When we first clapped eyes on Yoshi’s Crafted World, we’d be lying if we said our first thoughts weren’t something along the lines of ‘oh look, another Yoshi game’. That’s not to say we didn’t like what we saw, but the Yoshi series has always played things a little bit safe in the past, and at first glance, beyond the art style, one might say the same about this crafty addition to the Switch's library. Well, now we’ve actually played it – and gone beyond the single level available in the free demo – what do we have to say now?
First off, let’s get the obvious out of the way; the game’s adorable as heck. If you point to anything on-screen that isn’t alive, you can be certain it’s made to look like a child’s arts and crafts project in a way that’s simultaneously realistic and unrealistic. If you don’t know what we’re on about, have a look at some of the screenshots scattered around this article.
It’s an aesthetic that works, and works by the bucketload. If you can stand there and state in earnest that you don’t find at least something charming about the way this game looks, we reserve the right to stand in a similar spot and call you a heartless fiend. The tiny little details from the Shy Guys waving tiny paper butterflies on sticks, to a train being made out of a cola can, it all smacks of creativity, and gives the levels we tried a great sense of consistency.
But enough about the looks, anyone with eyes already knows what a visual treat it is; how does the ruddy thing play? Well, it’s a Yoshi game. It feels almost exactly like Yoshi’s Woolly World for the most part, but it’s in the finer details where things start to change. For one thing, our favourite green dinosaur (or should that be Yoshi?) from the Mario franchise isn’t restricted to just going left and right; in a style similar to a handful of levels in Yoshi’s Story, he can go forwards and backwards through the oft-forgotten Z axis, where the levels allow it.
You’re not allowed to run entirely free, however; you’re only allowed to move along predetermined paths that are clearly indicated underfoot. It sounds restricting at first, but considering every 2D platformer has the same linearity of movement, it’s actually quite refreshing to suddenly go up rather than constantly right.
Eggs now behave quite differently as well; you have free control over the aiming reticule and can aim at quite literally anything you can see onscreen that isn’t the HUD or yourself. Enemies in the backdrop? Throw an egg at them. Coins in the foreground? Throw an egg at them. An inconsequential piece of indestructible scenery to your immediate left? Throw an egg at it, although that won’t do much. Where this benefits the game most is in the hidden collectables, as previous games relied on borderline obscure corners housing invisible winged clouds, but Crafted World adding a whole new dimension (literally) allows hidden items to be hidden in much less convoluted and obtuse manners, but still concealed enough to make finding them a fun little challenge.
We also got to have a go at the ‘flipside’ of a level, where the camera pans around Yoshi 180 degrees so you can see the back of everything as you search for lost Poochy Pups. It’s nice to see the courses from a different angle, and it can help you find collectables you may have missed before, but it’s definitely taken much more of a back seat compared to how it was shown off in earlier presentations of the game. So much so that a previously promoted mechanic whereby two Yoshis ground-pound simultaneously to flip the perspective on command is no longer present. Yoshi’s Flipping Island this certainly isn’t.
Speaking of co-op, we had a pop at that as well. We didn’t get much of a chance to play it for any great length of time, but from what we played it felt quite different. In Woolly World, for example, it could often feel like your co-op partner was either just getting in the way, storming off ahead of you, or lagging behind. We can’t quite say how or why, but in Crafted World it feels a lot more balanced, and you’re able to help each other out a lot more effectively. Naturally, you can still swallow your partner and spit them out into danger; there's all the sabotage you’d like, so if that’s more your jam, worry not.
All in all, Yoshi’s Crafted World looks like it’s shaping up to be a fine game indeed. The new mechanics are fun and add a bit of a new spin on things, the aesthetic is wonderful, and whilst all of it doesn’t amount to anything revolutionary, it’s still very entertaining and there’s plenty to enjoy for fans of the series. It may well end up being ‘just another Yoshi game’, but if it gets all that right, that’s more than alright with us.
Yoshi's Crafted World lands on the Nintendo Switch on 29th March.
Comments 96
"Where there's a will, there's a PVA"
Scrapping the pun barrel.
Yoshi used the Piano LABO for a vehicle.
