When Nintendo first revealed Yoshi and the Mysterious Book for the Nintendo Switch 2, it sparked a lot of curiosity. As I noted in my hands-on preview last month, what seemed like a simple romp has proven to be an engaging evolution for the series.
Now that I’ve spent significant time fully exploring Mr E’s pages, I can comfortably say this is a standout title for the platform, even if it targets a specific demographic that may be getting hands-on with the beloved green dinosaur for the very first time.
A Storybook Brought to Life
Visually, the game is a triumph. The artwork embraces a hand-painted, almost stop-animation style that looks absolutely beautiful on the Nintendo Switch 2’s upgraded hardware. It’s a gorgeous departure from the crafted aesthetics of Yoshi’s Crafted World, fully leaning into an illustrated storybook theme.
Taking the reins as our favourite green dinosaur, you actually have the option to choose what colour you want your Yoshi to be right out of the gate. Sure, it’s a little gimmicky, but it’s still fun to add a touch of personal flair to your playthrough.
The magical encyclopedia, Mr E, guides you through a book divided into six distinct chapters. Each chapter acts as a unique hub, transporting Yoshi to wildly different areas, including a remote island, dense woods, mountaintops, an island crawling with bugs and a vast ocean. In the chapter loading screen, you can use the magnifying glass to hone in on discoveries, some that are right there in the open and some that are hidden and require an extra look to find.
These screens are constantly changing after you make discoveries, so things may not be as you last left them, which very much adds to the “storybook is alive” aesthetic the game is going for.
One of the more charming interactive elements is the ability to name the various creatures you discover throughout these chapters. And yes, before you ask, the strict Nintendo profanity filter is fully active here. If you are looking to get a little risqué with your naming, you won’t be able to proceed—and believe me, I really did try! If naming isn’t your thing, you can simply opt to use Mr E’s default suggestions and keep the adventure moving.
Not So Cosy, But Perfectly Introductory
A lot of early chatter surrounding Yoshi and the Mysterious Book has labelled it a “cosy game,” but having rolled credits, I don’t feel like that’s an accurate description. Rather than a purely passive cosy experience, this is very much an introductory platformer. The gameplay is perfectly tailored for younger gamers, starting with the genre, offering forgiving mechanics while still requiring active platforming skills.
If you are stuck on a particular creature discovery, there is no essential need to finish that adventure; you can simply save and move on to another creature to collect the required stars to move on to the next chapter.
The narrative thrust sees you squaring off against Bowser Jnr as the main villain. His prominent role here feels like a very deliberate—and clever—tie-in to the Super Mario Galaxy movie that dominated the box office last month, keeping the cinematic momentum rolling into the interactive space.
The Power of Replay Value
Where Yoshi and the Mysterious Book truly separates itself from other entry-level platformers is its replayability. The main story will only take you around 6-8 hours to complete, but the game is designed to keep you coming back.
You are actively encouraged to return to the chapters you have already played to find discoveries you missed the first time around. More importantly, returning to these areas reveals “ink blots” that create entirely new challenges in each chapter. It’s a fantastic mechanic that successfully keeps the game going long after the credits roll, rewarding dedicated players with genuine reasons to re-explore Mr E’s beautifully painted world.
While this won’t be for everyone, younger gamers who are finding this their first foray into platforming will appreciate the “Astro Bot” approach of replaying the same levels to keep discovering new things and collecting all of the stars and coins.
Final Thoughts
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book might not offer the punishing difficulty seasoned platforming veterans crave, but it excels at exactly what it sets out to be: a stunning, introductory platformer.
With its beautiful stop-animation art style, engaging replayability, and charming mechanics, it’s a perfect addition to the Switch 2 library for younger players or anyone looking for a lighter, joyful adventure.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Gorgeous hand-painted art style; fantastic replayability via ink blot challenges; great introductory platforming.
Lowlights: Might be too simple for platforming veterans; Yoshi colour customisation is fun but gimmicky.
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
Available: May 21st
Review conducted on Nintendo Switch 2 with a pre-release code provided by the publisher.
The featured header image was also provided by the publisher. Remaining images captured via in-game footage.
