Yoshi and the Mysterious Book Review

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

When it comes to sidekicks, Yoshi has to be one of the most iconic, and in some ways, he might even overshadow Mario’s own brother, Luigi. His popularity has spawned the beloved Yoshi’s Island series, along with plenty of spin-off adventures over the years. Now, Nintendo has brought us Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, a cosy platforming puzzle game that borrows elements from Yoshi’s Island while encouraging players to experiment, explore, and discover at their own pace. What’s It Like? Pick your favourite colour Yoshi, settle in for a story, and prepare for a bit of a page-turner as we review Yoshi and the Mysterious Book on Nintendo Switch 2.

Unlike many of Yoshi’s previous adventures, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn’t focused on saving Baby Mario or stopping Bowser from conquering the Mushroom Kingdom. Instead, it tells a much smaller and more personal story centred around discovery. After a mysterious book known as Mr. E falls from the sky, a group of  Yoshi finds themselves exploring its pages in search of the creatures and secrets hidden within. Mr. E serves as both narrator and guide throughout the adventure, encouraging  the Yoshi to document the strange wildlife that calls the book home. The story itself is fairly simple and takes a back seat to the gameplay for much of the adventure to focus is on creating a sense of wonder, with each new chapter introducing new creatures and gameplay elements to keep the game interesting. What works particularly well is how the narrative supports the game’s theme of curiosity. Rather than rushing players towards a grand finale, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book rewards experimentation and observation, and the more you interact with the world around you, the more you learn about the creatures inhabiting it, making discovery feel like a part of the story itself.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book has a rather unique gameplay loop. At the start of each chapter, you’ll examine the pages of the book, select a creature, and enter the world to discover more about it. Every discovery awards stars that can be used to unlock new chapters, while major events typically reward three stars and act as the level’s main objective. The discoveries themselves are wonderfully varied. Some are as simple as swallowing an enemy to find out what it tastes like, while others involve rescuing flowers from swarms of bees or butt-stomping bubblegum-like creatures to trigger a volcanic eruption. There’s even an entire chapter dedicated to fishing, which, as an avid fisherman, I thoroughly enjoyed. That said, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book didn’t hook me right away. The opening hour felt a little slow, largely because I went in expecting something closer to a spiritual successor to the Yoshi’s Island series. It wasn’t until my fourth or fifth discovery, when I was simply spreading dandelion-like creatures around a level, that I finally understood what Nintendo was trying to achieve.

From that point on, I finally understood what the game was.

I stopped searching for hidden challenges and started focusing on the simple joy of experimenting with the world around me. I spent a good five minutes spreading dandelions across a level just to see what would happen. In doing so, I unlocked several discoveries and earned a few stars along the way. That’s really what Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is all about: satisfying your curiosity and discovering things at your own pace. Some levels can be completed in just a few minutes, while others, particularly a bubble-themed chapter, had me scratching my head for a while before I worked out what to do. Despite the relatively low stakes, I found myself excited to see what each new chapter would introduce. The best way to approach Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is to think of it less as a traditional platformer and more as a sandbox, as the game constantly encourages you to ask yourself, “What happens if I try this?” More often than not, you’ll be rewarded for doing exactly that. This approach makes Yoshi and the Mysterious Book a perfect fit for families and younger players who are still learning the basics of gaming, while also appealing to longtime Nintendo fans looking for a cosy adventure. Dedicated platforming fans may find the lack of challenge disappointing, however, as there is very little punishment for failure and few moments that truly test your skills.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book features a gorgeous visual style. Before entering the pages of Mr. E, the world is rendered in a fairly traditional 3D style. Once Yoshi jumps into the book, however, the game transforms into a beautiful watercolour-inspired world with a stop-motion aesthetic that gives it a unique identity. Every discovery you make is recorded with hand-drawn scribbles and notes across the pages, further reinforcing the feeling that you’re exploring a living storybook. Combined with the charming creature designs and imaginative environments, the presentation creates a sense of magical wonder throughout the adventure. I particularly enjoyed the variety between chapters, with each world introducing its own surprises. The soundtrack is packed with playful, whimsical melodies that often reminded me of the classic Yoshi’s Island games.

From a technical perspective, I encountered no performance issues during my time with the game on Nintendo Switch 2. Frame rates remained stable, loading times were quick, and I didn’t experience any noticeable stutters or bugs throughout the adventure. For my Yoshi’s looking into accessibility, there aren’t really any options to speak of. As always, I recommend doing some further research to determine whether Yoshi and the Mysterious Book suits your individual accessibility needs.

At just under $95 AUD, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a premium-priced title, which might irk some gamers looking for a bit more challenge from their platformers. That’s not to say there isn’t enough content here for the asking price, though. The game features six main chapters, followed by four post-game chapters and two challenge chapters that should keep completionists busy for around 20 hours. More casual players will likely see the credits in roughly half that time.

For me, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book was a game that improved the moment I stopped trying to rush from A to B. After a bumpy start where I wasn’t really enjoying myself, I finally let go of my expectations and started spending time simply playing, experimenting, and making discoveries. Sure, this isn’t the big AAA platformer that some players may have been expecting, but for those who don’t mind a slower pace and lower stakes, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a reminder that games can simply be about curiosity and discovery. Combined with its charming presentation and unique approach to progression, that makes for an adventure that’s well worth turning the page for.

So, What’s it Like? Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is like Yoshi’s Island, with a more cosy approach.

In the Interest of full disclosure, a review copy was provided by Nintendo ANZ, but this doesn’t influence my score.

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