‘Yoshi’s Crafted World’ Review: A Creative Title That Puts Charm Before Originality

Yoshi has often gotten the short end of the straw when it comes to his solo games. The lovable reptile is usually relegated to sidekick status and left to pony up for Mario at odd turns. Now, Nintendo has teamed up with Good-Feel to bring the charm of Kirby’s Epic Yarn to the Nintendo Switch, and Yoshi’s Crafted World does the job in spades.

While Yoshi’s new platformer hardly reinvents the wheel, the title is as gracious to gamers as it is charming. The humble game follows Yoshi and his pals living a quiet life on an island with the Sundream Stone. The happy relic is made up of powerful Dream Gems, but Baby Bowser and Kamek want the jewels for themselves. However, when the gems are sent flying across the world, Yoshi and his friends are tasked with collecting them all before they are lost forever.

The simple story is backed by easy mechanics and innovate settings. While the overworld map may be small, each location offers a variety of levels with a standard mission set. Gamers will be tasked with collecting at least 100 coins, 20 red coins, and maintain full health all while looking for some hidden Smiley Flowers. These buds are used to progress from world to world, and they aren’t overly difficult to suss out.

For fans wanting a challenge, Yoshi’s Crafted World does have two settings to choose from. Mellow Mode is available for fans wanting to enjoy the search-and-find missions while Regular Mode will has your Yoshi accrue damage more quickly. This is where the game’s costume collectibles come into play as completionists can unlock all of Yoshi’s DIY armor to protect themselves from damage.

To say Yoshi’s Crafted World is charming would put things lightly, and gamers will find themselves in awe at its cozy worlds. As its title implies, the game features settings comprised entirely of arts-and-crafts scenes. The innovative levels are easy to navigate and even smoother to explore, but it never strays from relaxing. Yoshi’s Crafted World doesn’t try to break the mold set by Kirby’s Epic Yarn, and that may disappoint long time fans of the character.

After all, Yoshi’s Crafted World does introduce some unique concepts which feel rather unexplored. Several levels introduce “Flip Side” side quests which allow gamers to play from the level’s other side. This feature could have provided all-new dynamics to the game’s affected levels, but the “Flip Side” comes off as little more than a novelty instead. The game’s progression is also pretty predictable, and its repetitive ease will wear on fans who hoped Yoshi’s Crafted World would reinvent the character.

If there is one bonus to note in particular with this game, it would be its seamless co-op mode. Yoshi’s Crafted World has an easy in-and-out multiplayer system that allows gamers to team up with friends at any point in their journey. With two Yoshis in the level, gamers can work together to mark background targets and knock them out with egg throws to gain additional coins. The co-op mode also begs fans to level up their scavenger hunt skills as enemies and background targets turn into a competitive gig; A second player will make fans all the more eager to collect Smiley Flowers before their friends do, buts Yoshi’s Crafted World is relaxing enough to foster teamwork in even the most competitive gamers.

At its core, Yoshi’s Crafted World plays up imaginative design while going light on ingenuity. The cozy Switch title is a fun game that’s made even better by its homey co-op mode, making it a welcome entry to the fan-favorite console. While some will be disappointed by its lack of innovation, Yoshi’s Crafted World is still an adorable outing that is equal parts comfortable, colorful, and creative for fans of every background.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Yoshi’s Crafted World is now available on the Nintendo Switch. A digital code was provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review.