I'd like to order two eggs Yoshi-side up, please.
Yoshi, Nintendo's ubiquitous green dinosaur has been many things since his first appearance in 1990. Some of these roles are more well-known: noble steed, babysitter, pro golfer, Smash Brother. Less renowned is his stint as a puzzle game host in the early-to-mid 90's.
Nintendo, like many at the time, was keen to capitalize on the puzzle game craze ignited by Tetris in the late 80's. And while Dr. Mario may have been their first falling object puzzler in 1990, Yoshi was not far behind, arriving on the Game Boy and NES in 1991 in the game...Yoshi. Or Mario & Yoshi, as Europe and the Super Game Boy guide call it.
Yoshi's Cookie (1992) and the Yoshi-fied Panel De Pon reskin Tetris Attack (1995) may be better remembered today, but Yoshi deserves some recognition as well. Of the three, it is the most Tetris-esque, consisting of a well with four trays at the bottom upon which four classic Mario baddies and Yoshi eggshell halves will descend. Unlike Tetris and Dr. Mario, which gives the player control of a falling block, Yoshi instead has players moving Mario at the bottom of the screen to switch around adjacent trays and try to maneuver falling objects into stacks.
Like many puzzle games, Yoshi features a "high risk, high reward" system that encourages allowing stacks of enemies to grow higher and higher with the promise of a bigger payoff. If an upper eggshell half lands on a lower eggshell half, they will combine and a baby Yoshi will hatch. The catch is that enemies can be sandwiched between these two halves an eliminated in one fell swoop. More enemies being captured results in bigger Yoshi hatchlings: baby, adult, winged, and even a giant "sparkling" Yoshi. It's a straightforward concept and perhaps a little too simple for fans of more sophisticated puzzle games, but is enjoyable nonetheless.
Interestingly, while the game was published by Nintendo, it was developed by none other than Game Freak (of Pokémon fame). Satoshi Tajiri, creator of the worldwide phenomenon, served as designer for Yoshi while Junichi Masuda composed the game's music. Anyone who has ever played a Game Boy Pokémon game could easily mistake Masuda's cheery and upbeat Yoshi tunes for Pokémon music.
All in all, Yoshi is a charming, straightforward puzzle game that's perfect for a quick play on a lazy afternoon. I've spend many an afternoon carefully stacking up Goombas and Piranha Plants to try and reach a new high score. Even for those who aren't into puzzle games as much it serves as a historical curiosity as an early game from the industry giants at Game Freak. It's currently available on the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console services as well as the NES collection featured in Nintendo Switch Online. Give it a try!
Wahoo! You are a Super Reader! But the adventure doesn't stop here... There's more of this project in another castle! This article is just one level in an entire Super Mario Multiverse, a galactic collaboration between writers around the world sharing a bit of our hearts and memories about our favorite Mario games. Visit the Center of the Multiverse to see more:
Yoshi, Nintendo's ubiquitous green dinosaur has been many things since his first appearance in 1990. Some of these roles are more well-known: noble steed, babysitter, pro golfer, Smash Brother. Less renowned is his stint as a puzzle game host in the early-to-mid 90's.
Nintendo, like many at the time, was keen to capitalize on the puzzle game craze ignited by Tetris in the late 80's. And while Dr. Mario may have been their first falling object puzzler in 1990, Yoshi was not far behind, arriving on the Game Boy and NES in 1991 in the game...Yoshi. Or Mario & Yoshi, as Europe and the Super Game Boy guide call it.Yoshi's Cookie (1992) and the Yoshi-fied Panel De Pon reskin Tetris Attack (1995) may be better remembered today, but Yoshi deserves some recognition as well. Of the three, it is the most Tetris-esque, consisting of a well with four trays at the bottom upon which four classic Mario baddies and Yoshi eggshell halves will descend. Unlike Tetris and Dr. Mario, which gives the player control of a falling block, Yoshi instead has players moving Mario at the bottom of the screen to switch around adjacent trays and try to maneuver falling objects into stacks.
Like many puzzle games, Yoshi features a "high risk, high reward" system that encourages allowing stacks of enemies to grow higher and higher with the promise of a bigger payoff. If an upper eggshell half lands on a lower eggshell half, they will combine and a baby Yoshi will hatch. The catch is that enemies can be sandwiched between these two halves an eliminated in one fell swoop. More enemies being captured results in bigger Yoshi hatchlings: baby, adult, winged, and even a giant "sparkling" Yoshi. It's a straightforward concept and perhaps a little too simple for fans of more sophisticated puzzle games, but is enjoyable nonetheless.Interestingly, while the game was published by Nintendo, it was developed by none other than Game Freak (of Pokémon fame). Satoshi Tajiri, creator of the worldwide phenomenon, served as designer for Yoshi while Junichi Masuda composed the game's music. Anyone who has ever played a Game Boy Pokémon game could easily mistake Masuda's cheery and upbeat Yoshi tunes for Pokémon music.
All in all, Yoshi is a charming, straightforward puzzle game that's perfect for a quick play on a lazy afternoon. I've spend many an afternoon carefully stacking up Goombas and Piranha Plants to try and reach a new high score. Even for those who aren't into puzzle games as much it serves as a historical curiosity as an early game from the industry giants at Game Freak. It's currently available on the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console services as well as the NES collection featured in Nintendo Switch Online. Give it a try!
Wahoo! You are a Super Reader! But the adventure doesn't stop here... There's more of this project in another castle! This article is just one level in an entire Super Mario Multiverse, a galactic collaboration between writers around the world sharing a bit of our hearts and memories about our favorite Mario games. Visit the Center of the Multiverse to see more:
 |
Didn't know about this or the Pokémon connection and now you made me interested in it!
ReplyDelete