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> Results: Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
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The ESRB says:
Cartoon Violence: GamerDad saw Zack get stomped, squashed, toasted, roasted, spooked, poked, tossed, and just generally gets clobbered like a certain hapless cartoon coyote. Zack is a short, feisty buccaneer who wants to be the number one pirate in the world. Joining him on his adventures is a magical golden flying monkey with special powers named Wiki. Together they'll go on the biggest pirate treasure hunt the Nintendo Wii has ever seen with Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros' Treasure. Zack & Wiki is a use-your-brain puzzle game through and through. Similar to classic PC point-and-click adventures such as Maniac Mansion or Secret of Monkey Island, point the Wii remote on the screen and click on an area to have Zack walk there. Click on items and other special points of interest to have Zack take a closer look. When Zack encounters a critter like a centipede, snake, or other animal, it's up to Wiki to lend a hand. Shake the Wii remote vigorously and Wiki will turn into magical bell that has the power to turn creatures into useful items. Centipedes become saws, snakes become pliers, moles become drills, etc. Zack can then carry these items around, and when he comes across a place he can use those things, the screen switches to a first person view. A diagram showing you how to hold the remote will appear, then it's up to you to move the remote properly to use the items. In most cases, just hold and move the remote like how you would expect to cut down a tree, grab a distant object, pull a rope, bait a fishing hook, light a torch, scoop up water, swing a sword, shoot a cannonball, rock a cranky baby dragon, and much, much more. Using these items in the proper order is how you solve the environmental puzzles.  The cel-shaded visuals are colorful and cartoony and the game has a likable cast of memorable characters. Like your crew of pirate bunnies, a rival female pirate and her countless, hapless goons, and a main bad guy so sneaky and persistent that you'll feel real satisfaction when you foil his evil plans. Play control for the most part is easy and natural, too. And there's plenty of loot to find even after you beat the game. Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure is easily one of the best third party Wii games out there. Unfortunately, there is one big problem with the game that may cause many gamers to make Zack & Wiki walk the plank. This sucker is HARD! Figuring out the puzzles is difficult and not always intuitive, especially near the end of the game. You may even want to invest in a strategy guide, if they even make one for this game. Definitely not for landlubbers just getting their sea legs, or Wii-legs, if you will. Even worse, there are countless ways to die or mess up in the game, and it's not always obvious what can make Zack kick the bucket. And sometimes you might mess up simply by using or losing an item at the wrong time. Lots of trial and error here. This wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the fact that, if you die, you have to start the stage all over again. You can buy hints and extra lives to keep you in the level, but they get increasingly expensive each time you buy them. Luckily, most stages in the game are pretty short, so it doesn't take too long to retrace your steps. But if you're up to the challenge, Zack & Wiki is still a real treasure of a game.  
With The Pirates of the Caribbean series and VeggieTales' The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything movies so popular now, it's a sure truth that kids like pirates and they'll love the characters and themes of Zack & Wiki, too. Poor Zack gets clobbered at every turn, but violence is only cartoony. Reading skill is a must as everything is text based. Zack & Wiki really does teach logical thinking in the puzzles, but because of the extreme difficulty of the game, it's best for older kid gamers who aren't easily frustrated and enjoy challenging brain teasers. Younger gamers, and even adults, may need some help from time to time. Luckily, up to three other people can pick up a remote and point at the screen and draw pictures to help out solving the puzzles.
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