Yoshi’s Woolly World

Genre: Platformer

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local)

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Review:

Yoshi’s Woolly World is a Platformer released on Wii U in 2015 and ported to Nintendo 3DS in 2017 with various changes and additions to the game. While the Nintendo 3DS version of the game has more content and bonus features, that’s not to say that the Wii U version doesn’t come with its own advantages – this is the version to play if you want to play the game with a second player (or a computer-controlled second player if you have a Yoshi Amiibo), and this is also by far the best-looking version of the game.

On that note, Yoshi’s Woolly World is an absolutely gorgeous game. It takes more than a few pages from Kirby’s Epic Yarn in creating an entire world that looks like it’s made out of yarn and fabric, but the visuals here are far more impressive, with some 3D visuals that give everything depth and really make it all look so soft and huggable, and fluid animation that makes it all look lively. There’s not really any story reason that this game’s depiction of Yoshi, his world, and the other inhabitants are all now yarn and fabric-based, but the game rolls with it to make for some nice visual flair, such as gulped enemies now becoming yarn balls instead of eggs, Yoshi being able to use his tongue to pull at loose threads to open new passageways, and even moving through the world has the ground giving a little under Yoshi’s weight everywhere he goes. And while none of this is impressive on any sort of technical level, the amount of love and care that has gone into designing this fabric version of Yoshi’s world is nonetheless delightful.

The sound… not so much. Of course, you have the usual Yoshi vocalizations that are present in every Yoshi game since Nintendo 64’s Yoshi’s Story, and this is backed by a soundtrack that’s lighthearted but largely forgettable beyond annoying bits like songs that use whistling or a high-pitched synthesized element. There are at least a few standout songs though, like Lava Scarves and Red Hot Blargss, Fluffy Snow, Here We Go! (Underground), and Frozen Solid and Chilled.

For the gameplay, this really does seem like an effective combination of the typical formula of the Yoshi series combined with the creativity of Kirby’s Epic Yarn. There’s nothing here that truly revolutionizes the genre, but the game controls well, the level design is excellent and varied, and the “yarn” mechanics are well-integrated into the gameplay, making for some fun discoveries as you try to sniff out secrets hidden in the game’s levels.

When it comes to complaints, I see others complaining that the game is too easy, but I found that trying to complete each level with a perfect score provides plenty of challenge. Really, my biggest complaints here are mostly minor ones – the soundtrack isn’t great, the gameplay is solid but doesn’t depart significantly from the other games in the series, and the computer-controlled second player you can summon with an Amiibo is far more trouble than it’s worth.

Given that I’m struggling to find something negative to say about this game, you may not be surprised to hear that I consider Yoshi’s Woolly World to be the best Yoshi game since Yoshi’s Island on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It’s not nearly as creative as its successor, Yoshi’s Crafted World on the Nintendo Switch, but the gameplay is rock-solid, varied, and fun. Plus, the “wool and fabric” aesthetic is visually-striking and adorable, perfectly-suited for Yoshi. If you have a Wii U (and haven’t opted to get the Nintendo 3DS version of the game instead), consider Yoshi’s Woolly World to be one of the few must-have games on the platform that hasn’t been ported to Nintendo Switch, or made obsolete by its sequel. This is a wonderful game in its own right.

tl;dr – Yoshi’s Woolly World is a Platformer that combines the traditional mechanics of the Yoshi series with the “everything is made of fabric and wool” aesthetic of Kirby’s Epic Yarn, and the result is the best Yoshi game since Yoshi’s Island on the SNES. Compared to the Nintendo 3DS version of the game, the Wii U version touts better visuals and a co-op mode… on balance, I’d say both are about on par with one another. But in either case, if you enjoy Platformers, this is definitely one to get.

Grade: A

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