Yoshi's Woolly World Shorts

28-05-2021 admin

Published 2:02 PM EST Mar 3, 2017

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Nintendo often gets a bad rap for making “kiddie” games. In my world, however, kid-friendly games aren’t a bad thing.

As a gamer who was raised during the heyday of 8-bit gaming, I still have a soft spot for the classic genres I grew up with such as sidescrolling platformers. Personally, I also tend to focus more on gameplay as far as my gaming preferences go, not whether a game looks edgy or visually “mature.” I’ve found many gamers tend to think the same way once they start hitting their 30s or have kids.

Feb 15, 2017 By: Max Cannon. Yoshi's Woolly World hit the Wii U in October of 2015 and was a beloved game. Now the game has jumped from the Wii U onto the. Feb 01, 2017 Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World for 3DS contains all of the same content as the original but also a few significant additions that make it more than just a straight-up port. Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World on Nintendo 3DS family systems is an adventure game set in a world of yarn. It includes all the stages from the Wii U game Yoshi's Woolly World, plus new features including levels based around Yoshi's friend Poochy.

Besides, given all the terrible games that kids have access to in today’s smartphone and tablet app-dominated world, it’s nice to see the level of polish that Nintendo typically places on its “kiddie” games — at least so children know what a well-designed game looks like. The original “Yoshi’s Woolly World” on the Wii U is a perfect example. Featuring a nice mix of classic platforming combined with a unique and adorable presentation, the game features the kind of charm and attention to detail that I like to see in my family-friendly titles. Plus it’s criminally cute, and I’m definitely a sucker for adorable character and world design.

This makes the game’s arrival on the 3DS with “Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World” a welcome development for yours truly. The question, of course, is whether it’s worth a second trip, especially for folks who already have the Wii U version.

First, let’s go through the game’s more familiar offerings. For the most part, everything I said in my original review for the Wii U version still applies for the 3DS version as well. This includes the story, which has Koopa wizard Kamek flying in and turning a bunch of Yarn Yoshis into pieces of yarn. Oh, Kamek, you disturbing, myopic, broom-riding turtle, you. Anyway, your job is to take control of one of the remaining Yoshi’s and save your hapless brethren, who can then be used in the game as well once they’re restored to their original form.

In addition to the Yoshis that you rescue, you can also grow your army of yarn dinosaurs by scanning all sorts of Amiibo. Figures I have scanned include Mario, Animal Crossing’s Isabelle, and a bunch of Splatoon Amiibo, resulting in an equivalent Yarn Yoshi being added to my stable. Scanning a Yoshi Amiibo, meanwhile, lets you use a Yoshi sidekick who can follow you in the game.

Visually, the 3DS version is not quite as nice as the Wii U version, which is understandable. If you have the New Nintendo 3DS, though, you benefit from smoother frame rates, which is a plus. One notable omission, however, is two-player mode, which is a bummer as Poochy would have been a great partner.

Although the overall adventure and mechanics are the same, Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World does try to add some new wrinkles to help keep things fresh. The most obvious change, of course, can be seen in the title as Poochy shares top billing with Yoshi this time around. The addition, however, is not as game-changing as some people might think. That’s because Poochy’s role is limited to the new Poochy Mode, which is more akin to a side-scrolling endless runner-ish exercise as opposed to a classic platformer. It’s interesting but feels more like a diversion, particularly given how you still can’t use Poochy in the main adventure. He does pop up in the adorable “Yoshi Theater” stop-motion video shorts, though, which add a fun element to the game.

One change that I find to be more impactful is the addition of Poochy puppies in the easier Mellow Mode. The Poochy pups are designed to provide hints by sniffing out secret items and spots — a great feature not just for kids but also completionists who may be having a tough time finding that last hidden flower or yarn piece. Granted, this makes an already easy game even easier. Lack of challenge continues to be an issue that carries over from the original game, especially for platforming fans who yearn for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze levels of difficulty. Then again, the game’s family-friendly approach will fit with certain audiences as well.

So do the new additions warrant a purchase for folks who own the Wii U version? The answer, as with a lot of things, depends. On face value, I wouldn’t describe the changes as major ones so it’s perfectly fine to stick with your Wii U copy should you already have it. If you have kids, however, who would benefit from the ability to use Poochy pups or simply want a Woolly World game that you could play on the go — barring a port to the Nintendo Switch, of course — Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World is worth another spin of this adorable yarn.

FINAL THOUGHTS

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