Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

This article is about the game for the Wii U, Switch, and 3DS. For information about the level from Super Mario Maker of the same name, see Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (level).

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a puzzle platform game for the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch. The Wii U version is a prequel to Super Mario 3D World, while the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch versions lead in to Super Mario Odyssey instead. The game is based on The Adventures of Captain Toad stages from Super Mario 3D World but features extensive depth and variety, and the game's plot revolves around Captain Toad and Toadette collecting Power Stars while attempting to stop a large, scavenging bird named Wingo from stealing them. This is the second game to have a Toad as the main protagonist, with the first game being Wario's Woods, released twenty years prior.

Story

Wingo lifting Toadette and the Power Star.

Captain Toad and Toadette are out treasure hunting, climbing a structure to get a Power Star. They soon after notice feathers falling from the sky when Wingo, a large bird who's described as "a lover of all things shiny", grabs the star. Toadette attempts to retrieve it while Captain Toad is temporarily knocked over. Wingo makes off with both the star and Toadette, leaving the Captain on his own. Captain Toad must then go through stages collecting Power Stars to reach Wingo and save Toadette.

Once Captain Toad reaches Wingo's fortress, they fight, and after Wingo is defeated, Toadette is rescued and they continue treasure hunting. However, Wingo returns to steal their treasure again and ends up capturing Captain Toad, allowing Toadette to journey on a solo adventure. After another long journey, Toadette saves him, although immediately afterward Wingo reappears, captures Toadette again and blows Captain Toad away.

The Captain awakes in a dark cave, where he finds another Power Star snatched away by Wingo. Toad pursues to a large mine. Meanwhile, Toadette escapes Wingo and goes off to reunite with Captain Toad, though is captured again soon after. Wingo then takes her to the same tower, while Captain Toad arrives. After a final fight, Wingo is truly defeated, and the two Toads ride off in a minecart as the credits play.

In the Wii U version, after the credits, Captain Toad notices a Green Star falling through the sky, and chases after it, leaving Toadette in the minecart. The opening scene of Super Mario 3D World plays, though after Mario and the others enter the Clear Pipe to chase Bowser, the Green Star falls in as well, with Captain Toad climbing into the Clear Pipe to chase after it.

In the 3DS and Switch versions, after the credits, the minecart goes to the Sand Kingdom and Captain Toad notices the Odyssey flying, and chases after it, leaving Toadette in the minecart.

Gameplay

Captain Toad controls similarly to The Adventures of Captain Toad, and is unable to jump. Instead, he can pull on Pluck Patches, patches of grass which can contain items such as coins, power-ups, or turnips, which can be thrown at enemies in a Super Mario Bros. 2 fashion. The camera can be rotated in any direction to view the stage at different angles.

The main goal of the game is to reach the one Power Star in each stage; the player must do so by navigating each stage and solving puzzles to reach them. Unlike The Adventures of Captain Toad, the levels have no time limit and score feature. Instead, the game keeps track of the highest number of coins earned in each level and the time taken to complete each level. Each stage also has 3 Super Gems (similar to the Green Stars of Super Mario 3D World) to collect, as well as a bonus objective that appears after beating the stage, in which the player must clear the stage while performing a certain task (collecting a certain mushroom, taking no damage, defeating certain enemies, etc.).

amiibo

A Pixel Toad.

The Wii U version of the game received amiibo functionality in an update released in March 2015. Scanning the Toad amiibo takes the player into a game of Hide and Seek on the current stage, in which the player must find a hidden 8-bit Toad (called "Pixel Toad") by tapping it on the Wii U GamePad. The player can only play the hide and seek game on a given stage after clearing it. On the 3DS and Switch versions of the game, where Hide and Seek is available without the amiibo, the Toad amiibo will instead allow a level to be played while invincible.

Tapping any other amiibo in every version of the game gives the player 1-Up Mushrooms, though they can only give the player so many before they can no longer be used, and the player must wait to use them again.

