Review: Yoshi and the Mysterious Book

Nintendo has no qualms reinventing familiar franchises, and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is the latest to explore a new direction.

Rather than delivering another traditional platformer in the mould of Yoshi’s Crafted World or Yoshi’s Island, this Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive shifts the focus towards curiosity, experimentation and discovery.

It is a slower, gentler adventure that rewards players for asking “what happens if I try this?” and, for the most part, the results are charming.

The story begins when Yoshi finds himself inside a living encyclopaedia, which is more Childcraft than Wikipedia. Each chapter introduces strange new creatures that inhabit its pages, and your objective isn’t simply to reach the end of a level.

Instead, you’ll study these creatures, learn how they behave and use their unique abilities to solve puzzles, uncover secrets and complete objectives. It feels less like traditional platform running right to left and more like filling out a field guide or what I imagine a huge scratch card feels like (don’t gamble kids).

Mechanically, Yoshi remains familiar. You’ll still flutter jump, gobble enemies with your tongue and throw eggs. The difference is that these abilities now work alongside a menagerie of imaginative creatures and flora, each introducing a new gameplay twist.

Some become moving platforms, others reshape the environment, while others can be carried or manipulated to unlock hidden routes. Nintendo continually introduces fresh ideas throughout the adventure, ensuring the game rarely becomes repetitive.

What impressed me most was how every level feels handcrafted around a central concept. The puzzle design is accessible enough for younger players and satisfying for older gamers who enjoy uncovering every secret. Death isn’t a factor, so you aren’t punished for trying things or just approaching it like a cozy game.

It’s like the opposite of Super Meat Boy or most of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. My 7-year-old finished it and continues to play post-game because there is so much he feels he missed the first time.

He is spoilt for choice when it comes to games as I’ve curated the best of the best from the last 4 decades, so the moment he rolls credits on a game he moves on to the next. This child is eating well, from the classic Mario games to the new Kirby so seeing him pour literal hours replaying levels is a great indication of value for money.

Visually, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is gorgeous. The storybook presentation combines painted environments with stop-motion-inspired animation, giving every page a distinctive handcrafted appearance.

The soundtrack matches the relaxed pace perfectly. Soft melodies accompany each chapter without becoming repetitive, while the creature sound effects add plenty of personality. Yoshi’s yelps can get a bit much if you’re watching someone else play, but I think that’s mostly because I would rather have been playing it.

Players expecting a challenging platformer may find themselves disappointed. Combat is minimal, platforming rarely tests your skills and there is very little pressure throughout the adventure. I recently replayed some of the older Yoshi games on Nintendo Online (Super Mario World 2 and Yoshi’s Story) and they were much harder than this.

Progression can occasionally feel aimless when the game expects you to experiment without providing particularly clear direction. While that open-ended design is central to the experience, there were moments where I wandered around longer than necessary trying to figure out what I needed to do next. It didn’t happen often but still stands out as a touch more friction than I’d like. You can spend coins you earn on hints so that does help.

As of writing this review the game is R999 at NexusHub which is a great price. It’s retailing for R1279 on Amazon and Takealot.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book Final Verdict

If you enjoy thoughtful exploration, clever environmental puzzles and one of Nintendo’s most charming art styles to date, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is well worth adding to your collection.

More reviews from MJ Khan here.

Review: Nintendo Switch 2