Wheeeee....!!!
Boring... demo was too.
This game just looks better and better every time I see more. I especially love the wearable cardboard. Reminds me of the first Toy Story when Woody and Buzz were sneaking into Pizza Planet.
The collectibles locations is one of the things I immediately noticed in the demo. They don’t seem unnaturally hidden. But yes, this game is gorgeous as all heck. And its controls are on point. I hope the challenge overall is decent. If so, it might be the first Yoshi game I don’t wait years before buying.
@MoonKnight7
Next time, Yoshi will use a whole cardboard to hide from enemies.
From want I've seen and played on the demo, I have to say that this is one of the most visually appealing ganes I've played for some time across any format. The aesthetic is incredible and how the gameplay is woven into it to make you appreciate all of its little details is very well done. If I have a concern it's that it's challenge appears to be only from finding its collectables, so I'm hoping for some tough end game levels as rewards for them but overall I cannot wait to play this
I'm not convinced at all by the game.
I was charmed by the excellent Wooly World and I have to admit that my hype for Crafted World dropped to zero after the demo.
I think Crafted World reused the engine of Wooly World but I don't really like the art direction.
My Switch is dusty like never before and I thought that I could play again with the new Yoshi's game but I won't, sadly.
Day 1 buy for me.
Nintendo should have made a HD port of Poochy and Yoshi's Woolly World either before this game comes out or with it via digital code.
Sounds like an adorable time. I'll probably pick it up when I come across a used copy or when Nintendo has one of their rare sales
Stop the music, please... Worst Nintendo soundtrack ever.
I had fun with the demo. Seems like a chill game where the gameplay matches the aesthetics. I have zero problems with it so far.
This is indeed a lovely and charming looking game. I had a good time with the demo, and what I played, I enjoyed. I think that the people that didn't, probably went in with the wrong expectations.
This is as Yoshi as a Yoshi game can be, and that's never a bad thing. It was charming, fun, relaxing, the aesthetics are great, the controls are spot on, and in some ways, the levels are quite inventive as well, so completely, 110% agreed with this review.
I had the same feelings after playing this demo as I did with Kirby Star Allies. Too easy and boring. Definitely aimed at kids only. The visuals are pretty good, but everything else about it seems hopelessly stuck in the past.
@PCkid looks like a fanboy Trolling again.
For those TROLLs sadly your the extinct minority. The game will sale far beyond expectations. As others said Yoshi is Yoshi and it will do fine without you being around or not.
@PCkid Actually Crafted World is built with Unreal Engine 4 believe it or not
@SwitchForce : "looks like a fanboy Trolling again."
I'm sorry ?
I'm disappointed by the demo so I'm trolling ?
Impressive.
I'd love to love this game, but I must admit the yoshi gameplay feels slow to me now.
I really liked the demo. Yes the gameplay was easy, and likely going to be for most of the game. I don't mind, not all games need to be hard. This seems really fun and relaxing to just play and enjoy the scenery. For a challenge I have other games to scratch that itch. I'll most likely be buying.
I was shocked to learn the resolution is between 396p and 495p in handheld mode and under 720p in docked mode.
I played it portable and it looked amazing, I thought it was close to native.
That's really a nice job, with the right art style (cartoony/anime) and optimizations you can do wonders.
I never played Wolly World on Wii U So I was hesitant to try this out. I’m glad they gave us a demo and after playing it I’m excited for the games release.
As a 29-year-old kid who played the demo., I can confirm that only kids will enjoy this game. The title screen on its own had me grinning from ear-to-ear, and the level was (slow and easy but) full of charm, more so even than Woolly World. It turned me from a sceptic into a day-one buyer.
If, on the other hand, you’ve lost touch with your inner child and are dead inside, then I agree that you should play something with more war atrocities in.
Putting aside the game's performance (how is it possible for the game to look decent in handheld mode when the handheld resolution is hitting Xenoblade 2 undocked lows?), I just... didn't enjoy the demo. This is coming from someone who LOVES Wooly World. It just doesn't feel like a platformer to me. Interactive elements on the main 2D plane are sacrificed in favor of having Yoshi interact with elements in the background, making it feel more like a scavenger hunt of sorts.
