"Yoshi's Island DS, a worthy successor, or a red-headed stepchild?"

Yoshi's Island DS is the long-awaited sequel to the highly successful Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island for the SNES and its remake on the GBA. It introduces four new babies to the fray in addition to the return of Baby Mario, as well as some brand new play mechanics. Could it possibly succeed in recapturing the magic that made the original so brilliant and innovative, or does it fall flat like one of Kamek's half-baked spells? Let us explore.

The story is about par for the course as far as games from the Mario universe are concerned. Bowser has kidnapped Baby Luigi, so Yoshi and his pint-sized pal, Mario set off to rescue him. Other babies including Peach, Donkey Kong, Wario, and Bowser will join the efforts at various times in the game. As before, Yoshi and friends will battle through hordes of Bowser's minions, as well as Kamek's magic-infused, super-sized bosses. It's enough of a story to support the onscreen action, but it won't appear on any bestsellers list anytime soon.

Yoshi's Island DS is pure platforming at its best. It takes the formula of the original game and expands the action to fill both screens. Just like the previous entry it benefits from a nearly flawless control scheme. Throwing eggs at distant objects or enemies is generally a breeze, though targeting something on the opposite screen can sometimes be a bit tricky, but it's relatively easy to overcome with a bit of practice. Controlling Yoshi's side-to-side movements and jumping from platform to platform are incredibly precise. Needless to say, you won't be blaming the controls for an untimely death. The game uses very little touchscreen interaction, and is all the better for it. The actions are all mapped to specific buttons, and any attempt to relegate those actions to the touchscreen would likely have been sloppy at best.

Graphically speaking, this game is the very definition of gorgeous. Much like its predecessor the game is just bursting with vibrant colors. The character sprites are hand drawn, and the background detail is simply breathtaking. There are a multitude of different themed areas to explore. Deep underground caves, levels high in the sky, creepy castles, and lush greenery are just some of the destinations that await Yoshi in his adventure. Everything is detailed and crisp. There is no slowdown whatsoever, and you will never have any trouble deciphering exactly what's taking place onscreen at any given time. Yoshi's Island DS is every bit as beautiful as the original, and at some points, I would daresay, even surpasses it.

The sound in Yoshi's Island is fairly well done, if a bit sub-par. First off, the soundtracks, while generally pleasant, often lack variety and don't feel as inspired as other elements present in the game. They tend to come off as a bit bland and repetitive. They are not bad by any means, but they're just disappointing compared to the standards set by the original. The sound effects are largely the same, with the same jump effect, enemy noises, and of course the dreaded crying babies. They can get annoying at times, and yet, it's all the more motivation to reunite Yoshi with baby as quickly as possible. One final note, some of the sound effects in this game suffer from the “tinny” effect that was prevalent in many a GBA title. It may barely be noticeable to many, but it is worth noting. The sound never really detracts from the experience, but it had the potential to be so much more.

The gameplay and goals in this game are virtually identical to the previous entry in the series. Yoshi will still be tasked with piggybacking a baby through a level safely. The loss of lives is handled exactly the same as before, with bottomless pits, lava, spikes, and remaining separated from the baby for too long being the only ways to perish. The big change in this entry, however, is the addition of four new babies. Each baby has a different skill set that will benefit Yoshi in a variety of ways. Mario gives Yoshi the ability to run fast, Peach can soar upwards on updrafts with her umbrella, DK can swing from ropes and climb vines, Wario can magnetically attract coins, and Bowser breathes fire at his enemies. The new additions allow for more creativity in level design. It sometimes feels ingenious while other levels seem tedious as you switch between multiple babies just to advance through them.

Each level is scored based on how many flowers and red coins you collect as well as the number of safety stars remaining when you reach the goal. You receive ten points for each of five flowers, and 1 point for each of the 20 red coins and 30 safety stars present in each level, for a total of 100. New to Yoshi's Island DS are the introduction of character coins. There's one coin hidden in every level, and only the baby depicted on it will be able to collect it. While the game itself is only moderately challenging, only the truly hardcore will ever collect every coin and score 100 in every level.

Yoshi's Island DS is a worthy successor to a truly classic game. It adds new elements to the tried and true formula while still managing to stay true to its roots. The graphics are very pleasing to the eye and among the best available on the DS. The tight gameplay has been kept intact, and the addition of a second screen allows for larger and more creative level design. While the sound and the overall game pale ever so slightly in comparison to the original, it's hard not to recommend this game to gaming aficionados and platforming connoisseurs alike. Don't let the cartoony exterior fool you, Yoshi's Island DS is one of the most challenging and rewarding platformers ever crafted, a true must have for any DS owner.

Final Score: 8.75 (rounded to 9 for gamefaqs)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/14/08

Game Release: Yoshi's Island DS (US, 11/13/06)