Much like that of the original Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's New Island's gameplay revolves around using Yoshi's abilities to safely transport Baby Mario through a series of levels while escorting the infant across the island to his brother. In addition to returning mechanics such as hovering, as well as laying and throwing eggs, Yoshi is occasionally able to create massive eggs known as Eggdozers, which can be used to clear paths and explore underwater areas. Moreover, certain levels feature a segment in which Yoshi is briefly transformed into an object or vehicle controlled with the console's gyroscope.
According to one of Yoshi's New Island's producers, Takashi Tezuka, a sequel to Yoshi's Island was chosen rather than a follow-up to Yoshi's Story due to the former's simplicity in gameplay and construction, and the game shared some level design staff with Yoshi's Woolly World, which was developed concurrently. Like similar Yoshi games, Yoshi's New Island features a hand-drawn art style, with level designs and backgrounds stylized as oil paintings, watercolors, and crayon drawings.
Yoshi's New Island received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its gameplay, art style, and overall sense of charm and nostalgia, though its level design and soundtrack received criticism. The game has sold more than two million copies worldwide and became a Nintendo Selects title in 2016.
Yoshi in the first level of the game, aiming a Mega Eggdozer at a pipe structure. The more destruction caused by the Eggdozer, the more the bar at the top is filled.
Yoshi's New Island is a platformvideo game[1] with gameplay similar to that of the other Yoshi's Island games, revolving around one of multiple friendly dinosaurs known as Yoshis needing to reach the goal at the end of each level while protecting an infant Mario from enemies like Shy Guys and other obstacles.[7] The game features six worlds, each comprising eight base levels and two optional levels,[1] for a total of 60 courses.[8] The fourth level of each world is a castle course that ends with a battle against the evil wizard Kamek,[9][10] while the eighth level concludes with a battle against a unique enemy boss[1] enhanced and enlarged by Kamek's magic.[11] Each boss is defeated in three hits.[12]
Yoshi's returning abilities include hovering in midair briefly (known as "flutter jumping"),[13] swallowing and spitting out enemies, and throwing eggs to attack foes and solve puzzles.[8][10][12] If damage is taken, Yoshi has 10–30 seconds to retrieve Baby Mario from a moving bubble before the infant is taken away by Kamek's underlings, which results in the loss of a life.[11][14][15] Certain obstacles, such as spikes and bottomless pits, cause Yoshi to lose a life instantly.[15] If the player loses several lives in a row while attempting to complete a level, Yoshi can obtain the Flutter Wings, a power-up that enables indefinite hovering.[10] Losing a life with the Flutter Wings unlocks a golden variant of the power-up, which provides both flight and invincibility.[1] If all lives are lost, the player receives a game over and must start from the beginning of the level with five lives.[16]
Each level can be finished with up to five flowers, twenty red coins, and thirty stars.[4] The lattermost collectible also adds to the amount of time Yoshi has to rescue Baby Mario upon taking damage.[14][15][17] One of the bonus levels in each world is unlocked by obtaining every collectible and finishing with full health in each level of that world, while the other is opened up after 30 medals are collected by jumping through a roulette ring,[8] which functions as the goal of most levels[4] and replaces the post-level minigames from the previous Yoshi's Island installments.[18] For each flower collected in a course, one is added to the ring;[19] if the ring's meter lands on a flower, the player receives medals, which can also earn extra lives.[12][20][21]
Certain levels feature a section in which Yoshi transforms into one of six vehicles or objects: a bobsled, a helicopter, a hot air balloon, a jackhammer, a mine cart, or a submarine.[20][22] All of Yoshi's transformations are controlled with the console's gyroscope.[10][20][23] Other sections revolve around the use of a power-up known as the Yoshi Star, which briefly transforms Yoshi into Super Yoshi, providing temporary invincibility in addition to enabling Yoshi to travel at high speeds as well as run up walls and across ceilings for a short period of time.[18][19][20]
A feature introduced in Yoshi's New Island is Mega Eggdozers, which are massive eggs that can be thrown to destroy normally indestructible terrain and obstacles in the way, providing access to previously obstructed areas as well as potentially earning the player extra lives.[24] Additionally, there is a metal variant of the Mega Eggdozer known as the Metal Eggdozer, which also clears paths in addition to weighing Yoshi down, diminishing jumps while allowing for exploration of underwater areas.[6][25][26] Both Mega Eggdozers and Metal Eggdozers can be obtained by eating giant Shy Guys or hitting certain blocks.[1]
