Yoshi and the Mysterious Book

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is simply a breath of fresh air with its adorable discovery-based gameplay that'll make you feel like a zoologist in a 2D platformer as you smile at all of the super-silly good times on display. What a wonderful game.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is one of the most original and varied games featuring Nintendo's dinosaur, particularly in terms of its core concept. The idea of ​​transforming the pages of a book into explorable worlds is brilliantly realized in a video game packed with levels, each offering a distinct and unique experience. Difficulty is not a major factor—much like in other Yoshi titles—but the replay value is incredibly strong, and achieving 100% completion is a task that takes hours upon hours.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is undoubtedly one of Nintendo's most intriguing experiences in years. It's incredibly charming and relaxing, piques your curiosity, and the short levels are unexpectedly dynamic puzzles, but it suffers from a fragmented structure and a lack of a sense of progression or reward.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book swaps traditional platforming levels for a cozy, creature-cataloging safari set in a gorgeous sketchbook world. While praise is due for its charming visuals, the experience is held back by restrictive, tiny levels and tedious trial-and-error puzzles. Ultimately, it remains a beautiful, worthwhile ride for fans despite its stop-and-start pacing.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book delivers a complete, cohesive, and visually impeccable experience. If there is a pinnacle of the "family game" concept, perhaps this is where major companies should look for inspiration for future titles. It is a balanced and mechanically rich journey that, as the final credits roll, leaves the reader—and player—with the certainty of having witnessed one of Nintendo's most inspired moments in terms of interactive creativity.

For my part, I feel that it lacks a little extra. I've had a lot of fun, but the game doesn't quite create the same magic as many other Nintendo games. It's a good game, which offers a lot of good entertainment, but sometimes seems a little directionless.

Despite its strong concept, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book failed to fully win us over. Of the game’s dozens of short levels, only a handful stuck with us, due to significant repetitiveness in the gameplay and underdeveloped ideas. That said, we must commend the originality and risk-taking behind this new title from Good-Feel, which should delight trophy hunters and completionists.

Although it's not the most challenging game in the world, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book makes up for that with levels full of creativity and fun.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a unique and immensely creative platformer, a book whose pages conceal levels meticulously designed to take you on an adventure that is as personal as it is whimsical.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a breath of fresh air. A children's tale that you will inevitably take pleasure in discovering. A story you could easily picture yourself reading to your little ones, but one you will rather have them experience, as the game is equally made for them. With its gameplay built around thinking and experimentation, it speaks to players of all ages and even manages to turn mistakes and unpredictability into rewards, creating an exhilarating sense of natural, instinctive progression. We are, after all, just big kids, and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book has the gift of reminding us of that in the most wonderful way. It is magical, pure and simple.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book concludes a sort of trilogy that began in 2015 with Woolly World and continued four years later with Crafted World. What unites these titles is a desire to appeal to a very young audience by prioritizing extreme accessibility—featuring gameplay where "Game Over" is not an option and platforming is forgiving. This new Nintendo title shifts the focus from movement to exploration, presenting environments that invite players to indulge their curiosity by analyzing the myriad ways the creatures within Sapienzo interact with Yoshi and the world around them. The artistic vision—rooted in papercraft aesthetics and pastel colors—is highly pleasing; however, the simple level design and overly subdued sound design could flatten the experience for a more mature audience. Yet, this audience is ultimately rewarded with a handful of concluding chapters that finally seem liberated from the yoke of "accessibility at all costs." Varied, free-spirited, and unbridled, these levels possess the power to make players feel like children again through their unpredictable creative twists, thereby enriching a title that successfully manages to resonate with generations of gamers spanning a wide divide.

The most incredible thing about Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is that it lacks a definable duration, as it transcends the traditional conventions of a distinct beginning and end. One could argue that the game concludes once the very last creature has been discovered; however, the concept of time becomes entirely relative—dependent on your pace, your desire to savor every diorama, your willingness to explore each area thoroughly, your choice to utilize (or forgo) hints, and whether or not you seek out the fleeting shadows that occasionally appear to remind you of a discovery yet to be made. Is it a game of relaxed exploration? Of continuous discovery? Or of the logical interpretation of every environment? This new Nintendo title offers multiple layers of interpretation—all equally valid, and all equally faithful to a precise stylistic and gameplay vision capable of seamlessly weaving together every distinct idea brought to the table.

