GoNintendo Review - Yoshi's Crafted World

Yoshi platformers can be a complicated matter, can't they? For all the things that are great about them, they sometimes come with a few caveats. The big game-changer in the series was Yoshi's Woolly World, a crafty adventure that tugged on my heartstrings from beginning to end. I consider that game to be one of the finest platformers around, chock-full of levels that feel unique. Fast-forward to Yoshi's Crafted World, which aims to capitalize on the previous title's success. While it certainly delivers on being unique, not all aspects measure up. The game makes some missteps, but still offers engaging concepts that you rarely see coming.

As you might expect, the story of Yoshi's Crafted World isn't too hard to grasp. A bunch of Yoshis are living in harmony on a peaceful island alongside the Sundream Stone. When all pieces of the Sundream Stone are together, it has the possibility to make someone's wildest dreams come true. During an argument between the Yoshis, Kamek, and Baby Bowser, the Sundream Stone pieces get scattered across the Craft Islands. Your job is to put them back to where they belong. That's pretty much all there is to it, although these simple story beats are made more enjoyable with some very cute cut-scenes.

What you immediately notice with Yoshi's Crafted World is how beautiful everything is. Good-Feel are, in my humble opinion, amazing when it comes to taking a concept and really running with it. As you likely know, the theme for Yoshi's Crafted World is an entire universe made out of arts and crafts. The result is absolutely spectacular, with an extremely rich feeling throughout.

For example, one level features trees made out of party hats, and an ocean that's a blanket. The game's landscapes feel like something someone made in art class! You get to see how these elements are mashed together via cuts and tape, making for one of Nintendo's most creative-looking games to date.

The way Yoshi's Crafted World is set up is quite different when compared to other games in the Yoshi series. Every location, outside of the bosses, is a little island-shaped diorama. These islands represent two or three levels at a time. The uniqueness of the locations continues on through the levels themselves, which are plentiful in new ideas and overall design.

A good example is the world of Ninjarama, which encompasses three levels. You'll experience some ninja elements, pathways lined with Shoji paper doors blocking your way, and the Shogun's Castle filled with moving platforms and spikes. While the overall theme remains the same for these stages, each portion of the diorama plays out in a different way. This makes much of the experience really stand out.

The creative aspect of the levels in Yoshi's Crafted World is quite staggering. One of ice based stages, named ''Slip-Slide Isle,'' really impresses with its flow and puzzles. Penguins glide over the ice trying to bump into you, and you'll also have to ride on a giant ball to get across the frigid waters. In ''Poochy's Sweet Run,'' you get to explore by not only riding Poochy, but also bouncing on springs shaped like macaroons!

Along with the usual stages, you'll get access to a special stage every so often. These change up the regular format entirely, and feel more like 'score attack' stages. One early example of a special stage is ''Go-Go Yoshi,'' in which you punch your way through enemies as a gigantic cardboard robot. The more objects/enemies you hit at once, the more points you'll score. The score you wrack up by the end will determine how many Smiley Flowers you receive. Another bonus stage is ''Altitude Adjustment,'' which puts Yoshi on top of a plane. By moving back and forth, Yoshi causes the plane to go up and down. You'll have to keep Yoshi out of danger by dodging ShyGuys, all while collecting goodies during the flight. Between the regular stages, bonus levels, and boss battles, Yoshi's Crafted World keeps you quite entertained. It's only when the Flip Side mechanic is introduced that things become a bit of a slog.

While Flip Side stages were originally going to be a completely new way to experience a level, they are now where you'll find Poochy Pup challenges. You still get to explore the reverse side of a stage, and you'll be tasked with collecting three Poochy pups within a set time frame. Find them all and add four additional Smiley Flowers to your overall total. The Flip Side component also introduces Souvenir Hunts, where you'll need to find specific craft items hidden across the stages. These items can be found on the regular path or the Flip Side, and each one will score you a Smiley Flower.

This means that in order to fully complete a level, you'll have a massive checklist of things to do. Smiley Flower counts vary from stage to stage, and no longer have a set amount across the whole game. Each stage also has 20 Red Coins, 20 stars, and 100 regular coins to hunt down. Throw in the Poochy Pup and Souvenir Hunts, and you'll find yourself dedicating a ton of time to a single level in order to fully clear it out.

The most fun to be had in Yoshi's Crafted World is simply through experiencing a level and taking it all in. If you take a more casual approach to play, you'll likely have a wonderful experience. If you're going the completionist route, you're in for quite a challenge, as some of the secrets are hidden well enough to drive you mad. Crafted World doesn't succeed in making you care about every collectible, which was an element that Woolly Woolly managed to excel at. The collecting becomes a little overbearing at times. 

For those worried Yoshi's Crafted World will be too easy, you'll be happy to know that the game does offer a decent challenge. There's nothing that'll push you to your limits, but you won't find it to be a pushover either. If you're going the route of collecting all goodies, get ready to deal with some devilishly-placed Winged Clouds. When you do find those Clouds, you're hit with an "ah-ha!" moment that helps open up the path ahead. Outside of the hidden content, some later levels in the game do require a bit of tricky platforming. This might be made a bit more difficult for some with the changes to how egg-tossing is handled, as you can freely move and aim with your reticle at all times. It's not bad, but it does take some time to get used to.

When it comes to soundtrack, I'm sad to say I really disliked what I heard. Eleven of the twenty songs are different takes on the same melody. There may be different instruments, but there's no mistaking the tracks to be different riffs on the same song. 

It's similar to how Yoshi's New Island handled its music, but at least Yoshi's Crafted World’s main song is way better. That said, this game's musical component does feel like a huge step back overall. Good-Feel's games usually include outstanding music, and unfortunately, not a single tune had me hooked this time.

When all is said and done, Yoshi's Crafted World is a fun game with a bit of an identity crisis. It wants to be a game jam-packed with collectibles, but going about collecting the goodies isn't all that fun. The Flip Side content just doesn't stand up to your regular runs through a level. For those looking for a more carefree experience, Yoshi's Crafted World is quite the lovable adventure which features fantastic level designs. It's just a shame the soundtrack for your adventure couldn't be better.

If you do take a more straightforward path through the game, you'll likely enjoy an experience that'll provide you with some fond memories.