Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbados' Treasure for the Wii

Once in a while, a game comes along which is able to bring back that warm, fuzzy feeling of days gone by. Back in the good ol' days, point-and-click adventures were probably the best experiences computer gaming had to offer. 

Alas, as hardware possibilities increased, the testosterone-fueled urges of adolescent teenage videogame designers took over, as from that point onwards, they only dedicated themselves to juvenile First Person Shooters. Not that I don't relish some mindless murdering, but that is another story. Oh LucasArts, how we miss you dearly.

Zack and Wiki tells the story of a young pirate wanna-be, Zack, and his ever-so-cute sidekick Wiki. This creature, bearing more than a passing resemblance to Pikachu, is so extremely adorable that you want to kick its face in.

Repeatedly.

But this is a Japanese game, so I assume you have to look past the usual manga-induced style.

For our younger reader, a point-and-click adventure means just that; you point to an object, click, and the on-screen character then usually interacts with the object. Or takes it, whatever is appropriate.

This mechnism is used to solve puzzles that the game designer throws your way; usually involving a rubber chicken, a rusty key, and a closed gate without a handle.

The Wii is ideally suited for this style of play, and I found the game a joy to experience. It is friendly paced, and some puzzels are a real challenge. 

This game comes highly recommended: the art style, the puzzles, and the pacing all come together in a package which is best enjoyed together. After all, puzzling is much nicer when you have some friends around.