If you're willing to go back to being a child and let yourself be carried away by the logic that governed your childhood games, when the joy of discovery and the most surreal imagination ruled supreme, then Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is the game for you. For everyone else, you can safely knock a couple of points off this review's score and keep it in mind exclusively as a gift for a much younger player, who will absolutely love figuring out how to "torture" a poor little smiling flower by swallowing it, throwing it in the mud, launching it down a hill, or making it ride Yoshi through a flowery field.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a charming game that reimagines the series’ formula by applying it to a fresh structure and innovative ideas, delivering a nonstop stream of creativity from start to finish. It’s a triumph of game design, offering an experience the whole family can enjoy.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a platformer for Nintendo Switch 2 that focuses on curiosity and constant discovery. Throughout its short levels, players must experiment with everything around them to figure out how to progress.

How much mileage you get out of those extra stages, and in fact out of the entire game, relies largely on your level of curiosity. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is fundamentally a game about poking and prodding at the world and seeing what happens. It won’t test your precision platforming skills, but it serves as a gentle introduction for novices, and an experiment for even experienced gamers to see an audacious, expanded idea of what a platformer can be.

Ultimately, Yoshi & The Mysterious Book is a title akin to those lovely picture books one takes pleasure in leafing through. You savor every page of the opening chapters, marveling at the illustrations and finding a certain delight in unearthing hidden secrets. Yet, as you read on, the formula becomes predictable. The story and mechanics begin to repeat themselves, and what started as a delightful surprise gradually transforms into mere routine. You emerge from the experience with that peculiar sensation of having just closed a beautiful volume—one that is gentle and comforting. It is a creative, engaging book—accessible to all—bearing the inimitable signature of Nintendo. It is a pity, however, that the narrative style is a bit too linear and subdued to make you want to read it cover-to-cover in a single sitting.

A wonderful game and interactive toy in the same package, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is one of the best Nintendo exclusives in a long time. Good-Feel finally finds a real hook after a few serviceable (but ultimately one-note) platform games with its discovery-first formula, giving younger kids a wonderful playground to run around and older players a good dose of childlike wonder. It also helps that the soundtrack is filled with bangers.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book has turned out to be an exceptionally relaxed platformer with a creative, exploration-focused approach. The graphics are lovely, the levels are varied, and there is plenty of optional content to discover. However, those looking for a gameplay challenge will find little to satisfy them here.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book takes the series in a surprisingly different direction. Instead of focusing on classic platforming challenges, Nintendo delivers a cozy adventure built around exploration, experimentation, and uncovering secrets inside beautifully illustrated book worlds. The lack of difficulty and traditional boss fights may disappoint longtime fans looking for a more classic Yoshi experience, but anyone who enjoys discovery and completing every hidden detail will likely have a hard time putting the game down.

For a seasoned platformer player who grew up with Yoshi and Mario, this is a fun but pretty easy game to complete. There are a good number of tasks for completionist runs, but the story itself is quick and straightforward to complete. It feels pretty clearly aimed at a younger audience, with plenty of built-in helpful tips to ensure newer gamers don’t get too frustrated… while still offering a bit of a challenge. The game even saves files based on your Nintendo profiles, so it’s easily shared between a whole family of Yoshi fans using the same console. If you enjoy platformers and want that Yoshi nostalgia or have a young one at home you’d like to introduce to the genre, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book will certainly fit the bill.

Whatever it lacks in story or challenge is made up with clever gameplay mechanics disguised as weird and wonderful creatures. It’s unfortunate that some of that magic dissipates on a replay, but even when you’ve filled all of the mysterious book’s pages, you’re still left with another charming Yoshi platformer to enjoy at leisure.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is not only an unusual platformer, its experimental nature can make it feel like an entirely new type of experience. I’m delighted by the idea of popping in and out of levels to investigate new finds about creatures and learning about what to expect from them based on an array of interactions. Especially since each case feels quite different from the other, turning every character into a puzzle to solve. It feels like a casual, relaxed sort of safari.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a unique and incredibly charming game that is constantly changing and constantly engaging.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a whimsical, charming game that’s packed full of charisma and creativity. Its explorative focus feels like a natural fit for Nintendo’s green dino, and the abundance of discoveries and collectibles keeps the experience engaging from start to finish. While the basic narrative and low-challenge platforming sections may not be to the taste of some gamers, this still feels like one of the best Yoshi titles we’ve had in quite some time.

