ShockingAlberto
Member
What I'm getting from this is you have only now realized that people might disagree with your opinions on things.
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And Now Comes a YOSHI'S NEW ISLAND REVIEW THREAD to spread controversy
- Thread starter maxcriden
- Start date
What I'm getting from this is you have only now realized that people might disagree with your opinions on things.
Not to that extent, but my issues mostly lie with soundtrack and ease of difficulty.
Yoshi's Island DS, NSMB 1, NSMB 2, and Phantom Hourglass (not really too easy, but the soundtrack was mediocre and the repeated dungeon was just unnecessary).
3DS, the majority of main series entries / remakes have been pretty good.
K
kittens
Unconfirmed Member
Yeah, I guess "unwillingness" is more accurate. Nintendo has plenty of talent and spark in them. I just wish they'd devote some more of that to their Yoshi platformers. The original is still one of the most fun and unique platformers out there.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
Ratings ranging from 4/10 up to A-? Pretty controversal imo. Anyway, it's really rather easy to see whether you'll like it or not: Is fantastic, albeit well known, base gameplay and great level design with a bunch of neat new ideas enough to make you happy with a game? Or are you very dependet on general freshness of the gameplay mechanics, as well as a pompous presentation with great music? In case you see yourself in camp 1: Go for it. In case you see yourself in camp 2: Stay away. Considering what McShae seems to like in platformers, I could've predicted his rating of this game beforehand.
cyberheater
PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
I don't think I've ever seen a game with such a wide and even spread of review scores.
Oh gosh I want this so bad. I liked what I saw since day one and even the mixed reviews sound like a confirmation to me. I have bad taste confirmed, I guess. If I end up liking it, it'll join my list of games I'll defend against internet hate along with stuff like the Street Fighter EX games, Spelunker or the non-RPG Paper Mario games. A shame the music sounds indeed quite mediocre, though.
Hero of Canton
Member
The problem with that assessment is that it doesn't have great level design or a bunch of neat new ideas. And the base gameplay is markedly worse because Yoshi handles so sluggishly and because the stages themselves are so dull.
If you loved the original, stay away. This will only sully your fond memories of it.
FrostuTheNinja
Member
With how this is reviewing, sounds more and more like my kind of jam.
You mean divisive, not controversial. And with today's review scoring system, neutral would be around 70-75.
Anyways, the main thing bugging me about this game is music, and the awfully slow gameplay. I can't really say much about the level design cause we've barely seen any, but I'm definitely not a big fan of that giant egg mechanic. It basically is just there put in a level in a meaningless way from the ways I've seen it being used.
Then there is gyro controls which will give a frustrating time and poor visuals. The lack of good new ideas could have been excused if all of these issues didn't exist, but it basically has nothing going for it other than being a Yoshi's Island sequel.
Yoshi's Island for the SNES didn't have any of the problems above. If you liked the gameplay and level design of Yoshi's Island, you could make the argument for Yoshi's Island DS, but it doesn't seem like you can make that same argument for this game.
TheFLYINGManga_Ka
Member
Seeing reviews like this do make me wonder:
A) Is it really that bad?
Or...
B) Are reviewers caught under the whole, "it plays it safe so it's bad, but it's still actually really good game" nonsense?
A) Is it really that bad?
Or...
B) Are reviewers caught under the whole, "it plays it safe so it's bad, but it's still actually really good game" nonsense?
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
I think this has to be one of Parish's worst conclusions ever. Reads like a review crafted to purposely bite back at the cynicism to "balance" things. Always hate that sort of mindset.
A lot of the other reviews seem to have this strange nostalgia over-ride where because the original was great, this one gets some default pass? I guess YIDS just sort of stealth released and avoided any positive past association to pave over its distinct average-ness.
I think it's a bit of both, honestly. The game is most likely good (I'm thinking 6.0-7.0 range, but I'll know when I play the game for myself) but the fact that it's not great combined with the lack of innovation makes it easy to rate poorly.
I saw Nintendolife's review this morning and wasn't expecting much based on that, but it's good to see that there's a solid scale to the reviews overall. I guess I'll hold off for now (waiting for a potential sale/still have a pretty big backlog to work on), but I'll probably give it a shot eventually, considering YI is my favorite game of all time and I already found DS to be a solid game, even if it didn't live up to the lofty standards of the original.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
My second review for German website Select-Gamer is also online:
http://www.selectgamer.de/yoshis-new-island-so-gut-wie-anno-1995/
My final words are:
Yoshis New Island ist ein tolles Jump & Run, das von der außerordentlich tollen Vorlage profitiert, aber genug Eigenständigkeit besitzt, vom Klassiker nicht völlig redundant gemacht zu werden. Wer die Spielmechanik von Yoshis Island mag und wie könnte man sie nicht mögen wird mit Yoshis New Island wieder eine Menge erstklassiger Hüpfspielstunden zubringen können. Der gut ausgewogene Schwierigkeitsgrad und das gelungene Leveldesign sorgen im Zusammenspiel mit der fantastischen Grundmechanik für ein erstklassiges Gameplay. Die Musik allerdings ist beinahe eine Beleidigung für die Ohren und weiß nur in sehr seltenen Fällen zu gefallen.
