ANY game bearing thee Mario name-tag is going to light one's eyes up, as those that have gone before have been among the best available on any console When the SNES was first launched its first big blockbuster game was Super Mario World, and what a game it was.
In this latest episode it's not Mario who is the hero but Yoshi, his dinosaur-like friend. And it's up to Yoshi to safely reunite Baby Mario with his twin and his parents in the Mushroom Kingdom. To accomplish this Yoshi must overcome a host of adversaries while carefully carrying Baby Mario on his back.
When Yoshi takes a hit from his enemies, Baby Mario is jettisoned from his saddle and Yoshi has only 10 seconds in which to recover him. Failure to do this will result in the loss of one life. If, however, you come across a Super Star, Baby Mario will become a powerful Mario for a short while, invincible and able to do superhuman things.
This game is all about Yoshi really, but is very similar in both graphics and gameplay to Super Mario World and while the graphics in the original were reasonably good for their time they do look a little dated now.
Yoshi, however, is far more accomplished. He can now perform a whole host of different tasks. He can spit seeds, fire and ice (when he gets the relevant power-ups) and when he manages to get a Metamorphoses Bubble he can transform himself into a helicopter, mole tank, submarine, train or car.
Yoshi Island, while a great game, would have been an excellent one a few years back. Despite that it is full of action and puzzle-solving and still represents a tough challenge. Added to the general mayhem and adventure that ensues, you also have some bonus games included should you manage to come across them. A must for all Mario lovers.
Graphics: 70%, Sound: 72%, Gameplay: 90%