Yoshi Touch & Go

Voices of: Charles Martinet, Kazumi Totaka
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo
Directed by: Hiroyuki Kimura
Rating: E
Genre: Platform
System: Nintendo DS
2005

Times Completed:
Tim: 1

Summary: Yoshi must protect Baby Mario from a myriad of dangers and villains.

Review:
Tim: I'm not the biggest fan of Yoshi Touch & Go for numerous reasons. First off, I have to admit that Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is one of my least favorite games in the main Super Mario series. I just found the crying baby Mario, the graphics, the ridiculous challenges of that game to be so off-putting. So, to have this game based on that one did bring up some tough memories.

Beyond that, though, this game felt annoying to me. It's pretty short- there's really four different games with no actual narrative, other than Yoshi traveling with Mario. You are simply replaying those four levels over and over, trying to get a high score. This game pays tribute to arcade classics and very much feels like a game in that vein. For each game mode, there is a high score. Since I didn't enjoy the game and was routinely frustrated by it, I decided that I would overcome the high score in each area and then move on with my life. Each of the gameplay modes is similar- the top screen involves a falling stage, where you are guiding Baby Mario around obstacles by drawing clouds on the bottom screen, and then waiting for Mario to fall to them. It was challenging and minimally enjoyable. Honestly, I mostly disliked the falling stages. They are critical, though, because you need to score enough points to unlock a faster Yoshi (represented by a different color). The second stage is different, but you're drawing clouds upon which Yoshi can move, traveling a certain distance or accomplishing some other task. This felt slightly more fun, but oftentimes like a chore.

The first mode is Score Attack. In this one, you needed to score 300+ points. It's a good introduction to the game, a chance to learn the controls while avoiding death and scoring points. I got 307 points twice in this stage, which did take me numerous attempts. Fine, good, lukewarm fun but okay. The next mode is Marathon. This was challenging- Yoshi needs to travel a certain distance and the game gets progressively harder as you play. The record to beat here is 3,000 yards. For a long time, I got in the upper 2,000s but couldn't quite crack it. Finally, with a Yellow Yoshi, I managed to run 5,014 yards. Woo hoo, I finished that mode. It had fun moments, but I died some ridiculous deaths along the way. I found the next mode, Time Attack, incredibly challenging. You have to save Baby Luigi in a specific amount of time. This is the game mode that required me to really examine the game mechanics and required me to get significantly better. It took me a while, but I finally did it in 2:54. It was very annoying- I played on a used game copy and whoever owned the game before me did it in 2:39:2. Part of me struggled with not having the high score on the card, but I also realized I was having minimal fun, and since I sub'd 3, I decided to be done (you can see it in the picture below). The fourth mode was Challenge. This is a cross between Time Attack and Marathon, and it was a doozy. You need to eclipse 3,000 yards here, but the challenge is that you need to continually add time by defeating enemies, grabbing coins, etc. It's extremely challenging to keep an eye on the time, keep Yoshi alive, and replenish your eggs. It's appropriately named, because it requires all the skills you've obtained throughout the game. I got in the 2,000s numerous times, but things got so hectic and my time so low that I simply couldn't get far enough. Finally, I focused all my energies and got a run of 3,158 yards. I beat that high score and decided I was done.

Now, I did some research online and it's crazy to see the heights at which people push scores. For those who loved the game and didn't mind the repetitive nature of the levels, more power to you! I love that you loved this. For me, the lack of a narrative, the repetitive levels, and the lack of fun I had playing it all signaled to me that this isn't a game I wanted to sink much of my life into. I did beat the four preset high scores and I felt like I experienced the game enough. I was more than happy to wrap this one up.

I do usually love Nintendo's games, so it felt odd that I enjoyed this one so little. It did feel almost like a proof of concept game- like it was designed purely to showcase the Nintendo DS stylus and dual screens. That's fine, to offer a game that allows new players to understand the new system. However, this one felt so narrow and to get good required so much repetitive play that I simply didn't have the interest. Sure, I experienced some joy when I finished a level with the high score, but I felt no desire to run it up more. Once I eclipsed the mark, I was happy to be done (except I did try Score Attack again, but ended with the same stupid high score). Yoshi Touch & Go feels like a novelty game, but not one with much depth. It's easily one of my least favorite DS games.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Game, We Recommend: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Kirby Canvas Curse, Yoshi's Island DS