Pros:
- Plenty of charm and heart to the game's look and design.
- Art design feels like it was lovingly pulled straight from a coloring book.
- Had some solid early showcases of 3D graphics, courtesy of the Super FX chip.
- The amount of charm is aided by the wonderful music.
- Good platforming gameplay.
- Yoshi has a good amount of versatility and controls very well.
- Plenty of alternate routes and collectibles that offer a good amount of replayability.
- Manages to challenge without being overwhelming.
- Despite some obvious limitations, the GBA port keeps things faithful without compromising the fun.
Cons:
- Baby Mario's cry...SUPER annoying. Supposedly, the GBA port tones that down, but I didn't notice.
- While the level design is solid, there weren't a ton of super memorable levels.
- Boss battles weren't terribly exciting either (outside of the final one).
Consensus: Is "Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island" a mainline "Mario" game? A mainline "Yoshi" game? Both? Well, quite frankly, it doesn't really matter, because what it IS...is a great 2D platformer. This is a game that still holds up remarkably well as a clever, heartfelt and fun title in a genre jam-packed with many such games. Is it the best SNES game I've ever played? Not really, but it's still a very enjoyable adventure that's well worth your time. And the Game Boy Advance version, "Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3," is a faithful and polished port of this wonderful game. It doesn't really matter which version you choose, though: either way, you'll have a great time.
Final rating: 8 out of 10 "Great"