Yoshi's Island

[Ady]

I missed this game the first time around, but thanks to the GBA port, I'm now able to finally experience it. The game is currently residing in the GBA slot of my DS, and I'm playing through it at the moment.

I just don't know where to begin, frankly. It's such a lovely little game. In many ways, it's the perfect 2D platformer. I never really took to the 2D Mario games, they just didn't do it for me. I just found them too frustrating (particuarly SMB3), and I couldn't get the hang of the intertia thing at all.

Yoshi, OTOH uses many staple 2D Mario elements, but experiments with the formula to great effect. Control is fluid and almost kinetic, and the range of moves and variety of projectiles makes for some tactical gameplay at times. The game is oft criticised for being more linear than SMW, but I think it makes up for it by having large levels that demand revisiting (there's so much to do on a given stage that it's overwhelming at times).

Aesthetically, it hasn't aged one bit and is possibly one of the prettiest and most artistic games I've ever seen. There's so much attention to detail, with rich backgrounds and incredibly varied enemies. Speaking of which, the enemies are probably some of the most imaginative I've ever seen in a Mario game. They're all quite different and are all incredibly well animated. The music is also suitably jolly.

Er.. that's it. I simply wanted to gush about this wonderful game as I'm really, really enjoying it. More so than I ever thought I would.

Anyone with anything to say on Yoshi's Island, please feel free to comment.

[paradoxum]

always nice to hear people enjoying their most recently purchased title, as for me im a sucker for lush 2D graphical games

speaking of mario anyone remember the nes where the little shroom guy would always say something along the lines of "blow on my pipe and it will take you to a far away land"?

and this was a talking mushroom, who owned a "magic" pipe, which would take you to a far away land when blowing on it....haha...that was classic...i want that on a tshirt..

[tokyochojin]

I don't think it came anywhere near to SMB3 tbh, still a cracking game though!

[Big Seany]

My favourite ever platform game, without a doubt. As 2d platformers go, apart from maybe Castlevania SOTN, I don't think that anything since can even touch the genius of this game. Was playing it the other day, and I accidentally knocked the cartridge out of the converter, and it wiped my saved game which had over half the levels at 100%. I was a bit pissed off, but then realised it would mean I get to play it through again - joy!

One of the top 10 bestest games ever.

[Leon Retro]

Edge did a retrospective on the game- and commented on the GBA version being less than perfect. They reckon the handheld version has less colours-weaker effects and poorer sound. If I remember correctly they also said the game has a few things missing.

The Snes version really pushed the machine and took advantage of the hardware including the SFX chip in every way. Most people think the GBA is basically a snes- and that the ports are direct- obviously they aren't.

The snes game is miraculous though- everytime I play it the game amazes me. Every detail of the game is design utopia- brilliant graphics- gripping gameplay and audio perfection. If anyone wants to see what the snes can do when pushed- boot this game up... pure Nintendo magic!

[Richard.John]

It was a beautiful game. I remember spending many hours trying to get a perfect score on every level. The only downside for me was that,compared to SMW, it was quite linear in its approach to game progress, but that was the only negative in an otherwise perfect game.

[brokeback]

It is awesome. I got 100% on every level including the bonus levels which just goes to show how utterly obsessed with the game I was. I think I might start playing it again. That giant slug boss with the hairy heart was cool as **** and raphael the raven was amazing too.

[anephric]

Did this sell less than spectacularly or is my mind playing tricks on me?

[brokeback]

I think it sold well but it arrived late in the sfc's life. 95 or 96?

[butchcvc]

i didnt even notice this game had come out back in the day! (my friends and i were to busy playing ****ty games on the cd-i, saturn and ps1 to even notice)


anyway, around 6 months ago, i got into video games full time (due to ebay) and suddenly noticed a game called "super mario world 2" . nah, i thought to myself, must be a typing error, if there was a mario world 2, i would have known!

how can one of the greatest mario games be such a secret to people who are casual gamers!

not long after, i picked up a mint boxed pal copy of yoshis island and later on the gba version also.

it's very rare that a games design, music,& gameplay can blow me away as much as this classic!

yoshi's island , i love you!

[brokeback]

Euuuggghhh, Casual gamers...

DIdn't you even read super play?

[Richard.John]

Yes, it was the grand result of all the things NCL knew about 2D gaming, wrapped into one marvellous package.

[Richard.John]

Euuuggghhh, Casual gamers...

DIdn't you even read super play?

I loved that mag. Went to Japan for three months only to find that when I came back, Future had ditched it due to lack of sales, or the impending arrival of the N64. Tragic loss.

[Leon Retro]

I think it got released in Autumn 95- the height of Playstaion fever!

What chance did it have- it's probably had more success on the GBA. It's good to know little kids the world over are playing this magical game. They must look at their PS2's with contempt- " GBA gives me this- all you 128bit powershouse offer me is Jax and Ratchet "

Maybe Yoshis Island spelt the end of 2D uber gaming. I know there have been some great 2D titles since- but none seem to capture the imagination of the main-stream like Nintendo did in the early to mid 90's. 2D today is the preserve of the hardcore or retro fan- when casuals take over 2D will die!

[Ady]

Edge did a retrospective on the game- and commented on the GBA version being less than perfect. They reckon the handheld version has less colours-weaker effects and poorer sound. If I remember correctly they also said the game has a few things missing.

I read that. Having seen the SNES version in action, I can't tell any difference apart from added sound effects. The colours look fine on my DS.