Yoshi's New Island

An adorable green dinosaur, a crying baby on its back, and a world that looks as though someone painted it with crayons and watercolors – Yoshi's New Island claims the legacy of one of the most beloved platformers of all time. It is a direct sequel to the legendary Yoshi's Island, which once again takes on the difficult task of carrying little Mario to safety.

The gameplay builds on the series' proven pillars: Yoshi swallows enemies with his long tongue, turns them into eggs, and then hurls those at distant switches, enemies, and treasures. A key mechanic is protecting the baby – when Yoshi takes a hit, Baby Mario floats up in a bubble and you must catch him within a time limit before the henchmen snatch him away. Added to this is the flutter jump and the traditional gobbling of melons, thanks to which Yoshi spits seeds, fire, or ice.

Studio Arzest, founded by original creators from the studio behind the first entry, worked on the 3DS version. New Island adds giant eggs capable of smashing through entire stretches of scenery and several levels using the console's tilt via the motion sensor. The stereoscopic 3D effect gives the hand-painted world a pleasant spatiality.

The visual style is the game's greatest asset – the scenery resembles a child's drawing in pastel and chalk, with rough paper textures and adorable details. This artistic approach continues the series' characteristic aesthetic, where charm and playfulness always took precedence over technical perfection.

Culturally, New Island banks on the enormous popularity of the Yoshi brand and on nostalgia for the original SNES game, which many consider one of the best platformers of the era. Although it bears the heavy burden of expectation in the shadow of its famous predecessor, it offers a gentle, accessible, and visually lovely ride that will especially please players seeking a relaxed but still inventive platformer.

Why play: A gentle, visually enchanting platformer with a pastel art style and classic Yoshi egg mechanics, ideal for casual and nostalgic players alike.