I hope everyone who enjoyed the demo continues to enjoy the actual game, but I'll be passing on this one.
@jobvd your comment is boring troll.
The aesthetic is perfect but it’s executed in too much of a pedestrianised way for me.
@PrincessBowsette
opinions =/= trolling
@Ezereal I found it a bit dark and fuzzy in handheld mode.
I liked Woolly World, but don't think I loved it, and so far I'm disappointed by what I've seen from Crafted World.
‘just another Yoshi game’ is my take-away from this article, so I'm not expecting to get it until the price has dropped significantly.
@jobvd seems 5+ people disagree with you.
Day 1 for me as was wooly world. 100% the demo but It doesn’t feel as good as wooly world and doesn’t have the same level of charm. Maybe I need to play the full game.
While I concur that the art style is indeed charming, I still prefer the visuals of Yoshi’s previous outing in Woolly World. The single-stage demo was nice enough, but it didn’t grip me in the way I’d hoped it would. Still, I’ve only sampled a few minutes of gameplay and, fingers crossed, the full game is worth the £50 it’ll cost to download it from the eShop.
Demo sold me on this. Very pretty, inventive, nice and chilled. Be a good one to unwind with after a hard day at work.
@PrincessBowsette
Opinions can be disliked.
Enjoyed the demo much more than I thought I would. Wasn't expecting the ability to move up and down, into and out of the screen, and throwing eggs at everything was a nice added bonus. Can't go wrong with cows. And collecting the pooches going backwards gave me a reason to play the level again.
Also happy Mellow mode is still in the game, not that it needed it in the demo but hopefully it will later in the game. Also amiibo on the menu. Playing w/ a tag along Yoshi in the first game was nice.
Game looked great too, perhaps slightly better than Woolly World, but that's probably the lighting and color pallet more than an actual improvement.
Looking forward to the game, our last Amazon Prime 20% off discount.
For all the people complaining that it's too easy, I hear ya, it is. It's a similar feeling I have to the DK games being too hard. I want to play them, they looked good and I enjoyed some of it, but it was just too difficult. I think Yoshi is Nintendo's DK balance. 1 is too easy, 1 is too hard, and 2D Mario is just right.
I love the art style, but the gameplay isn't particularly engaging.
I also enjoyed the demo and have already bought the game, I think it is lovely. I would like to have Woolly World on Switch, too. And also Kirby’s Epic Yarn and Donkey Kong Country Returns would be great on Switch. All beautiful and amazing platformers!
@jobvd opinions dont usually get downvoted to that extreme in which case your first post wasnt an opinion.
I have yet to play the demo but all the gameplay footage I've seen reminds me of wooly world too much. not enough new stuff to get me on board
This is one of the few demos that actually put me off the game.
Compared to Wooly World, I'm unsure if the toy aesthetic really pays off. It feels very artificial to me, and the Gaussian effect they've applied (typical UE4) looks like someone has smeared Vaseline over the screen, a lá Snake Pass.
The gameplay itself is a little too slow for me, but I get there are some who will be fine with it.
@PrincessBowsette
Oh yes they do.
I Did 100% the Demo, And I liked it, not do much as whooly world but I liked it.
This a great game when you had a though day, its charming has an great soundtrack, And it has the great Nintendo feeling all over it, yes it a lil bit on the easy site, but they are trying something different here.
Day 1 purchase for me
Perfect for my 5 year old, not for me unfortunately. It's just too slow. Yoshi's Isand was perfect. If it was a faster paced and slightly more frantic then great. It is what it is though, I'd say the demographic is young kids and casual female gamers. I know both of my sisters are looking forward to it and neither would consider themselves 'gamers'.
@gcunit
Well, that's your take, it's ok.
I'm no tech nerd and I don't obsess over resolution or FPS...I mean, Crash Bandicoot Trilogy on Switch was very pleasant imo despite being only 480p handheld.
@Balladeer I don’t think the theme or art style classifies it as a kids-only game, the mind-numbing gameplay that isn’t remotely challenging to anyone above the age of five does however.