Yoshi's newest adventure on the Switch 2 is a unique creature-watching safari that's more an open-ended puzzle game than a classic Yoshi's Island-style platformer—an excellent gameplay change if you go in with an open mind.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a charming and welcome return for one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters. Mario fans looking for a new 2D platformer to chew on may bounce off quickly, but those who buy into the game’s concept will surely be delighted by Yoshi and the Mysterious Book.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book powers along with the kind of breathless imagination typically associated with mainline Super Mario adventures, with new ideas and gameplay mechanics stretching across the margins of its pages. A brilliant, unique siderscroller.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is an undeniable delight, with adorable storybook creatures that are amusing to learn about in your first, surprise-filled encounters with them. But while there’s impressive variety on display, it comes at the cost of depth. Nearly all of its best ideas are left to wilt on the vine – especially one clever mechanic that could have supported an entire game on its own, but instead arrives far too late and then disappointingly disappears. Its open-ended levels certainly had me smiling, but only on my initial run through them, and the long list of potential Discoveries offers too few moments to take what you’ve learned and think creatively to solve a problem. That’s a significant weakness for a game that’s all about experimentation. The result is the most charming video game bubble wrap you’ll ever pop, and not much more.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book rekindles that sense of childlike wonder, successfully satisfying your appetite for discovery in ways that games rarely tap into. It’s unlike anything else that you have played yet remains familiar at the same time, and the brave decision to take the curious dinosaur’s adventures in a new direction was as genius as the old, wizened tome that it is based around.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book comes with a tremendous amount of ideas and a distinct personality, which is more than welcome in a series that has at best evoked vague memories of a game that’s over 30 years old. It’s bound to be a fun time for kids, and it has enough surprises and callbacks to Yoshi’s history to bring plenty of smiles to older fans like me. Other Nintendo platformers settled into their own identities and time-tested formats decades ago. Yoshi’s road has been a little more unpredictable, but with this entry it’s found an approach that feels all its own.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is an experimental title that breaks with the classic structure of the platformer genre.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a good game. But that’s all it is. It’s far from bad, but also fails to dedicate itself enough to its otherwise spectacular aesthetic, while its core gameplay ideas never reach their full potential either. Unlike the books that were read to me as a child until I could no longer keep my eyes open, I doubt I’ll be forming any lasting memories about this platforming adventure.

It might not be a game for long evenings, but in small doses, it proves to be one of the most entertaining and fun experiences on the Switch 2. The sheer joy of poking, prodding, and experimenting with this picture-book world runs completely wild.

Ultimately, there’s a lot to offer from Yoshi and the Mysterious Book if you’re down for some relaxed mucking around in fun mini zones that have all the hallmarks of a classic Yoshi and Mario adventure – with plenty of end game content after you complete the story to give you a reason to dive back into Mr E’s pages and torment some daft creatures in the name of science and discovery.

While Yoshi and the Mysterious Book won't be for everyone, the people that is is made for will adore it. It's entirely focused and uncompromising in its vision - it isn't trying to be something it's not. That, at the very least, is admirable in the broader landscape of the industry.

An intriguing response to one of Nintendo's greatest ever games.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a charming, family-friendly puzzle platformer with all the beauty and comforting vibes of a bedtime storybook. Approachable for younger gamers, but with enough challenge and collectibles for experienced players, this game is sure to make you smile.

