Yoshi's Story
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| Yoshi's Story | |
| Missing image Yoshis_story_box.jpg box of Yoshi's Story | |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Release date(s) | 1998 |
| Genre | Platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone (E) |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64 |
Yoshi's Story is the Nintendo 64 sequel to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System game Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. In terms of the timeline, it is a prequel to all of the Mario games except for Yoshi's Island, which is evidenced by Baby Bowser's recognition of Yoshi as "Mario's little pet". Originally titled Yoshi's Island 64, in analogy with Super Mario 64, the name was changed in autumn 1997 with the motivation "you can't always put 64 at the end of the title". At the same time, the size of the game was changed to 128 megabits from an initially planned 96.1 The voices of the Baby Yoshies used in this game become the voices for Yoshi in all future games.
The game was released in 1998, and was among the first generation of games to support the Rumble Pak. Like most Mario games, it is a 2-D platformer. It features lush, 3-D graphics which resemble patchworks of fabric and other materials, giving it a very unique look.
Six variously colored baby Yoshies have to save the Super Happy Tree from Baby Bowser, who has turned Yoshi's Island into a storybook. Each world is set within the pages of the book, where there are 24 stages split into 6 worlds (or "pages").
The main aim of the game is for Yoshi to eat 30 pieces of fruit per level, while avoiding enemies and obstacles. The game's most common enemy is the Shyguy, most of which can be eaten or stomped on. In addition two six basic colors, two hidden black and white eggs can be found that allow up to eight Yoshies to be chosen from. The black and white Yoshies are wildcards in that they like more fruit varieties than other colors, which means the player can get higher scores. The Yoshies' abilities include eating with its tongue, throwing eggs, jumping and pounding.
The game has a built in "trial mode" where the player can aim to get the highest score. Good scores usually range from 5-7000 points depending on the level. Eating nothing but melons boosts your score considerably. In the story mode, scores are even higher (mainly because of the black and white Yoshies) and a good player can score over 40,000 points.
While this game has been re-released in the Player's Choice series, this game has been commonly critisized by older gamers and Yoshi's Island fans for being too short (originally, it was planned to have about 50 levels) and very easy, as if the game was been targeted for younger children. Another shortcommings include the music and sound efects (particularly the Yoshis' voices and singing), loose controls (for example, the control stick sometimes has to be pushed diagonally in order to make Yoshi run), lack of variety and obnoxiously high childish atmosphere.
Another, often overlooked, aspect of the game might be called the 'melon quest'. There are exactly 30 melons in each level, which offers the more difficult goal of eating nothing but melons within the level. Completing a level with nothing but melons not only boosts your score, but a melon will be displayed at level end instead of a heart as would be normal, suggesting that you haven't really finished the level until you complete the 'melon quest' - in this 'mode' of play the game can be more difficult and even unfair, as you have to get perfect runs in some minigames, like the melon race, and if you miss out on one melon you must start the level over.
Some gamers defend this game arguing that the game has been created for younger players in mind, is completely family friendly, and that is unfairly compared with Yoshi's Island. The 'melon quest' may be used to show that the game is not as easy as it first appears.
References
- Note 1: Super PLAY magazine, September 1997 issueja:ヨッシーストーリー