| Product: |
Yoshi's Story (N64) |
| Date: |
08/02/07 (144 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: The game is colourful and the classic Nintendo platforming is still here.
Disadvantages: Too cute, too easy, too awkward to controls, and too much foul language.
I remember this game here being hyped nearly to death by magazines and game shows before it was finally released in 1998. With the ambitious Yoshi's Story video game Nintendo here tried to create a good old fashion 2D action title since players around the world still love those traditional style platformers like amazing games Super Mario World (awesome game!) or the original Yoshi's Island (good too). Everyone loved those games and I know I was looking forward to the game too because most of the Nintendo 64 games focused highly on 3D instead and they can be very difficult to control at times, eh? If anyone could pull off an unbelievable 2D game it would definitely be the geniuses at Nintendo, but like the movie Pearl Harbour Yoshi's Story just misses the mark big time. Witness one of the biggest duds in N64 history!
The pain starts with the game's lame story and some of the lamest music you will ever heard in a game. The evil Baby Bowser has stolen a special tree from the colourful dinosaur race known as the Yoshis (which is definitely named after some Japanese guy) and now the entire island is under a strange spell and it's turning everyone confused and mean. Fortunately, there were 6 Yoshi eggs unaffected by the spell and now these young Yoshis are on a dangerous quest to get the tree back. Ya, that bored me too. Remember when Britney Spears and Madonna kissed on TV? OK, did that to make sure you're still awake. Anyway, this game seems to be a prequel to the original Yoshi's Island because Mario is not around this time but he probably didn't want to ruin his career by appearing in this piece of crap.
In the game you get to pick from one of six multicolored Yoshi's on a mission to collect 32 fruits on each stage to complete it. Each Yoshi is good at eating junk and throwing eggs but certain ones like the yellow Yoshi will prefer bananas for example over most other fruit but the best overall fruit to get for all the Yoshi's is the light green Melon. It's a interesting concept but since the Melons are the best ones to get overall the whole different colour Yoshi thing seems pointless.
Sadly it gets much worse. The game's biggest problem here is that the whole game can be finished in less then a hour since you just need to go through 6 stages (the ending is very anti-climatic by the way). Where is the challenge in that? Sure, you can't find everything in that hour and you can replay the game to unlock different levels and get higher scores but in all honesty you probably won't care either way after being sorely disappointed with everything here. Another thing wrong with game is the loose controls. Unlike most 2D games you are forced to use the N64's analog stick to move Yoshi around. This is great to help the Yoshi's use their tongues in multiple directions but it sucks for precise jumping and you'll be doing a lot of that here.
If there is one good thing about the game Yoshi's Story here is that the graphics are pretty average. The computer generation backgrounds and characters are very detailed and realistic plus the unique story book cinemas are cool here too. Sadly the 2D visuals still look very flat compared to other N64 games plus the older 16-bit Donkey Kong Country games still looked better overall in my opinion. Although the graphics are not that great, the sound is even more lack luster. Each stage comes with this weak low key quiet theme in the background. Some call it cute, I call it annoying. The Yoshi's like to sing a highly childish melody when they are idle and it makes you want to smack them and tell them to grow a pair. If that wasn't bad enough in between levels there is a sickeningly cute soundtrack whenever a stage is done where it sounds like the Yoshi's are calling me an As*hole here. I can't get over that, those little buggers just singed 'You As*hole' for me here! Believe me that's what I heard them say and I can't skip it either. This game just keeps on piling on the crap.
OK, what the hell were they thinking? It's still a some what playable title with some what decent controls and that very cute look may appeal to a few younger gamers I guess but it's no must have especially if you like more long term game play for your hard earn cash. Remember, this wasn't a budget title when it was first introduced (even though it didn't take too long to go in the discount bins) so we had to pay full price for this. The game play isn't even as deep as the highly acclaimed but older Yoshi's Island for the SNES thanks to the lack of levels (24 compared to 48+), and innovative game play in general. Just close the book on this lame old story!
*Battery back up game
*Rumble Pak compatible
YOSHI'S STORY overall rating: 28/100
For 1 player only
Rated (E) for Everyone
graphics: 5/10
sound: 2/10
gameplay: 4/10
replay: 3/10
This review is also up on:
videogames101.com
-StarSoldier
(Ryan Genno) 2007
Summary: Get it if you can find it super cheap but just be ready to vomit if you decide to play.
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