Was Yoshi's Story Really That Bad?

Yoshi's Story is a game from my childhood, but after not having played it in a decade, does it still hold up? Join me as I revisit this often overlooked N64 classic.
Article Sources:
Nintendo Life: www.nintendoli...
US Gamer: www.usgamer.ne...
Gamespot: www.gamespot.c...
Yoshi's Story Music Sources:
On the Beach
Yo-Yo-Yoshi
Yoshi's Song
Baby Bowser's Castle
End Credits
Come Back to Me
Spider Swing
#Yoshi #nintendo #nintendo64

[@PhoenixRoseYT]

“This is an easy game made for babies” Me, 27, dying constantly in later levels: 👁👄👁

[@Dynamic1312]

Exactly the same for me RN haha

[@K2SonicFan]

I had that reaction when I played it for the first time. I thought it would be a lot easier and more fun. Lowkey thought it was one of those games where you could power through fast but still have fun

[@Cookie82772]

Skill issue

[@user-wj6jh1cd5n]

I mean this is meant to be the direct sequel to Yoshi's Island, and that game can get crazy difficult at some parts (esp the secret levels). I think the problem is people compare it too much to Yoshi's Island, as Yoshi's Story is easier in comparison. That isn't to say that it's baby mode, though. There's just less moments that challenge the player to the same degree, and I'd say a big part of that is not having to worry about Mario anymore.

[@WhiteSupreme]

Well yeah the game was made for BABIES! jfc

[@-umbra-1590]

Never knew it was considered bad as well.. I played it as a kid so it seemed fine to me. Replayed it recently and it was still fun too. I love the music and the style

[@carnage0685]

Yeah, what the hell? I always thought it was one of the better Yoshi games, LOL.

[@Chaoszwaihander3434]

As usual critical reviews are absolutely nothing compared to precious personal experience like the ones we had at younger ages with the game

[@MaxOakland]

It’s just painfully unpolished. Lots of ideas with no fit and finish

[@YourWaywardDestiny]

@@MaxOakland Could you elaborate on that? I can't seem to think of anything about it that feels particularly half-realized.

[@jam06]

Reviewers play games and rate them as if the game was targeted to a very specific audience. If you're game is easy they will find a way to shove that point down people's throats. The reviews are still helpful if you were expecting a harder game, but it really shouldn't effect the overall score of a game

[@MMcCombs18]

I really think the 30 melon challenge recontextualizes the entire game. Of course the game is absurdly easy, but the extra challenge comes from trying to get the highest score possible. And some of those minigames are INSANELY difficult. I'm a 26 year old man and I can't do frame perfect flutter jumps. This game has an unbelievable difficulty gap if you actually seek out the challenge.

[@smashingsalmon]

I definitely regret not mentioning the melon challenge. I figured that because it was just going for high scores and not “new” content (like the bonus levels from Super Mario World) it wasn’t essential to the experience. But I’ve gotten so many comments about the melons and I wish I could just edit in like a paragraph about it.

[@superfurryfox1]

I spent many years trying to forget about the melon challenge, sone if them were a nightmare to find... And one wring slip of Yoshi's tongue and you failed

[@johnforkner]

The 30 Melon challenge gives the game an interesting way of handling difficulty. It’s as difficult as you want to make it.

[@TheGameDisplay]

I really wish the game would have kept track of which levels you found all 30 Melons in. That alone would have added a lot to this game for me. Either that or have something that unlocks after achieving a certain total high score in the Trial Mode. Just something to make going back and replaying levels feel worth it.

[@109volts]

Yoshi's Story, a game made for babies and fun! Also Yoshi's Story, PERMA DEATH

[@TheAzureNightmare]

Well... Unless you know where the White Shy Guys are.

[@Hitly96]

​@@TheAzureNightmarethe kkk

[@PixelVicky]

I recently played Yoshi's story and I thought it was a great game. I love the artstyle and music. Sad that to hear that the game recieve poor reviews.

[@slapshot68]

Well it’s kind of lame to eat 30 fruit rather than reach the goal like in yoshis island

[@EdgyMiku]

Do you know about the 30 Melon challange? There's 30 melons hidden in each level and it adds a LOT more challange to the game! also that matt stonie clip was great LMAO great vid :)

[@smashingsalmon]

Thank you for the comment! I do know about the challenge, but I’ve never actually completed it myself. The speed runs are pretty cool though.

