There is no two ways around it: Zack & Wiki is one of the best games on the Wii to date, period. Why, though? What is it about this quirky title that makes it irresistable? If any of our readers are on the fence about this title, its time to hit the ground running. In the time I’ve spent with Zack & Wiki its already carved a permanent niche into classic point and click adventuring, and it did so with none other than a centi-saw.

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure (Z&W) is a simple point and click adventure title on the Wii. For those unfamiliar with the traditional adventure genre, the obvious jumping point for most adventure fans would be any of the classic lucasarts adventure games. In these titles, the player usually takes on the role of a main character and moves the character through different settings. The player must interact correctly with the current setting in order to continue further into the story. It’s a more interactive version of a logic puzzle. Z&W is just as challenging as adventure games of the past, but adds a twist to the traditional formula to keep it fresh and interesting. Instead of being a continuous story, Zack & Wiki is broken down into 20+ levels of puzzling/adventuring ingenuity. What is that makes the game so special, though?

The presentation of Z&W, for one thing, is impeccable. The entire game is sacharine tinged graphics-wise. Zack, a chibi-style pirate wannabe, and his monkey/bell sidekick, Wiki, set the stage for a style that, unfortunately, may turn off some who would enjoy the challenge presented. Getting into the game you really begin to feel how special this game really is. Every stage is an elaborate mish-mash of color. The graphics are some of the greatest on the Wii and are best described in a single adjective: crisp. Aesthetically pleasing, the game is also aurally enjoyable. A memorable soundtrack and the added bonus of being able to play classic Capcom songs via a rhythm mini-game bring the presentation of this unique title full-circle.

The gameplay itself is, as said before very traditional in the point-and-click sense. The puzzles in the game are top notch. Understandably the first few levels are very-straightforward, but the difficulty ramps up considerably after a few short hours of gameplay. Zack is able to turn animate objects (centipedes, moles, etc.) into inanimate tools (saws, bombs, etc.) in order to progress. A pleasant surprise in the game was quickly learning that there are multiple ways to finish puzzles, some garnering significantly more points an special items, adding plenty of replayability.

I could continue to extol the virtues of this high quality game, but its truly a game that needs to be experienced. Z&W is one of the few Wii games that couldn’t exist on any other console. Additionally, this is one of the best original IP’s to come out in the past few years. I can’t help but feel its our duty as gamers to support the little guys; the titles that don’t have the billion dollar ad campaigns or 10 sequels of popularity to build on. Do your part.

Visuals = 375
An extremely clean presentation coupled with gorgeous level and character design make this game a joy to look at.
Sound = 323
Strong soundtrack and decent one-line voice acting keep the game fun to listen to, though Wiki can border on annoying.
Fun Factor = 370
Classic point and click adventure play makes this game just as fun as its gaming forefathers
Mechanics = 337
Intuitive controls are great. The rhythm mini-game can be unresponsive, though
Replay Value = 241
While high score is a facter in looking to find replayability in the game, beyond the initial 20 hours, you won’t find much more to do with Zack & Wiki.
Total = 1646

Grade = A-

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