Ladies and Gents, set your brains to “Awwwww” because Yoshi is back on your 3DS and he is cuter than ever before! If you have never played the adorable Yoshi’s Island then I highly suggest you do, it is one of the best 2D platformers around and is the prequel to this newest Nintendo title.
Yoshi’s New Island is just wonderful, it really is. From the pastel painting like ethics to its charming soundtrack it is just a joy to play. Gameplay wise Yoshi’s New Island feels a lot like the original Yoshi’s Island. Yoshi can still do all his old moves such as the ground pound, tongue lick and flutter jump which is great. It seems Nintendo have decided not to stray too far from the old Yoshi’s Island formula which really worked and this is a really good thing.
One new addition is the giant egg. Yoshi can eat up a larger enemy turning it into a giant egg which can be thrown. If you throw this egg correctly, not only can it open more of the level up for you to explore but it can also reveal some more secrets and goodies for you to collect. This new mechanic adds a small amount or re-playability to this demo as you can throw the egg in a few different ways to unlock different paths.
The look is just so endearing, the pastel like characters and objects blend with the more crayon-esk backdrops and makes the whole game look like something a young child would draw in a colouring book. This adds so much to the games feel as you can’t help but smile as you play Yoshi’s New Island, it is infectious.
It’s just so CUTE!
Combining this with a revamped soundtrack, which takes a few of the older songs and remix’s them to create a more up to date musical score; you get a 3DS title that is just a joy to listen to. I am honestly still whistling one of the themes to this day, that’s how catchy they are!
If I had to complain I would say that when hit, Baby Mario flies off Yoshi, this is usually what happens in this series of games, but, I could swear in this game he is sent further away. While playing there was some tense moments were I could just not reach Baby Mario with Yoshi because of just how far he had been knocked off the screen.
After being at Gamescom for a few days and playing all the hardcore shooters and graphically intense action games, words cannot describe how refreshing it was to play Yoshi’s New Island. Sometimes after a long day of hectic gameplay and gritty narratives, you need to come back to a game like Yoshi’s New Island; it is just good for the soul. If you own a 3DS you owe it to yourself to pick this title up and enjoy the magic.