On the 3DS and Switch versions, scanning the Super Mario Odyssey amiibo will unlock the Super Mario Odyssey-themed levels early on the game.

Controls

It has been requested that this section be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: include the controls of the 3DS version

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker can only be played on the Wii U using the Wii U GamePad. On Nintendo Switch it could also be played without the touch screen in TV mode.

Wii U controls

• Move -
• Run/pluck/throw - / / /
• Spin - (rotate)
• Zoom in/out -
• Turn on/off headlamp -
• Camera:
  • Tilt - / / (tilt)
  • Move 45 degrees - /
  • Center - (press)
  • Move behind player -
• Use amiibo - (only on menu)

Nintendo Switch controls

This section is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it is being worked on. We hope to have it completed as soon as possible.

• Move - leftstick
• Run/pluck/throw - A / B / Y / ZR (only on Handheld Mode)
• Spin - leftstick (rotate)
• Turn on/off headlamp - Y
• Camera:
  • Tilt - rightstick / UpDownLeftRight
  • Zoom in/out - X
  • Move 45 degrees - L / R
  • Move behind player - ZL
• Pointer:
  • Use pointer - (move) (only on TV mode)
  • Interact with object and enemies - ZR (only on TV mode)
  • Recentre the pointer - plus / rightstick (press)
• Use amiibo - plus (only on menu)
• Play Hide and Seek with Pixel Toad - ZR (only on menu)
  • Catch Pixel Toad - ZR (only on TV mode)

2 Player Modes

In the Nintendo Switch version of the game, two types of Cooperative two player modes are available in every level. Both of these modes are only available in the Nintendo Switch's TV / Tabletop mode.

Assist Mode

In Assist Mode, Player 1 assumes the normal role of Captain Toad or Toadette, except for the change that Player 2 now exclusively controls the pointer.

Player 2 also gains the ability to fire red turnips towards whatever the pointer is showing. Red turnips can be used to collect Coins and 1UPs, defeat enemies and to break small blocks. Red turnips cannot be used to collect Super Gems or Power Stars, not to activate any Switches, cannot go into Pipes or Clear Pipes, and cannot break large Stone Blocks. Red Turnips cannot damage bosses.

This mode allows Player 2 to fire even during Mine Cart sections and to use the pointer when inside it, which is not usually possible.

This mode is only playable using 2 Joy-con controllers. Joy-con L will always be assigned as Player 1, and Joy-con R will be Player 2. When switching the game to or from this mode, all controllers currently synced to the Switch will turn off. Attempting to sync another controller will fail. Syncing a controller in the Home Menu and then going back into the game will turn the newly synced controller off. Wired controllers will also appear desynced.

Adventure for Two

Adventure for Two was added in the 1.1.0 update on February 13, 2019. This mode allows both players to control a Toad Brigade Member, with Player 1 controlling the assigned character for the level, and in all episodes but Special Episode, Player 2 controlling a Purple Captain Toad. In Special Episode, Player 2 controls Toadette.

Any control method is available to both players in this mode, as well as a sideways Joy-con. Notably, the button to rotate the camera in this mode was changed for the sideways Joy-con configuration, and a new button was added to activate the Pointer. Additionally, both players can Bubble themselves to float above the other player's head, until they wish to pop out and continue playing.

When a player loses a life in this mode, they are sent into the Bubble. If a player is in a bubble or is in the process of losing a life as the other player does the same, the level resets like in the Singleplayer mode. If the players are too far apart from each other, one will Bubble automatically to the others location.

If either player is using a Spinwheel and the other approaches another Spinwheel, they can't access it. If either player enters a Clear Pipe cannon, a Warp Box or a Mine cart, the other player will be warped there quickly. However, Doors, Pipes, Clear Pipes and others don't force the other player to warp.

Both players can collect Super Gems and Power Stars(/ Power Moons/Golden Crowns) in this mode. The player who reached the Power Star first is the one visible during the Course Clear animation.