[@thenightwriter619]

I always had a soft spot for this game, but as I got older I started to understand where the criticism came from. However, in addition to the more well known 30 Melon Challenge, my perspective completely changed when I just got weird one day and actually read...the instruction manual? All this time, I think people have completely misunderstood the game; you can play it like a traditional platformer, but it's actually more of an ARCADE game- everything from the way you defeat enemies (eating them versus jumping on them, with the game retaining the classic Mario mechanic of increased score for bopping multiple enemies without touching the ground), the specific fruits you eat, the lucky fruit chosen at the beginning of a story mode run, and even the color of yoshi you pick, all affects your score and the game became a lot more fun when I played it trying to maximize my score as opposed to just beating the levels. I believe that also makes sense of some of your issues with the structure- since the levels are nonlinear and meant to not just be beaten but practiced over and over, they opted for less levels with more open design rather than a bunch of solid straight shots, and that's also why the story mode only has you play a fourth of the levels, you're meant to treat it sort of like an arcade mode in a fighting game (hell, in the original Japanese version you couldn't even save in story mode, so you HAD to do a full run in one sitting). Of course, the game is far from perfect even when you look at it like this, but it does recontexualize a ton of the game's oddities and makes it's difficulty not really the issue everyone claims it is- it's not difficult because it's not supposed to challenge you as a platformer. I understand where it comes from, many people either just never read the instruction manual or, like me when I was a kid, couldn't access it if we wanted, and the in-game tutorials don't do much to tell you how it's meant to be played, just how to control it and the basic objective. To anyone who's tried this game and felt something was missing, I urge you to take a glance at the instruction manual to understand how the scoring works and try playing it like a high score based arcade game. It's really fun.

[@williamdrum9899]

Now that I think about it, this game was kinda going for the same thing Luigi's Mansion did - a short and sweet game with an emphasis on self-improvement and replayability. I can't help but feel this work better as handheld games, see Wario Land 4 for example.

[@twilitsunset7098]

I remember my parents getting me and my brother this game at the flea market when I was a little kid. I had such a blast playing this game as a kid, and even today as an adult, even if some aspects like the bosses could be improved upon, I still love this game and cherish it dearly for being an important part of my childhood. Honestly? It's probably one of my favorite Nintendo 64 games ever along with Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64.

[@Molluck1]

I always liked the artistic direction of the Yoshi games. Always very cute and original, with the hand made side. But I didn't play many of them, the lack of challenge often bored me in platform games (except of course Yoshi's Island which is far from being easy). Very nice video, as always :)

[@myleswelnetz6700]

I’ve only ever played the latter half of them, starting with Yoshi’s New Island, just because I didn’t have access to many of them.

[@Gruntilda-Winkybunion]

The Music from yoshis story is burnt into my soul. i love it so much... wow this video was awesome!

[@smashingsalmon]

Yeah the music in this game is pretty great. A lot of the songs are the same melody, but each song is in a pretty different style, so it never gets stale for me. I particularly like Yoshi’s on the Beach.

[@almightysapling]

"no extra challenges" what? There's a score system with a clear, well defined "perfect" accessible from the main menu. And it's a proper challenge.

[@smashingsalmon]

Yeah I didn’t really support my argument well there. What I meant was something akin to the bonus levels in Yoshi’s Island or Super Mario World. The score system (and getting all of the melons) is definitely an extra challenge if you want to go for it, but it isn’t new content.

[@the.bloodless.one1312]

I was obsessed with Yoshi’s Story when I was a kid. I was 7 when it came out, I remember even bringing the game manual to school for a show and tell I had to do lol so obsessed! Replayed it recently and it’s defs still my fave Yoshi game! And ya the game is easy until you try doing a melon run lol, then it becomes brutally hard! I don’t mind the difficulty, it’s fun, that’s all that matters to me. Easy games can still be fun! But ya melon run is intense! I remember back as a kid spending so much time in the levels searching for what I thought was the 3rd hidden secret Yoshi since during the ending with the black and white Yoshi it looks like there’s space for one more Yoshi when they’re all standing around the tree lol. And then there were the rumours of the purple Yoshi. So I thought there had to be a 3rd one. God I kinda miss those playground video game rumours back in the 90s before the internet was a thing.

[@glidershower]

Ahh, the playground rumors, hahaha, a true classic. I remember seeing my friends talk about someone "finding the triforce" in Zelda and going insane speculating what Majora's Mask was going to be like. There was a certain charm in spreading and hearing gaming rumors back then.

[@the.bloodless.one1312]

@@glidershower haha the triforce rumours!!! Have you watched the GDQ Ocarina of Time TAS triforce run from like 10ish months ago? If you remember that rumour it’s a must watch I’ll leave it at that. Got a frickin’ standing ovation and genuinely made me teary eyed. Never thought a TAS could make me teary eyed haha but all ties back to that rumour.

[@Hitly96]

Can you can explain why people do melon only runs? Is there a reason in game? Or is it just a fun fan challenge

[@smashingsalmon]

@Hitly96 it’s just a fun challenge to try and get the highest score possible. You don’t unlock anything by doing it; it’s just an optional challenge for players looking for more to do.

[@the.bloodless.one1312]

@@Hitly96 but it is recognized by the game, like the devs intended it to be a hard mode of sorts, even if you don’t unlock anything. When you beat the level with only melons the end of level image behind Yoshi is a melon instead of the usual heart.

