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Yoshi's Woolly World Review


Zera
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Kirby's Epic Yarn was a successful feel-good 2D platformer developed by Good-Feel (get it?). While it relied more on its charming textile presentation than innovative gameplay, it did have some unique mechanics, like using a mid-range attack to grab enemies and convert them into throwable projectiles. But isn't that exactly what Yoshi has been doing for the last 20 years? Good-Feel and Nintendo must have noticed this coincidence, and consequently decided to make Yoshi's Woolly World.

The graphics are the most distinct aspect of Woolly World. Everything is made of knitted yarn and other soft materials, and it looks excellent. The underground areas are folded layers of brown woolen fabric. The beach water sparkles with floating sequins. The sky backgrounds are decorated curtains, and falling snowflakes are tiny tufts of cotton. My favorite detail is how the ground squishes down a bit as you walk on it - it really makes the world seem like a soft place. In fact, my only problem with the visuals is that I can't reach into the television and feel the levels, even though I really, really want to. I guess we'll just have to wait for the holodeck to be invented. Any time now...

The music is also quite good. Like Epic Yarn, Woolly World's soundtrack is varied and enjoyable to listen to as you play. Nearly every level has its own music, and in Good-Feel tradition there is a sound test. Or you can just go to YouTube and listen to it there.

The core gameplay is identical to that of Yoshi's Island. In addition to platforming, you can eat enemies, turn them into throwable eggs, and use a midair flutter to save yourself from peril. The controls are solid, but you can't use the right analog stick to aim eggs - you must hold the R button and watch a reticle wave back and forth . If you use a sideways Wii Remote, you can tilt it to aim manually, which works better. However, you can't use a Wii Remote and Nunchuck to aim directly, which would have made it extremely easy to aim, throw, and platform all at the same time. This would have opened up possibilities for more challenging and complex level design, so it's a shame they didn't take this route.

While the core mechanics are untouched, some structural aspects are improved. Baby Mario is nowhere to be found, and neither is the annoyance of listening to his crying and chasing after him every time you get hit. Levels remember the collectibles you find, so you don't have to get them all in one go for completion. The collectibles themselves are more appealing since each type unlocks different things. Flowers unlock bonus levels, Wonder Wools unlock new skins for Yoshi, and Stamp Patches unlock new stamps for Miiverse.

Instead of collecting coins for extra lives, you collect beads, which can be spent on badges. Each badge gives you a temporary buff for one level, and effects include things like "make all yarn balls big", and "collect items with Yoshi's tongue". Unfortunately, the badges "immunity to bottomless pits" and "immunity to fire and lava" can break entire levels - including those extra-hard bonus levels. And they're not even expensive, costing only 7,500 beads. As of 100% completion, I currently have over 400,000 beads. Unlike the Super Guides of past Nintendo platformers, there are NO drawbacks for using these win buttons, nor the optional "Mellow Mode", which lets you hover indefinitely without losing height. In a game that's not too challenging to begin with, the amount of help on offer can feel absurd at times.

The levels in Woolly World are pretty varied - no two levels look, sound, or play exactly the same. High points include levels like "Fluffin' Puffin Babysitting", "Sunset at Curtain Falls", and "Spooky Scraps", which have interesting mechanics that fit in the game's unique aesthetic. Not all the levels are impressive, though. In addition to some confusing maze levels, some feel like retreads of ideas already present in Yoshi's Island, and only feel fresh because of the new visuals.

One thing that bugs me is the game's over-reliance on invisible mystery clouds to store collectibles. if you don't jump above every single platform and into every single corner, you will NOT find all the collectibles on your own. The more I think about it, the more I realize that making collectibles invisible is just a terrible idea - it adds trial-and-error to the gameplay with no benefit whatsoever. There is a badge that reveals hidden objects, but it is a symptom of the problem just as much as a solution.

Yoshi's Woolly World is a very nice game. If you want a easy-to-play platformer with varied levels and oodles of charm that you can unwind with, then hopefully you've already played Kirby's Epic Yarn. If you have and want more, well, here you go. The best thing I can say about Woolly World is that unlike Epic Yarn, it actually feels like a Yoshi game. The worst thing I can say is that Good-Feel focused so much on authentic Yoshi's Island gameplay that they barely improved on it. As far as Wii U platformers go, I'd put it above Sonic Lost World, but below Super Mario 3D World and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Although it's initial retail price was $50, it is currently available new for $30, which is a very reasonable price in my opinion.

7 out of 10 (Good!)

Edited by Zera
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One thing that bugs me is the game's over-reliance on invisible mystery clouds to store collectibles. if you don't jump above every single platform and into every single corner, you will NOT find all the collectibles on your own. The more I think about it, the more I realize that making collectibles invisible is just a terrible idea - it adds trial-and-error to the gameplay with no benefit whatsoever.

Personally, I enjoy the idea of not being able to just run down a hallway, spot a cloud at the end, and know immediately if it was worth my time or not. The mystery of "one of the rare 5 flowers/20 stamps/Wolly bits over here?" There's 30 things to hide all around the level and the idea of not being able to see about half of the game's hidden goodies encourages exploring the entirety of the maps that were created for the game in the first place.

That's just my opinion on it though.

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I agree with Elie. And I think the game deserves a 9/10 personally. My only issue with it is the difficulty, but then in the post-game, I did get quite a challenge (the boss tent and bonus levels unlocked by collecting the flowers are beast). I just kinda wish the main game had been a bit harder. But otherwise, I felt that this was a really fun and practically flawless game.

Edited by Anacybele
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To clarify my issue with invisible mystery clouds, they don't necessarily reward skill, perception, or even exploration. Some of them are placed above suspicious platforms and in empty corners - these ones are good. But several are not. Case in point, the following example from 2-1 (slightly embellished).

"Where's that DAMN fourth Chaos Emeral- I mean, second Flower. I'm on my fourth playthrough of this stage, and this whole "exploration" thing is starting to get tedious and boring. I've shoved Yoshi's soft, adorable body into every f***ing wall, floor, and ceiling, and I just can't find it. Will I be forced to resort to a video guide? It has to be in this underground area, but where on earth.........oh god, don't tell me. It's above that completely inconspicuous egg box I've run under every single time, isn't it?"

troll-face-22.png

"Goddammit, level designer! You have wasted my time by forcing me to replay this whole level three times!"

And here's the thing... DKC: Tropical Freeze has proven that you can have secrets, exploration, and surprises... and still keep everything visible. Trial-and-error is an archaic element of old school game design, a relic of the past that is no longer needed.

Edited by Zera
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