Yoshi's Cookie

"Mario has quite the impressive resume"

Yoshi's Cookie is a fairly straightforward tile puzzler released by Nintendo and Bullet Proof Software for the NES, SNES, and Gameboy in the early 1990s. Its concept is rather unique, and while its reception may have been moderate even for its time, this game hides a design that is really quite delectable.

From what I can determine, there is not much of a story present in Yoshi's Cookie, but it seems Mario has become a renowned chef. However, his newest batches of cookies are unreasonably disorganized, so it is up to Mario to rearrange them.

In each stage, players are charged with the task of rearranging five different types of cookies and forming them into rows, columns, or borders of similar cookies. Players move a cursor along each row and column, and while the cursor will be selected on one specific cookie, when the player holds a button and presses a directional button, the entire row or column of the selected cookie will move. When a row or column of cookies is formed, these cookies will disappear and leave the playfield. Similarly, if a three-corner border of cookies is formed, these will also disappear.

While players are attempting to form rows and columns of cookies, more cookies slowly seep in from above and to the right of the playfield. These new rows and columns of cookies come alternatively in first a row, then a column, and are only as long or as wide as the row or column already there. For example, a rectangle of cookies is two long, three high, only two blocks will come from above and three blocks will come to the right, which will form a rectangle of three blocks long, four blocks high. This can become tedious as a new set of cookies comes in right before a player is about to make a seven cookie combo, with no more cookies of that specific type.

With this sliding up, down, left, and right, each cookie in the row and column can be rotated to any other place in the grid. If more than one formation is made at the same time, bonus points are scored. Bonus points are also awarded if one arrangement leads to the eventual arrangement of other cookies. These combos can not only garner points, but can also get rid of the cookies much more effectively. When all cookies are off the playfield, the stage is won.

Gauges to the right of the screen display the amount of formations made with each particular type of cookie. If five arrangements are made of a certain type of cookie, a new type of tile appears. Yoshi's Cookie becomes available in the next batch of falling cookies, and this acts as a wild card, so to speak. It can be arranged with any other formation to complete it, and using it in a formation awards players bonus points.

The only way a level is lost is if a row or column is stacked all the way with cookies. When this happens, players will be asked whether or not they'd like to continue from where they had left off. Fortunately, any round out of the ten is accessible at any time, like most puzzle games of that time, which make progress and continuation rather easier. There are ten stages in each round.

There is a certain and definite strategy involved in moving these tasty treats. Players must always be aware of how certain arrangements will affect others, and what can be done to form chains and combos. The faster the cookies are disposed of, the better, because new cookies come into the playfield gradually faster as time goes on.

Yoshi's Cookies become exceedingly important in the later levels, and the game can be quite deceptive. In the later rounds, if a player is down to a small rectangle of cookies, newer cookies will come in remarkably faster than if the arrangement of cookies were, say, six by seven. The game acts as though it does not want the player to win. The barrage of cookies becomes manageable after a few skillful movements of the rows and columns, but once a player is down to a smaller rectangle or square, the onslaught begins once again. This makes the later stages quite difficult and potentially frustrating.

In the rounds beyond the tenth, Koopa shells are placed, and it seems the goal is to simply get rid of these. The only way to get rid of these is with Yoshi's Cookies, and this can become exceedingly difficult when simultaneously dealing with the ever-falling cookies.

There is a rather good presentation here, graphically and sound-wise. Somewhat inspired by Super Mario World, the graphics in Yoshi's Cookie are colorful and bright. Mario, the amiable yet panicky chef, is always there in each stage to push the levers and press the pedals to frantically manipulate the rows and columns of confusing cookies. Additionally, after each round, a cutscene plays involving a normally-clad Mario pursuing a large, rolling cookie. Most importantly, though, the playfield is easy to understand, and the game is very playable in this regard.

Three songs are selectable for each stage in the game, and these can either lighten the player's mood or want to turn the song off. These three, along with a few other tunes that play at specific times in the game, are what comprises the music portion of the game. Sound effect wise, there are certain noises which play when a row or column is cleared, along with a bevy of others, but nothing is too noticeable or overly important. This lets the player focus primarily on the puzzle at hand.

Yoshi's Cookie can serve as a good puzzle diversion on the NES. With its unique gameplay and traditional presentation, it does a good job at keeping the player not only truly puzzled, but also excited. The later stages can be quite unfair, though, at times.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 12/12/05