A worldwide quest, devilish puzzles, enemies around every corner...it may sound like the next Indiana Jones (For God's sakes, give Grandpa Harrison a break) but instead it's a delightful adventure called Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure. Your protagonist is Zack, the newest recruit for the group of pirates known as the Sea Rabbits. Your best friend is a flying monkey called Wiki, who can transform into a magical bell that can transform objects bearby objects. (I'll have two of whatever the guys at Capcom smoked when they came out with this idea). You set out to make a name out of yourself by finding treasure, all the while being chased by Cpt. Rose, a poiled teenager that only wants the world's greatest riches. The first treasure you find is the disembodied head of the legendary pirate Barbaros. He promises to hook you up with his lost horde in Treasure Island if you find the rest of his body. What follows is a clever and fun experience unlike anything of its kind. The gameplay at its core is a point and click game, one rarely seen nowadays, especially on a console. This makes Zack and Wiki perfect for the wii. You click on the screen to tell Zack where to go and what to interact with. This doesn't always come out without a problem though. At every level of the game, you are presented with an environmental puzzle you'll need to solve with what's at your disposal. As mentioned earlier, you can use the power of Wiki by giving a quick shake to the remote and transform nearby enemies and object into tools to solve the challenge. The challenge itself is finding the best way to use your tools. For example, an umbrella could be a parachute, but if you use it at the other end, it's a hook to grab things with. Completing the puzzles is satisfying and really gives you a sense of accomplisshment. This is one of the few games that really feel that are tryong to make the wii remote intuitive. Every tool you use requires a different way to move or hold the remote. Puzzles get fiendishly hard later in the game, which brings us to one of the most serious problems of the game, it can be too unforgiving at times. You are punished too hard sometimes for not getting everything right at the first try. There are even some parts when one fatal mistake can't make you return to where you started. You can buy extra lives and tips, but their prices get higher the more you buy them. Overall, the game is a hell of a good time. The challenge feels rewarding once it is completed, the art style is delightful and reminds me of games like The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker, it has intuitive uses for the wii mote, and there's lots of hidden treasure for you to return too. If you find this game, don't think twice about picking it up.
Other Helpful Reviews for Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
I got excited one I heard about this game. It looked like a nice 3rd party offering on the Wii, and it is made by Capcom. So, first day I had to pick this up. I was very surprised on the $40 price tag, as this game is ju... Read Full Review
The Nintendo Wii, throughout its life span, has seen lots of bad games, some companies are just too lazy to sit down and think about designing something new, something gamers have never played before. Fortunately, for us... Read Full Review