[@melvincognome9880]

“God I love the Luigi Hole.”

[@kiphors9326]

great video, giving justice to yoshi story!!! i honestly had no idea this game was hated 💀 was the first video game i played on the 64... and yoshi also eventually became my fav. character so lots of nostalgia for me... this game is definitely underrated but for those who did play it, it undeniably did leave an impact, good or bad... but id say more good than bad (probably). also nintendo rereleasing this on the gameboy console on switch was one of their best decisions yet and was an unexpected delightful surprise

[@peanutfish94]

A easy game is not a bad game. Not everything needs to be brutally difficult guys. Sometimes it's just nice to chill out, vibe and turn brain off and enjoy a video game, it's comfy.

[@jeremyhorvath2052]

yooo bone dragon pit was also my favorite level as a kid. The only one where I bothered to look in the strategy guide to find all the melons

[@FireFlyFlying_]

You want to use this video to re evaluate your opinion. Let me revaluate your opinion. The game is worth $2 and you can sell them for $15. Stonks my boy, great game! Colours though are just really great to look at visually.

[@apocalypseofplush]

I've always loved Yoshi's Story. It was my first ever Yoshi game, and it's so CUTE!! It's also just plain fun to me.

[@Cucumberflant]

I've always really appreciated how this game did adaptive difficulty, and I think that went over a lot of peoples' heads. You can have a 6 year old play this, and they'll just get the first 30 fruit reasonably enough, and be locked out of the more difficult levels like Frustration, Shy Guy's Ship, or Magma Castle because they won't even reach the hearts, making sure they have a smooth ride through the game's easiest levels. Or a grown, capital g Gamer could go for all 30 melons and maximize your score on every level and have it... alright, still be fairly easy, but some of them aren't free (show me a child that can get every melon on Ghost Castle and I'll show you a kid that had an older sibling or parent help them; some of those box-carrying minigames are pretty cruel). It's a game that gives you what you want to put into it, and if your only goal is to reach credits as soon as possible, you might as well be reading a book by rapidly flipping pages.

[@THEMIMIK]

i feel like yoshis story got alot of hate even to this day because everyone else hated it which made others do the same even if they have never played it

[@smashingsalmon]

I definitely understand being dissatisfied with Yoshi’s Story after Yoshi’s Island; both games are incredibly different mechanically and structurally. But Yoshi’s Story is still really fun despite its differences and unique focus.

[@THEMIMIK]

yeah

[@redpandayt8758]

Personally i would argue that the Yoshi series is on level with mostly every other nintendo plattformer. Crafted world and Wolly world are legendary games too me imo.

[@smashingsalmon]

I’ve always seen it as more of a B-tier series. Haven’t played Crafted World but Woolly World was pretty great from what I remember. I miss the costumes.

[@warioland523]

I think the first Yoshi game for the SNES is still the best one. There's something unique about what appears to be an art book come to life as a graphical style for an SNES game that makes it just appealing to play through. The variety of environments, enemies, and traps make it good too. Also the waltz music that plays in the fortresses and castles is god tier.

[@koopa12345678910]

I loved this game and still haven’t seen all the levels. It’s underrated I feel. Worth 1 play for anyone. Maybe modders can do a “pro”, or “hard mode “ mod

[@Hiushisan]

I grew up with this game, it's still fun going back to it every so often. And if you think this game is easy, you've obviously never tried to get 30 melons in each stage. Some of the bonus games are absolutely brutal to get maximum melon drops on. I'm not kidding.

[@ThePatrioticTurtle]

Yoshi story is one of my favorite games

[@myleswelnetz6700]

Yoshi’s voice wouldn’t sound the same without it.

[@SpaceCheese69]

i loved this game as a kid, especially the score. i ended up discovering erik satie later on in life and then noticed that i knew one of the songs, Gnossiennes 1, was immediately familiar. turns out bowser's lullaby was directly influenced by it. loved discovering that

[@ThommyofThenn]

This looks fantastic. I never got to play most of these N64 titles so it's really interesting to learn about these weird games as I'm 30

[@Surelockohms]

I got this for my 8th birthday, loved it then, love it more now that I understand it.

[@SebastianGMSFB]

I was born one year before the GameCube launched, so that was actually my first childhood Nintendo Console. However, when KZbin was born and I began browsing a lot on KZbin (because my mom allowed me to, thankfully enough), I constantly learned more about what the N64 Generation looked like, and from the looks of this game, I learned that Black & White Yoshies actually exist, proving that Yoshi had 10 official colors rather than 8. Anyway, I told my parents that I really wanted this game (and it's required console, of course), and they bought just that for me, thankfully enough! So while I wasn't born early enough to experience the N64 Days, the N64 still made it into part of my middle-childhood, with Yoshi's Story being one of those blasts/bangers! Yoshi is such a cute character for my Nintendo Childhood's existence... ☺️

[@bla9ckcob5ra]

I got this for my birthday when it released and thought it was a kids game myself after 100% completing it. I like the music and how it played. The reason I kept up with some of the Mario franchise was because of the rumor the follow-up to Mario 64 was coming. It didn’t, but there was always hope. I think it was the last N64 game I got for the system and went with a PlayStation afterwards.

