Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Review – Nintendo Switch

Subscribe to TSC Gaming and Entertainment on YouTube for more game reviews, interviews and gaming news!

About This Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Review on Nintendo Switch: TSC Gaming host Fred Richani reviews Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker on Switch, a remaster of the original title on Wii U. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is also available on 3DS. We put the action puzzle platformer to the test as you collect coins, diamonds, and stars all while trying to help Toad and Toadette! Avoiding shy guys and monsters is key. Your defense is your best offense. But is this underrated first party Nintendo Switch game worth buying alongside Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Mario Kart, Animal Cross, Smash Bros, Pokemon, and Luigi’s Mansion? Find out!

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Synopsis via Nintendo eShop: Captain Toad stars in his own puzzling quest on the Nintendo Switch™ system! Our stubby hero must dodge dangers and track treasures across many trap-filled courses. Survive smoldering volcanoes, hazardous steam engines, haunted houses, and even new courses based on the Super Mario Odyssey game! Luckily, a second player can join in by tossing turnips at enemies.

Play anytime, anywhere, and anyway you want—even in two-player mode using a pair of Joy-Con™ controllers on one Nintendo Switch system—in TV mode or Tabletop mode. You could also play alone in handheld mode! No matter what, explore each puzzling course for treasure, like hidden Super Gems and Power Stars. As you reclaim the treasure stolen by the monstrous, greedy bird, Wingo, you’ll eventually be able to play as Toadette! These tiny heroes must waddle, hide, pluck, chuck, and power-up through enemy-infested locales like towers, wild-west shanties, and Goomba waterparks—all bursting with secrets. Aim your head-mounted flashlight at adventure!

Game file size: 1.7 GB

Written Review

Is Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker worth your money on Nintendo Switch? You’re about to find out.

What’s up everybody? This is Fred Richani of TSC Gaming here to give you my thoughts on Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, an action puzzle game based on the character Toad from the Super Mario and Nintendo universe. Full disclosure, I’m very late to the party. This game came out on the Wii U back in 2014. I didn’t have a chance to play it, and evidently a lot of people didn’t either, and it was later released on 3DS and Nintendo Switch. I checked it out now that it’s on sale, and recently there was also a free play trial on Nintendo Switch Online. I’ve been diving in, and I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised.

You can always tell Nintendo puts a hell of a lot of effort into their first-party games. The first thing I noticed is that whether I’m playing handheld or docked on my TV, this game looks fantastic. No frame rate issues whatsoever, no glitches; it looks crisp and beautiful. I know some Switch games don’t always look great, especially compared to the new PS5 and Series X, but this is one gorgeous freaking game.

The general premise, without giving too much away: you’re Captain Toad and Toadette, ascending a tower to claim the Power Star, when an evil villain, a giant crow, steals not only the star but Toadette as well. You have to find Toadette, and throughout the game you get to play as both Toad and Toadette. What’s cool is that you solve a number of puzzles that incorporate the Switch’s special features, especially if you play handheld, and there’s co-op if you have friends nearby. It also incorporates Super Mario Odyssey themes, so there are bonus levels compared to the original game, or at least that’s what I’m told. The DLC isn’t pricey at all, normally $5.99 if it’s not on sale, for a special Treasure Tracker episode.

Essentially, you have to get around obstacles. You don’t have a whole lot of offense; your defense is your best offense. You have to avoid the Shy Guys and the creepy birds, and watch out when you’re shifting walls and platforms so you don’t get knocked off the whole freaking platform on the way to your destination. This is a very, very fun game. There are a lot of puzzles, and it takes some brain power, though nothing overly complicated. The further you go, the sharper you have to be, because you can get knocked off a platform or set on fire; there are a lot more things that can kill you. There’s even a cool minigame where you play hide-and-seek with a pixelated Toad. The game won’t take long to complete, since you ultimately have to collect all the stars, at least initially, but if you want to go back and play with friends, get a higher score, grab more coins and turnips, or try things you didn’t do on your first playthrough, I think you’ll enjoy it.

So what’s the verdict? Graphically, I give Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker a 9 out of 10. It’s an absolutely stunning, gorgeous game on Nintendo Switch. Gameplay, I give it a 9. The controls aren’t complicated: you use the right stick to adjust your camera, and sometimes ZR to move and shift parts of the levels and platforms. You can pick up turnips and use them as weapons, or throw them at a POW button, and all of a sudden you have a new tunnel to get where you’re going. There are different mazes and a lot of co-op elements, even in single player. I really enjoy the gameplay. Nothing overly complicated; you can just pick it up and play.

Content, I give it a 9. I mentioned you could probably beat this game relatively quickly, but it’s so fun and enjoyable that I’d love to come back for more. I’ll probably pick up the bonus special episode, and when my sister comes over, we may play co-op. The old saying goes quality over quantity, and this defines that, but I still think you could get hours of enjoyment even after you initially beat it.

Overall, TSC Gaming gives Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker on Nintendo Switch a 9 out of 10. Don’t let appearances fool you. I’m a grown-ass adult man, and when I saw this game I thought it looked kind of cool but a little kiddie. No, it’s spectacular. If you’re an adult, you’ll love this game. If you have a family, you’ll love it. If you have friends to play with, you’ll love it. If you have no friends, who cares, you’ll love this game, though hopefully you’ll make some friends along the way. This truly feels like a game made with love and passion and the quality we’ve come to expect from Nintendo first-party games. If you see it on sale, at your local GameStop, or have a chance to play a free trial, go for it. It’s fantastic. Until next time, everybody, as always, enjoy the games.