In addition to the game's story mode, there are six cooperative two-player minigames[10][19][22] centered around Yoshi's platforming skillset; for instance, one minigame tasks the player with using eggs to pop as many balloons as possible within a time limit,[23] while another challenges the player to use Yoshi's hovering ability to travel as far as possible while collecting coins.[27][28] A new minigame is unlocked every time a world is cleared.[22] The game supports the Download Play functionality of the Nintendo 3DS,[1] allowing several people with the system to play together using only one game cartridge.[29]
Plot
Yoshi's New Island serves as a direct sequel to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island,[1] taking place immediately following the events of the game,[30] wherein a storkdelivers twins Baby Mario and Baby Luigi to a couple in the Mushroom Kingdom presumed to be their parents. The opening of Yoshi's New Island reveals that the stork had delivered the babies to the wrong couple,[10] much to the couple's confusion and the stork's horror. The stork reclaims the babies and sets off to locate their real parents, though is ambushed by Kamek mid-flight. Kamek captures the stork and Baby Luigi, though Baby Mario falls and reunites with the Yoshi clan on Egg Island, a floating island that was once "a peaceful second home" for the Yoshis until it was taken over by Baby Bowser,[21] who decided that it would make "an epic vacation home".[19] It is discovered that Baby Mario can telepathically sense Baby Luigi's location, and the Yoshi clan agrees to help him rescue his brother by taking turns escorting him across the island.[8]
Once Baby Mario and Yoshi reach Baby Bowser's castle, Kamek unsuccessfully attempts to stop them, and Baby Bowser is woken up. Baby Bowser, wanting to ride Yoshi, is defeated in battle. Kamek then uses his magic to greatly enlarge Baby Bowser, though he is defeated again and shrinks back to his original size. Yoshi proceeds to rescue the captured stork and save Baby Luigi.
After this point, if the player has used the Flutter Wings or the Golden Flutter Wings to clear a level, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi are delivered back home, only for the adult Bowser to abruptly tear apart the screen and challenge the player to complete every level without the power-ups in order to face him in battle.
If the player completes the final level without using either of the aforementioned power-ups, adult Bowser suddenly appears after "warping through space and time" to avenge his younger self's defeat. After the adult Bowser is defeated, Kamek once again uses his magic to make Bowser huge. Once Bowser has been defeated yet again, Yoshi reunites with the stork and Baby Luigi, and both brothers are brought back to their true home. Moreover, it is revealed that "Mr. Pipe",[31] a moving Warp Pipe who supplied the Yoshis with items over the course of their journey,[11] is actually the adult Mario, who returns to his own timeline.
Development and release
The third entry in the Yoshi's Island series,[32]Yoshi's New Island was developed by Arzest,[33] with some key members having previously been involved in the development of the original Yoshi's Island[34] and Yoshi's Island DS. Masahide Kobayashi directed the game[2] and Masayoshi Ishi composed its soundtrack.[5] Series producer Takashi Tezuka, who also directed both Super Mario World[35] and the original Yoshi's Island,[36] explained: "This new 3DS game is a sequel, basically, to the first Yoshi's Island. It takes place after that."[3][37] During an interview with Nintendo Life, Tezuka stated that a Yoshi's Island sequel was chosen over a Yoshi's Story successor due to being simpler in both gameplay and construction, as well as the former's hand-drawn art style being better suited for the Nintendo 3DS. The use of oil paintings, watercolors, and crayon drawings for the game's aesthetics helped its graphical style retain the "warm and friendly vibe" of the original Yoshi's Island[34] as well as the "handicraft feel" the series had become known for.[3]
During an interview with Nintendo World Report, Tezuka stated that Yoshi's New Island was developed in tandem with Yoshi's Woolly World, despite the latter title being developed by Good-Feel, and both games shared some level design staff.[38] According to Tezuka, the concept of throwing giant eggs originated from the development team being interested in "creating something big and impactful".[3] Moreover, in the Nintendo Life interview, Tezuka stated that the game's levels were made easier in comparison to those of its predecessor, though the collectibles would be difficult and time-consuming enough to provide "a nice challenge for more experienced players".[34]
The game was first announced by Satoru Iwata during a Nintendo Direct presentation in April 2013.[39][40] Its name was revealed at E3 2013, where a trailer for the game was also featured,[41] showing three level segments and a boss battle.[33] A Nintendo Direct in December 2013 revealed that the game would be released in the spring of 2014,[42][43] with an exact date being confirmed in January 2014.[44][45][46][47] In early March 2014, it was announced that a special edition Yoshi-themed Nintendo 3DS XL system would be made available for $200 on the game's earliest release date.[48][49][50] On March 9, five days before Yoshi's New Island was first released, Nintendo promoted the game by having three young actors in California (Benjamin Stockham of About a Boy, Garrett Clayton of Teen Beach Movie, and Bella Thorne of Shake It Up) pose with the special edition 3DS XL system and throw balloons containing green paint at a large egg.[51][52]Yoshi's New Island was published by Nintendo and released in both North America and Europe on March 14, 2014,[35][36] in Australia on March 15, and in Japan on July 24, 2014.[1][19]
