Welcome dudes and dudettes to the 16-bit beach. Where the greatest games of the greatest era retire in glory. Or do they? That’s what we’re here to find out.
I’ve elaborated on this a little with my Genesis does reviews, and I still state it as truth. There was no better time to be a video gamer than in the 16-bit era. Within that era were two of the greatest consoles of all time, and hundreds of classic titles worth playing. Whether you played it loud with the Super Nintendo, or blast processed with the Sega Genesis. I’ve talked more on the Genesis side, but never had a chance to really give my love of the SNES a chance to shine as well. And with the recent retiring of site podcast “Tales of the Old Gray and Purple Box” by fellow author SNESMaster, it is now finally my time to talk about this classic console.
I never grew up owning a SNES of my own, but I did get a chance to play one quite often. Through either my friends at the time, my cousin, or one that was at my father’s place when I would go there for weekends. This was a time when I played many classic titles, like Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country, and even the first RPG I ever beat, Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. It wasn’t until 2007, when the retro gaming bug bit me that I finally decided to finally get my own SNES console. I got it with a couple classics, Super Mario Kart, Super Mario All Stars, and Donkey Kong Country. Since then, I have reached about 140 carts, and have no sign of stopping.
In my personal opinion, the SNES may be the best system when it comes to quality games. There are literally hundreds of quality titles, and it housed games that are still considered the best of all time. It even was the place for many old franchises to evolve and grow into far bigger and better games. Seriously, this console was, is, and will always be a classic.
So, what game should we begin our first trip to the 16-Bit-Beach with? Well, it has to be a title that holds a special place in my heart. It also has to be a quality title deserving of praise. And in tradition, it has to be a sequel with Mario. So, I think you know where we’re headed with this. It’s time to go back to the island with Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island.
YEAR OF RELEASE: 1995
PUBLISHER: Nintendo
GENRE: Platformer
By 1995, The Super Nintendo was still going strong in the 16-bit wars, thanks in part to the hit title Donkey Kong Country breaking graphical boundaries, and of course being a massive seller for the console. I like to believe that late 94-1996 was the era where the SNES produced its finest titles, and Yoshi’s Island is no exception.
The original Super Mario World was the launch title for the SNES, and of course the best selling game the console would produce. But between the game’s release in 1991, and 1995, there was no new Mario game to follow. Sure, there was Mario Paint, and those abysmal learning games, but nothing that called itself a successor to the mushroom-shaped throne. However, in 1994, a sequel was finally announced.
In mid-1995, Super Mario World 2 was finally released. However, it was certainly not what a lot of people were expecting. Instead of Mario being the main protagonist, it was his dinosaur partner Yoshi. In fact, barely anything from the game even remotely resembled the previous game. Much like Super Mario 2 in 1987, This sequel was its own unique game. However, unlike Super Mario 2, it wasn’t just a sprite change slapped to the “ignorant Americans”. This was 100% Original. The game still sold quite well, and would lead to a legacy for Yoshi, with spinoff games like Yoshi’s Story, Tetris Attack, and even a sequel to Yoshi’s Island for the DS. So, with some of the history down, let’s get into talking about the game, and what makes it one of the all time greats.
STORY
Despite the 2 in the title, this game is actually a prequel to the entire Super Mario Bros franchise, thereby making it even more important.
Many years ago, a stork is carrying two young infants to their home in the Mushroom Kingdom. These two youngin’s being Mario and Luigi, if you hadn’t guessed. However, in the midst of the stork’s delivery, an evil wizard known as Kamek attacks the stork, and kidnaps it, along with Luigi. the other baby, Mario, falls to his peril. However, by dumb luck, he lands on a wandering Yoshi.
However, the evil Kamek soon learns that the other baby is missing, and dispatches his toadies to recapture the baby. It’s up to the Yoshies of Yoshi’s Island as well as Mario to reunite the twins, stop Kamek, and save the day.
GAMEPLAY
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is a one player platformer game. You control Yoshi (and occasionally Mario) as you head from world to world, defeat the many enemies within, to eventually face off with Kamek and Bowser to rescue Baby Luigi, and reunite the twins. Yoshi’s basic controls are movement with the D-Pad, jumping with the B button (you can do a hover by pressing the button a second time, or holding it in), using his tongue with the Y button, and aiming and firing with the A button.
Yoshi has multiple attacks that can help you in this journey. His main attacks are a jumping stomp, a butt bump that does more damage, or can break down posts, or heavy dirt. But the most important attack comes from Yoshi’s notorious gluttony. Using his long tongue, you can eat almost any enemy in the game, and turn it into an egg. With these eggs, you can aim and fire them at the many enemies in the game, as well as any secret items you find throughout the level. You can only store up to eight eggs at a time.
You can also use different watermelons for attacking. when ingested, you can fire for a short amount of time. A green one shoots seeds, a red one shoots fire, and a blue one shoots ice which can freeze enemies. And in certain areas, you will find a magic star that can have baby mario become invincible, which can get you far in some areas, as well as access spots that regular Yoshi can’t reach.