In English: Yoshi's New Island is a great platformer, that benefits from a extraordinarily great template, but offers enough originalty to not be made redundant by it. If you like the mechanics of Yoshi's Island - and how could you notlike them - you will be able to have a bunch of first-rate hopping hours with Yoshi's New Island. Its well balanced difficulty and successful level design together with the fantastic base mechanics arrange for a fantastic gameplay. The music however is almost a disgrace to the ears and is enjoyable only in very few cases.
http://www.selectgamer.de/yoshis-new-island-so-gut-wie-anno-1995/
My final words are:
Yoshis New Island ist ein tolles Jump & Run, das von der außerordentlich tollen Vorlage profitiert, aber genug Eigenständigkeit besitzt, vom Klassiker nicht völlig redundant gemacht zu werden. Wer die Spielmechanik von Yoshis Island mag und wie könnte man sie nicht mögen wird mit Yoshis New Island wieder eine Menge erstklassiger Hüpfspielstunden zubringen können. Der gut ausgewogene Schwierigkeitsgrad und das gelungene Leveldesign sorgen im Zusammenspiel mit der fantastischen Grundmechanik für ein erstklassiges Gameplay. Die Musik allerdings ist beinahe eine Beleidigung für die Ohren und weiß nur in sehr seltenen Fällen zu gefallen.
In English: Yoshi's New Island is a great platformer, that benefits from a extraordinarily great template, but offers enough originalty to not be made redundant by it. If you like the mechanics of Yoshi's Island - and how could you notlike them - you will be able to have a bunch of first-rate hopping hours with Yoshi's New Island. Its well balanced difficulty and successful level design together with the fantastic base mechanics arrange for a fantastic gameplay. The music however is almost a disgrace to the ears and is enjoyable only in very few cases.
I'd argue in some situations its bad taste or over sensitive judgement more than anything else. Don't know how many times I've been told to give a modern Sonic game a chance only to find out its actually is a shitty game. In this case, beyond the horrible music, you are literally getting a Yoshi's Island game, it says Yoshi's new Island on it, what more is needed?
Agent Unknown
Member
For those who have played it, is the level design at least well done and satisfying when going for completion? I really enjoyed Yoshi's Island DS despite its aesthetic flaws as that game had rock solid level design (especially if you are serious about getting 100% per my YI DS Perfect File thread Maxcriden spoiler linked). YI DS had overall really dull bosses though (except for maybe the Shyguy mech on stilts and the final Bowser fight) and it looks like that continued here, are any of the bosses inventive?
Really wish they'd gone with sprites, because say what you will about YI DS not matching the aesthetic polish of the first game, it still looked lovely. This just looks like a mess visually. Sound is foregone conclusion. :/
Really wish they'd gone with sprites, because say what you will about YI DS not matching the aesthetic polish of the first game, it still looked lovely. This just looks like a mess visually. Sound is foregone conclusion. :/
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
Where does this come from? Yoshi moves at least as fast as he did in Yoshi's Island. Are you only looking at footage where he just starts moving?
Edit: @Agent: Yes, the level design is well done, I'd say even a tad better than in YIDS (without taking the baby swapping and for some people tiresome length of the levels into account, if you didn't like those two points, the difference in perceived quality should grow even further).
What would you say is the deal with the super negative reviews? I'm not looking for a 9.5-10 game. I'm looking for maybe a 7-8 not even an 8.5. I wouldn't even rate the original game a 9. Not every game needs to be a 10 it just needs to maintain some kind of standard for its series on genre to me. If it evolves it is some way I get a pleasant surprise, if its what I expect, it should be, that is normal with all products you buy.
MikeE21286
Member
Death by platformer Nintendo.
Magicpaint
Member
Eeek. Looks like I'll be saving myself some money this month...only Dark Souls 2 for me, then. Will get Kirby instead.
JennyTablina
Member
Of what I've played of this so far it doesn't seem THAT bad. I agree with reviews saying this is a very safe Nintendo effort - you shouldn't be picking this up thinking you'll see any of the major innovations of the original. Get it because you want a platformer that isn't going to constantly try to kill you, or simply because you want more Yoshi action.
