[DS] Yoshi's Island DS - Baby Overload!

Hey everyone, the "true" sequel to Yoshi's Island for the SNES and GBA is nearly upon us. A new developer, Artoon, brings the food on the plate this time around, but the game is exactly like it was back in the golden age - same visual style, sounds, controls, world layout, etc. But this time there are more Yoshis, more babies, more enemies, and whole lot more fun to be had!

I'll be into this soon enough. After all, Yoshi's Island is my favourite 2D-platformer of all-time no jokes! So everyone come and join the party; it's time to MAKE SOME EGGS!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I was a huuuuge fan of the original Yoshi's Island's music and graphics! I've played a bit of the DS game now, and the good news is that the art is exactly the same, but I'm not convinced about the music yet.. Time will tell, since I've only played the first level so far!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I've played through the first level and it resembles the original in almost every way. It's really charming and peaceful.

But I put it down after the first level because I don't want to waste playing through the game on a supercard. I'll order this when it's released in america (13th, I think) as I loved the original title as well.

How ya doing, buddy?

Heard EGM rated it 6.0 because it's too hard and it plays just like the original, which only confirms that it'll be a pretty cool game.

Originally Posted by EGM

Sadistic late-level design aside (seriously, were the young’uns even considered here?), that baby-swapping action developed into a headache.

Wah wah.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Infernal Monkey

Heard EGM rated it 6.0 because it's too hard and it plays just like the original, which only confirms that it'll be a pretty cool game.

Boy is that ever reasurring. I was afraid Artoon was going mess up the game in some way. It's great to here that it actually gets difficult(unlike it's prequel).

I was speaking idiomatically.

Yeah, but I also heard that it's almost short, NSMB short.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Well NSMB's length is not much shorter than SMB3; I thought it was perfect.

I like what I'm hearing about the difficulty, but I don't hope they sacrificed good level design to achieve it.

How ya doing, buddy?

I'm sure it'll be great. I've been playing through the first one recently on my GBA, and it's funny to think that it actually is semi-challenging. Easily one of the more challenging games on the SNES(that wasn't a RPG). So them saying it's "too hard" is a good sign. I honestly don't see how it could be too hard. :/ Perhaps they were thinking it was targeted towards children? Regardless, I'll be sure to play it when it comes out, after my friend buys it. [/innocent]

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Does anyone know if the game will have an option for a sound test? I'm thinking about getting the game and ripping the music even if it doesn't have a sound test but if it does it sure will make the ripping process a lot easier.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Well, so far I've seen game, options, mini games, and 4th option that I haven't unlocked. It's a possibility...who knows. We'll all keep playing and see.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Well, EGM is the shittiest of shits, so there's no credit in that.

I'll be getting this after I get the original on VC.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Oh man I can't wait to get this game. Gotta go buy it after work tomorrow!

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I'd like to get this game but the sounds sound very annoying a damn shame since Yoshi's Island has one of the best soundtracks around.


Yoshi's Island is also my all time favorite sidescroller and I find it to be the pinacile of great 2D platforming.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Torte

everyone come and join the party; it's time to MAKE SOME EGGS!

Your parties must be really boring.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Not if it's for Easter.

FELIPE NO

word, Acer. I want to get this and FFIII.~

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I played the game! at least the first 6 stages and my first impresion is: This game feels more like a remake, a nice remake, the first stage and the tutorial stages are practically the same as YI, just with some little changes, the second stage is a new one, the most different stage that i play was the Stage 3, and to be honest it was quite fun, the new stages really feels like they were made it by the same guy of YI at least. By the way, the game feels a lot more harder than the original and for me thats very good, even also seems more difficult to make yoshi fly very far or the timing for the mid jump is really more exact.

MUSIC SUCKS, thats the only real low point.

How ya doing, buddy?

This came up to me by surprise amongst the other slew of DS goodness. I'll have to rent this at the very least, especially not knowing the actual length and replay value which are my two chief concerns. As well, if there's anything as innovative as (Edit: "Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy" :O) this time around, with bosses at the same disproportionate scale, then I'm set.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Eh, I think you got the bolded phrase there wrong, chief.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I spoiled myself by listing to the music first (because I don't have the game...yet).

It sucks so much. Heck I have the damn Yoshi's Story soundtrack on loop for 4 hours just to clear my mind of the music from YIDS.

BTW, I like YS music!

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

If you loved the first game you will definately like this one. It's certainly better than most sidescrollers and FAR AND AWAY better than Artoon's first attempt at the Yoshi franchise in "Yoshi Topsy-Turvy" (which was just awful) but I wouldnt say its better than the original, nothing really is. In terms of gameplay, fun factor, and challenge I actually like it a lot more than New Super Mario Bros to be honest.

The ONLY thing that's different about this game is that some of the animation is different, like Yoshi running looks kind of wonky and the sprites are "cleaned up" a bit, but even then the rest of the game is beautiful. Graphics can be compared more or less to Yoshi's Island (in background detail) and Partners in Time (sprite detail). They're really crisp for a 2D game.

