Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Reviewed by Tim
Yoshi's island has an odd premise but it's a good game nonetheless.
It stars Yoshi and his friends helping baby Mario find his brother
who was kidnapped by Kamek the sorcerer. I admit I didn't have
much respect for the plot at first but when I played it, I realized
how wrong I was.
Graphics 9.0 out of 10
The graphics were something never before seen on the Super NES.
It uses the FX microchip, but unlike the "all polygons and no texture"
games we'd seen in the past, this game made very good use of it.
The polygons are blended in and texturized so they create the needed
effect without ruining the atmosphere. This allowed for some
awesome effects, especially when fighting bosses. The fight with
Raphael the raven is one of my favorites. It is fought on a small
globe and as you run around it, the background turns, keeping the
view in Yoshi's perspective. The only thing keeping the graphics
from perfection is how they're made to look like a child's drawing.
It's an interesting effect but I think it's overdone and unnecessary.
The game would work better if it was just made to be realistic.
Music and Sound 9.8 out of 10
Not much to complain about here. The music is catchy, it fits the
theme, and there's nothing annoying about it. The sound is good
too but I think we can all do without baby Mario's crying.
Game Challenge 10 out of 10
Even though this game has a childish atmosphere, don't think for
a second that it's a kid's game. This is not a game you'll pass in a
day. Early on it's not too bad but the later stages will really give
you a run for you money. If you beat the game and you're still not
satisfied, try getting 100% in every level in a world. This will unlock
the extra stages which will really put your skills to the test. So if
you played Super Mario World and thought it was a pushover, try
the sequel.
Game Play-Fun 9.8 out of 10
Don't worry about getting bored with this one. Each stage presents
new surprises, there's plenty of secrets to explore and the mini games
are worth a try as well. It takes a little getting used to at first but
give it a chance and you'll love it. The only part that isn't fun is getting
Mario back if your hit. He has a bad habit of drifting just beyond reach
and his annoying crying and the timer don't help matters much. Other
than that, you should have a great time with this game.
Frustration
As I said before, baby Mario's crying is awful. It won Nintendo's
"most annoying feature" award so you know it's got to be bad.
The play control feels loose at times. Yoshi's hovering ability
is easy lose control of and his egg throwing takes some getting
used to as well
Replayability 9.3 out of 10
The extra challenge of getting all 100% scores and beating the
extra levels is a great reason to keep on playing. Unfortunately,
this is only for pride and has no reward. There are no alternate
endings so the extra stages and the fun of the game are the
only replay factors.
Game Value 9.1 out of 10
This game is definitely worth renting and probably worth buying
too. Experts might get through it too quickly so consider it carefully.
Overall 9.5 out of 10
There's not much else to say. This is a must have for any Mario fan.
Rent it before you buy it. If you make it to the last world, you'll
probably want more so make sure the purchase will be worth it.