[@JEA85]

It was a peaceful game when I was 4 but losing a yoshi got me scared

[@Rikujin-Studio]

bro this is a game for 8 years old... and it was sooo hard for me to beat back in the days... so this is a 10/10 when you were young in the late 90's early 20's

[@juantoledo5248]

I completely understand your story. This was once of the first N64 games I tried as a kid, and I enjoyed it (I know it's for babies, but apparently I couldn't beat it 😂). It was only when I grew old that I heard people's take on it, and I was like "What? That game sucks?"

[@guaskoqizz]

I can agree that the boss fights are the biggest dissapointment in this game. Especially the Bowser fight. But I have to admit: The only boss that I think is the most channelging of them all is actually the cloud-genie from Poochy & Nippy (3-3). Sure he's still very easy, but imo he's the only boss in the game that I always look forward to fight against. Which probably explain why I always choose Poochy & Nippy in the Story Mode. 😁

[@MrSkotty1992]

If this was a n64 launch title it would have been praised. I just started playing it after falling in love the art style and it is a cute game. I was surprised when I saw how low the reviews were

[@frempy4426]

“God I love the Luigi hole.”

[@elioridacow]

This is the most underrated N64 game!

[@jakeybarra4015]

My sister and I rented this game at blockbuster when we were kids.

[@pnsito_]

Really cool video, dude! You make valid points. Yoshis Story is a pretty easy game. Amazing graphics and music. It's really nostalgic to me as well. However, if you want a challenge, try the melon only run. Seriously, it takes some skill to beat the game in that way.

[@smashingsalmon]

I’ve gotten so many suggestions to try the melon run. I’m honestly tempted, and if I can make a video out of it, I very well might in the future. Definitely will be keeping that in mind.

[@betty12810]

i like how this game is kind of an earthbound situation...was hated during its early times due to whatever thing it wasnt good at...but now in later times people enjoy it and see the fun in it

[@smashingsalmon]

EarthBound is one of my favorite games ever, but I still think Yoshi’s Story is still less universally beloved compared to EarthBound. Yoshi’s Story might get there someday, but I still enjoy it for what it is.

[@justicetaylor3050]

The Nintendo Switch 64 expansion play through was done by my older bro in 2 or 3 hours, but the ending screen didn’t seem to have a way to reset, so it’s plausible this version is unintentionally locked off from accessing the additional play through levels.

[@smashingsalmon]

A lot of older games force you to reset the console when reaching the end, which you can do in the Switch Online app by opening the menu and selecting reset. All your progress should still be there.

[@justicetaylor3050]

@@smashingsalmon yep. It auto saved

[@Kaizomusicofficial]

This is my favorite n64 game, and one of my favorite games of all time. I prefer it to even Yoshi's Island, my 2nd favorite snes game (earthbound is my favorite game ever) and the reason is... It feels... creepy. It actually feels like a horror game. All the bubbly and cute imagery is just because you play as baby yoshis. But even still... The high stakes, the terrifying renders of things like that spiky white and green long fish/eel thing... and how the music slows and pitches down right before you die... The description of the yoshis after they finish a level, it feels like they're trudging forward, despite it all... How desolate it can feel. It's... amazing. I love this game... I know im not describing it well... But I adore this game.

[@smashingsalmon]

Yeah I mention it in the video but the Tall Tower level gave me weird vibes as a kid and it still kinda does. It just feels so empty and kinda liminal. Also EarthBound is my second favorite game and it also shares a lot of those same vibes in certain parts of the game.

[@coreylarcomb4879]

Bish. You sound 10. You don't get to question if this masterpiece was bad. It was godly.

[@johnforkner]

The game (and most of the Yoshi games) is as easy or as difficult as you want it to be. If you just want to breeze through you can. But if you want a perfect score, it’s not easy at all. Getting all the light green melons in the game is extremely difficult.

[@fourjhin_cookies]

I fucking loved Yoshi's Story growing up, critics be damned.

[@phantom-pr6op]

I refuse to believe Yoshi's Story or Donkey Kong 64 are considered bad games 😅 but I keep hearing haters lately.

[@henrymapleton]

Loved the assets that used to carry over to paper Mario from these yoshi games ; _ ;

[@TRJ2241987]

I was 11 years old when this came out and was genuinely pissed I had looked forward to it

[@AndrewChumKaser]

I'm in the same boat. Yoshi's story is not a terrible game by any metric, it's just somewhat underwhelming. I'll admit it's no hidden gem but it has a ton of charm in its pages, and that's worth a lot more than people are giving it credit for.