Yoshi's New Island received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[54] Several reviewers praised its overall sense of charm and nostalgia, finding it to be among the game's best elements.[1][10][23][55][57]
The game's art style proved controversial.[20] Alex Culafi of Nintendo World Report wrote that the 3D visuals were "among the best 3DS has to offer",[1] with GameSpot's Tom Mc Shea stating that the game had an "enchanting artistic design".[23] Conversely, Giant Bomb's Patrick Klepek wrote that the aesthetic style felt "half-hearted" and "lacks the sense of inspired style or flair that defined the original",[21] Mike LeChevallier of Slant Magazine described the visuals as "mostly vapid and stiff",[5] and Will Greenwald of PCMag panned the watercolor effect as "generic", "odd", and "jarringly artificial".[8] Kyle Orland of Ars Technica added that the art style and animation appeared "a little overdone and lifeless" in comparison to those of prior games in the series.[58] Jose Otero of IGN and Chris Schilling of Eurogamer agreed that the art style was "consistent".[6][12]
Critics were also divided on the game's level design. IGN's Jose Otera, Giant Bomb's Patrick Klepek, and Ars Technica's Kyle Orland praised this aspect, particularly enjoying the variety and placement of collectibles.[6][21][58] However, Nintendo Life's Dave Letcavage wrote that the level design "overall evokes little wonder and is often average at best",[20] while Edge described the courses as "bland" and "characterless".[55] Kathryn Bailey of GamesRadar+ criticized some of the levels for their perceived linearity, simplicity, and repetitiveness.[25]
The game's soundtrack received heavy criticism,[5][7][12][19] especially due to its repetitiveness and use of kazoos as a primary instrument.[1][6][58] Multiple reviewers also criticized the game for a perceived lack of difficulty,[58] particularly in its boss fights,[1][12][20][23][25][55] which Jose Otero of IGN described as "shallow, simple, and uninspired, often ending before they really begin".[6] Miscellaneous topics of criticism included the underwhelming implementation of the Eggdozer mechanic,[11][12][21][25] the absence of a competitive multiplayer mode,[20] and the use of gyroscope controls in the transformation sections.[6][17][22][58]Polygon's Danielle Riendeau and Nintendo World Report's Dan Koopman singled out the submarine segments as being tedious, stating that they were "infuriatingly slow"[9] and "required tons of twitch precision that made it a chore to play".[19] A handful of critics also noted a brief delay with throwing eggs,[55] particularly while stationary.[33][37][56][58]
GameSpot's Tom Mc Shea noted that Yoshi's Island DS established an identity via its unique system of swapping babies with different abilities, whereas Yoshi's New Island recycled most of its best elements from the original game, making it "forgettable".[23] In concluding his own review of the game for Nintendo Life, Dave Letcavage wrote: "It's completely functional and could serve as filler while waiting for the next big 3DS or Wii U release, but there's little denying that it's an underwhelming outing for Yoshi."[20]
Retrospectively, Yoshi's New Island is generally regarded as a below average Yoshi game. The game's Metacritic score of 64/100 is the second lowest for a Yoshi installment, which Screen Rant attributed to its "lack of innovation" and soundtrack.[59]Nintendo Life placed the game eighth in its ranking of 13 Yoshi titles, criticizing its failure to introduce new elements and enhance the mechanics established in its predecessors.[60]Destructoid listed the game eighth in its ranking of the "10 best Yoshi Games of all time", stating that the game contained "some genuinely fun new levels, particularly near the end", though ultimately "played it too safe for its own good".[61]TheGamer placed Yoshi's New Island second-to-last in its ranking of eight mainline Yoshi games, heavily criticizing its art style and writing that "while it contains some fun and creative levels, it failed to innovate or move the franchise forward in any meaningful ways".[62]
Sales
Yoshi's New Island debuted at #2 on the Japanese sales charts, selling 58,000 copies.[63] By October 2014, the game had sold 197,000 copies in Japan.[64] As of December 31, 2020, worldwide sales had reached 2.06 million copies, making Yoshi's New Island the 33rd-best-selling game for the Nintendo 3DS.[65] The game was added to the Nintendo Selects label in Europe on October 16, 2015,[66] and in North America on March 11, 2016.[67][68]
Notes
^Known in Japan as Yoshi New Island (Japanese: ヨッシー New アイランド, Hepburn: Yosshī Nyū Airando)
^Kaluszka, Aaron (January 24, 2014). "Yoshi's New Island". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on August 29, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
^ abcCulafi, Alex (June 11, 2013). "Yoshi's New Island". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
^ abCulafi, Alex (December 23, 2013). "Yoshi's New Island". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