It has nothing to do with being dead inside, or losing touch with your inner child because, let’s be real here, we’re all Nintendo fans and they are known for their colourful and charming games. The difference is that most others are at least somewhat challenging.
Awww... Adorable is the word!
@jobvd yeah was going to say the same thing. The Demo did not really do anything for me. I think kids will like it
I had a pre-order but just canceled it and moved it over to Astral Chain.
If you play the demo of Yoshi's crafted World. You can infinitely flutter Jump. Nintendo hope you update this. If this happened to you or if you tried this let me know.
@PCkid,
The demo didn't do much for me either. I still buy it but I don't think I will be massively blown away.
@Audigore0733 that's mellow mode. It asked you when it started. Pick the other mode and he gets his normal jump.
I haven’t played a Yoshi game before, but was going to pick up this one. After the demo, however, I canceled my preorder. It’s just too slow and easy for me, much like Kirby. I might buy this game if the kids like the demo, but I can’t see myself playing through it.
I absolutely LOVE how you can aim in the foreground and background! The craft aesthetic is amazing.
That last screenshot is such a cute take on Yoshi's Story's look
I got WW and it was okay. Think I’ll skip on this. Need more of a challenge
I'm amazed by the negative reaction this is getting. I played the demo and it was fun, way better than Kirby.
@PCkid TROLL alert. You definitely missed the Nintendo appeal and your handle cleary tells so. Any reviews by you was biased from the start. Sad one missed games that were fun and exciting.
People seems to forgot Nintendo isn't your ordinary Game developer they are willing to go place others don't try. Take example biggest one Switch-those naysayers saying it would die were proven wrong by factor of 10 and sold beyond expectations no 20mil by investors but consumer won out. That's what matters is the staying power of Nintendo. Say Nintendo to anyone and the NES is what comes to mind for those who remembers back then. They re-started the stagnation gaming industry back in the 80's and look where we are now after all the bumps and bruises they are still here on top of their game. That just rubs their bunghole raw for fanboys or TROLLs.
@rjejr “Can't go wrong with cows.” Words to live by.
I like your characterization of Yoshi being on the easy side, DK more difficult, and Mario in the middle.
FWIW, Jim Sterling often makes the point that Kirby games generally appear easy for basic completion, but are more challenging if you go for 100%. I think this applies to many Yoshi games as well. I attained 100% on the SNES Yoshi’s World, which was not a simple task!
Kind of disappointed you can't flip on command. Sounds like they couldn't find a good way to implement it, so I guess better to scrap a pointless feature than leave it in.
@SwitchForce
The reviews by me ? What are you talking about ?
Drug is bad man.
I liked the demo. It's fun enough to warrant a purchase.
Day 1 for me and I'm 39 and already love this so-called 'Baybyish' Game. And yes it was easy but the demo was most likely level 1 of the game. Yoshi games do get harder as you progress. The only home console Yoshi game I have ever been disappointed with was Yoshi's Story on N64 but there was very little to collect in it and had no challenge at all.
A bit of fun on Brexit Day! Hurrah.
I've played the demo and have to admit, this is easily Nintendo at its artsiest.
Or not. Woolly World has still a lot to say in that regard.
@panthro
I'm not well-versed enough in the English language to grasp this one, can you explain it to me? I'm sorry.
@dazzleshell Yeah, same here, and I'm 40!
Too bad demo ;( lazy gameplay, boring art style, for kids only
@AlexSora89 It's a play on the phrase "where there's a will, there's a way," since the game's atmosphere is so crafty. PVA is a polymer used in papermaking, textiles, and some glues.
While I wasn't particularly challenged at any point, I really enjoyed the demo and I'm definitely looking forward to it. It plays like Wooly World but with some new ideas thrown in. I wasn't aware that people were bashing it for being "babyish" until just now and honestly I don't really care. Some people just hate fun.
the level in the demo is a early level and its not easy to 100 percent it. The later levels will be much harder to 100 percent. Getting some yoshi's island vibes with this could be the best yoshi game since island.
