In Defense Of Yoshi's Story

 

Such a gorgeous title screen! Gorgeous is an apt description for the rest of the game too.

Console: Nintendo 64

Year Of Release: 1997 (side note, I really can't tell you why I've been reviewing so many things from '97 lately, but I assure you it's entirely coincidental!)

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Nintendo EAD

Genre: Platformer

Making his big debut in 1990 in the seminal Super Mario World, Yoshi has since become one of Nintendo's most popular characters, and why not? He's super cute, he's a loyal companion, he's a friggin' dinosaur, and he's a chubby little Fatty McFatterton who eats everything he can with his long tongue. What's not to love? In fact, the lovable little dino is popular enough to have his own successful series, beyond just being a sidekick for the Mario Bros. I'll be discussing his underrated sophomore entry today.

As you might have gathered from the title, Yoshi's Story is a game that I feel doesn't get enough credit. Now in all fairness, it's not exactly widely despised or anything like that. You won't find it on any "worst of" lists or come across many people who will totally trash it. And commercially speaking, it actually sold pretty well. So if it's not actually hated in the same way a game like Bubsy 3D is, and it's also not a box office bomb, why do I feel the need to defend it?

Because, despite not being an Action 52 level disaster (which was probably worse than both World Wars, AIDS, and Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzales COMBINED), it's certainly underappreciated by many gamers. It kinda has a reputation for being mediocre, or "mid," for all the cool kids in the audience. Critics will say that it's too short, that it's too easy. They'll say that it's too "kiddy." And it's often considered a huge disappointment compared to the greatness that was Yoshi's Island on SNES. But that's bullshit, this game kicks ass! So yes, I am going to argue this game's merits and tell you why it's way cooler than a bunch of dorks on the internet (of course that doesn't describe me, I'm cool and badass) would like you to believe.

HRREEEEAAUUGHRAAAHWROOWOWR! Photo courtesy of Wizard Dojo.

The first thing you'll notice about this game is just how visually stunning it is, a trait common throughout the entire Yoshi series. A dazzling array of vibrant colors explode off the screen, making sweet love to your precious retinas. And the artstyle is top-notch, offering up a lovable pop-up book world made of various arts and crafts materials, from cardboard to stitched up fabrics. Furthermore, though it's definitely a polarizing graphical style, I personally have a lot of love for '90s pre-rendered graphics. I just think they have a lot of personality, ya know?

That's not all, we also get a stellar soundtrack composed by Kazumi Totaka (whose iconic "Totaka's Song" is hidden in most games that he's composed) to complement the enchanting visuals. Many of the songs are variations of the same melody, which I used to think was kinda lazy when I was younger and dumber. But now that I'm older and slightly less dumb, I appreciate just how much talent it actually takes to be able to take a single motif and compose a wide variety of different songs that evoke different feelings. And I love how relentlessly cheery most of these songs are. It's definitely a lighthearted sunshine kind of game, so a breezy OST was the right choice.

Please hold for the next available representative. 

Now let's address the criticism that this game is too short and too easy (just like your mom, zing!). If you're a lazy bastard who rushes through one playthrough, then sure, I'll agree that you can get the job done in about an hour or two. But that's only four levels out of 24 total. By collecting hearts in each stage, you can unlock new stages each time you play the game, increasing your playtime substantially. As for being easy? Yeah, I'll concede that it's not the most challenging game out there. But that helps give the game a kind of relaxing vibe to it, and it’s also perfect for the younger audience that this game was aimed at. And when you try to go for 100% completion or attempt an all melon challenge (which can be hair-pullingly frustrating), it increases the difficulty by quite a bit. 

Okay, so how about the accusation that it's too kiddy? Well, admittedly, it ain't beating the "childish" allegations, and that's perfectly fine! Not everything has to be coolguy bloodsplatter tittyfest for all the radical edgy gamer dudes that were so prevalent im the late '90s. With all the bright colors and cheerful music and happy-go-lucky Yoshis, this game is so goddamn adorable! If you play Yoshi's Story and don't even crack the slightest smile from the unrelenting cuteness, then you're probably an irredeemable monster with no heart and no soul. Hoagy Carmichael would be so ashamed. 😔

Nintendo Power was such a cool magazine!

Finally, what of the critics who say this is an unworthy sequel to Yoshi's Island? Frankly, they're wrong yet again. First things first (I'm the realest), this isn't actually a sequel to Yoshi's Island. Oh sure, it has the same basic mechanics. It's a 2D platformer where you eat enemies, turn those enemies into eggs, and throw those eggs at stuff. But this game has a bigger focus on collecting. Item collection was certainly an important component of Yoshi's Island, but collecting fruits is the main objective of Yoshi's Story. Not to mention the previously mentioned hearts, the white Shy Guy, and black and white Yoshis. The game also has a bit of a focus on getting a high score, helping to give the game somewhat of an arcade-like appeal. Simply put, the game is addictive and has a ton of replay value.

Really, Yoshi's Story is such a delightful experience, and I think anyone should play it before making assumptions. It's very aesthetically pleasing, it's sugary sweet, and it's a lot of fun! Is it as good as Yoshi's Island? Not quite, but Yoshi's Island is also the greatest 2D platformer ever made in my (correct) opinion. NOTHING is surpassing that impossibly high bar. On it's own merits though, it's a helluva good time, and a game I have a lot of nostalgia for as a child during the N64 era. Personally, I love it. In fact, I think all you cool cats should get off the damn internet and start playing Yoshi's Story.