When people generally see the word ‘new’, they tend to think that there is going to be something extra included. However for Nintendo it seems that ‘new’ means more of the same on newer hardware. The New Super Mario Bros series are new 2D Mario games, but they add nothing to the core formula of the game. Run, jump, get to the flag, fight a boss at every castle, rinse and repeat.
The same is true of Yoshi’s New Island. it’s a new entry in the Yoshi’s Island series with a new artstyle, on a new system but offers very little in the way of new ideas.
That’s not to say that there isn’t any fun to be had, in fact, it’s a perfectly pleasant platformer despite its conservative approach. The problem is that it’s the gaming equivalent of vanilla ice cream. It leaves a pleasant taste in the mouth but when presented with other more exciting flavours, chances are you’ll opt for them instead.
Pitched as a direct sequel to the SNES classic, Yoshi’s Island, New Island picks up literally where the previous game left off with the stork that was ambushed in the original still delivering Baby Mario and Luigi to their parents. But disaster strikes, as when the stork finally arrives in the Mushroom Kingdom it turns out the dim witted delivery bird has taken them to the wrong house.
So once again, the stork takes to the skies to deliver the pair to their rightful home, only to once again be ambushed by Kaymek, Luigi be abducted and Mario to plummet to another island, which looks suspiciously like the one from the original game, inhabited by another clan of Yoshi that yet again decide to work together to reunite Mario with his brother.
The opening sequence is almost a shot for shot recreation of the SNES game’s opening. The only obvious difference is the visuals, using 3D models that resemble the ones used in the N64 semi sequel Yoshi’s Story rather than something akin to Donkey Kong Country used in the original. However, unlike the SNES original, these same 3D models are also used in the main game as opposed to some nice clean sprites, in keeping with the NEW approach of replacing 2D with 2.5D.
Despite this minor quibble, the game is still rather easy on the eyes, using a mixture of layered hand drawn backgrounds and faux pencil crayon texture work with subtle but effective use of 3D to create a somewhat whimsical, story book look.
If you’ve ever played the original Yoshi’s Island you’ll feel right at home. Every level once again contains 5 flowers, 20 red coins and 30 stars to collect in order to 100%. As you would expect from a Nintendo platformer, getting from A to B is simple, but getting everything and making your way to the end is a hell of a lot harder. You don’t need to worry about running out of lives though because the game hands them out like candy.
Yoshi also retains all of his abilities from the previous game, including his desperate flutter jump as well as eating enemies with his long tongue and then turning them into eggs to chuck at enemies and obtain out of reach collectables.
Occasionally you’ll stumble across power ups like melons that let you spit pips like a machine gun and fire and ice melons that allow Yoshi to breathe, you guessed it, fire and ice. The game’s main power up though are giant eggs obtained by consuming giant shy guys that, once fired, destroy everything they touch, including parts of the level that may block your path. The more you smash the more lives you’ll accumulate as well. It’s a fun gimmick but one that’s used all too rarely.
There’s also not much variety to the levels, even aesthetically, with only the last two worlds changing from the cutesy patch work aesthetic to the almost obligatory ice and fire levels that every Nintendo platformer has at some point. Likewise the game’s hidden bonus stages in which Yoshi transforms into different vehicles such as helicopters and sledges, controlled by tilting the 3DS the only problem is that, save for the couple levels in which Yoshi is transformed into a drill, they’re basically identical in content and control. Tilt the 3DS right, tap A a few times, and collect everything in sight before the time runs out.
That’s not to say that Yoshi’s new Island isn’t fun or doesn’t have some genuinely entertaining levels because it does. You’ll avoid getting eaten by giant fish, get chased by a chomp that destroys the fragile level behind you, outwit cheeky monkeys and ride the backs of sea gulls up a cliff.
The game’s bosses are also quite entertaining, every mid-world boss fight features Kaymek using some kind of dastardly trick and every end world boss sees Bowser’s resident wizard using his powers to create giant versions of standard enemies like bats, bean sprouts and crabs just like in the original Yoshi’s Island. Each follows the bog standard three hits and they’re dead rule and aren’t very challenging yet still retain a certain simplistic charm.
The strangest thing about Yoshi’s New Island is that although there’s nothing bad about the game at all, I just couldn’t get past the feeling that something wasn’t quite right. On paper it’s pretty damn good, It looks nice, the levels are bright and breezy, the music is upbeat and pleasant and although the game isn’t that challenging it’s still fun to while a few hours away on. It just feels off, retaining the basic template, but lacking the experimentation of the original and adding almost nothing of its own to the formula. As such, it feels like an imitation of a great game rather than being one in its own right.
Although, never quite reaching the heady heights of the SNES original, Yoshi’s New Island is still a very well made and charming, albeit ultimately forgettable adventure.
