Propaganda Man
Senior Member
I struggled when writing this review. I'm not sure why but I feel like I forced myself to write things. I'm posting this because I want to know what I should improve on. Anyways, enjoy.
ESRB Rating: E For Everyone
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date (US): October 23rd, 2007
Point and click games have been around forever. While they haven't done well on consoles in the past, they have found great success on the computer. Capcom takes an extreme risk in making a point and click adventure game for the Wii; which is known for not supporting 3rd parties. Putting out a game about a pirate and monkey seems idiotic when you have to compete with giants like Mario. Capcom made no mistake. From the first shake of your Wii-mote you will be hooked to the game's unique game style, lovable characters, and challenging puzzles. For the first time since the Wii was released the Wii-mote is being used to its full potential.
The game starts with introducing our two heroes Zack & Wiki. Zack, a young pirate with big dreams and his odd but lovable monkey friend Wiki are soon attacked by the evil Rose Rock Pirates. Soon enough Zack and Wiki are taken down by Rose Rock bombs. Zack & Wiki use their surroundings and miraculously survive the crash. Zack, the treasure obsessed pirate, finds a chest and opens it. Inside he finds the ghost of the legendary pirate Barbaros. He asks Zack to find his treasure, which happens to be his body, so that he can come back to this world. Zack agrees to help only if he gets Barbaros' ship in return which Barbaros agrees to.
Now that the game has a plot you eagerly face your first challenge of puzzles. Though, they may be simple at first they get mind boggling hard as each world and level is revealed. However, by using the resources around you will be able to solve problems most would declare impossible. (You could bet that they haven't met a person like Zack & Wiki!)
Each level's goal is always the same: Solve the puzzle and get the treasure. However, while playing level after level the idea that the game is repetitive never crosses your mind. Part of this is because each level is very unique. Something you did for the last puzzle won't even be brought up in the next.
One unique thing each level brings is Wiki's ability to turn enemies into tools. These tools can be a totem, a bomb,a racket, and a chainsaw along with many other things. To use tools like the racket and the chainsaw you need perform the tasks with your Wii-mote. As an example, to ring a bell you would shake the Wii-mote side to side; to use a chainsaw you move it forwards and backwards. I have rarely ever experienced a moment where I didn't enjoy these fresh fun and exciting activities.
In between puzzles you can hang out at your pirate base which is run by rabbits. They can help you out with things such as advice and extra lives. To get extra lives and advice you have to pay a price that increases with each purchase; so you can imagine running low on money every now and then. In order to get the money to pay for advice you need to solve puzzles. You don't have to play new levels to get money though. Revisiting levels is something that I find myself doing often. Oddly enough, I don't do this for the money as much as for trying to find other ways to solve the puzzle some levels bring.
Zack & Wiki's graphics are very similar to Windwaker in that they are cel-shaded. While there are similarities between the two games, the graphics and style fits Zack and Wiki perfectly. However, these similarities do take away the attractiveness of the game. Often you will point things out and easily compare them to Windwaker. The game would have been better avoiding these similarities even if they weren't intentional.
The music in Zack and Wiki is satisfying. The background music, while not amazing, fits the mood well and gives off the sense of adventure and mystery. However, throughout the game you will hear annoying sounds from Wiki and Zack which the game could have definitely gone without. As I have gotten further into the game I do pay less attention and hear less of these sounds, still, when you do hear them they make you want to press the mute button.
Being a multiplayer game, multiplayer never really crossed my mind as important when picking this up. I'm glad it didn't. Basically, while one of you control Zack and Wiki your friend draws colored circles on things he thinks you should visit. The concept of this is great in that it asks you to solve the puzzle together. However, it isn't practical and can take away some of the fun. Keep in mind that multiplayer's significance in this game is a grand total of 1%.
Zack and Wiki makes for a fantastic game. It makes it as if the Wii was made for it. For a game that costs $40 you will often sit there thinking what a deal it was. In my mind, Zack and Wiki is a ground breaking game for the Wii because it represents a whole new genre the Wii can support well. Zack and Wiki is a unique, fun and fresh game which is without a doubt a must have game for Wii owners. Make no mistake, you will absolutely love this game.