The basic object of each stage if, as expected, to go from the start of the stage to the finish, going through the goal to complete the level. However, that’s not all you must do in order to 100% the game. Each level holds several items you have to collect by the end of the stage. First are the red coins. There are 20 in each stage to find. They are easy to spot since they can be slightly darker looking than regular coins. They are also hidden in areas, or held by Shy Guys.
Another item to collect is 30 stars. Stars act as your health in each stage. You start with 10 stars, and can find others through different methods, like using pow blocks on enemies, shooting eggs into giant flowers, or hitting certain ? Clouds. You can collect 30 per stage. However, if hit, they begin to count down as Baby Mario floats away in a cloud, crying his head off. If they reach zero, the toadies will capture Mario, and it will count as a lost life. And considering how annoying Mario’s cry is, you really don’t want this to happen.
And finally there’s five sun flowers to find in each stage. These smiley face flowers are usually hidden in hard to reach spots, or in ? clouds. The more you collect, the more that appear at the goal in the end of the stage. Once you complete a stage, a roulette starts. If it lands on a sun flower, you will go one of the many bonus stages in the game. At the end of each stage, you are given a tally as to how many of each item you found. If you collected 5 Flowers, 20 Red Coins, and 30 Stars, you get 100%. Getting 100% in each stage will open up a bonus level you can play at any time, as well as another, more difficult stage.
There are several different bonus stages in this game. Some are for extra lives, while others are for items you can collect and use from the start menu (Though not in boss battles). These bonus games include scratch cards, drawing lots, a roulette wheel, a slot machine, and match cards. There’s also mini-battles you’ll find in certain levels with a bandit shyguy. These range from seed fights, balloon throwing contests, and find the coin. These battles usually give you extra lives for completing.
Another really cool thing Yoshi can do is his ability to transform. By jumping into a certain bubble, Yoshi will transform into everything from a Mole tank, a helicopter, and even a train. These can be used to help find many of the hidden items in each stage.
There are multiple enemies in the game, though most are the standard enemies you’d expect like Shyguys, piranha plants, and Koopa Troopas. There are also penguins, seagulls, mice, bats, hairy slugs, and even these weird creatures that look like Kirby. And most of these enemies will be the bosses of each level. In each of the six worlds there are eight non-bonus stages. Six being regular levels, and two being fortresses. Each fortess holding a boss, which would start as a regular creature that would be changed by Kamek into a giant beast.
Plenty of memorable boss battles. My personal favorites include Prince Froggy’s Fort, which has Kamek shrink you down, and you end up swallowed by a frog. you have to eat the giant shy guys he ingests, and shoot eggs at his uvula. Another classic is Salvo the Slime. A giant slime pile that fills the whole area. His exterior is tough and slimy, and you can’t hurt him with just a regular egg shot. Instead, you have to hit multiple eggs into him until you can get a clear shot at his hairy heart. Of course, you are being pushed by him to the edge of the room, where you’ll fall, so you have to be fast. There’s a giant koopa troopa, a giant boo, a piranha plant with a sore navel, marchine milde, and of course Raphael Raven.
There are also so many classic stages. Lest we forget “Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy”. These weird puff balls fill the area. One touch of these creatures turns the entire area into a trippy, warped world where the ground rises and falls. It’s really an amazing sight for a SNES game. Every level has its own unique style, and the game never feels tedious throughout the quest.
The game has perfect controls, never feeling too tight or too loose, and no hit detection issues. the game autosaves after every level, so you don’t have to worry about losing too much progress after a long play. There are also unlimited continues, for when you get a game over. And trust me, the game’s difficulty will have you see a couple Game Overs, especially if you are going for 100% completion. The downside though is no real reward for a perfect game, except for stars added to the title screen.
GRAPHICS
This game has fantastic graphics. Easily some of the best of any video game ever. Despite its childish and cartoony pencil and crayon look, it houses a lush world filled with amazing looking creatures that are lovable and memorable. This game uses the Super FX Chip to its fullest potential. Using a technique known under the buzzword “Morphmation”, the sprites have some amazing effects, can grow and shrink very cleanly for a 16 bit game, are extremely colorful, and are amazing. Sure, it doesn’t have the look of Donkey Kong, but it doesn’t need to be to be one of the best looking, true pieces of eye candy the SNES had to offer.
MUSIC AND SOUND
The music is great, although maybe not as memorable as other Mario games. But that aside, you’ll definitely have them trapped in your head for an eternity. Especially the game’s “Athletic” theme. The sound effects are all well done… but then there’s Baby Mario and his high pitched cries. They are extremely annoying, and makes him more of a burden than adorable. That aside, it’s another quality soundtrack from Nintendo, as you’d expect.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is one of the greatest video games of all time. Hands down. Perfect graphics, sound, control, level design, and most importantly of all perfect gameplay. It truly comes off as one of the finest platformers ever assembled. And for an almost 20 year old video game, it holds up perfectly in this generation. It’s just one of those true quality titles that you really don’t see anymore. Filled with enough originality, but just enough familiarity to make it a classic on its own right. Simply put, perfection. Plain and Simple.
RATING: Thumbs Way Up