Characters

Playable

red	pink	purple*

Draggadon and Gold Draggadon are also playable in several cut-scenes, but due to the player having limited control, they are not directly considered playable characters. *Second player, Nintendo Switch only

Supporting

• Blue Toad
• Yellow Toad
• Green Toad

Other

• Mario (Wii U)
• Luigi (Wii U)
• Princess Peach (Wii U)
• Toad (Wii U)
• Bowser (Wii U)
• Green Sprixie Princess (Wii U)
• Mole

Enemies and obstacles

New

Flaptor, one of the new enemies in this game.

• Flaptor
• Piranha Sprout
• Mud Trooper
• Stumper
• Mummy-Me

Returning

Ant Troopers Biddybuds Big Boos Big Piranha Plant (Wii U) Blurkers (Wii U) Boos Bull's-Eye Bills Bullet Bills Cat Goombas (Wii U)

Chargin' Chucks Charvaarghs Cheep Cheeps Conkdors Cookatiel (Switch/3DS) Fire Bros. Fire Piranha Plants Fuzzies Goombas

Goomba Towers Hammer Bros. Magikoopas Mines Para-Biddybuds Peepas Piranha Creepers Piranha Plants Shy Guys

Spikes Spike Bars Spiked Balls Spinners Stingbys (Wii U) Walleyes Volcanic debris

Bosses

Draggadon, one of the bosses.

• Draggadon
• Wingo
• Gold Draggadon

Items and objects

Power-ups

Power-ups
Super Mushroom		Turns the player into their Super form, and otherwise gives the user 10 coins.
Double Cherry		Creates a clone of the player that copies their movements.
Super Pickax		Temporarily allows the player to defeat any enemy and break Brick Blocks.
Invincibility Mushroom		Makes the player invincible for the entirety of a level.

Other

1-Up Mushrooms ? Blocks Beep Blocks Brick Blocks Cannons Mine Carts Clear Pipes Coins Coin Stacks

Dash Panels Donut Blocks Flip Panels Giant Turnips Gold Mushrooms Green Stars (Wii U) Keys Key Coins (Wii U) Ladders

Lifts (Switch) Mystery Boxes P Switches Piranha Plants (Wii U) Pluck Patches POW Blocks Power Moons (Switch/3DS) Power Stars Propeller Platforms (Wii U/3DS)

Pull Switches Rock Blocks Spinwheels Super Gems Turnips Turnip Cannons Touchstones Warp Pipes Warp Boxes

Stages

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker features 79 stages (referred to as "mini-universes"). The game is divided into various "episodes," with their own plots, as well as containing a number of different stages played as each character. Each stage also features a challenge that can be completed for an extra bonus.

An update for the Nintendo Switch version, releasing on March 14, 2019, includes 18 new courses ranging from sunken ships to an area based on sweets.

Episode 1
The Secret Is in the Stars	The Chase to Pyropuff Peak	The Hunt for the Great Bird's Lair	Onward, Captain Toad!	Operation Rescue Toadette
1. Plucky Pass Beginnings	5. Double Cherry Palace	11. Piranha Creeper Cove	14. Pop-Up Prairie Town	18. Wingo's Watchtower
2. Walleye Tumble Temple	6. Shy Guy Heights	12. Briny Bowl Swimming Hole	15. Drop-Road Dash
3. Touchstone Trouble	7. Spinwheel Library	13. Turnip Cannon Jungle	16. Bizarre Doors of Boo Mansion
4. Mushroom Mesa	8. Mine Cart Tunnel Throwdown		17. Blizzard on the Star Express
	9. Spinwheel Bullet Bill Base
	10. The King of Pyropuff Peak

