Jun 08 2009
Zack and Wiki test your creativity and logic in a worthwhile Wii game
Following up on my initial impressions (The Wii game everybody liked but nobody played), I’ve had a chance to really sink my teeth into the under-appreciated Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure
What I’ve discovered is a brain-bending, single-player experience that will take away hours of your personal time with its devious logic-based puzzles.
A unique multiplayer option lets other players scribble on the screen, but this game ultimately works best as a one-player experience.
Players control Zack by pointing around the screen and clicking on objects for him to approach. The levels he explores wouldn’t be out of place in a bite-sized 3D platformer, but Capcom has instead opted to craft each environment as an intricate logic puzzle that ultimately leads to the treasure for which Zack and his golden, flying, monkey friend Wiki are searching.
In Zack and Wiki, you point and click your way around the environment, discovering objects like this saw and figuring out how they can help you advance.
Capcom has latched onto an interesting but ultimately gimmicky method of using the Wii Remote in various ways to turn keys, press buttons, pull levers, poke brooms, use saws and ring bells. Occasionally the controls allow for a tactile expansion of the logic games. In one level, a player holds a broom but sweeping doesn’t help much. By flipping the Remote up, Zack flips the broom in his hand and players can get past an obstacle by jabbing the handle.
Each level increasingly requires players to identify the obstacles, potential pitfalls and objects available with which to begin progressing.
It’s hard to explain so I’ll stop trying and leave you with the opinion that the unique idea works and is challenging enough to consume hours on end before players realize they’ve only completed a handful of levels.
It’s cute, but it looks generic and that’s probably why so many gamers pass by this quirky gem.
On top of that, the game is filled with miscellaneous treasure to find, both in levels and with the help of a non-playable character who explores on his own, unseen, while you complete the actual game. These treasures are essentially the Capcom-branded answer to the trophies from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. When you inevitably break a hidden jar and discover a pixelated Mega Man icon inside, you’ll understand.
It’s a great value on a low budget, but the game hasn’t sold very well so it’s available new for about $20, which is a perfect pricepoint. Zack and Wiki is a critical darling, and you can add this writer’s praise to the top of the pile. Next time you see it on a shelf, pick it up for yourself and try Capcom’s creative, Wii-exclusive entry into the puzzle genre.
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