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We finally received a new Yoshi title after years of waiting. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book released on May 21st of this year and despite it’s childlike appearance, it packs a lot of fun. Let’s get into this Yoshi and the Mysterious Book review.
Gameplay
We see all of the Yoshis back in action in their next 2D adventure. This time though, we aren’t focused on saving baby Mario like in Yoshi’s Island. Instead we focusing on exploration and discovery. The stress is far and in between and is replaced by a relaxed adventure to discover all sorts of creatures within the pages of the Mr. E.
Although the initial thought was, “I don’t know if I’ll like this,” it quickly went away after the first page of exploration as the levels got slightly trickier or clever. I found myself wanting to try one more creature to see what it was, what gimmick it brought to the game and what type of experience it would leave me with. We see familiar faces and new ones while we adventure onward.
Of course, what’s a Yoshi game without collectibles! The smiley flowers are back in every level and so are stars, which are rewarded for doing certain tasks within each level. I found some of these to be rather easy and some turned out to be more difficult than I thought. The gameplay is a nice loop of discovery and fun gimmicks that delivers an experience not forgotten.
Graphics
The graphics look a bit more akin to (paid link) Yoshi’s Story in my opinion than the newer games in the series. This is not a negative though, as I believe they work quite well for this title that focuses on exploration and just having fun. They brought back plenty of characters that we’ve seen in other games and made them really stand out and look magnificent in this newest entry.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for this title is fantastic and really hammers in the nature of exploration. It’s calming, relaxed and enjoyable. I also find it to be memorable, which is a big point for me since sometimes game music fades into the background and you don’t really even recall what it sounded like.
Controls
The controls are more or less everything you would expect from a Yoshi game. You jump, eat enemies, shoot eggs and run through the level. They’re easy to grasp and get used to but you can also change the controller type between three different options to what best works for you and your own playstyle.
Replayability
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book offers a lot of replay value in the form of collectables and discoveries. Even after you finish the game, you can go back to find the flowers you missed as well as the stars you didn’t complete. I know I personally left a lot and have to go back for cleanup.
Scores:
Gameplay: 9/10
Graphics: 8.5/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
Controls: 8/10
Replayability: 8/10
Overall:
Conclusion
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book may look like a children’s game but don’t let it fool you. There is plenty of fun to be had for players of all ages. So, go grab yourself a (paid link) copy, snuggle up with your (paid link) Switch 2 and go have an unforgettable adventure! Make sure to check out our Switch 2 1st anniversary article after this and as always, happy gaming!
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