Episode 2
The Captain Gets Toadnapped	Onward, Toadette!	Farewell, Pyropuff Peak	On the Trail of the Great Bird	Operation Rescue Captain Toad
1. Chute Scoot Slopes	5. Floaty Fun Water Park	10. Spinwheel Cog Ruins	14. Midnight in the Wandering Woods	18. Battle Tower Blitz
2. Stumper Sneakaround	6. Drift-Along Canyon	11. Windup Stairs	15. Double Cherry Spires
3. Mine Cart Sunset Rundown	7. Sliding Slab Shuffle	12. Up 'n' Down Terrace	16. Bullet Bill's Touchy Trials
4. Sinister Street Signs	8. Spooky Specters at Shadow Manor	13. Clear Pipe Puzzleplex	17. Spinwheel Sky Fort
	9. Draggadon's Revenge

Episode 3
The Search for Toadette	The Search for Captain Toad	Captain Toad's Trials	Toadette's Tribulations	Reunited at Last?		The Ultimate Treasure
1. Rolling Inferno	5. Stumpy Springs Sanctuary	10. Multi-Vator Mayhem	14. Shy Guy Shadow Den	19. Retro Ramp-Up	24. Trick-Track Hall	28. Wingo's Whackdown
2. Seesaw Sizzle	6. Biddybud Snow Stroll	11. Flip Panel Footpath	15. Razzle-Dazzle Slider	20. Twisty-Turny Planet	25. Deep-Space Gyromajig
3. Beep Block Sky Plaza	7. Cagey Conkdor Caper	12. Rock Block Badlands	16. Poison Canal Cannon Run	21. Ghost Gallery Gambit	26. Magma Road Marathon
4. Pickax Cave Plummet	8. Up 'n' Down Desert	13. Secret of the Golden Realm	17. Fright Train Flight	22. Touchstone Turmoil	27. Scalding Scaffold Sinkhole
	9. Mine Cart Ruins Rumble		18. No Sleep at Magikoopa Keep	23. Color Crate Carousel

Bonus Episode
Expedition to the Sprixie Kingdom (From Super Mario 3D World) (exclusive to the Wii U version)	Super Mario Odyssey Kingdom (exclusive to the 3DS/Switch versions)	Toad Brigade, Move Out!	Curse of the Mummy-Me!
1. Super Bell Hill	1. Secret of the Inverted Pyramid	5. Toad Brigade to Mushroom Mesa!	9. Mummy-Me on Flip Panel Footpath
2. Conkdor Canyon	2. Mine Cart Cascade Crusade	6. Toad Brigade to Trick-Track Hall!	10. Mummy-Me on Drop-Road Dash
3. Shadow-Play Alley	3. Uptown, Downtown	7. Toad Brigade to Bullet Bill Base!	11. Mummy-Me at Pyropuff Peak
4. Clear Pipe Cruise	4. Cookatiel's Sizzling Sprint	8. Toad Brigade to Magikoopa Keep!
Memories of Our Adventures	Keep On Tracking, Captain Toad!	Unlimited Coins Galore
12. Episode 1 Prologue	15. Mummy-Me Maze Forever	16. Coins Galore
13. Episode 2 Prologue		17. More Coins Galore
14. Episode 3 Prologue		18. Even More Coins Galore

Differences in the Switch/3DS versions

• Due to hardware limitations, some of the bonus objectives in the Nintendo 3DS version of the game are changed, such as the one in Poison Canal Cannon Run being changed from "Cleared course with 4 Toadettes!" to "Found the hidden Gold Mushroom!".
• Unlike the Super Mario 3D World stages, the Super Mario Odyssey stages contain Super Gems.
• The Toad amiibo is not needed to play "Hide & Seek," which is now accessible after beating a level.
• Captain Toad's eyes in the 3DS version are larger than in the Wii U or Switch versions.

Development

The idea of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker came to director Shinya Hiratake as a dream. It originally featured Link as the hero instead of Mario, as Mario not being able to jump would not make sense. Link would explore in a diorama-style in a tech demo presented to Shigeru Miyamoto. The idea was shot down, though Miyamoto realized a potential with the idea. It was included in Super Mario 3D World, where Hiratake chose Captain Toad from Super Mario Galaxy because the heavy backpack would have prevented him from jumping. After Super Mario 3D World was released, Miyamoto encouraged production of a full game around the concept.

