Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Platformer
Release: 1995
Currently available on: GBA, Wii U VC, New 3DS VC, SNES Classic Edition, Nintendo Switch Online
About the game: This prequel game actually stars Yoshi as he (along with other yoshis) safely transports Baby Mario back home. Gameplay here is much different from a typical Mario game, as Yoshi can flutter jump, eat enemies to create eggs, and throw eggs as projectile weapons. Level design here is incredible, and the game uses the Super FX2 chip to add some cool effects. Boss battles are a major standout, as each one is creative and different, making them some of the most memorable boss battles in a Mario game. With that being said, I hate it when people call this a Mario game because you play as Yoshi (who handles nothing like Mario) and the game started an entirely new Nintendo franchise. This is a Yoshi game!
Why I love it: You may have noticed that Super Mario World is not on my list of SNES games I love. Don't get me wrong, SMW is wonderful, but Yoshi's Island is even better. This game is so creative and different from anything a Mario game had to offer at this point. Yoshi's abilities are utilized to perfection. Level design is so inventive that you'll never get bored, the game is constantly throwing new challenges at you. Yoshi's transformations, the bonus mini games, the hidden levels, and the incredible boss battles--it's all amazing! Yes, I think Yoshi's Island eclipses SMW as the better game, and that is simply astounding.
I don't know if I agree with you that it's better than SMW, but it's certainly more creative both visually and gameplay-wise.
I've always loved the game's aesthetic.
Perhaps the reason why I like it better is because SMW is similar to SMB3, it wasn't that groundbreaking, but YI was completely different, offering something fresh. Does that make it the better game? That's the subjective part.
Indeed.
Depending on my mood, I kind of flip flop and can't decide if I like SMW better or Yoshi's Island better. Either way, Yoshi's Island is one of the best 2-D platformers ever made, and still looks impressive to this day. And so many great and subtle ways they used the Super FX chip! I have so many good memories playing this game with my brothers and my college roommate and his wife when we were in college.
I'm getting a little worried, though. We're almost to the end of BaD, and you haven't mentioned the other SNES game that's on my top five favorite games of all time list. You did FF6, but there's one more...
If it's Mario Kart, it's not gonna make the list, sorry. These are my favorites, after all.
Of all the 90s games with Mario in the title, this is the one I most want to play. Yoshi's just fun.
This game is crazy fun. I certainly would play it over SMW