Final Score: 8.6/10
ESRB Rating: E For Everyone
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date (US): October 23rd, 2007
Point and click games have been around forever. While they haven't done well on consoles in the past, they have found great success on the computer. Capcom takes an extreme risk in making a point and click adventure game for the Wii; which is known for not supporting 3rd parties. Putting out a game about a pirate and monkey seems idiotic when you have to compete with giants like Mario. Capcom made no mistake. From the first shake of your Wii-mote you will be hooked to the game's unique game style, lovable characters, and challenging puzzles. For the first time since the Wii was released the Wii-mote is being used to its full potential.
The game starts with introducing our two heroes Zack & Wiki. Zack, a young pirate with big dreams and his odd but lovable monkey friend Wiki are soon attacked by the evil Rose Rock Pirates. Soon enough Zack and Wiki are taken down by Rose Rock bombs. Zack & Wiki use their surroundings and miraculously survive the crash. Zack, the treasure obsessed pirate, finds a chest and opens it. Inside he finds the ghost of the legendary pirate Barbaros. He asks Zack to find his treasure, which happens to be his body, so that he can come back to this world. Zack agrees to help only if he gets Barbaros' ship in return which Barbaros agrees to.
Now that the game has a plot you eagerly face your first challenge of puzzles. Though, they may be simple at first they get mind boggling hard as each world and level is revealed. However, by using the resources around you will be able to solve problems most would declare impossible. (You could bet that they haven't met a person like Zack & Wiki!)
Each level's goal is always the same: Solve the puzzle and get the treasure. However, while playing level after level the idea that the game is repetitive never crosses your mind. Part of this is because each level is very unique. Something you did for the last puzzle won't even be brought up in the next.
One unique thing each level brings is Wiki's ability to turn enemies into tools. These tools can be a totem, a bomb,a racket, and a chainsaw along with many other things. To use tools like the racket and the chainsaw you need perform the tasks with your Wii-mote. As an example, to ring a bell you would shake the Wii-mote side to side; to use a chainsaw you move it forwards and backwards. I have rarely ever experienced a moment where I didn't enjoy these fresh fun and exciting activities.
In between puzzles you can hang out at your pirate base which is run by rabbits. They can help you out with things such as advice and extra lives. To get extra lives and advice you have to pay a price that increases with each purchase; so you can imagine running low on money every now and then. In order to get the money to pay for advice you need to solve puzzles. You don't have to play new levels to get money though. Revisiting levels is something that I find myself doing often. Oddly enough, I don't do this for the money as much as for trying to find other ways to solve the puzzle some levels bring.
Zack & Wiki's graphics are very similar to Windwaker in that they are cel-shaded. While there are similarities between the two games, the graphics and style fits Zack and Wiki perfectly. However, these similarities do take away the attractiveness of the game. Often you will point things out and easily compare them to Windwaker. The game would have been better avoiding these similarities even if they weren't intentional.
The music in Zack and Wiki is satisfying. The background music, while not amazing, fits the mood well and gives off the sense of adventure and mystery. However, throughout the game you will hear annoying sounds from Wiki and Zack which the game could have definitely gone without. As I have gotten further into the game I do pay less attention and hear less of these sounds, still, when you do hear them they make you want to press the mute button.
Being a multiplayer game, multiplayer never really crossed my mind as important when picking this up. I'm glad it didn't. Basically, while one of you control Zack and Wiki your friend draws colored circles on things he thinks you should visit. The concept of this is great in that it asks you to solve the puzzle together. However, it isn't practical and can take away some of the fun. Keep in mind that multiplayer's significance in this game is a grand total of 1%.
Zack and Wiki makes for a fantastic game. It makes it as if the Wii was made for it. For a game that costs $40 you will often sit there thinking what a deal it was. In my mind, Zack and Wiki is a ground breaking game for the Wii because it represents a whole new genre the Wii can support well. Zack and Wiki is a unique, fun and fresh game which is without a doubt a must have game for Wii owners. Make no mistake, you will absolutely love this game.
Final Score: 8.6/10
