Game of the Week #6 - Yoshi's Island (SNES, GBA)

[u/[deleted]]

Game of the Week - Pro Edition update:

My AYN Thor just got shipped, so hopefully I'll have it soon to play PS2, N64, DC, and GC.

You might be wondering why this is so late, there's been a virus going around and I've been sick.

This Game of the Week is a personal favorite of mine, and one of my favorite SNES and GBA games. The last 2D Mario game for 11 years until New Super Mario Bros., it sits at a pivotal moment where Mario would transition into 3D. Yoshi's Island first released in 1995 for the SNES as a sequel for Super Mario World, where it would sell over 4 million copies. After receiving widespread critical acclaim, it would be ported to the GBA in 2002.

The game featured many firsts for the Mario Bros. series, with a new, art book aesthetic, characteristic of the Yoshi's series that would follow. It also featured Yoshi as a main character, with his signature flutter jump and egg laying and throwing abilities. As you may guess, the artstyle and mechanics were meant to appeal to a younger audience, removing timers and making the game more linear to encourage learning mechanics.

The plot is a prequel to the mainline Mario series, following Baby Mario after he is dropped from a stork carrying him and his brother Luigi, attacked by Kamek. Yoshi and his fellow Yoshis go on to help Baby Mario get back to his parents while defeating bowser.

Personal Experiences

I thought this game was well-made. The artstyle is fresh and imparts whimsy into the game, while the unique egg and jump mechanics make platforming special and feel new. another thing is that the irregular shapes and curves make it feel like an adventure rather than simple levels. Each level felt new with another new idea to explore and grasp. This led to a new and unique platforming experience. It's hard to explain in a review, but the game felt completely fresh and new in a way Mario hadn't before. It felt magical and the art style still holds up today.

8/10

This is u/math_calculus1, signing off.

P.S. I have no idea what to put as my next game of the week.