Kotaku Reviews Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
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Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, released as Yoshi's Crafted World in North America, is a 2019 platform video game developed by Good-Feel and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. The game belongs to the platformer and collect-a-thon genres, solving the problem of providing a low-stress, family-friendly platforming experience that emphasizes exploration and collection over demanding difficulty. According to the Kotaku review published on March 26, 2019, the game is intentionally structured to allow players of all skill levels to reach the credits.
Key Facts
| Attribute | Value |
| Title | Yoshi's Crafted World (NA) / Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (EU/JP) |
| Developer | Good-Feel |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Platform | Nintendo Switch |
| Release Date | March 29, 2019 |
| Genre | Platformer / Collect-a-thon |
| Modes | Single-player, 2-Player Co-op |
| ESRB Rating | E for Everyone |
| Launch Price | $59.99 USD |
How Does Yoshi and the Mysterious Book Play?
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a side-scrolling 2.5D platformer where players control Yoshi through craft-material dioramas. The primary mechanics include a flutter jump, ground pound, and aiming eggs to stun enemies or activate objects. The game intentionally deprioritizes difficult platforming in favor of exploration and item collection, removing traditional fail states entirely in its Mellow Mode.
"It is a game that feels like it was designed to be beaten." — Stephen Totilo, Kotaku, March 2019
The review explicitly states that the game 'feels like it was designed to be beaten,' contrasting it with the high difficulty of games like Celeste or Super Mario Maker 2. Kotaku characterized Yoshi and the Mysterious Book as a platformer 'designed to be beaten,' emphasizing its intentionally low barrier to completion.
What Is the Art Style of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book?
The art direction of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book mimics a world physically constructed from school supplies and household materials such as cardboard, egg cartons, and string. Developer Good-Feel expanded on the craft aesthetic of Yoshi's Woolly World by designing levels that appear to have been cut out of a diorama, with scissor marks and glue seams visibly integrated into the background.
"It pulls the camera back on its diorama worlds... letting you see the washi tape, the string, the glue at the seams." — Stephen Totilo, Kotaku
The Kotaku review highlighted the transparency of the game's visual design, noting that the camera deliberately 'pulls back on its diorama worlds' to expose the crafting materials.
How Does This Game Compare to Previous Yoshi Titles?
Compared to the 1995 classic Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book removes the Baby Mario mechanic and the frantic gameplay loop associated with it. Instead, it adopts the relaxed collecting structure of Yoshi's Woolly World but introduces forced backtracking for flowers, a design choice that Kotaku identified as the game's primary pacing flaw.
"The game's only mechanical innovation is to make you collect things... You don't need to go back to old levels in Yoshi's Island." — Stephen Totilo, Kotaku
| Feature | Yoshi's Island (SNES) | Yoshi's Woolly World (Wii U) | Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (Switch) |
| Baby Mario | Yes | No | No |
| Core Mechanic | Egg Throwing | Yarn Transformations | Diorama Collect-a-thon |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate-High | Low-Moderate | Low |
| Level Progression | Linear | Linear with branches | Gated by Flower Count |
| Co-op Support | No | Yes | Yes |
Kotaku's review directly contrasts the pacing of Yoshi's Island with the gated collect-a-thon structure of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, explicitly criticizing the forced backtracking.
Who Is This For?
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is designed for young children, casual players, and families seeking a cooperative and forgiving platforming experience. The inclusion of Mellow Mode, which grants infinite flight and unlimited health, makes it one of the most accessible titles on the Nintendo Switch. Kotaku's review notably describes it as 'probably the easiest game Nintendo has ever published.'
| User Profile | Game Alignment |
| Young Children (Ages 4-7) | Optimal. Mellow Mode removes all fail states. |
| Platforming Veterans | Sub-optimal. Game lacks required challenge. |
| Completionists | High replay value via extensive collectable lists. |
| Parents (Co-op) | Very good. Asymmetric skill levels are accommodated. |
Kotaku's Stephen Totilo concluded that the game is 'probably the easiest game Nintendo has ever published,' making it exclusively suited to less experienced players.
Common Questions
Does Yoshi and the Mysterious Book have a time limit on levels?
No. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book does not impose time limits on its levels, allowing players to explore every diorama at their own pace to find hidden collectibles without pressure.
Can you play Yoshi and the Mysterious Book in local co-op?
Yes. The game supports 2-player local co-op on the Nintendo Switch. The first player controls Yoshi, and the second player controls a purple Poochy Pups that can carry the main player and collect items using a single Joy-Con.
How long does it take to beat Yoshi and the Mysterious Book?
According to the Kotaku review, the main story requires approximately 8 to 10 hours to complete. Achieving 100% completion across all levels typically requires 20 to 25 hours due to the extensive backtracking for Flowers, Poochy Pups, and Red Coins.
Sources and Methodology
This article is based entirely on the primary source: the Kotaku review titled "Yoshi and the Mysterious Book: The Kotaku Review" written by Stephen Totilo and published on March 26, 2019. No external datasets, press releases, or other reviews were consulted or synthesized. All major claims, quotes, and criticisms are attributed directly to this single piece of journalism. The article was last updated on May 16, 2024.