[@smashingsalmon]

100% agree. There’s really no other 2D platformer like it, even if there are better games out there.

[@JefryU]

Who the fuck said this game is bad? This game was the first nintendo 64 game I bought and had so much fun with it

[@smashingsalmon]

Yeah I really had no idea this game had a negative reception until like last year. Always loved it as a kid and revisiting it was a super pleasant experience.

[@zacharylandrum4789]

My main problem with Yoshi's Story is that controlling Yoshi feels awful. He's way too slippery, like he is wearing Luigi's slippery shoes. And I don't know if it is just a Switch Online problem, but sometimes the game will just not register a jump as I am leaving the ground and Yoshi will just plummet to his death. It's so frustrating to control.

[@smashingsalmon]

Yoshi is definitely slippery, but I really like how the jumps and momentum feel. Yoshi’s Island definitely has better feeling controls for precise platforming though.

[@MeryoQuestion]

yoshi story its a very niche game and obscure yoshi/nintendo game, thats kinda sad more people should've know of this game

[@Square_One]

Yoshi's story reminds me of a simpler time when you could bring a new game home and be fully immersed in it's gameplay within minutes of walking in your front door. It's not a "good" game but I love it.

[@NickOleksiakMusic]

I never owned this game but played the first few levels as a little kid in various hotel rooms that offered N64 games to rent by the hour. I liked the aesthetic then as well and still do. I also rent Paper Mario and Super Smash Bros. I ended up getting Paper Mario a few years later, and it became one of my all-time favorites. SSB's greatness goes without saying, but I've never actually owned any of the games myself.

[@smashingsalmon]

I completely forgot hotels used to rent out consoles. I don’t think that’s as common these days, but it’s really cool you had the opportunity to try it out when you were a kid.

[@JonJuju95]

5:42 Well, not so much as dying as much as becoming so depressed to continue. The Smile Meter (health meter) is tied to a Yoshi's mood (happy, neutral, and sad). When the Smile Meter loses all its pedals, and a Yoshi takes one more damage. they'll become so depressed that they're unable to continue any further, being hauled off by the Toadies in tears to Baby Bowser's castle.

[@laurenbeckerle7977]

😂 I recently played this game for the first time. I was devastated when I lost my first yoshi! I’m in my 30’s. My teenage son thought it was funny that the death was permanent. Pretty intense for a yoshi game he said. Lol. I thought it was cool to see all the crafty elements. Stuff that you see in recent yoshi games.

[@korkiwi]

"Super Mario Kart is a piece of sh.." I 100% agree. It was great for it's time but absolutely does not hold up today.

[@smashingsalmon]

It’s an okay game nowadays but I’d rather play any other Mario Kart.

[@milkiesmenace8167]

From my play through of it, my main criticism is that just playing it casually is fun, but playing it to get all the levels or get all the melons is tedious. Finding the hearts in each stage in order to access more levels on the next page can get really frustrating when you just can’t for the life of you figure out where it is, and the melons have lots of fun challenges, but also a lot of ones hidden in the ground that just results in slow, methodical sniffing that becomes a slog. Honestly, I think they should’ve put in gameplay incentives for the point system, cuz there’s a lot that goes into it, like eating the right fruits, hitting enemies instead of swallowing them, etc but all it amounts to is increasing your high score, which who cares lol. They could’ve instead made it so that, oh to get to the other levels on the next page, you have to get this amount of points. Or after getting this many points, you’ll be given a white shy guy. If there’s something in it for the player, it’ll encourage them to play differently in order to get more points, which would make the game feel less cut-and-dry. Instead it’s just a game that’s smooth if you don’t go for any extra goals, but becomes stilted if you try for more challenge

[@smashingsalmon]

I think you hit the nail on the head regarding the points system. I’m not someone who’s motivated by high scores, so I really didn’t pay much attention to the points and bonus fruits. Yoshi’s Story seems a lot like Mario Sunshine in the sense that both games are fun casually, but going for a completionist run is a bit of a nightmare.

[@maccamachine]

The original is still the best but I still like the charm and style of this game

[@smashingsalmon]

The original Yoshi’s Island is timeless.