Every aspect of this game received the royal treatment during development. Pure, unadulterated fun brimming with charm, offering rewarding completion goals that keep you hooked — without ever feeling like filler.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book distances itself from the character’s last two games by prioritizing a puzzle-solving experience over the series’ traditional platforming nature. It has plenty of good ideas and overflows with originality, although at times it can feel somewhat cautious in terms of depth. I’m not sure whether this is the change Yoshi truly needed, but I do know I’d love to see what a Nintendo fully committed to this new formula could achieve in the future.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a fantastic experience that anyone can pick up and play, regardless of their playstyle. The game is played entirely at your own pace, being as challenging or as straightforward as you want it to be. You always feel like you're making progress, and you are constantly rewarded for your curiosity and being creative when thinking about how to interact with the wide variety of creatures and environments. If you're looking for a cozy, comforting and heartfelt game, or if you simply love Yoshi and want to have a great time, this will be a must-have for your collection.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a fantastic cozy platformer. Finding new discoveries never gets old. I was worried the pace might be too tame for my liking, but this simply wasn't the case. I kept wanting to play and discover more, even after putting in 7 hours into the title. Later chapters were very rewarding, and there are enough challenging moments to keep it from feeling boring. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is the perfect addition to the Switch 2 library for gamers wanting something fresh and unique.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book reinvents the franchise by transforming Yoshi into the center of a creative puzzle adventure instead of a traditional platformer. The watercolor-inspired visuals are beautiful, the soundtrack is charming, and the gameplay constantly introduces new mechanics tied to the creatures and ecosystems inside the magical book. Exploration and experimentation are the heart of the experience, encouraging players to revisit stages and uncover hidden interactions as the world evolves. While the lack of real danger or challenge may disappoint some players, the game more than compensates with originality, creativity and an addictive progression system. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is one of the biggest surprises on Nintendo Switch 2 and an essential experience for fans of creative puzzle games.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book varies from its predecessors by focusing on a sense of discovery. Each chapter in Mr. E's book is filled with wondrous creatures, and every encounter with them as Yoshi provides something new to learn and experience. The more I played, the less I cared about the absence of lives or health; I was far more invested in doing my best to learn about the remarkably cute creatures in front of me. And that's what makes this adorable adventure charming: the familiar mechanics paired with relaxed platforming for everyone.

Yoshi's first adventure on the Nintendo Switch 2 is an adorable and delightful romp that rewards the player's sense of discovery, curiosity, and whimsy at every corner.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book aims to offer a relaxing, creative, and utterly charming experience where discovery is more important than overcoming challenges. Its blend of exploration, interaction with creatures, and handcrafted visual design gives it a unique and endearing identity. Some veteran players might miss a higher difficulty level or more linear, lengthy, and traditional platforming levels. But once you realize that’s not the game’s intention, it’s impossible not to be swept away by its charm.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book plays like a unique puzzle game with Yoshi aesthetics, and the result is a largely rewarding experience that rarely challenged me, but didn’t have a problem delivering the charm.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book left me with a big smile and a fully satisfied puzzle brain by the time the credits rolled. While the game clearly aims at a younger audience, its clever puzzles, colorful worlds, and constant gameplay variety make it just as enjoyable for adults who love poking around every corner for secrets. If you’re looking for a straightforward platformer this won’t be your jam, but puzzle fans searching for a charming adventure packed with discoveries will absolutely feel at home here.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn't really my sort of game, but I can see - and appreciate - what Nintendo is trying to do here: namely, to create a game for younger players in which virtually all barriers have been removed. The gameplay has its ups and downs; it's a game that encourages play and exploration, but the non-existent difficulty level will likely divide opinion.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a delightfully charming platforming adventure that encourages exploration, discovery, and experimentation. With a host of curious creatures to investigate that shape the different levels and all have their own abilities, every chapter succeeds at feeling varied with plenty of surprises packed in. While narratively thin, Mysterious Book's inventive creativity makes Yoshi's welcome comeback worth your time.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is yet another demonstration of how Nintendo continues to be uniquely capable of transforming seemingly simple ideas into memorable experiences. Behind its vibrant colors and accessibility lies a surprisingly deep adventure, one that blends platforming, exploration, puzzles, and environmental interaction with disarming naturalness. But it is above all the extraordinary art direction that leaves a lasting impression: every scenario, animation, and detail feels as though it stepped straight out of an interactive fairy tale, giving the game an unmistakable personality and an enduring charm from start to finish. This is a game that aims not merely at immediate fun, but at that sense of continuous wonder that has always been the true strength of Nintendo's philosophy. Once again, the house of Kyoto has hit the mark, delivering a magical, creative, and personality-driven title destined to resonate far beyond its apparent simplicity.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book will appeal to players who enjoy exploration and an experimental approach to gameplay, as well as those seeking a relaxing experience. Although I personally prefer a slightly greater challenge and more motivation to achieve 100% completion, I certainly don’t regret the dozen or so pleasant hours I spent playing the game.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a creative journey of discovery, where interacting with the world and countless creatures matters more than reaching the end of a level. Despite the road being a little bumpy here and there, Yoshi at its best is an unforgettable adventure.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book puts a fresh spin on the somewhat generic platforming of previous entries by centering the gameplay around the interactions between Yoshi and the various creatures you encounter, and it looks absolutely stunning while doing it.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a wonderful introduction for new (and young) players, making it the perfect holiday gift. Bursting with creativity and charm, the game may not be the best fit for players looking for a challenge, but it’s perfect for anyone who wants to relax without having to think too hard.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a charming adventure that rewards exploration and creative thinking. Rather than relying on mechanical difficulty, the game challenges players to approach puzzles with imagination and curiosity. Every creature introduces deeper gameplay mechanics than expected, making each discovery consistently satisfying, despite a few minor technical issues with controls and music.