Update history

Version 1.1 (Wii U)

The Wii U version of the game received an update on March 19, 2015, adding amiibo support to the game. An amiibo prompt was added to the menu screen by pressing , allowing players to scan the Toad amiibo to play Hide and Seek with Pixel Toad, while any other amiibo give the player 1-Up Mushrooms.

Version 1.1 (Nintendo Switch)

The Nintendo Switch version of the game received an update on February 13, 2019, which added 2 Player co-op into the game. The update also added the Special Episode (if players pre-purchased the Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - Special Episode content from the Nintendo eShop), allowing players to play the first level as a pre-purchase bonus.

Reception

It has been requested that this section be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: include reviews for the 3DS and Switch versions

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker received generally positive reviews. Much of the praise was directed towards the limited focus on just Captain Toad and Toadette, as well as the game's concept, but minor criticism amounted to some technical issues and the designs of some levels. The Wii U version of the game currently holds a score of 81% on Metacritic based on 78 reviews, as well as a score of 81.01% on GameRankings based on 54 reviews.

Marty Silva of IGN gave the game an 8.2/10, criticizing what he believed to be an over-reliance of the GamePad at times, stating "The problem here is that it’s controlled both through the right stick and the GamePad’s gyrosensor, and the sensor can’t be turned off, so I found the camera spinning out of control whenever I moved my wrists. Also, if you're playing only off the GamePad, messages and touch-screen prompts have a tendency to pop up and really obscure your view at important moments." Otherwise, he was praising of the game, mostly to the charm, visuals, and sense of discovery. Arthur Gies of Polygon gave the game of 8.5/10, and was similarly critical of camera issues, claiming they "transcended my crankiness and felt like actual problems", but praised the characters' "outrageous cuteness", reamrking "Nintendo games explore their root mechanics thoroughly, finding fun through solid execution and exploration of the idea. Using that as a verb, Captain Toad Nintendos. It Nintendos hard." Chris Carter of Destructoid gave the game an 8/10, and was also similarly praising of the limited focus on Captain Toad and Toadette, stating "No other Mario characters are jumping out and stealing the spotlight here -- it's just the two aforementioned characters and their thirst for treasure that fuels the game." He was, however, critical of a few levels, and for what he opined as little to offer for players who did not like puzzle platformers.

Reviews
Platform	Reviewer, Publication	Score	Comment
Wii U	Marty Sliva, IGN	8.2/10	"Treasure Tracker takes the core concept of Captain Toad and runs wild with it. It’s a smart, adorable puzzle game that presents some awesome locales and really rewards you for taking the time to unpack them. Despite the control issues and menu problems, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker proves that you can still be great without being Super."
Wii U	Arthur Gies, Polygon	8.5/10	"For anybody else, Captain Toad's weird little experiment would be an afterthought. But Nintendo's exercise in digging has found something pretty special — an action puzzle game that succeeds on charm and smarts, rather than reflexes and spectacle."
Wii U	Chris Carter, Destructoid	8/10	"Captain Toad is an experience that doesn't attempt to really wow you, but instead delivers consistent puzzle experiences at a rapid pace. There's more Nintendo could have done with it, but it is a puzzler in its purest form, and that will be more than enough for people who wanted more of the titular hero after playing the bonus games in 3D World."
Switch and 3DS	Joe Skrebels, IGN	8.7/10	"Treasure Tracker still feels close to unique, and gains new life on both of Nintendo’s current systems. Switch is very much the better choice, but 3DS is by no means a bad option. Still smart, prettier than ever and, in retrospect, genuinely important as part of Nintendo’s modern history, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a rare example of a game that actually feels better for being a few years old."
Aggregators
Compiler		Platform / Score
Metacritic		81% (Wii U)
GameRankings		81.01% (Wii U)

