Welcome to our review of Captain Toad for Nintendo 3DS, where we will compare the game with Wii U and Switch.
As I already reviewed the game on Switch, I would recommend checking out my review for the Switch iteration here.
I will not be describing the game mechanics as that can be found in my other review, this article is meant to describe the differences between all 3 versions of this game.
First off, in short, Wii U, the original iteration of the game, playing on the medium-sized screen in your hands or on the big TV, this game was a novel idea and still holds as one of the hidden gems and more critically acclaimed titles on the console. It was the first game on Wii U that I 100 percented twice.
Second, Switch. A great game being ported to my current favorite console and it still brings a great game to the console. A good port of a good game will always be very enjoyable to play. This being no exception. The BIG and clear screen does a great job of highlighting the quality of this game. I love how it plays and am near 100% again.
Third, the 3DS version. For my gameplay, I am using a Poké Ball New Nintendo 2DS XL, so everyone has a clear idea in what quality of screen I am playing and how big/small it really is.
Captain Toad is a great game, but I did have some initial quirks that I had to endure. I did not enjoy the smaller screen, but I mostly think this is due to the idea of playing on a smaller screen and a lower resolution. Even after a few hours and several books later, I still had this impression. Especially trying to find the pixel toad is a hard one to finish on a smaller screen.
The game is great, but the experience might be better on Switch and Wii U.
I think that is the way to sum up my initial experience with the 3DS edition. While it did not really play any slower, I did have a slower impression when using the button to flip the camera to another position. On the other hand, this minor impression did not appear when playing with the touchscreen. A bit of a mixed feeling at first, but I easily adapted to the play style.
Perhaps the best function on 3DS is the zooming in on Captain Toad or Toadette. That was probably my most used function, something I barely used on the 2 other platforms. Surprisingly enough, the zoom is your best friend on 3DS. When things are not clear enough or when you are trying to figure out where that silly pixel toad is hiding this time, you will understand what I mean.
In conclusion, Captain Toad is well presented. It takes proper use of the bigger screen and it mirrors the action on the bottom screen. Allowing you to tap the screen for actions like moving the camera or tilting parts. While I do humbly think that the game is best played on a big screen, 3DS does deliver a near perfect experience. While it may not be as impressive as on the 2 other platforms, it still remains a very well made port.
If you got both a 3DS and a Switch, my honest suggestion is to pick up the game on Switch. I just had more fun on my Switch.
Despite some minor differences and impressions, I will still insist on giving this version the same score as on Switch, Captain Toad is a 90% game on Switch and is getting the same score on 3DS.
