Yoshi's Crafted World

Yoshi's Crafted World^[a] is a 2019 platform game developed by Good-Feel and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. The eighth main installment in the Yoshi franchise, it is the spiritual successor to Yoshi's Woolly World.^[1] The game was revealed at E3 2017, and was released worldwide on March 29, 2019. It follows the Yoshis as they venture to collect the scattered gems of the Sundream Stone, which has the ability to grant wishes, before Kamek and Baby Bowser can.

Yoshi's Crafted World
Icon artwork
Developer(s)	Good-Feel
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Masahiro Yamamoto
Producer(s)	Etsunobu Ebisu Takashi Tezuka
Programmer(s)	Yasuhiro Masuoka
Artist(s)	Ayano Otsuka
Composer(s)	Kazufumi Umeda
Series	Yoshi
Engine	Unreal Engine 4
Platform(s)	Nintendo Switch
Release	March 29, 2019
Genre(s)	Platform
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Yoshi's Crafted World received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its visuals, level design and gameplay, although the game was criticized for its soundtrack and lack of difficulty. It sold over 1 million copies worldwide in three days and more than 3 million by December 2022, making it one of the best-selling games on the system.

Gameplay

See also: Yoshi's Island § Gameplay

 

 

Yoshi's Crafted World allows the player to view the game from two opposite viewpoints, allowing the camera to "flip sides" to see behind objects. Here, the player collects coins inside of a house from the outside (top) and inside (bottom) perspective.

The game is a side-scrolling platformer where 3D characters are moved on a 2.5D plane. The player is also able to move and interact in a third dimension, with travel forwards and backwards enabled in sections of levels, and the ability to throw eggs at scenery and other elements of the foreground and background.^[2] Outside of this new mechanic, the game plays similar to prior Yoshi games, where the player may use Yoshi's tongue to eat enemies or other objects, turn them into eggs, and throw them outwardly into the level. As in previous Yoshi games, flowers can be found in levels, which can be used to unlock paths on the world map.

In addition to the frontside, each level also has a backside, which can be played after completion. Players must find up to three Poochy Pups there and bring them to the finish line, for which they receive one flower per returned Poochy Pup. If they succeed in doing so within the given time period, they receive another flower.

The game features a two-player multiplayer mode, where each player maneuvers their own Yoshi through the game's levels.^[3][4]

Synopsis

The story begins with the Yoshis, who live peacefully on Yoshi's Island. At the topmost peak of the island sits a gem-set artifact known as the Sundream Stone, which possesses the power to "make anyone's wildest dreams come true". One day, when Kamek and Baby Bowser attempt to steal the stone, its gems are sent flying across the world, leaving Yoshi and his friends to recover them.

For most of the game, the stone rests in a dark forest guarded by the Yoshis not exploring. When the Yoshis reattach a Dream Gem, the colors on the actual stone that is the color of the Dream Gem are restored. During the final level, the Yoshis find the last Dream Gem, only for Kamek and Baby Bowser to steal it and the Stone with the other four gems. Baby Bowser then uses the stone to create a robot named The Great King Bowser, the penultimate boss. After its defeat, Kamek uses the stone to grow Baby Bowser giant, which leads into the final boss fight against Mega Baby Bowser. Afterwards, the Yoshis reattach the gems (which were detached again after the defeat of Mega Baby Bowser) and restore the Sundream Stone, which, with the Yoshis' dreams, creates an airship that is used to fly all of them back to Yoshi's Island. Following the completion of the story, additional challenges and levels are unlocked for more gameplay.

Development

The game was announced at E3 2017 and was scheduled for a 2018 release.^[5] Footage of the game was shown during the Nintendo Treehouse Live event at E3 2017, where footage of the front and backsides of multiple levels were shown.^[4] The reveal footage showed the game taking a cardboard cutout-type art style for the game's graphics, similar to how Yoshi's Woolly World was themed around characters and worlds made out of wool^[6] and Kirby's Epic Yarn with its yarn-based themes.^[7] The game was built using Unreal Engine 4.^[8] In June 2018, Nintendo confirmed that the game was delayed and would be released in 2019.^[9] In January 2019, Nintendo announced in a standalone tweet that Yoshi's Crafted World would release on March 29, 2019.^[10] In the final game, it appears as though the ability to "flip" the world has been overhauled since its reveal, as overall emphasis on the mechanic has been lowered dramatically. Certain auxiliary mechanics shown off at the reveal, such as the ability to flip the viewpoint in multiplayer via a simultaneous ground-pound maneuver, have been removed completely, and instead the flipping mechanic exists as a second bonus "run" through a level, in which Yoshi must find several "Poochy Pups" and bring them to the goal. The game supports all Amiibo, most of them granting players random crafted costumes. Any Mario-related Amiibo, however, including the Yoshi soft dolls from Woolly World, granted players special costumes based on the character used.^[11]

Reception

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	79/100^[12]

Review scores

Publication	Score
4Players	83/100^[13]
Destructoid	7.5/10^[14]
Easy Allies	8/10^[15]
Edge	8/10^[16]
Eurogamer	Recommended^[17]
Game Informer	8.25/10^[18]
GameRevolution	3.5/5^[19]
GameSpot	8/10^[21]
GamesRadar+	^[20]
Hardcore Gamer	4/5^[22]
IGN	7.8/10^[23]
Jeuxvideo.com	16/20^[24]
Nintendo Life	^[25]
Nintendo World Report	8.5/10^[26]
USgamer	^[27]

Yoshi's Crafted World received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic, with a score of 79/100.^[12] Critics lauded the charm of the game with its level design and graphics, as well as its innovative gameplay formula, though the soundtrack^[28][29] and lack of difficulty^[28][30][29] was criticized.

