A masterpiece that elevated the standards of what a real platformer should be. Fun, stylish, tight controls, and great g
Now, Yoshi's Island is perhaps the best game, even till today, that has some of the most unique and inspiring gameplay to be found in any game. This game raised the bar for what Platformers should have been by making a platformer that came out with so much personality and style, that it still stands the test of time today. Everything about this game has something that will keep the game feeling so fresh, from beginning to end, you will never wanna put it down. Whether it's the wonderfully composed music, that fits so well into the levels, it feels like it breathes actual life into each and every moment whether you're playing or watching a cutscene.
Yoshi's Island is a platformer, where every level is filled with so much detail, it's was the first game to really bring out the power of the SNES. Forget blocky sprites, with only 2 frames of animation. Forget each enemy being just another "block" in your way, that would just die by a simple jump on the noggin. This game gave life into each and every little sprite, that it let the imagination loose, thinking a world like this would be fun to explore if it existed. Everyone has a story book look to them, as if they were teared out straight from a coloring book. The amount of animation in these sprites was something unseen, that it felt like these little creatures were actualy alive.
For example, watching a shy guy trot on stilts would be funny, then as you lash your tounge at him, his face expresses a fear, for he jumps back hoping to gain back balance. There's more detail as well, like having a shy guy ghost try and bomb you, then as you ground pound while it's in the arms of one shy guy, he will drop the bomb, and the others will shake their head in shame as he looks down for his mistake. Boss battles are also no slouch, as this game throws in so many refreshing new ways to battle these big baddies (literally) who are really just common enemies you encounter throughout the game. No boss battle is the same, as each battle is truly inspired, that it feels refreshing, and doesn't have the "three hits on the head" rule. You may have to pound stakes on the moon to take down Raphael the Raven, or drown a spikey head boss into lava, by causing the ground beneath him to give in, also pounding the ground to create shockwaves so your opponent takes damage from them is another gratifying and inventive battle. Point is, Yoshi's Island had some of the very best boss battles ever seen in it's time and even today, as they are very memorable to anyone who plays this game.
Gameplay here is much different than any other platformer. Sure there's the ability to jump, stomp your foes, and eat them like in Super Mario's World. However, now that Yoshi takes the stage in this game, he comes with a whole bunch of new moves. Now the little dinos can pound the ground, turn enemies into eggs, hover in mid air, transform into different vehicles, and even give Baby mario a chance to shine. Yoshi carries with him a stock of eggs, six to be exact. Also Yoshi has access to a bunch of new items, like the magnifying glass, super watermelons, or egg/star replenishing items. These items add some fun into the game, and are easily obtainable, so really using these items can really change the game, adding some replay. (Nothing beats roasting your enemies, or freezing them and smashing them into tiny pieces) Yoshi also has the ability to transform into an array of different vehicle. Ranging from cars to trains, or helicopters to dirt drilling moles, these vehicles come often enough, to change the pace of the game.
The game's many levels (8 in each of the 6 worlds) are filled with much more than your standard "run from the left to right" levels. Some levels push you into a scrolling screen, where you cannot lolly daddle all day, where others have a Chain Chomp breathing down your neck as you jump from platform to platform, each being just barel big enough for the little dino, as you try to outrun the hungry beast. The worlds are all filled with many locales, from Yoshi's Island where it's tropical theme like levels, are filled with hardly any pits, to the high skies where one false step will lead to your dismay. You'll go from the jungle to laval worlds, visit barren wastelands, to the lively Yoshi's Island, and much more. Also each world has so much variety, that the levels are always so much fun to play, you may find yourself exploring them all over again, which you will want to. The reason being is because the levels have so many hidden secrets to uncover, and there are secret levels to unlock, that you can only obtain by getting perfect scores in every level. So this challenge doesn't come easy, as many will have to look in every nook and cranny to find the last red coin, or make sure to keep baby mario safe on Yoshi's back during a boss battle can be challenging, as the number of stars are also important, and lastly, the flowers in the levels are in places that are obvious, while others take a little extra effort to find.
Overall, Yoshi's Island is just a masterpiece. Anyone looking for fun, whether you like Mario games or not, whether you even like platformers or not, Yosh's Island is perhaps the most memorable platformer you'll come across. As the game contains a sense of style that stands up to many games today, and retains a refreshing experience throughout the entire game. Don't pass the oppurtunity to play this game. The orignal or remake on the GBA (a faithful port) will suprise and fill you with joy. So you owe it to yourself to play this game