Yoshi's New Island Critic Reviews

There’s nothing here (save the 3D) that couldn’t have been done better on the 3DS’ bigger brother.

Yes, it might be a little too easy. But the cuteness, the funny ideas and all the hidden collectables are as Yoshi as Yoshi can be.

Yoshi's New Island is a fun, cute and a lot easier platformer than other recent Nintendo games. It's a perfect match for a platformer novice, but gives thrills to a veteran too, especially when used as a sedative between much harder games.

Yoshi’s New Island tries to replicate the first chapter as often as possible but its lack of new elements and an ever-present feeling of repetitiveness keep the 3DS title from reaching the same heights as its SNES forefather. But make no mistake about it, this is a fine piece of gaming, bursting with colour and spoiling the players with a magnificent visual design and an overall satisfying gameplay.

A reliable, friendly and sumptuous romp through another beautifully built Nintendo world, and yet another great reason to own a 3DS. It’s the machine that keeps on giving.

A fun, if curiously uninspired, entry in the Yoshi's Island series, featuring superb art and sound, but very few new gameplay ideas.

No, Yoshi's New Island may not be the game we fans of the original want, but it's definitely the game its creators set out to make. And a lot of fun, too. It's hard to be cynical about that.

Nintendo once again proves that they know the platforming genre better than almost anyone. While polished in its design, I can’t help but wish it was a little more challenging. You can fly through the levels rather quickly without breaking much of a sweat; extra challenges add some life for more advanced players but young ones are likely to get more out of the game.

Though it fails to elevate itself into the exalted ranks of the Very Best Mario Games, Yoshi's New Island is by no means a sub-standard experience. It's solid. Reliable. You come in expecting devious platforming levels that will test your gaming mettle, and that's exactly what you get.

Yoshi’s New Island’s inconsistent art and tacked-on new ideas are all layered on top of the same strong platforming and level design that made the original great. This deep understanding of pacing and flow helps Yoshi’s latest adventure stand out as the best iteration on Yoshi since the SNES original. Even if I wanted to play with the sound turned off.

It may not have the feel of a flagship title like Mario, but Yoshi still knows how to have some fun – just make sure to go into it knowing it’s not going to be a very difficult ride.

A solid platformer, revisiting the original's distinctive gameplay with a wide range of fresh ideas. It just feels as if many of its elements never grow beyond the introduction phase, resulting in a romp that's varied and enjoyable, but never quite raises the stakes.

Yoshi’s New Island looks great, plays flawlessly, and is entertaining and challenging enough for any fan to enjoy—and ultimately, that’s all that matters. If you’re a fan, you’ll find what you’re looking for here, but those still waiting for the next great and unique Nintendo title will have to keep on waiting.

Yoshi's New Island delivers a solid slice of Nintendo platforming, though fans of the franchise will find little that's truly new here.

Yoshi's New Island won me over early, and it kept me going even when I started to suffer from a touch of platformer fatigue. Its sense of humor and experimental streak keep the game fresh throughout, and allow Yoshi to stand apart, even in a crowded season for Nintendo's core properties.

Yoshi’s New Island suffers from a few issues, mainly the lackluster soundtrack and some new features feeling flat and shallow, but at its core this is a fun title that takes the classic platforming formula from the SNES game before it and brings it to 3DS. A pleasing art style, fun enemy encounters, and solid controls make Yoshi’s New Island a good, but not great, experience that’s worth your time overall.

A new and moderately fun Yoshi game, with some nice level design and a lovely graphical style, but much less interesting than the original Yoshi's Island.

As you can probably tell from my time with it, Yoshi's New Island isn't a "must have," but that doesn't mean it's a bad game. It's very much by the books based on any genre standard, and there's pretty much nothing new here that you'll need to run out to experience. But even so, fans of the genre will still dig it.

I’ve wanted a solid follow-up to Yoshi’s Island for years, and this game is the third in a trilogy of follow-ups that range from half-baked to decent. Considering how unimpressed and apathetic I was towards most of Yoshi’s New Island, it might be time to just be happy with my Super Nintendo memories when it comes to this series.

Dinosaurs and babies might not mix in history, but on 3DS they do just fine together.