Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is unlike any game I’ve played.
There is no “end” to any level.
There’s no timer.
There’s no danger of taking damage.
You’d be forgiven for thinking Nintendo has made an “easy game for kids.”
But that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is relentlessly charming, whimsical and has a rare ability to inspire and reward curiosity.
At its best, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book rivals the feeling I get playing Super Mario Odyssey and Donkey Kong Bananza. Its levels are wholly unique and layered in discovery, despite each being focused on a single enemy.
The premise is simple; a mysterious book escapes Bowser’s castle and lands on Yoshi’s Island. Bowser Junior is trapped inside its pages and it’s Yoshi’s job to free him and document everything about the creatures you encounter to fill Mr. E’s empty pages (short for Mr. Encyclopedia).
The art style is gorgeous but it struggles to maintain a crisp resolution during gameplay in handheld.
Flipping through Mr E’s chapters is like reading a child’s story book and using a magnifying glass to spot and investigate creatures is captivating. Plus, the ability to name every creature you encounter is sure to delight younger players.
The game oozes charm and it is packed with content.
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The challenge for more experienced players comes in the form of collectibles. Finding every Smiley Flower and uncovering everything there is to discover about each creature will push your platforming skills to the limit and force you to think outside the box.
New mechanics are introduced in literally every level, pushing Yoshi’s standard moveset of licking, jumping, fluttering and butt-stomping to new weird and wonderful heights.
Yoshi games have never been my favourite, but Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is right up there.
Without spoiling anything, there’s plenty to play once the credits roll and even more to unlock after that!
If you’d asked me at the start of the generation which Nintendo games I was most excited for, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book would not have rated a mention. But after rolling credits twice, I’d happily recommend it to anyone with a Nintendo Switch 2.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book sits right alongside Donkey Kong Bananza and Pokemon Pokopia as my favourite, Nintendo published games for the console so far.
Quest Daily scores Yoshi and the Mysterious Book:
9/10
The writer was granted early access to this title for the purpose of this review.
