When I tell people that Zack & Wiki is my favorite game for the Wii, they usually tell me "Oh right, I heard that game was really good. I didn't buy it though." Despite all the praise and pleas from review sites, Z&W never had a large presence in the public consciousness.

For me, Z&W was such an amazing experience that long after I beat it, and long after I went back to college and left my Wii behind, I couldn't get it out of my head. So I delved into the fine art of game ripping to continue my obsession. I ripped the concept art galleries, the music, the game script, and just recently, using tools developed by Anton and GaryCXJk, I found a few interesting texture files:


Another area, in the folder for the stage select screen. It seems that originally, there was a far more extensive multiplayer mode than the scribble-fight that was released in the final game. Some other pictures, in a folder labeled "MINIGAME"







So we have proof that a multiplayer mode existed, but what was the gameplay like? All I have right now are a few layout images:













Apparently it was an action-based minigame, with enemies and "max combos," with four players and a time limit. There is also a high score table with numbers up to 20, and a full alphabet to type in the player's name.

Hopefully, if Capcom decides to release a sequel, we'll get to see the minigame in its full incarnation, but otherwise all we have are these few images and speculation. I'll keep digging for more information, and hopefully you all found this as interesting as I did!