Returning to Yo'ster Paradise

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island has forever been plagued with an evil curse set by Nintendo. Ever since it's release in 1995 on the Super Nintendo, it's tried to sell based on the overshadowed title Super Mario World 2. It seems the very same thing has happened again, and many fans are cruedly angry about the mishap that Super Mario Advance 3 should of been the 14 plus million-selling Super Mario Bros. 3. Although Yoshi's Island has been overshadowed with a plague, it's been easy to make Yoshi's Island synonymous with being an underachiever since it tried to sell based on another title. Coming virtually out of no where premiering at the most recent E3 show, Yoshi's Island has been converted into a much more compact cartridge for the Game Boy Advance. What gamers fail to notice is how much Yoshi's Island revolutionized 2-D platforming, offering more than a just an experience with one of Nintendo's most annoying but lovable dino creatures. If you happen to be an angry gamer who thinks Yoshi's Island should be punished for stealing Super Mario Advance 3 as it not being Mario 3 than you'd be a fool not to reevaluate the situation.

Although it's mysterious why Nintendo decided to be Yoshi's Island as Super Mario Advance 3 and not the masterful Super Mario Bros. 3 remains to be untold to this day. Even the titles would of been in conjunction... perhaps Nintendo is keeping it for a later release since the release of Yoshi's Island was admittingly out-of-the-blue. Let it be known that Yoshi's Island is one of Nintendo's finest platformers ever, even though Miyamoto has done a Zelda-type deal since it says Mario in the title, the game has very little to do with our finest plumber friend. Instead, Yoshi's Island is more of a gaiden, or possibly a prequel, but more like a gaiden as you'll take the role of a bunch of multicolored Yoshi's with the objective of delievering the mysteriously fallen-from-the-sky Baby Mario who will wine like there's no tomorrow. Across plenty of worlds and challenging levels, Yoshi's Island is a faithful follow-up to the non-existant Super Mario World 2. Everything in the game just seems to work out brilliantly, which is default by the masterful Mr. Miyamoto and his vivid, depthful imagination.

Ported straight from the Super Nintendo with a slight update here and there, Yoshi's Island is every bit as wonderful as it was seven years ago. The visuals are somewhat child, storybook looking but still standard setting and very diverse from any platformer of it's time. Unlike the extremely childish looking Yoshi's Story for the N64, Yoshi's Island retains plenty of the classic look with plenty of eye-poping visuals that to this day still strike players as being ahead of it's time. It's no doubt that Yoshi's Island's visuals the best ever seen in a side-scroller, possibly to this date the most lush, virbrant, and near flawlessly hand-drawn excellence which can only be genuinely perfected by Nintendo. The enemies that impede Yoshi's progress are especially some of the most hilarious enemies ever seen in any game, since they all smile or just plain look weird full if they are huge ball-like creatures with short arms, or if they just seem to have a surly grin on their faces, all of them seem harmless and easy while they all hide behind their seemingly smily looks. Personally, it's always been one of my personal favorites about Yoshi's Island and that's that the characters are all strangely funny looking, and hilariously named; especially Salvo The Slime or even Burt The Bashful or one of my favorites; Sluggy The Unshaven.

The gameplay is definitely the meat of Yoshi's Island, as it proves to be some of the most original and intuitive ever. The idea is rather simple, you are a Yoshi and you must carry Baby Mario on your saddle. If you get hit by an enemy, Mario flies off your back and you are given an alloted time of ten seconds, or more depending on how much time you collect, to pick him back up before an evil Magikoopa grabs him. Yoshi's Island also controls like a dream as well, as it is extremely tight and a very controllable game that it is; which is one area cultured for Nintendo to be perfected in. One of the best things about Yoshi's Island's gameplay is that you are allowed to be hit as many times as you want, as long as Mario does not be captured by the Koopas, or time running out, you are enabled to be as careless as most platformers rarely allow. Much like the Sonic The Hedgehog games, being entirely careful isn't the main objective in the game, because there are plenty of other challenges along the way. Between the bonus games, and power-ups to find along the way, Yoshi can collect watermelons and spit seeds, spew ice, or even fire when an item has been acquired. Yoshi can even transform into different vehicles such as a mole-esque digging machine, and even a helicopter and will be able to get into areas where the normal Yoshi cannot. For perfectionists, Yoshi's Island will judge you based on a jumble of stats from the number of particular items collected, to stars (extra time Mario is able to be idle for), and even bonus chance tokens. You'll even get a numbered grade at the completion of each level based on these stats; the more you collect the higher score you'll receive. Even after the game is completed, typically like Nintendo titles, you'll be able to return to older levels and it's always welcoming to go back and try for higher scores in the levels. A lot like the Mario trend, Yoshi will be able to collect a number of coins to gain free lives, even if this game strangely hands out free lives like cheap candy.