[@crispysocksss]

This and Kirby 64 makes me feel young again

[@wacman13]

You had a nice childhood :D

[@Palemis]

2:20 me too

[@andreksionski5102]

I was once a player in Yoshi Story. I would rate this 7/10 than 5/10, because as mentioned that you are freely to aim, graphic is not bad, controls are great for me, Music is great and nostalgic too. Btw I will talk about Level 5-3 Shy Guy Limbo which I know some don't understand that and knows it is not water. Well I am the person understand what that graphic in story book and suppose to mean about that level. Shy Guy Limbo is not water level (same fo Shy Guy Ship) this level is unique to level 5 Ocean level because that level took like inner part of island or main island where Shy Guy do Limbo dance not Limbo what we refer to like in Mario Party mini game do. Limbos are more into tribal tradition, like more for Aztecs doing Sacrificial dance. (Same for 5-4 Shy Guy Ship was actually a coastal level which is not water level too). And that is why 5-3 is not water level. 5-4 is also same case because the background has water on it, but does not mean it is water level where suppose to swim too. So the answer why 5-3 is unique in water level because 1) it is not water level where to swim 2) Watch carefully the background in 5-4 compare to 5-3 or one in the book before entering the level, that reason was to confuse players. And 3) Not all level are same background in both Storybook and actual level. Each level has uniqueness and it is consider special level because players should notice the difference Levels I don't like especially for melon challenge is 2-2, 4-2, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 because it is like 5 star difficulty which only Dan Salvato manage to speedrun on all melon challenge from every level, then there is KZbinr name Bikdiponabus there was a walkthrough, focus on all melon challenge even the hardest part he manage to get by. So my understanding point that Yoshi Stories are not just for babies, because you never have fun if never tried one for yourself. I love this content much. Check those clips too. Okey the last part I will say to these all level have different background. For instance 5-3 is not water level but why is there in Ocean because when you open the book there is Shy Guys ship level which is also not water level, but some case why is it there is not about developers intentions, but when you see why 5-3 is not water level, because 5-3 is an inner part of island where Shy Guys represent as a tribes and most people confuse why it is limbo because Shy Guys do Limbo like more tribal dance for what Aztecs do than Actual Limbo for minigame. And second reason why is that level a not water level is to analyze the pages because each pages do separate water level to actual small island. For instance like 5-3 and 5-4 are complete not water level and 5-4 has ocean theme compare to 5-3 because 5-4 represent the coast of 5-3 and 5-3 is a level that we don't see ocean theme more because is inner part of island, not literally Jungle but like plain forest theme. Also please comment if I am right or not but I can tell because I used to played this game over 15 years on every my birthday. And yes I still play game even today. Also love the content. My rate for Yoshi's Story is 7/10

[@smashingsalmon]

Huh I never really thought of Shy Guy Limbo that way; I’ll need to look into the cultural origins of limbo more. And you’re right-the pirate ship and limbo levels still have a coastal theme despite not having water in the levels themselves. I’ve seen a lot of people suggest the melon challenge adds a fair bit of difficulty to the game, and it definitely requires mastery of the game’s secrets. I may give it a shot next time I’m in the mood to play Yoshi’s Story and see it for myself. The only reason I haven’t yet is because there isn’t really a reward for beating it, and it seems more tedious than anything. Thank you so much for your comment! I’ll check out those videos you mentioned about the melon challenge.

[@ayara8157]

I loved Yoshi's Story.

[@warioland523]

This game is actually one of the most difficult games if you go for 100%. What is defined as a 100% run is finding all the hearts and honeydews in each level. It isn't easy and one wrong move can ruin your entire run. Well the bosses are still stupidly easy either way.

[@gameboy3d943]

The problem with Yoshi's Story and really most Yoshi games after Yoshi's Island is the fact that there is another Nintendo-exclusive franchise that does the same "games for beginners" that was also made in the 90s and arguably does it better: the Kirby franchise. Kirby is only a year younger than Yoshi and from its conception is made to be games accessible to everyone. The year before Yoshi's Story was released, we got Kirby's Super Star: a good collection of games that anyone can play and rewards you for doing better and progressing further. (And that was on a weaker console.) To this day, Kirby is remembered fondly for multiple things while Yoshi is only remembered for Yoshi's Island, maybe Wooly World, and the games he starred in Mario games (Galaxy 2, the spin-offs, and of course, Super Mario World.) The only reason you'd ever want to play a Yoshi game, debatably, is off visuals. It just kind of feels redundant, when there's two other Nintendo-exclusive franchises also made for kids/inexperienced players, even in spite of unique gameplay.

[@smashingsalmon]

I think both franchises have their merits, but Kirby is definitely a more consistent series in terms of quality. If you ask Yoshi fans what the best Yoshi’s Island game is, I’m sure most fans would say the original Yoshi’s Island. If you ask Kirby fans what the best Kirby game is, you’re gonna start a war.

[@gerrysnk]

This was my favorite game as a little kid. I replayed it on switch and still loving it, because of what you say, it's a comfort game like Animal Crossing. Btw the 30 melon challenge is actually pretty difficult, but I think most people don't try it

[@smashingsalmon]

There’s definitely value in chill games like this; sometimes I just need a simple, low-stake game to relax with. Collecting all the melons is a cool optional challenge if you’re looking for something a little more difficult, but I’ve never really found the drive to complete it. I think that’s because when I play Yoshi’s Story, I really am just looking for a nice, nostalgic, fun platformer. You also don’t really get anything for completing the challenge, so it’s kinda fueled by intrinsic motivation.