Sales

Yoshi's Crafted World debuted at the top of the UK all-format and individual-format sales charts; the first Yoshi game to do so.^[31] The game also debuted first in Japan, launching with 53,327 physical sales; the best launch in the series since 2014's Yoshi's New Island.^[32] As of July 2019, it has sold over 150,000 copies in Japan.^[33] As of March 31, 2019, the game has sold 1.11 million copies worldwide.^[34] The 2023 CESA Games White Papers revealed that Yoshi's Crafted World had sold 3.35 million units, as of December 2022.^[35]

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Result	Ref.
2019	2019 Golden Joystick Awards	Nintendo Game of the Year	Nominated	^[36]
	The Game Awards 2019	Best Family Game	Nominated	^[37]
2020	23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards	Family Game of the Year	Nominated	^[38]
	NAVGTR Awards	Art Direction, Contemporary	Nominated	^[39]
		Control Precision	Nominated

Notes

1. Known in Japan as Yoshi Craft World (Japanese: ヨッシークラフトワールド, Hepburn: Yosshī Kurafuto Wārudo)

References

1. Oloman, Jordan (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World review: "Nintendo by numbers"". GamesRadar. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
2. Dayus, Oscar (June 13, 2017). "E3 2017: New Yoshi Game Coming To Nintendo Switch". gamespot.com. from the original on October 9, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
3. "Yoshi's Crafted World for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Game Details". Nintendo. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
4. 12 Minutes of Yoshi Gameplay on Switch - E3 2017 - IGN Video, June 14, 2017, from the original on September 8, 2017, retrieved June 18, 2017
5. Webster, Andrew (June 13, 2017). "The adorable new Yoshi game on Switch looks like it's made out of cardboard". The Verge. from the original on June 26, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
6. Oxford, Nadia. "Nintendo Unveils New Yoshi Game at E3 2017, Coming 2018". usgamer.net. from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
7. "E3 2017: Yoshi's Woolly Art Style Returns to Switch in 2018 - Hardcore Gamer". hardcoregamer.com. June 13, 2017. from the original on August 29, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
8. Osborn, Alex (June 14, 2017). "E3 2017: Yoshi Switch Developed With Unreal Engine 4". ign.com. from the original on June 15, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
9. Hilliard, Kyle (June 12, 2018). "Yoshi's Cardboard Adventure On Switch Moves To 2019". Game Informer. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
10. "Yoshi is back! Set off together when #YoshisCraftedWorld launches exclusively for #NintendoSwitch on 3/29!". Nintendo. January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
11. Iggy (February 14, 2019). "Guide: amiibo Compatible With Yoshi's Crafted World". NintendoSoup. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
12. "Yoshi's Crafted World for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
13. Wöbbeking, Jan (March 27, 2019). "Test: Yoshi's Crafted World (Plattformer)". 4Players.de. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
14. Carter, Chris (March 27, 2019). "Review: Yoshi's Crafted World". Destructoid. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
15. Bloodworth, Daniel; Jones, Brandon (April 8, 2019). "Review: Yoshi's Crafted World". Easy Allies. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
16. Haider, Ali (April 20, 2019). "Edge Issue #332 Review Scores: Sekiro, The Division 2, Yoshi's Crafted World, and More". Twisted Voxel. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
17. Robinson, Martin (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World review - at long last, a worthy successor to Yoshi's Island". Eurogamer. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
18. Shea, Brian (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World". Game Informer. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
19. Faulkner, Jason (April 4, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World Review Great single-player, terrible co-op". Game Revolution. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
20. Oloman, Jordan (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World Review: "Nintendo by numbers"". GamesRadar+. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
21. Plagge, Kallie (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World Review - Imagination". GameSpot. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
22. Swalley, Kirstin (April 1, 2019). "Review: Yoshi's Crafted World". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
23. Marks, Tom (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World Review". IGN. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
24. "Yoshi's Crafted World : Quand la plate-forme 2D rencontre l'exploration, c'est tout bon !". Jeuxvideo.com. March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
25. Lane, Gavin (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World Review". Nintendo Life. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
26. Ronaghan, Neal (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
27. Oxford, Nadia (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World Review". USgamer. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
28. Abent, Eric (May 3, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World Review: A Charming (But Easy) Adventure". SlashGear.com. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
29. "Yoshi's Crafted World wants to be the Nintendo Labo of side-scrollers". Polygon. March 27, 2019. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
30. ddnetadmin (March 28, 2019). "Review: Yoshi's Crafted World (Nintendo Switch) – Digitally Downloaded". Retrieved September 30, 2022.
31. . www.chart-track.co.uk. Archived from the original on February 28, 2006.
32. "Japanese Charts: Yoshi's Crafted World Secures Another Number One". Nintendo Life. April 5, 2019.
33. Romano, Sal (July 24, 2019). "Famitsu Sales: 7/15/19 – 7/21/19 [Update]". Gematsu. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
34. Romano, Sal (April 25, 2019). "Switch worldwide sales top 34.74 million, Yoshi's Crafted World sales top 1.11 million in three days". Gematsu. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
35. 2023CESAゲーム白書 (2023 CESA Games White Papers). Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association. 2023. ISBN 978-4-902346-47-3.
36. . GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
37. Winslow, Jeremy (November 19, 2019). "The Game Awards 2019 Nominees Full List". GameSpot. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
38. Chalk, Andy (January 13, 2020). "Control and Death Stranding get 8 nominations each for the 2020 DICE Awards". PC Gamer. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
39. "2019 Nominees". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2020.

Further reading

• Bareham, James (March 31, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World is a symphony of everyday materials". Polygon. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
• Patches, Matt (March 27, 2019). "Yoshi's Crafted World wants to be the Nintendo Labo of side-scrollers". Polygon. Retrieved March 31, 2019.

External links

• Official website