The demo had a nice atmosphere, and I did enjoy it, so I’ll probably get this very soon after its release. The first levels of games are always easy, so I don’t think it’s a good idea to judge the difficulty by the demo alone.
Why is this so cute? I don’t even like Yoshi and yet good feel has got me on the line like an addict. I just wanna say no but I caaaaaan’t.
I spent way too much time trying to read the product boxes.
Yoshi and Kirby games are similar in my opinion. They're slow and easy. Colorful and cute though but not for me. The demo was as short and easy than the Pokemon lets go demo. Two casual games for a bigger audience.
So much haters in this comments section!!
Can we say our opinions, my godness...
@G-Boy Did you play Wooly world? The complete game was easy to finish with a 100% score.
@bones Wooly world was easy though.
I really liked the demo. But I rarely have played the Yoshi games, so I don't have the fatigue with the series others might have.
Wooly World was massively more fun co-op than single player. I assume this will be the same, so I'd encourage people to wait for that before judging.
This looks so adorable and good! I can't wait to get it.
@PCkid there are plenty of good games to play. Dusty? That would a ps4. That thing has nothing on it right now.
@michellelynn0976 : "there are plenty of good games to play. Dusty? That would a ps4. That thing has nothing on it right now."
Resident evil 2, Kingdom Hearts 3, Ace Combat Skies Unknown, Metro Exodus, God Eater 3, Devil May Cry 5, Sekiro Shadows die twice, Dead or Alive 6...
@Anti-Matter Solid Snake-oshi.
Yoshi wearing Snake's outfit?
@Agramonte yeah, These Yoshi games are about as unexiting as a game can be
@PCkid all those games are multi plat. I can play them on a pc. Try harder fanboy. Sony also just said that they're going more multiplayer.
@PCkid Less SP games, more MP games. Smash, Let's Go, Tetris 99, TSA, NSMBUD, I can go on.
To be honest this looks more like a tech demo rather than a challenging game... the graphics, art style and visual effects are excellent but the gameplay seems rather simple (at least on the demo playable levels so far).
But the levels shown in the Direct look kind of interesting and impressive, so I hope the later levels show more challenge and fun.
@0muros I never got around to playing Woolly World, but I personally don’t care about the difficulty as long as it’s not overwhelmingly easy.
I don’t see much evolutionary going on here, but that’s sometimes not a bad thing. With so many big and demanding AAA games out there, this is a good day of sun and fun. The trailer also shows a larger variety of crafted vehicles and environments to explore, so I’d say this would be a good time if you are interested in Yoshi games.
I’m only commenting because it’s green!
I’ll try the demo out with my youngster and take it from there. Looks fantastic and I don’t mind an easy game now and then.
@AlexSora89
"Where there's a will, there's a PVA"
PVA is a type of glue, so in this instance it's related as it's Yoshi's Crafted World, it's something you would use in arts and crafts.
Alex has tried to match it up to the saying "Where there's a will, there's a way". Substituting "a way" with PVA, to make a pun.
@michellelynn0976
You don't deserve a real reply. Have a nice day.
@Sabroni During this mode you can literally float off the screen to the very top. where yoshi is no more
@PCkid Hmm Ok.
@jobvd I still have Xeno, Metroid, Zelda, Fzero, StarFox, FE. Games like Yoshi and Kirby bound to get outgrown.
They really not kept up with the times like Mario has.
I still haven't tried the demo out but the game just looks fun - I'll download it soon and see how it rolls.
@Balladeer I love your point of view. Childhood inhabitates me forever.
Meh .... Graphics are cute, but the Gameplay is so boring .... They should remake the original SMW 2 - Yoshis Island. Yoshis Island had the best Music -> But after Yoshi 64, the music got ... kinda .... don't know. Like a child has made it ;P
But a Yoshis Island remake with this graphic style and orchestral music - yummy. i would buy this .... last yoshi game i bought - yoshi 64 and i hated it - because of the awful music ... this demo too, nice little game, but i cannot stand this music tracks ....argh
@kirbygirl
Okay, I can confirm there's no way I could have gotten that joke. But now...
@panthro
Same here. I apologise. I have country-exclusive sayings too, and end up blurting 'em out in English at times.
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