[@gerrysnk]

@@smashingsalmon yep, a reward for the melons was totally missing.

[@smashingsalmon]

Would have been cool if you unlocked another Yoshi after getting all the melons. Maybe something weird like a Yoshi textured to look like a melon that changed all the fruit to melons when playing as him.

[@kabiribi6042]

l feel that and Kirby 64 were judged unfairly for their difficulty in their era as every series that had a game on N64 were much more easier than the last generation, Mario World to 64, Link to the Past to Ocarina of Time. Ironically, this game has more potential to be the hardest N64 game with its 30 melon run, more so than 120 stars or 100 skulltulas.

[@smashingsalmon]

I also think the jump to fully 3D games had something to do with it. Yoshi’s Story and Kirby 64 were still 2D games while other major franchises were revolutionized with 3D gameplay. Kirby 64 did utilize 3D assets but it still played like a 2D game.

[@kabiribi6042]

@@smashingsalmon when you put it like that, l guess it's harder to justify 2D games as they should KNOW, but however, and much like 3D games of this era, they fell into the trap of experimentation. Crash Bandicoot and Klonoa were more challenging in that era because they kept the simplicity of previous generations.

[@smashingsalmon]

Yeah the jump from Mario World to Mario 64 must have been bizarre. They are completely different games in terms of level design and structure. I’m sure a lot of people at the time just kinda expected every game series to switch to 3D and anything that didn’t experiment was disappointing.

[@FireBomberBassist]

It was mostly bad because it followed behind Yoshi’s Island which was 10x better made.

[@smashingsalmon]

Yeah Yoshi’s Island is hard to follow up, and I still think it’s probably the best Yoshi game overall. That game is timeless.

[@philpeer7407]

Yoshi's Story is one of the best games I've ever come across in my entire life. It had amazing graphics for 1998 - tons of surfaces in it looked completely real. It's full of interesting content, and it's an N64 game I'd rank even higher than Ocarina of Time.

[@drewbrown2175]

Do the 30 Melon Challenge 🍈 So Hard ! Completely changes the difficulty!!

[@tetsero]

Always thought they said Drew Barrymore in the song.

[@kevincloud574]

It's not death it's detainment. And it's not permanent as you mentioned the shy guy.

[@davidsanchez8158]

I just played this a few months ago for the first time after beating yoshis island for the first time, the graphics jump had me geekin and I died so many times I was satisfied after finally beating it going at it for a few weeks on NSO

[@BritishRail60062]

I play this in 1998 and to be honest, its not a bad game, It's relaxed, there is some harder levels that is from Tier 1 to Tier 4 per page and you can make it even harder by doing all the melons only. Also it was the first game where the Yoshi's could talk and its a nice game overall in my opinion. I am a Yoshi fan though since the days when I got Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo back in 1993 for my 13th birthday in June that year.

[@jonahabenhaim1223]

5:22 Well if you Count Croc Which was Originally going to Be Yoshi as a 3D Platformer until Nintendo Refused Argonaut’s Offer.

[@smashingsalmon]

I really hope we get an actual 3D Yoshi platformer at some point. I loved how Yoshi controlled in Super Mario Odyssey, and the Yoshi series could really use a shakeup.

[@alejandroo.2358]

wait, people didn't like this game? i personally loved it, got many fond memories of it, even if i never actually beat it lol

[@mtoffo2275]

I was surprised when I became aware of how poorly received it was. As a small kid I absolutely adored it, it took me years to explore everything, and it had such a whimsical and dreamy atmosphere

[@BohemianRaichu]

I think Woolly World got the balance right in terms of being different yet similar to Yoshi's Island. I love Yoshi's Story though, there are some really innovative platforming ideas in t here, and getting all the melons is a great challenge. It needs to be approached as a high score game. The Turtles games on Game Boy did something similar regarding lives, once you were out of Turtles, that was it. Regarding Shy Guy Limbo, I think if you sniffed on the clouds, you might find something. If they had spent longer and doubled the amount of levels, then I think it could have been one of the greats. But it's still in my Holy 3 of Yoshi games.

[@Petit3.Princess]

It’s my favorite game tbh I’ve beaten it 5 times on original hardware, I was so excited getting my own n64 and yoshis story to pair because i thought the game Looked really Cute

[@D-Nova]

I remember reading articles about Yoshi's Story, back in the good old days. The problem was that Yoshi's Story simply wasn't the game everyone wanted. Since Yoshi's Island left such an impression with people and was such an amazing game, all we wanted was simply more Yohsi's Island. And judging from early articles and screenshots, Yoshi's Story seemed to be exaclty that, which is why people were so dissapointed with the final product. That being said, Yoshi's Story is not a bad game. If the game was released today, people would like it so much more, I think. Today, we had many great sequels to Yoshi's Island. We had Yoshi's Island DS, we had Woolly World and we had Crafted World. To me, the biggest flaw of Yoshi's Story was attempting to reinvent a series after only one entry. It was just way too early for that and what we got wasn't even _that_ great of a game. That's like having Kirby's Epic Yarn as the second ever Kirby game.

