It was once one of the most dominant genres in computer gaming, but the adventure game has since been lingering in relative obscurity for more than a decade. Occasionally the game industry publishers throw us a bone, like titles like The Longest Journey, Syberia and the Sam & Max episodic series have begun to regenerate interest in the genre. Selling this sort of title to the new generation of gamers can be problematic – the graphics are seldom cutting edge, the puzzles tease the brain and take more than 20 seconds to solve, and the games tend to rely on story, rather than action, to drive the experience. With their first Wii adventure game, Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure, Capcom has decided to turn many of these ideas on their head. Fortunately, in doing so, they have produced one of the finest adventure games in years.

Capcom's uniquely Japanese approach to the adventure game is not the sort of thing we're used to in the adventure genre, but this leads to the Zack & Wiki experience having a certain freshness to it. Those who don't appreciate the Japanese style of animation and storytelling may find it a little difficult to appreciate some of the finer points of the presentation, but striking cel-shaded visuals, great character design and expressions, and smooth animation should impress regardless of preference. The game makes good use of colour, particularly in its many varied environments – tropical islands, icy caves and inside volcanoes. Technically, the game has no hitches – the frame rate is very smooth and the load times are minimal. The game's soundtrack is minimalist during gameplay, but generally upbeat during cutscenes – particularly those with a lot of action.

One thing that becomes obvious from the start is that Zack & Wiki is almost the inverse of the typical adventure game – story takes a back seat, while gameplay is king. The game's overrunning story is amusing, with many hilarious moments, though it does have similar themes to the One Piece manga, but at times, it feels like the game could completely abandon its story, and not be any worse for wear. It never really gives you any reason or opportunity to care about the characters in the game, even if they do have a certain charm to them. Zack is a bright-eyed whippersnapper, a boy of few words, but an undying love of chocolate. Wiki is his faithful companion, a flying golden monkey with magic powers, and often the voice of logic and reason. The pair has become avid treasure hunters, joining the ranks of the Sea Rabbit pirate group, and dedicating their life to the cause.

On their way to the Sea Rabbits hideout, Zack and Wiki's chartered plane (piloted by the lovable Johnny Style) is attacked by a rival group, the Rose Rock Pirates. This group is lead by the neurotic Rose, a spoilt upper class brat whose good looks, charisma and money have made it easy for her to exploit large numbers of goons, who make short work of Zack and Wiki's aircraft. After crash landing on a remote island, players take control of the action in a short tutorial sequence. The pair stumble upon a large chest, which they find contains the disembodied (and rather golden) head of the legendary pirate Barbaros. It seems Barbaros had been cursed and locked away by the forces of good, with his body split up and hidden in chests around the world. Claiming to have changed his ways, he promises to give Zack and Wiki his legendary ship and take them to Treasure Island in exchange for repairing his body.

It's made abundantly clear from the tutorial onward that Zack & Wiki is one of the most puzzle intensive adventure games in years. Unlike many adventure games, Zack & Wiki is split up into many short stages, usually only about 2-3 screens wide, with a piece of Barbaros' treasure in each. Each stage is made up of a series of smaller puzzles which, when solved, contribute to solving the larger puzzle of the level; usually gaining access to a treasure chest. A score is tied to each puzzle – reaching the solution on the first try achieves the maximum score, with any failures and subsequent attempts reducing your point yield. Players are rated on their overall performance and assigned a rank at the end of each level. The game lures players into a false sense of security early in the piece with easy puzzles and high scores, making one think that the game is going to be a walk in the park, only to have it later throw a number of truly brain teasing puzzles your way.

The thing that makes Zack & Wiki a truly remarkable experience is the way that Capcom has made the most of the new control methods offered by the Wii Remote. Moving Zack around is a simple case of pointing and clicking, and shaking the Wii Remote turns Wiki into a bell, his magic powers transforming nearby creatures into useful tools and objects. The more ingenious uses of the Wii Remote happen as a result of using these objects, as well as various fixtures around the levels. If you're to pull a lever, you'll have to position the remote vertically, and pull it back toward you. Cutting down a tree? Put the remote on its side and vigorously move it back and forth. To turn a crank, put the remote on its side and move it around in a circle. Seeing a pattern? You might look like a fool while playing it, but Zack & Wiki's use of the remote really helps with players' level of immersion; the way the levels flow is really quite amazing. Motion sensory detection is quite accurate – extremely necessary in a game which relies on the function – but does have rare glitchy moments, like a dial going left when you turn the remote right, for example.

Between levels, players are sent back to the Sea Rabbits hideout and given an opportunity to purchase extra lives and hint tickets, get advice from Barbaros and the fortune teller, send the Rabbits off looking for treasure, replay levels and read up on things you've encountered to date. As mentioned earlier, the game starts off reasonably easy, but quickly ramps up the level of difficulty – the later levels are particularly fiendish and very challenging. The game also has a number of boss encounters and they're handled in a very clever manner which makes them an integral part of the experience. Players should expect about 12 to 20 hours of play from Zack & Wiki, largely depending on your problem-solving skills (and/or reliance on a hint tickets, play guides and such).


Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure is one of the freshest adventure game experiences in years, and is highly recommended for every Wii owner. Don't let the cutesy anime-style presentation throw you; this game is full of fiendishly difficult puzzles that make the most of the system's unique abilities, and the story and characters are not really vital to the experience, unlike many other adventure games. Capcom should be applauded for producing a game that can be enjoyed by all, regardless of age, gender or genre preference. Grab it today.