It reminds me of NES remix, in that the game actually plays like a gentle introduction to the play-schemes and concepts of the original Yoshi's Island. It still asks you to explore and try to find new hidden flutter-clouds - think about how you obtain some of the goodies ect. Though it's markedly more forgiving in some respects than the original.
But this isn't that awful a tribute to the original, being a Sonic fan - I've seen how bad "re-imagining" or trading off a certain good series name can be (lolsonic 4) - it feels like Arzest have tried to be true to the original as much as they can, and Yoshi controls perfectly fine (I guess I can see that Yoshi is a bit more zippy here and less floaty? I actually get on better with New Island's control than I recall taking to the original)
I'm not completely defending it, it is too safe. But it reminds me of Epic Yarn and Super Princess Peach sans gimmicks (bar the usual gyrometer business that Artoon/Arzest have a thing for) - it's a game getting trashed simply because it's offering very little new and is kind of on the easy side. It seems strange when things like the lego games consistently get high scores and yet are themselves very much by-the-numbers too.
It reminds me of NES remix, in that the game actually plays like a gentle introduction to the play-schemes and concepts of the original Yoshi's Island. It still asks you to explore and try to find new hidden flutter-clouds - think about how you obtain some of the goodies ect. Though it's markedly more forgiving in some respects than the original.
But this isn't that awful a tribute to the original, being a Sonic fan - I've seen how bad "re-imagining" or trading off a certain good series name can be (lolsonic 4) - it feels like Arzest have tried to be true to the original as much as they can, and Yoshi controls perfectly fine (I guess I can see that Yoshi is a bit more zippy here and less floaty? I actually get on better with New Island's control than I recall taking to the original)
I'm not completely defending it, it is too safe. But it reminds me of Epic Yarn and Super Princess Peach sans gimmicks (bar the usual gyrometer business that Artoon/Arzest have a thing for) - it's a game getting trashed simply because it's offering very little new and is kind of on the easy side. It seems strange when things like the lego games consistently get high scores and yet are themselves very much by-the-numbers too.
It has a really wonderful level design that will never bore you, if you aim to 100% it. What it really lacks is that feeling of something new, apart from being too easy and probably directed to kids rather than fans of the original on the SNES (or maybe it was hard for us when we were kids and now kids will appreciate this as we did?!), even though most of the elements of the game are shared with it and it's its truly successor in terms of how it feels by playing it.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Fuck. Started scrolling reviews at, like, 'Whoa!' and ended up hanging head 'okay....'
Woah reviews are all over the map. I guess I'll wait until footage of later levels show up and decide from those if I wanna get it now or wait for a price drop.
Presentation issues aside (and oh Ive got plenty of those with this game), it looks solid enough to play but nothing that screams I gotta play it right away
Presentation issues aside (and oh Ive got plenty of those with this game), it looks solid enough to play but nothing that screams I gotta play it right away
Looking at all of the gameplay vids, I've seen Yoshi running, and the egg cursor moving slower.
ToastyFrog
Inexplicable Treasure Hate
Not... really? I wrote that over the weekend, days before I had seen any other reviews or scores. My review text is essentially an internal monologue responding to my own initial assumptions about the game, not anyone else's feelings (or what I thought anyone else's would be).
Canis lupus
Member
People seem more interested in the reviews than the game as this thread has more views than the OT.
Bloodworth
Member
The cursor has two different speed settings or you can use the gyro control for aim.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
After the opening paragraph of "lets put our cynicism to one side" (we're afforded that luxury here because of reasons), your review text amounted to the game making a poor case for anyone playing it over the original, and part of your conclusion reads literally as "they set out to make this game and they did" as if thats some sort of merit. Other than perhaps games beset by last minute cut mechanic content, you can slap that feint praise on the end of any game.
I think its just almost impossible to divorce the positive nostalgia association this game evokes but review it's own justification to exist. Yoshi's Island is perhaps one of my fave games of all time, and I've always viewed this game as just going through the motions and work for a studio that needs to tick a Yoshi Game box on Nintendo's calendar (and even hamstrung by perhaps clumsily trying a few too many new things in YIDS, so GET THAT CREATIVITY OUT for a start). If the sum of its sequels worth is "you should just replay the first one if you're not tired of that", thats a pretty damning review in my eyes. "Game doesn't need to exist: 4/5".
FWIW Jeremy, I've always enjoyed your reviews and seeing your thought process clearly delineated, and this review was no exception.
