I think I got my dose of holy mother of cute in with this game. Looking to push the adorable factor even further, Nintendo tapped into developer Good Feel to create a Yoshi game. With the approach of their previous game Kirby's Epic Yarn; Yoshi's Wooly World took the yarn concept to everyone's favorite dinosaur pal. Released late last year, YWW has you set on a quest to save your friends who have all been turned into yarn, by the sinister Magikoopa no less! You can play solo or with a friend in co-op mode. Controlling Green and Red Yoshis, you move throughout each level reaching the goal ring. What's in the way though, are some of the most expertly designed levels I've seen in awhile. The game is set with an Overworld map as typical of most Mario games as of late. Craft Island serves as your central hub where you can go into various huts for in-game additions such as a quick warp to a World and even changing your Yoshi's skin design.
The game runs beautifully on both the TV screen and your Wii U gamepad. Checkpoints are scattered throughout each level and much like Epic Yarn you really can't die. Instead you're just placed back at the last checkpoint you cleared (if you reached any that is). Players have the option of swapping between Classic and Mellow Mode. The latter of which to my understanding, allows Yoshi to sprout wings and fly through stages with ease. In classic Mario fashion, each World consists of 8 levels with a Boss every 4th course. However I was a tad bit disappointed with the boss choices. Specifically most were just recycled in the case of midpoint bosses. All that was changed were new techniques required to beat them.
Along with the visual design, my other favorite part of this game has to be the music. Some of the most relaxing and calm pieces decorate each level. From bright and cheerful to mysterious and spooky, I found myself leaving the game on its title screen just to listen to the music loop through. The guitar playing is just so soothing. Throughout playing the game I was reminded of my past playing through Yoshi's Story back in the N64 days. Shy Guys are pretty much the primary days and eggs are replaced by yarn balls.
You then chuck them either at enemies or objects that could reveal something. In certain cases, outlines of platforms can be seen. Should these boxes come into contact with a ball, a platform is formed, in the color of the yarn you threw. There are also different sizes which affect how they're thrown. Certain levels have a section which transforms your Yarn Yoshi into a completely different object such as an airplane or giant to name a few, in a fashion similar to Kirby's Epic Yarn. I wouldn't say that this game is particularly difficult but there are annoyances when I would repeatedly die and just feel like I'm not making any progress. There's also a level late in the game that had me confused at first but once I figured out it's gimmick, it was mainly more of a frustration battle with it.
Throughout the level are little bits of items you can collect from flower faces to yarn packages. Collecting all the yarn packages allows you to knit back together a stolen Yoshi. You can then swap places and keep playing the game with a different Yoshi. Getting back to how you can swap his design, that's where amiibos come into play. By scanning in an amiibo, you unlock a skin for your lovable green friend more akin to the figure you used. Ganondorf Yoshi? Race to the finish with Captain Falcon Yoshi? Yup, that's all possible! Though I was sorely upset that Greninja gave no skins :/. Through and through, Yoshi's Wooly World is an entertaining platformer, one that you can sit down and play through at a relaxing pace (I didn't XD, I have too many other games to get to!). Some of the level designs can be frustrating/confusing but each one offers an element that further takes the core mechanic on a spin.
Should you Play this Game?
Yes. Yoshi's World is a beautiful game that can be played either solo or with a friend. Though most of its boss battles are recycled, the level designs are clever. Backed up by pretty music, an enchanting World Map, and other features, Wooly World is a fun experience to those that are a fan of Mario's best pal.