References to other games

• Donkey Kong: The music that plays when using a Super Pickax is a remix of the theme that plays when Mario collects a Hammer in Donkey Kong; the way in which the pickaxe is swung is also a reference to the Hammer. Retro Ramp-Up is based on the first level from this game.
• Super Mario Bros.: A cover of this game's underground theme is used in Mine Cart Tunnel Throwdown.
• Super Mario Bros. 2: Turnips and sprouts on the ground return, Shy Guys appear as basic enemies, and various buildings draw from the design of Wart's castle.
• Super Mario World: Wingo has a feather on his hat that resembles the Cape Feather. During the fights against Wingo, Toadette will throw Toad a Super Mushroom, similar to Peach in the final Bowser battle.
• Super Mario 64: When playing in a Coins Galore level, a remix of the slide theme of this game plays.
• New Super Mario Bros.: This game's lava level music is partially covered in Drop-Road Dash's background music.
• Super Mario Galaxy: Captain Toad and the Toad Brigade return from their debut in this game, along with their iconic sound track. Also, the Starshroom appears in the ending credits if the game is beaten twice. The Starshroom appears secretly in Episode 1's Gold Galore if the player rotates the camera. It is seen in the distance.
• Super Mario 3D Land: A cover version of this game's beach level music appears. Flip Panels makes a reappearance as well.
• New Super Mario Bros. 2: The Gold Mushroom returns as an item.
• Super Mario 3D World: The core gameplay is based on The Adventures of Captain Toad levels first featured in this game. Many mechanics from this game return, as well as cover versions of several tracks from this game. Super Bell Hill, Conkdor Canyon, Shadow-Play Alley, and Clear Pipe Cruise return as stages. Also, the intro from this game can be seen after the credits, revealing that Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is, in fact, a prequel to Super Mario 3D World.
• Super Mario Odyssey: Four levels based on the Sand, Cascade, Metro, and Luncheon Kingdoms appear in the Nintendo Switch and 3DS versions of the game.

References in later games

• Super Mario Maker: A costume of both Captain Toad and Toadette (in her gear from Treasure Tracker) appear in an event level designed after this title. Music jingles and sound effects also return as further references.
• Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam: Toadette often references her adventures in this game in her dialogue. Additionally, some of the battle cards that are unlocked by the Toad amiibo also use some of Captain Toad's artwork from Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.
• Paper Mario: Color Splash: Draggadon reappears in this title. After using the Basin Thing in Redpepper Volcano, a bump comes out of its head, just like in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker after a rock falls on it. Also, when this happens, Mario can ride Draggadon as Captain Toad did in his game.
• Super Mario Odyssey: When encountering Captain Toad in the Lost Kingdom, he mentions he was dropped by a giant bird, but a different bird than "[his] usual one," referencing his kidnapping by Wingo.
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: "Plucky Pass Beginnings", the Toad Brigade theme, and "The King of Pyropuff Peak", Draggadon's battle theme, both appear in this game. Additionally, artwork of Captain Toad and Toadette are used for their spirits. At Toadette's Explore area, she references the title by saying, "Choose up to four treasure trackers!"

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

• 

  Logo of the game

• 

  Captain Toad

• 

  Toadette

• 

  Super Pickax

• 

  Wingo

• 

  Main visual

Media

Help:Media • Having trouble playing?

Staff

Main article: List of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker staff

Main article: List of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo Switch / Nintendo 3DS) staff

Most of Super Mario 3D World's staff return, with Shinya Hiratake and Kenta Motokura leading game direction one again while Koichi Hayashida acts as producer for the first time. The main characters' voices are performed by Samantha Kelly, and general game production is done by Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto.

Pre-release and unused content

Main article: List of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker pre-release and unused content

Several of the stages shown off during E3 2014 had different names than in the final game; for example, Mushroom Mesa was originally named "Mushy Monument: Mayday!". The box art was also changed during development. Several enemies such as Flaptors seen in the final game do not appear in the E3 demo.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	進め！キノピオ隊長[?] Susume! Kinopio taichō	Onward! Captain Toad

External links

• E3 trailer
• Official Japanese Website
• Official North American Website
• Official United Kingdom Website