![Island Island](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yoshis_island_ds.png)
Folks, we have begun our descent to Egg Island, where the current weather is a balmy 82 degrees. Inhabited by the indigenous Yoshi tribe, the island is also home to a whole host of creatures such as the dog-like poochy and the mischievous monkey ukikis. While a veritable paradise of lush flora and fauna, the island’s fragile ecosystem is being threatened by Koopa Industries, owned by CEO King Bowser Koopa. Nevertheless, the natives have taken a stand to protect their homeland in an ongoing standoff between the two entities.
Mar 13, 2014 But if you're looking for Yoshi's New Island to surprise or delight you, you will sadly be out of luck. Yoshi's New Island borrows heavily from the original game, but it fails to match its flair. Nov 14, 2006 Yoshi's Island DS Review Yoshi's Island DS is a terrific platformer that’s every bit as fun and charming as its predecessor. By Frank Provo on November 13, 2006 at 6:32PM PST. Mar 13, 2014 Sadly, Yoshi's New Island is no exception. In a vacuum, that might seem strange since it’s not actually that different from the original Yoshi’s Island. Yoshi still eats enemies, tosses eggs,. Mar 13, 2014 Verdict. Yoshi’s New Island’s inconsistent art and tacked-on new ideas are all layered on top of the same strong platforming and level design that made the original great.
As we make our final descent, we'd like the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for arrival, and we want to thank you for flying with us toYoshi’s New Island.
Here We Go Again
![Island Island](https://gamespot1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2006/234/748731-933006_20060823_003.jpg)
An inter-quel between the original Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island and Yoshi’s Island DS, Yoshi’s New Island explores the subsequent events following the initial game's conclusion. For those unfamiliar with the series, think of a 2D cross-country babysitting marathon complete with precision egg tossing.
It seems Kamek is just slightly obsessed with babies, possibly in an effort to finally learn “How are babbies formed?” -- good news for science and discovery; bad news for Mario and Luigi’s stork. Fortunately, baby Mario escapes the kidnapping, falling miles down to the very, very convenient saddle all yoshis are born with. Tasked with reuniting the brothers, the rainbow of reptiles split the task of searching for Luigi across the island.
While a rather charming story back in 1995, when I first played the Yoshi’s Island series, I could not help but feel disappointed that the story remained almost the same nineteen years later. Arzest, the developer, seems content to stick with the winning formula from the 90’s and rarely diverges from the first title. Little changes help place it as a continuation of Super Mario 2: Yoshi’s Island, but those are largely superficial within the context of the story. They're mostly used to smooth out any continuity errors. I guess you have to hand it to Kamek, he’s one persistent baby stealer.
How is Yoshi Egg Formed?
Despite reused story elements and mechanics, Yoshi’s New Island does retain the fixtures that made the original fun and addicting. Collectible hidden red coins, giant flowers and collecting ambulant stars are littered throughout the game. Ending a stage with all collectibles gives a higher chance of collecting medals and the smug satisfaction of an A+. What do medals do? Collecting 30 medals in each world unlocks a challenge level for your everyday hardcore gamer.
With enough time and patience, finding all the flowers and red coins was relatively easy. I had much more trouble collecting those running stars, especially since losing baby Mario subtracts from the total in the form of a countdown.
Character abilities draw from Mario staples, though with a unique yoshi twist. Yoshi can ground pound with the best of them and, while making the same noises I make on the toilet, float a bit longer while jumping. The main difference between Mario and Yoshi games is how yoshi acquires his power ups. By eating and digesting enemies, yoshi can create eggs -- even monstrously big eggs. With a little bit of geometry, eggs are an end all solution to picking up coins, flowers, and destroying enemies. He’s not limited to just egg throwing, as eating watermelons allows him to spit damaging seeds which are required to fight certain enemies.
One of my favorite parts of the older game was transforming into the helicopter or train yoshi and traveling around collecting miscellaneous items. This mechanic makes a comeback, though not quite the same as remembered. Upon entering certain doors (You’ll recognize their acid-induced imagery right away), your yoshi will transform into a myriad of forms: submarines, jackhammers, helicopters, and more. Using the gyroscopic abilities of the 3ds, you’re able to move the new and improved yoshi around. While I did enjoy these alternate transformations, the forced use of the gyroscope was an exercise in frustration as I found it very easy to go to undesired places due to a lack in the snap response expected from a platformer.
Mona Lisa Smile
Despite perhaps drawing too much from the original title, I’m really quite glad that the developers kept the almost nauseatingly whimsical, hand-drawn quality art. Seeing the background hills smile makes me smile. A lot of the art palette and quality reminds me of elementary school days, drawing dreamy scenes in pastels and crayon. Nintendo does seem to emphasize that hyper realistic graphics aren’t the end all and be all of aesthetics. Fun, unique stylization can also be equally attractive.
Coupled with the vibrant color palette are the sounds. Yoshis make many varied, amusing sounds, from idle humming to constipation-like grunts. Collecting coins, finding secrets, and unlocking hidden stairs make upbeat tones that fit their nature. The subdued background music really allows these notes to pop, especially the special sound effects that occur upon collecting all the red coins or flowers on a stage.
Yoshi's Island Gba Review
Aloha ‘Oe, Yoshi
Yoshi's Island Game
Yoshi’s New Island is sure to delight those gamers who haven’t had the opportunity to experience the other two earlier titles in the series. For those who have played Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’sIsland, the developer’s heavy reliance on the same formula detracts from the overall experience. To me it felt like more of the same ole, despite how much I may have enjoyed it years ago. Yet I can not truly fault Arzest for reusing so much of the classic game. Without accounting for its legacy, Yoshi’s New Island provides the art, sounds, and gameplay of a solid, entertaining game. For newer gamers and nostalgic ones alike, there’s plenty of fun to be had on the sandy beaches of Yoshi’s New Island.