One-Hit Wonders: Unique Set Pieces in Yoshi’s Woolly World
I imagine most kids who sat down with Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island in 1995 were startled to find that it was nothing at all like it’s predecessor – another Mario sequel screwjob, a la Super Mario Bros. 2. Unlike the latter non-sequel, however, I was nonetheless enthralled by Yoshi’s Island’s strange game, with its surreal Yoshis, bizarre enemies, and absurd crayon-drawings of levels. Beyond that, though, it did share one crucial piece of DNA with Super Mario World: unique level design. Both games featured levels with unique features, whether it be the dolphin platforming of Mario World’s Vanilla Secret 3 or the psychedelics of Yoshi’s Island Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy. Let us not fail to mention Yoshi’s Island’s truly bananas boss battles either.
The same DNA exists in Yoshi’s Woolly World, which we played through over the spring. Crayons may be replaced with yarn, but the bold willingness to feature a single mechanic for a single stage remains – and what a joy it remains.
Two Bits 