'Yoshi and the Mysterious Book' Review (Switch 2)

Yoshi's presence as a mascot for Nintendo has always stood taller than his representation in actual games. The multi-colored dinosaur's games get a bad reputation as fodder for novice gamers, like they're a gateway into bigger and better stuff down the line.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book started its life no differently. Rumors started swirling during previews and trailers that the game was for the tiniest tot in your life, an experience only to be had by young ones who have never picked up a controller before.

After playing the Switch 2 exclusive myself, I can say that speculation couldn't be more wrong.

Yoshi's latest adventure is Nintendo at its most experimental. The game mashes up different genres and ideas, celebrating the potpourri of creativity that has defined the company for generation after generation.

The plot follows the Yoshis as they literally dive into the furthest reaches of a talking book, Mr. E, to learn about the various creatures that populate the game's lands. Some of the characters you meet are completely novel, such as a swaggy surfboard that lets Yoshi turn into a Jurassic-era Tony Hawk on the water. Others are ingrained in Yoshi's lore, like Shy Guy.

No matter what you find inside the book, you can count on a fun, quirky, and relaxing puzzle-platforming-adventure-experience that will test your curiosity and is customized to the skill level of each individual playing the game. If you only want to do the bare minimum in each course, those 10 minutes will still be a blast. If you want to get the most out of the jam-packed trek through nature, there are more secrets hiding inside these pages than in just about any other Nintendo 2D platformer.

It's a playground that runs the gamut, and I imagine the developers had just as much fun brainstorming the nuances of this game as we do digging into its densest depths.

I've never seen a more misunderstood game than Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. People ask who this game is for. Is it for kids? Is it for adults? Is it for platforming fans? The game is for those who view video games as a medium to tinker with our surroundings, escape from the mundane, and immerse ourselves in a reality that is a little more lively than our own. It's the first must-play Switch 2 game of the year, and probably the best Yoshi game since the SNES era.

Score: 9/10

source https://www.mensjournal.com/news/yoshi-and-the-mysterious-book-review-switch-2