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

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.

Jam it back in, in the dark.