The mobile game market is huge and largely untapped by traditional console developers and publishers. Studios that find success with mobile apps are huge players in the industry, as seen by Take-Two Interactive's $12.7 billion USD acquisition of Zynga; known for titles including Words with Friends, FarmVille, and licenced games like Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells. Nintendo has put in work translating some of its franchises into mobile games, but one surprising omission is Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.
After years of handheld development from the Game Boy to 3DS, Nintendo's first smartphone app was Super Mario Run in 2016. This auto-runner used the mechanics and art style of the New Super Mario Bros. series and opened the door to further ventures. The family company also put out Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Mario Kart: World Tour, and the now-defunct Dr. Mario World, though more success has been found via other developers' games like Intelligent Systems' Fire Emblem Heroes and Niantic's Pokemon GO. Captain Toad's standalone adventures were built with many mobile game tenets in mind, so it would make sense to see the character get an official smartphone app next.
Captain Toad's Rise to Fame
The Mushroom Kingdom's denizens have been staples of the Super Mario franchise for decades, dating back to Toads telling Mario that Princess Peach is in another castle throughout 1985's Super Mario Bros. A few attempts have been made to establish unique Toads, such as Toadsworth in Super Mario Sunshine, the Blue and Yellow Toads in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, as well as Toadette in Mario Kart: Double Dash. Spin-off games have contributed even more in this regard, with early Paper Mario games introducing characters like the chefs Tayce T. and Zess T.
However, few Toads have had as much name recognition as Captain Toad. The character first appeared in 2007's Super Mario Galaxy, heading up the Toad Brigade that helps Mario complete certain levels with well-placed spaceship platforms and new Power Stars. Captain Toad wore his signature headlamp and backpack in this first iteration, but it wasn't until 2013's Super Mario 3D World that he returned with a more complete adventurer's uniform.
Throughout Super Mario 3D World and its Switch port, players can take on "Captain Toad's Adventures" stages that involve leading Captain Toad to Green Stars scattered across isometric puzzle boxes. These puzzles were so popular that a standalone title, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, released for Wii U in 2014 (also later ported to Switch). He would appear again in Super Mario Odyssey to offer Mario new Power Moons, but Treasure Tracker was Captain Toad's gateway to becoming a Nintendo star.
Captain Toad's Gameplay Translates Perfectly to Mobile
Many Nintendo mascots including Link, Samus Aran, and Kirby have yet to break into the smartphone gaming space. However, with much of the company's output centering Super Mario subfranchises like Mario Kart and Dr. Mario, the Captain Toad series would be perfect. Captain Toad levels in Super Mario 3D World and Treasure Tracker are bite-sized puzzles, often about nativating an isolated space to reach some goal. Using a variety of environments and differing mechanics, a Captain Toad mobile game could continuously release new puzzles akin to smartphone success stories like Candy Crush.
Another reason Captain Toad gameplay would translate well to mobile is the series' focus on touch controls. The original 3D World levels were a showcase of the Wii U Gamepad, allowing players to turn the puzzle box around for views of every angle while influencing certain platforms. Some of this appeal was lost in both Super Mario 3D World and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker's transition to the Nintendo Switch. Gyro controls took over, with on-screen objects being influenced by a pointer instead.
Throwing this concept into a smartphone app would bring touch controls front and center with more functionality like pinch to zoom and camera panning. The uniquity of smartphones could also encourage Nintendo to buff out Captain Toad's multiplayer potential. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury had four-person multiplayer in Captain Toad's Adventures levels, so a smartphone app could do something similar - or add a competitive aspect by asking players to reach treasure before their opponents.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is available now on Switch and Wii U.