Agent Unknown
Member
Thanks, that makes me feel better, glad to hear the level design is solid for getting 100%. I'm still getting it tomorrow either way. Nothing can save the music but I'm hoping I'll like the visuals a bit better when I actually see it on the 3DS screen in the same way LBW looks much better in person (although I still wish they'd gone for a more hand drawn/sprite style for that game too).
We're collectively curious if our pessimism (or optimism) about this title was warranted. It's like tuning in for the verdict in a murder trial, the victim being good game design.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
I think the deal is that
(1) Many players, reviewers in particular are very presentation-sensitive people. YNI is extremely calm and doesn't scream "I'm awsome" in your face. While the graphics do look great, they are nothing oustanding and lacking in effects, the music is extremely calm and often times just dull. Result: the game presents itself as a bit boring and unexciting, although gameplay mechanics and level design themselves are really great (this category for example is a problem with players like gigglepoo / McShae).
(2) It's the third game using the same gameplay structure, players might just not want to play more of this template and mark the game down for that
(3) In the last few months there have been a lot of 2D platformers, often with newer base mechanics (DKC uses a mechanic from 2010, Rayman Legends is basically new, Puppeteer is new) and always with busier and more polished presentation, this adds to points (1) and (2).
I therefore say, if it's the gameplay and level designs you are looking for, you will have a great time, if points (1) or (2) bother you a lot, you won't.
MyBodyisReady
Neo Member
Yup a bunch of reviewers complaining about the art and the music because they aren't children.
I for one am looking forward to this game reawakening the whimsy inside of me. The music and art I find to be charming.
I for one am looking forward to this game reawakening the whimsy inside of me. The music and art I find to be charming.
butman
Member
Fail trolling? Is the best SNES platform game after Super Mario World.
BruiserBear
Banned
I have so much love for the first Yoshi's Island that it just makes me a little sad to see how Nintendo has handled the game since then. Not only have they completely failed to bring it to the Virtual Console, which is just fucking embarrassing, as it's one of the most beloved platformers ever.
But now they're happy to churn out an average, uninspired couple of sequels on the DS and now 3DS. I don't even know what more to say. Nintendo disappoints me on so many levels these days.
I have absolutely no problem with the graphics of the original Yoshi's Island today, at age 37. Yet I find the art in this new game a poor man's attempt at creating a new style of a new Yoshi game.
But now they're happy to churn out an average, uninspired couple of sequels on the DS and now 3DS. I don't even know what more to say. Nintendo disappoints me on so many levels these days.
I have absolutely no problem with the graphics of the original Yoshi's Island today, at age 37. Yet I find the art in this new game a poor man's attempt at creating a new style of a new Yoshi game.
MyBodyisReady
Neo Member
I don't get this. It's the same art style but with 3D models. I find it inoffensive at best. Mediocre at worst but its certainly not off-putting. I never expected a matisse painting yknow? It's Yoshi's Island which has always been a C to B level Nintendo franchise. I think it does its job and thats fine by me. It's charming.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
It started as "the next Mario", so always is not true. Yoshi's Story, too, was produced with a big team of Nintendo veterans and still is one incredibly well looking game, especially considering it's an N64 game. But yeah, nowadays they sure as hell are not investing a whole lot of money into the presentation of Yoshi games.
Walter Matthau
Member
I feel the same way they did. It's kind of like when they take an old animated film and do a straight-to-DVD sequel using CGI. I felt the same way from videos of the new Zelda. Granted I know these games look better in person and the more footage I've seen the more acceptable they have become to me, but the original Yoshi's Island and original LTTP are beautiful games that are hard to replicate in 3D.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
So it's a good game but YI1 is better? I agree on that, but after having completed YI1 just last year, I prefer some new levels over playing the same game again
. A 'no' seems a bit harsh going by what he writes about the game and the analogies (a dish made by a good cook after a master cook's recipe... I'd still eat that).
Some french reviews to add to the OP!
Jeuxvideo.com: 13/20 (they say it's good to have Yoshi back, but the game is average at most and feels uninspired)
Gamekult: 6/10 (their advice is to just wait for a used copy)
Journal du Gamer: 7/10 (they say the game is alright but it feels too safe and forgettable)
Nintendo Master: 7/10 (visually charming, but short and bland)
Jeuxvideo.com: 13/20 (they say it's good to have Yoshi back, but the game is average at most and feels uninspired)
Gamekult: 6/10 (their advice is to just wait for a used copy)
Journal du Gamer: 7/10 (they say the game is alright but it feels too safe and forgettable)
Nintendo Master: 7/10 (visually charming, but short and bland)