As far as the sound department flies in the game, it can easily be described as nothing that deviates from typical Nintendo caliber. The music is basically catchy, very hummable and unobtrusive - overall nothing worth complaining about. Although the tunes sound very childish, it may turn some older gamers off, but it's definitely welcomed in Yoshi's world and the overall theme of the game welcomes it as well. As with many of Nintendo's updates you can expect to hear plenty of Nintendo 64-generated sound bytes, many of which in this case were borrowed from Yoshi's latest sound effects from Yoshi's Story. Don't be surprised to hear Yoshi's expected lack-of-fiber constipation sound as we struggles to acquire more height still as disturbing as it may be is still around. Even Mario's annoying whining has been toned down a little on the annoyance factor from the Super NES version as it tends to be more watered down but still annoying and will most likely make players be more careful so they wont have to hear his carrying on over and over again.

Yoshi's Island is a satisfyingly obese-sized quest, full with seven worlds and rather long levels. Each level is more or less based on a specific theme, in most relation to the level trying to teach you new skills along the way - you will need them. If you're planning on straying from Yoshi's Island simply because you believe it's a kiddie game, which is plenty insulting to say the least, it's of typical Nintendo caliber. While it may seem easy, cutesy, and mindless, it's truly a title that will keep the hardest of core gamers intreged and challenged along the way. Although the theme of the game is inherently the same thoughout, having to relay-system drag Baby Mario throughout seven dangerous worlds on the Island, you'll get a newly colored Yoshi in each level which never gets tiring since every level is something new and inventive, especially since you'll be encountering new enemies, skills, and other hijinks along the way. As on the Super Nintendo, Yoshi's Island will get elevatingly more difficult, as more perpetual levels prevail lasting almost ten to fifteen minutes each. Although this might be a perk since most platfomers suffer from lack of length, it almost seems like Yoshi's Island's level start to loose their theme after being in the same length as it takes to complete a castle.

Most satisfying about Yoshi's Island is that it will take a substantial amount of time to complete; around a few weeks at best. Yoshi's Island also auto-saves like the Super NES version so you'll basically be able to pick it up and play anytime, anywhere... almost. Full with seven worlds, plenty of challenge, abilities to go back and improve previous scores makes Yoshi's Island a near flawless perfectionist's game. Yoshi's Island, although slightly mismarketed at the wrong time is seamlessly perfect and deserves a spot in your collection without any excuses.

FINAL COMMENTS
Although Yoshi's Island has always had trouble standing on it's own since being part of Nintendo's sales schemes formerly under the name Super Mario World 2 and now under the suggested drop title Super Mario Advance 3, it's about time Nintendo try and let the game simply stand alone. Yoshi's Island is every bit as nostagic and wonderful as it was seven years ago on the SNES and most importantly, it's been done without any problems like the past SNES-to-GBA adaptations. I personally can't wait to see what's next in the Super Mario Advance series, maybe Super Mario Bros. 3 will seek it's much desired update or maybe even the debut of Mario's first RPG will arrive since it's been in the rumor mill for a while now. Without any further rambling, go pick up Yoshi's Island.

FINAL DECISION
(on a basis of Epinions' stars ratings)

Visual
5 out of 5

Audio
4 out of 5

Gameplay
5 out of 5

Control
5 out of 5

Lasting Prowess
5 out of 5