It's so much like the first game it's crazy. So far I'm up to World 2 trying my damndest to get a perfect on World 1 Extra.

A lot of people will tell you the game may be easy but it really is not. If you wanna breeze through the game without getting everything then sure, you'll get through it just fine with minimal qualms - especially on the normal boards. But you'd be missing the meat of what makes the game work. The difference between this and New Super Mario Brothers is that the stages can get freaking challenging in spots - primarily when it comes to getting everything and opening up new stages you're rewarded with such as the extra and secret stages (which have some really good level design in them). The challenge of the game - much like the original YI lies in getting all perfects in a stage plus getting the baby coins (which only certain babies can get) plus doing the same things in both the extra and secret stages which are IMO purposely designed to get you to chuck your DS across a room in frustration. ^_^

-Controls are spot on, though I prefer the main controls from the GBA version.
- There are only 5 worlds, 10 levels each (8 normal levels, 1 secret stage, 1 extra stage, no time limit much like GBA) but the stages themselves can get pretty long.
- All Yoshi's island Bosses appear in the intro as artwork except for Sluggy the Unshaven, Marching Milde, and Prince Froggy.
- I'm pretty sure one of the babies in the intro making a brief cameo was Daisy.
- Blurps and Bloopers are in the game.
- Klaptrap like Enemies from the DK Country series are also in the game
- The game is loaded with classic YI enemies such as Shyguys, Ukiki's, and Taptaps.
- Thankfully none of the crappy kindergartenish Yoshi's Story gameplay elements can be found here. No elephant halfway points or melon system or chapter broken stages.
- There's a scene with a giant Tap-Tap in World 1-3 that's short but fun as hell to play. I'm hoping it makes a return further along in the game
- The Enemy Museum is designed like a conglomeration of all the stages in the game, you run through it, interact with switches and buttons and see the enemies in thier natural environment. Kinda spiffy.
- Small Cutscences are shown a few times such as after you beat the 2nd Boss in world 1 some Ukkiki's steal Baby Princess Peach and Baby DK appears (having fell from the sky during the kidnappings) to help.
- All the Enemies have to be hit by eggs in order to be placed in the enemy museum.
- Baby Peach's cry makes her sound like a "Chipmunk-voiced Chris Rock".
-Finally the first 2 stages place almost exactly like the first two from the original (the tutorial and intro stage).

With all the complaining EGM did about the dead space between the screens and such, I expected the game to get pretty bad scores (gamespy gave it a 9.1 and IGN gave it a 9 I think). But most people I've talked to have fallen in love with it.

The only major drawback and/or general consenus that I've seen among people is the music: and I'd have to say that I agree. I don't think that the music flat out sucks donkey balls BUUUUUUT it isn't as half as catchy as the first one was sad to say. It's upbeat in places where it shouldn't be upbeat (such as in the castles). On the other hand it's not the same tune repeated over and over and over again in endless variations like how Yoshi's Story was - so that's a plus. The overworld and athletic musics sound more like...upbeat lullabies (for lack of a better description). Slow tempo, hummable tunes, but it can't match Kondo's YI work if it tried.

In conclusion: at its core the game almost feels like the equivalent of a Yoshi's Island: The Lost Levels. The mechanics, enemies, visuals, level design, and even map layout are all almost exactly the same as the original. So, I guess if you liked the first one, it would be almost impossible not to like this one. The selling point of the game, the baby relay system, is actually a lot of fun. Each baby grants Yoshi various powers that he needs to traverse the stages. let's say - only Baby Mario can run fast, use a superstar, or hit "M Blocks". In one stage, you have to hit the M Blocks with Mario in order to get Yoshi to the heights he needs to progress with Peach, who can fly on gusts of wind with her umbrella and has a really good flutter jump. I have not reached Baby Wario (who has a giant magnet for coin catching and removing metal blocks) or Baby Bowser (who can breathe fire but disallows the use of making enemies into eggs) yet, but so far, Donkey Kong is easily the best baby. He can swing from vines and get to unique places. He gives Yoshi a "slide" move where he can slide into obstacles and break them and enemies as well. His ground pound is much stronger (It can completely crush a stake in one swoop as well as destroy super blocks). He can push chomp blocks faster and lastly his eggs explode instead of bouncing. But - like the other babies he does have a disadvantage, like Wario: he's slower than the rest of the babies and has a horrendous flutter jump. Vine climbing is a lot of fun while simulataneously shooting eggs.

I think finally Artoon's made their first GOOD game.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Dubble, that was one of the greatest reviews I have ever read, and I've read a lot in my day. (Gamer since the NES/Genesis days.)


You have convinced me to buy this game.
Please continue to write reviews for the DS library.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

God, do I ever need a DS now. I loved the original, and this game is something I absolutely must get.

FELIPE NO

I like this game and I've just beaten the first world.

My only beef? Large amounts of boo and suck at the music. It's just crappy filler!

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Yeah I agree. I'm lovin' the game but the music is quite bland. When this game was first announced, I was hoping for more good old Yoshi's Island music but instead was given mediocre music. Oh well, at least the game is fun!

Jam it back in, in the dark.