[@smashingsalmon]

Very well said. I completely agree with you; Yoshi’s Story is a good game, but it was so different from what came before. Kinda similar to how people used the perceive The Wind Waker, but obviously Wind Waker has become far more beloved over time while Yoshi’s Story really hasn’t.

[@XJ9LoL]

Idk I played this game when I was 1-4 years old. I enjoyed it a lot. Very charming style as well. I honestly forgot about the game until today. Pretty crazy to me people considered it bad when I just loved getting to new levels and seeing the new animated stages.

[@castform5032]

I’ve been playing this game since I was three I am now 22 and I still love this game I also come up with interesting challenges of my own to make things harder

[@KIRB881]

Yoshi Story had good music tho

[@ricardocantoral7672]

I enjoyed it when I was a kid but I didn't love it. Looking back, the whole fruit system gimmick wasn't a good substitute for a traditional platforming experience. Yoshi's Island is superior in my book.

[@vaultdweller94]

Keep in mind the controls are horribly clunky and something as simple as landing on a small platform is a challenge. I 100% this game as a kid but when I went back to this I was astounded by how difficult everything is to accomplish

[@LocalMultiplex]

The music, vibe, art style, etc are all on point. Which is why I loved it when I was young. Playing it again now though, I realize how awful the level design and progression is. Who's idea was it to finish levels by eating fruit? Also, wtf is with beating the game at least 4 times to unlock all the levels? Mind boggling stuff.

[@evanwilliams6406]

It was unique but I got kind of bored with it after I realized that you can only play one level of each world and that was a bit of a surprise I never saw coming. Plus the trinkets that came with the game I preordered were pretty lousy. It was a Yoshi's Story shirt crinkled up like cracked eggshells and the worst part was you could not get them out with an iron.

[@smashingsalmon]

Ah, yes, I sure do love crappy bonus shirts. Especially the ones that fade after a single wash.

[@andreworders7305]

9:34 oh, that explains the permadeath. The game is replayable and only like an hour or so long.

[@smashingsalmon]

Yup! The game has a lot of replay value. You can choose different sets of levels each time you play, and the bosses differ depending on which stage you pick.

[@Ben-kd7ug]

Some of the characters are just to creepy beyond all reason

[@MysteriousBlue77]

Nobody cares about reviews it’s a classic. It hasn’t impacted it’s legacy at all

[@EugeneJOooOo]

Luigi’s WHAT???

[@bofygaming9672]

Music and art i loved as a kid. And the world felt big which mario worlds did well

[@turtlebutter6401]

I loved it. I’m 31

[@agoodduck]

I think this is the first review of yoshi's story I've seen that never even said the word "melon" 👀

[@smashingsalmon]

Oh trust me I know about the melons

[@Eddn102]

I also grew up with this game. Loved it. Played it again recently and I think it's alright. A bit easy, true, but that's why we have all-melon runs.

[@williamdrum9899]

I think it's "bad" in the sense that it was made on the wrong console. The game seems way too short and the overall structure of the game is questionable at best. This should have been a GBA game rather than an N64 one

[@smashingsalmon]

It's interesting you say it should have been a GBA game because there actually was a Yoshi's Story GBA tech demo. Nothing came of it but yeah it would have been a good fit on that console.

[@williamdrum9899]

@@smashingsalmon I was thinking about that actually! It seemed a bit low-res but serviceable

[@Hel0jen]

Idk why, but yoshi story always had a level of creepiness to it for me. Almost like a surreal, uncanny feeling.

[@smashingsalmon]

Definitely feel the same way, specifically for the Tall Tower level in world 3. A lot of N64 games have that uncanny feeling, but that’s mostly just due to the nature of early 3D graphics. It’s interesting that Yoshi’s Story has similar vibes despite being 2D.

[@coolmortar]

I love Yoshi's Story. It got rid of the annoying baby and you can now point your tongue and eggs in all directions. What is this smack about it being bad? It's an awesome game! I would love A Yoshi's Story 2. But instead we got A dozen crappy Yoshi's Island "sequels". B-but that's just my opinion, of course....

[@Age0fMusic]

In the Mario universe its the 2nd best game for me. Only Super Mario 64 is better. Some games werent made to be a challenge.They were made to have fun.

[@FTChomp9980]

Yoshis Story was my first Yoshi game I played on the N64 to this day I would love Good Feel to make a remake with the art style that is the same as a Story Book! Not to mention it is the game that turned me into a Yoshi Fan. I would put it in a Trilogy of Yoshi Story,Yoshis Wooly World,and Yoshis Crafted World.

[@smashingsalmon]

A Yoshi’s Story remake would look fantastic. I’m totally down for that.