to raise and lower platforms for Cap to jump on, adding some intractability to the games simple controls.

Boss Battles come in the form of 'If you get to the top in time I'll hurt myself dead' the only challenge being not getting hit twice before reaching the top.The first being a dopey ass dragon that hurts himself dead 10 levels in.

Aggressive assault mode engage.

We First see that Toadette isn't toad toast 18 levels in, openly holding herself hostage on Wingo's giant gold bird bling necklace.

So what does Captain Toad do?! He charges forward, leading a none aggressive assault on a giant kidnapping bird that openly likes mushrooms

Saying that though Wingo's attack does just seem to be the bird Pokemon staple move 'Gust'

I mind my own business and run around like the coin hungry bitch I am hellbent on retrieving gold.

I then notice 'Gust' is actually helping me solve Wingo's watch tower puzzle by blowing deterrents out of my way and me into the safety of what looks like a crack pipe, Captains first idea is to shove his head in there and subsequently be fired into the air revealing Wingo's now sunny watchtower full of gold and magical treats.

Captain Toads favourite pass time, Crack

This leads to a boss battle which can only be described as a treasure tracking, club scout mushroom throwing over sized vomit turnips at a Giant birds face.

Those vomit turnips being excavated from giant piles of bird gold, atop a sunny watchtower.

Wingo then decides to choke on vomit turnip pie, falling out of the sky leaving me with Captain Toad pulling Toadette out of a pile of gold by her feet.

To my absolute disgust the credits roll and that's the end of Caps LSD induced rescue mission of Toadette from the clutches of an evil bird, I'm Baffled. It can't be done can it?!

After what is a confusing 5 minute credit sequence Toadette continues her bullshit again by not getting kidnapped?! This time it's Captain Toads turn to go missing.

Time to go missing

A second Giant tome appears in the same style as the first, which reveals its now Cap's time to get 'Toadnapped'

The Power of Mushrooms, Hey!

Kirby Style.