It’ll be too simplistic for some, but Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a game full of whimsy, wonder, and creativity that rewards you for experimentation and exploration.

A beguiling mix of Nintendo whimsy and sandbox style platform gameplay, with more unique ideas than many franchises manage in their entire lifespans.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a very bold game that dares to reinvent Nintendo’s dinosaur franchise, moving away from linear levels to deliver an experience that sparks curiosity in highly innovative ways. Its artistic style is exquisite and unique, and its challenge lies not so much in completing the levels, but in being able to uncover all the secrets they hide.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn't a bad game. There's a lot of fun to be had in discovering the many creatures hidden within Mr. E's pages, though it also suffers from a repetitive structure that doesn't evolve or provide any sense of meaningful challenge. Visually, it also lacks the punch that Woolly World and Crafted World offered, and it frankly looks pretty bad in handheld mode…If you've got young children who are eager to see more from Yoshi after catching him in the Mario Galaxy Movie, then this will provide a few hours' worth of fun while getting them used to basic platforming tropes. Otherwise, I'd probably recommend a Switch Online subscription to check out Yoshi's Island for the SNES.

Yoshi changes genres on Switch 2 and delivers his most original adventure in years: a cozy puzzle and discovery game that charms with its hand-drawn art style. It’s definitely a solid experience, but one held back by a weak story and a concept so good that it only scratches the surface of what it could have been.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book possesses a charm that few games have, and it'll forever have you wanting to quickly turn pages to see what other tricks it has for you next.

If you go in with the right expectations, you'll have a good time relaxing and hitting a few levels every now and then.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is absolutely lovely. It's a curiosity-driven adventure with a light-hearted approach that encourages player exploration and experimentation over more action-heavy adventuring. While that marks it as different to other entries in the Yoshi video game franchise, it's an endearing tilt that encourages return visits.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book may look like another spin-off title, but it features new forms of gameplay. The unfolding levels and gameplay discovery are well worth it and it will please platformer fans as well as players open to experimenting within the genre. It boosts a ton of ideas and is far from just an easy kids' game this time.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is built to be explored in smaller chunks, something you can pick up and explore for as long as you’re curious.

There are plenty of moments that charm and delight through Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. It's not always the most obvious game to play, emphasising experimentation over platforming fundamentals, but the collection of weird and wonderful new creatures it contains invite exploration in a way that should delight inquisitive young minds.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a charming platformer that proves more challenging than it initially appears. Its strong level design, constant exploration, and creatures with unique abilities make every stage feel creative and rewarding. Although it does not fully take advantage of the Nintendo Switch 2’s hardware and may feel somewhat short, its charm, cheerful soundtrack, and focus on discovery turn it into a highly enjoyable adventure.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book gives us an amazing world aesthetic full of adventure and exploration with various unique ideas. However, this genre of games is not for everyone. I truly wish this game were a more conventional platformer because the Switch 2 at this point in its life cycle, is in dire need of better games.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a joyful expedition, taking the Yoshis into another beautiful visual style. The focus on documenting discoveries about the different creatures within the mysterious book adds another layer to the traditional platformer. The more relaxed nature of the game is great for younger audiences, while also being a delight for older audiences who enjoy Yoshi games. If you’re looking for a challenging traditional platformer, you’re not going to find that here, but Yoshi is a ray of light that will bring a smile to many faces.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book may be a bit pokey for some, but it requires more brain power than you might expect, serving up a large and varied array of beautifully detailed stages and some surprisingly impactful moments. If you're looking for something approachable for a young family member, or just a laid-back read for yourself, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is well worth adding to your library.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a brilliant, quirky experiment that proves being a dinosaur-shaped scientist can easily give traditional platformers a run for their money. If a cosy, unsupervised science fair full of "Eureka!" moments sounds like your jam, prepare your tongue for a new career in book-based ecology.