Baby Bowser has stolen the Super Happy Tree from the Yoshis! Oh no! In the uber-smiley world of Yoshi's Story, six baby Yoshis must set out to restore happiness to their home by tackling strange, new lands and recovering their beloved fruits. This is the gist of Takashi Tezuka's latest creation, his successor to the masterful Yoshi's Island, that seeks to showcase a 2.5-D wonderland rather than impress a dazzling feat of 3-D polygonal achievement. Graphically, this N64 cart is magnificent, showcasing astounding details beyond belief. Its storybook-based thematic elements include areas filled with unique textures like embroidered denim and quilted patchwork. Some levels approach true photo-realism, to the point you may feel like you can reach out and touch the artwork. Character animations are likewise incredibly detailed, emotive, and imaginative.

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Yoshis can leap and hover with their trademark flutter, ground pound, and throw eggs at enemies or obstacles. They set out on their adventure across six worlds, each presented as a page with four possible stages. Only one level is required per page to reach the ending, but players looking to complete the game in its entirety will backtrack to try everything. Completing a stage necessitates swallowing a certain number of fruits, with a higher score granted for acquiring your dino's favorite fruit. Collect all the fruit you see, of which there is an abundance, and the game will progress fast and easily, but searching out favorites or the highly coveted cantaloupes will award a far better final score. Secrets are also scattered about, including hidden areas and bonus hearts. Certainly, fewer discoveries are to be made than Island, but there is no shortage to keep players occupied.

Printed in Issue #45, March-April 1998